Kanzan Egen

A monk in the early period of the Northern and Southern Courts. The founder of the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect. Born as the second son of Takanashi, the lord of Nakano Castle in Shinano (Nagano Prefecture), he became a monk under Todenshikei (?-1374) at Kogen-an in Kencho-ji Temple in Kamakura. In 1307 (Tokuji 2), he received the name of Eigan from Daio Kokushi Nanpo Jomyo and practiced asceticism, but later visited Daito Kokushi Shuho Myocho at Daitoku-ji Temple in Murasakino, Kyoto, and in 1330 (Gentoku 2), he attained enlightenment through a koan called "Unmon no Kanji," in which Unmon Bun'en had mastered scholars with just one character, and was given the name Kanzan Egen, succeeding Daito's teachings. In 1337 (2nd year of Engen, 4th year of Kenmu), when the retired Emperor Hanazono converted his villa into a Zen temple, he was invited to become its founder and named the temple Shobozan Myoshinji. His teacher's lineage is called "the first line of O, To, and Seki," and is highly regarded. Later, he was posthumously named Muso Daishi by Emperor Meiji. His writings include the one-volume "Sekizan Osho Hyakusoku Koan."

[Kakuzen Suzuki June 20, 2017]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

南北朝初期の僧。臨済宗妙心寺派の祖。信濃(しなの)（長野県）中野の城主高梨(たかなし)氏の二子として出生、鎌倉建長寺の広厳庵(あん)で東伝士啓(とうでんしけい)（？―1374）について出家。1307年（徳治2）大応国師南浦紹明(なんぽじょうみょう)より慧眼の名を受けて修行したが、のち京都紫野(むらさきの)大徳寺の大燈(だいとう)国師宗峰妙超(しゅうほうみょうちょう)に参じ、1330年（元徳2）雲門文偃(うんもんぶんえん)がただ一字で学人を接得した「雲門の関字」の公案により悟りを開き、関山慧玄の名を与えられ、大燈の法を嗣(つ)いだ。1337年（延元2・建武4）花園(はなぞの)上皇が離宮を禅刹(ぜんさつ)に改めたとき、招かれて開山となり、寺名を正法山(しょうぼうざん)妙心寺とした。師の法系を「応・燈・関の一流」といい、すこぶる重視されている。後世、明治天皇より無相大師と追諡(ついし)された。著述に『関山和尚(おしょう)百則公案』1巻がある。

［鈴木格禪　2017年6月20日］

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