Unsui - Unsui

It is an abbreviation of "Kouunryusui" or "Fuunryusui" and refers to a wandering monk or an unsui monk. Monks in training do not stay in one place, but travel freely from country to country, searching for a good teacher, which is why they are likened to unsui. The robes of such monks are likened to clouds and their sleeves to mist, so they are called "unnoukabei" or simply "unnou". Their attire consists of a straw hat, black robes, hand guards and leg guards, straw sandals, a kesa (robe), a book, a zudabukuro (headband) around their neck, and they usually carry the tools of daily life. In general, monks who are undergoing training in a monk's grove or who are on a begging spree are also called unsui.

[Rikiyama Ishikawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

行雲流水(こううんりゅうすい)、浮雲(ふうん)流水の略で、行脚僧(あんぎゃそう)、雲水僧のこと。修行中の僧が一所にとどまらず、自由に諸国を遍歴し、よき師を求め歩く姿が雲水に例えられた。このような僧の衲衣(のうえ)を雲に、袂(たもと)を霞(かすみ)に例えて行脚僧のことを雲衲霞袂(うんのうかべい)、略して雲衲(うんのう)ともいう。その服装は、網代笠(あじろがさ)、黒衣(こくえ)、手甲脚絆(てっこうきゃはん)、草鞋(わらじ)ばきの姿で、袈裟(けさ)文庫、頭陀袋(ずだぶくろ)を首にかけ、日常生活用具を携行するのを常とした。また一般に、叢林(そうりん)で修行中の僧や、托鉢行(たくはつぎょう)を行っている僧も雲水とよばれる。

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