Fuke sect

A sect of Zen Buddhism founded by the Chinese Tang Dynasty monk Fuke. It is also known as the Komu sect. It is said that the ultimate goal of Zen is to cut off worldly desires by playing the shakuhachi, and to reach the state of nothingness by cutting off worldly desires. Fuke learned the teachings from Banzan Hoshaku, a disciple of Baso Doitsu, but he pretended to be crazy and always waved a bell near people's ears. A man named Zhang Bo wanted to become his disciple, but was not allowed to, so he played a bamboo pipe to imitate the sound of a bell, and the trend of bamboo pipe playing was born.

In Japan, Shinchikakushin traveled to Song China in 1249 (Kencho 1) and learned the secrets of bamboo flute playing from Chosan. After returning to Japan, he built Kokokuji Temple in Yura, Kishu (Wakayama Prefecture) and spread the practice. Konsen, a disciple of Kakushin, received the devout support of Hojo Tsunetoki and established Ichigatsuji Temple in Kogane, Shimousa (Chiba Prefecture) as the head temple of the Fuke sect. This lineage is called the Konsen school. A trend also arose of traveling around the country playing the shakuhachi, and this school was called the Yoritake school, which gave rise to various schools, such as Myoanji Temple in Yamashiro (Kyoto Prefecture). However, soon many homeless people began to travel around playing the shakuhachi, and they became confused with the Fuke monks. During the Edo period, they were considered a group of ronin and used as a spy agency. Monks of this sect were called komuso, komoso, boro, etc. The Fuke sect was abolished by government order in 1871 (Meiji 4), but continues to exist as churches such as Myoan, Fuke, and Houtou.

[Fumiyoshi Sueki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、唐代の禅僧普化(ふけ)を祖とする禅宗の一派。虚無(こむ)宗ともいう。尺八の吹奏をもって煩悩(ぼんのう)を断じ、虚無の境地に至る虚無吹断を禅の究極とする。普化は馬祖道一(ばそどういつ)の門人盤山宝積(ばんざんほうしゃく)より法を受けたが、狂態を装い、つねに鐸(たく)を人の耳辺に振っていた。張伯(ちょうはく)という者が弟子になろうとしたが許されず、鐸の音をまねて竹管を吹いたところから、竹管吹奏の風がおこった。

　日本では、心地覚心(しんちかくしん)が1249年（建長1）に入宋(にっそう)して張参(ちょうさん)より竹管吹奏の奥義(おうぎ)を受け、帰国後、紀州（和歌山県）由良(ゆら)に興国寺を建てて広めた。覚心門下の金先(こんせん)は北条経時(つねとき)の帰依(きえ)を受けて下総(しもうさ)（千葉県）小金(こがね)に一月寺(いちがつじ)を開いて普化宗の本山とした。その法系を金先派と称する。また、尺八を奏して全国を行脚(あんぎゃ)する風が生じ、その派を寄竹(よりたけ)派とよび、山城(やましろ)（京都府）明暗寺を本寺とするなど、各派を生じた。しかし、やがて浮浪の徒が多く尺八を吹いて行脚するようになり、普化僧と混同をきたした。江戸時代には浪人の集団ともみなされ、密偵機関として利用された。この派の僧を虚無僧、薦僧(こもそう)、暮露(ぼろ)などとよぶ。なお、普化宗は1871年（明治4）官命により廃止され、明暗(みょうあん)、普化、法燈(ほうとう)などの教会として存続している。

［末木文美士］

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