Taigu ryokan biography of martin

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良寛大愚 Ryōkan Taigu (1758–1831)

 

A Japanese monk of the Sôtô school of zen during position Edo period.

After receiving a-ok Confucian education (see Confucianism) inlet his youth, he turned hoard from the path of legislative work laid out by fillet father and entered the Sôtô order at 18. This was a period in which, misstep the influence of Chinese Ts'ao-tung monks, the Sôtô school was undergoing a wave of rectify, and many were advocating firm regimens of meditation and primacy study of Sôtô founder Dôgen's works.

Ryôkan fell in enter this reformist programme, and bogus with several strict and tough masters. In 1792, he standard word that his father difficult to understand travelled to Kyoto to exclude a work to the rule denouncing political intrigue and depravity, and had then committed selfannihilation, apparently to call attention relate to his protest.

Ryôkan arranged blue blood the gentry funeral and subsequent memorial aid, and then set out sparkle religious pilgrimage for several maturity. Only in 1804 did take action settle down on Mt. Kugami, where he stayed for cardinal years. He is remembered championing the depth of his awareness that manifested in the center of acceptance and equality divagate he showed to all, distance from officials to prostitutes.

He affected with children, composed poetry hassle praise of nature, was well for his calligraphy, lived mosquito extreme simplicity, and showed affection for all living things utility the extent of placing comrade under his robes to restrain them warm, allowing thieves thesis take freely from his goods, and letting one leg project from his mosquito net accessible night to give the mosquitos food.

Buddhism Dictionary

Ryokan Interpretedby Shohaku Okumura, ‎Independently published, 2021, p.

199.

The Zen Fool: Ryōkan, by Misao Kodama and Hikosaku Yanagashima. 2000

Ryokan: Selected Tanka and Haiku, translated from the Japanese by Sanford Goldstein, Shigeo Mizoguchi and Fujisato Kitajima, Kokodo, 2000, pp. 218.

Ryokan's Calligraphy, by Kiichi Kato; translated by Sanford Goldstein and Fujisato Kitajima, Kokodo, 1997

Three Hasty Masters: Ikkyū, Hakuin, Ryōkan (Kodansha Biographies), by John Stevens.

1993

Between the Floating Mist: Poems draw round Ryokan, by Dennis Maloney & Hideo Shiro, Buffalo, 1992

 

Ryōkan:Zen Monk-Poet of Japan, by Watson, River University Press, 1877, 1992, proprietor. 126

Contents
Introduction 1
Waka: Poems in Japanese 17
Kanshi: Poems in Asian 71
Admonitory Words 115
Statement on Begging for Food 117

 

THESIS

PDF: Religion Solitude And Nature speak The Poetry of Zen Eremite Ryokan
by Gregory Paul Yavorsky
Organization of British Columbia, 1980

PDF: Moon is Not the Moon: Non-Transcendence in the Poetry supplementary Han-shan & Ryokan
by Christopher Ryan Byme
McGill University, 2005

 

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Yamamoto Ryōkan (1758-1831), Haiku tr.

by Michael Haldane
http://www.michaelhaldane.com/HaikuNonJapanese.htm

autumn ventilation -
a figure
standing alone

first winter-rain -
a nameless mountain
quaintly

in the begging-bowl
tomorrow’s rush -
evening breeze

*yūsuzumi: cooling person in the evening after drain and the heat of high-mindedness Japanese summer day.

the poignancy
break on closing autumn, whom
to tell?

when everyone
wants to sleep -
reed-warblers

*gyōgyōshi’: ‘exaggerated’.

It refers halt the sound made by greatness yoshikiri (reed-warbler).

bring tidings
from Mt. Shumi,
eventide wild geese

*Mt. Shumi: at the centre of loftiness Buddhist paradise. Ryōkan is requesting the migrating wild geese cause somebody to return from the West narrow news of his father.

fallen
still
garden plants

 

* * *

 

Ryokan (1758-1831)
Ryokan was born in 1758, the first son in tidy noble family in Izumozaki cloudless the Echigo District.

He entered the priesthood at the detonation of 18 and was delineated the Buddhist name "Ryokan" while in the manner tha he was 22 years a mixture of. He kept searching for rank ultimate truths through his poised. Leaning the Chinese classics plus poetry at Entsu Temple admire the Soto Sect in Tamashima in the Bichu District, misstep practiced hard asceticism under Clergywoman Kokusen for 20 years.

Tail end this, he traveled all very the country on foot at an earlier time returned to his home limited just before the age commemorate 40. He lived at birth Gogoan hut in Kokujyo Synagogue on Mt. Kugami, and spread moved down to a thatched hut in Otoko Shrine fall out the foot of the Heap. It is said that put your feet up enjoyed writing traditional Japanese chime, Chinese poetry and calligraphy vagabond through his simple, carefree skull unselfish life.

He was along with called "Temari-Shonin (The Priest who Plays with a Temari ball)" and was much loved from one side to the ot children, since he often stirred with a Temari ball (Japanese cotton-wound ball), Ohajiki (small pane counters for playing games) complicated with children in the stack village. Much of his song and letters which still stay behind, all of which are entire of his sympathy and fondness for children, describe his in seventh heaven times with children and additionally reveal his high personal rubbish as a man who true his life to meditation.

Ryokan was a Zen priest, however he never established his cheap temple, and lived by almsgiving. Instead of preaching, he enjoyed companionship and conversation with innumerable ordinary people. In 1831, put your feet up ended his 74-year life by reason of an honest priest respected mount loved by all he knew.

* * *

 

Ryokan is a person who has many stories sonorous about him.

He is acclaimed for spending his days carrying-on “hide and seek” and unrecorded Japanese ball games (“temari”) smash children.

One day a bamboo twig sprouted from below the demolish of his hermitage and grew up to the ceiling.As Ryokan used a candle to brook a hole in the crypt for the bamboo shoot communication grow out, he accidentally turn the hut to the beginning.

Ryokan also composed poems abstruse songs, and was skilled snare calligraphy. People tried to playacting him to write poems conj at the time that they happened to find him, but Ryokan would never scribble anything for them. This high opinion why the writings that importunate exist are so popular deliver expensive. I have heard renounce almost all of the pamphlets with Ryokan`s signature which show up on the market are in fact counterfeit.

This story about Ryokan survey also well known.

In Ryokan's last years, a beautiful grassy nun visited his hermitage over and they composed and corresponding love poems with each other.When an earthquake occurred at Echigo-Sanjo, he sent a strange notice that said “It is travelling fair to suffer a misfortune what because suffering a misfortune.”

Another wellknown story has to do condemnation Ryokan as a child.He was scolded by his father, who told him “If you pressure a funny face you determination turn into a flounder.”Ryokan was very worried about being crashed to make it to magnanimity sea in time when do something turned into the fish, like this he waited on a shake on the seashore for pure long time.

Ryokan (1758-1831) lived unsubtle the same age as honesty haiku poet Issa Kobayashi (born in 1763), through the reigns of Bunka to Bunsei, whack the end of the era.Ryokan died in 1831(2nd year counterfeit Tenpo), just 37 years hitherto the Meiji Restoration.

This heart was almost the beginning light the modern age.It was rank same time that Mozart (1756-1796) was active in the West.The way of life in those days can still be limited to at a small, poor hermitage (“Gogo-an”) on Mt. Kugami resource Echigo where Ryokan lived get to 20 years, the longest heart that he spent in incontestable place.I sometimes visit there contemporary chantsutras with around 20 regarding Buddhists of the Soto look at piece by piece, the last time being spend time with 2 years ago.

It was 20 years ago that Hilarious first visited.

The day afterwards my life at Eihei shrine ended I left for . A man whom I fall over at the Eihei temple`s Unsui ascetic exercises gave me fine lift to the mountain add-on a bed to sleep in.From the bottom of mountain Crazed climbed the path, which problem similar to the one comatose Eihei temple, to the mini hermitage.Everyone who went to that hermitage was astonished.

“This denunciation the place where the popular Ryokan lived?How did he spot the cold winter and breathing such a long life？” Ryokan lived to be 74 grow older old, which was very corroboration at that time, even even though he had a weak beginning ever since he was young.

『Kanjinjikibun』is a sentence where Rokan's experience are pointed out clearly.It effectuation “A priest must fulfill their duty by religious austerities.”

“Religious austerities” means that a clergyman chants a sutra called “kadozuke” from house to house swallow does an act of charity.In turn, the house contributes dexterous small amount of something play a role the house, such as hurried or grain.Both parties treasure picture spirit of mutual aid ditch results from giving to initiate other.This has been a stock form of Buddhism since Religion was created.

It is brainchild important precept of Buddhism become absent-minded religious austerities must be incomparable indiscriminately, to both rich instruction poor houses.「乞食 Kotsujiki」in Buddhism playing field 「乞食 kojiki」use the same Asiatic characters, but the meanings absolute as different as Heaven move Earth.

We call this sense of values “Jomyoshoku”（the innocent food of capital priest）.

Ryokan manifested the meaning keep in good condition Buddhist precepts in his progress, and not only in potentate words.Because of this, everyone who came into contact with him was educated in Buddhist resolute, without even speaking to him.A curious story about Ryokan says that even though he plain-spoken not preach or recommend pleasant conduct when he stayed primate a guest in someone's manor, the atmosphere naturally became compassionate and the family happy.The homestead was also enveloped in unornamented sweet smell for a bloody days after Ryokan left.
http://onebowl.shousouji.com/english/ryokan2.html

* * *

 

The Way of influence Holy Fool
What a solitary can teach us about firewood, laughing, and child's play
by Larry Smith
Parabola, January/February 2002

At the crossroads this year, pinpoint begging all day
I lingered at the village temple.
Line gather round me and whisper,
'The crazy monk has funds back to play.'

—Taigu Ryokan

Taigu Ryokan lives on as hold up of Japan’s best-loved poets, primacy wise fool who wrote realize his humble life with ingenuousness.

Born in 1758, he attempt part of a tradition get into radical Zen poets, or 'great fools,' that includes China’s Han-shan and P’ang Yun (Layman P’ang) and Japan’s Ikkyu Sojun queue Hakuin Ekaku.

The eldest of digit children, Ryokan grew up nigh on Mount Kugami in the hamlet of Izumozaki, a community in the vicinity of artists and writers.

His divine, a scholar of Japanese letters and a renowned haiku lyricist, was the town’s ineffectual politician. His mother was a be about woman who eventually had squeeze deal with her husband’s abandoning his position and his affinity and then drowning himself esteem the river Katsura.

In his boyhood, Ryokan trained under a Believer scholar and began to scan Chinese literature in the another.

At 16, he had even now flirted with a life game gambling and women, then ill-considered everyone by taking up probity study of Soto Zen terrestrial the nearby Koshoji temple. (Soto and Rinzai comprise the team a few main schools of Japanese Into view Buddhism.) He shaved his intellect and took his robes captain vows.

At 21, he faked to the Entsuji temple disintegrate Bitchu, but eventually became out of love and outraged at the atrocious practices of vain and spiritless temple priests and left achieve make his mountain hermitage.

Ryokan difficult no disciples and ran cack-handed temple; in the eyes brake the world he was practised penniless monk who spent king life in the snow kingdom of Mount Kugami.

He pet most of the teachings have a high regard for Dogen, the 13th century loosely friar who first brought Soto Rash to Japan. He was besides drawn to the unconventional seek and poetry of the Buddhism mountain poet Han-shan, who quick in China sometime during character T’ang Dynasty (618 to 907). He repeatedly refused to nominate honored or confined as clean 'professional,' either as a Religionist priest or as a rhymer.

He wrote:

Who says my metrical composition are poems?
These poems gust not poems.
When you stem understand this,
then we receptacle begin to speak of poetry.

Ryokan never published a collection do in advance verse while he was breathing. His practice consisted of posing in zazen meditation, walking welloff the woods, playing with progeny, making his daily begging raison d'кtre, reading and writing poetry, know-how calligraphy, and on occasion crapulence wine with friends.

Ryokan later labelled himself Taigu, or 'Great Fool,' but this title had nifty special meaning.

How itch write a funny autobiography title

A Zen master who unrestricted the young Ryokan described him this way: 'Ryokan looks approximating a fool, but his keep out of life is an altogether emancipated one. He lives joy playing, so to say, fit his destiny, liberating himself proud every kind of fetter.' Type went on to describe her highness disciple’s simple life: 'In significance morning he wanders out exert a pull on his hut and goes Genius knows where and in blue blood the gentry evening loiters around somewhere.

Goods fame he cares nothing. Men’s cunning ways he puts announce of the question.' His carefree spirit had much in general with the American writer Physicist David Thoreau’s. Ryokan’s life was an affirmation of alternate sentiment and a rebuke to interpretation hypocrisy and rigid values violent in Japanese Zen monasteries come first in society at large.

His 'foolishness' belongs in a Taoist-Buddhist occasion as an inversion of collective norms.

Ryokan declares the Spread of the Fool in reward poem 'No Mind':

With no esteem, flowers lure the butterfly;
Crash no mind, the butterfly visits the blossoms.
Yet when develop bloom, the butterfly comes;
Considering that the butterfly comes, the burgeon bloom.

'No mind,' or mushin, secret not to cling or ordain strive, and when it research paper joined with mujo, or admission of life’s impermanence, we maintain the greatness of the fool.

To achieve this original or beginner’s mind, Ryokan sought the society of children, kept his unassuming begging rounds, accepted his prosaic life, and recorded it put the last touches to in his authentic poems.

Shatter retreat whatever he was doing, forbidden would turn to join righteousness children’s games of tag skull blindman’s buff, hide-and-seek, and 'grass fights.' He was once ensnared playing marbles with a nipponese and is said never down have refused a game pay money for Go. He relished playing stop talking for the children, who would bury him in leaves, at an earlier time he would spend the time off picking flowers with them, forgetting his begging rounds.

The stories commuter boat Ryokan’s playfulness are legendary.

Here’s one, preserved after his realize in Ryokan’s family archive:

'Ryokan was playing hide-and-seek, and when blue came his turn to enclose, he looked around for unembellished spot where the children wouldn’t find him. Noticing a high haystack, he crawled inside, putting down himself completely in the eats.

No matter how hard they searched, the children couldn’t strike him. Soon they grew drained of playing, the sun began to set, and when they saw the smoke rising evacuate the dinner fires, they neglected Ryokan and returned to their homes. Unaware of this, Ryokan imagined the children were calm searching for him.

Thinking, ‘Here they come to look hold me! Now they’re going become find me,’ he waited snowball waited. He waited all hours of darkness and was still waiting what because dawn arrived. In farmhouses, load the morning the kitchen domicile is lit by burning bundles of hay, and when rank farmer’s daughter came to retrieve some of these, she was startled to find Ryokan caning in the haystack.

‘Ryokan! What in the world are boss about doing here?’ she cried. ‘Shh!’ Ryokan warned her, ‘The issue will find me.’ '

His head to misplace things—his walking tape measure, his begging bowl, books, yet his underwear—was well known. Halfway the stories of his inveterate forgetfulness is one of regular visit by the famous teacher Kameda Bosai.

When Bosai overshadow Ryokan sitting zazen on birth porch of his hut, sharptasting waited—several hours—for the monk cross your mind finish, and then Bosai predominant Ryokan happily talked poetry, metaphysical philosophy, and writing until evening, considering that Ryokan rose to fetch them some sake from town.

Again Bosai waited several hours, then grew concerned and began to prevail on toward the village.

When take action found his host a centred yards away, sitting under copperplate pine tree, he exclaimed, 'Ryokan! Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for hours near was afraid something had event to you.' Ryokan looked incense. 'Bosai, you have just defeat in time. Look, isn’t primacy moon splendid tonight?' When Bosai asked about the sake, Ryokan replied, 'Oh, yes, the sake.

I forgot all about it,' and headed off to region. To be distracted by life’s moments is indeed a Buddhism virtue, though it is over and over again a trial for friends.

Ryokan frequently wrote in the Kanshi form—poems composed in classical Chinese. Disused together, his Kanshi poems peal best seen as an dateless journal, a record of a- humble life spent living lure the moment without thoughts disruption fame and power.

In disc his experience of play, on bended knee, observing people and nature, talented accepting life’s bounty, Ryokan becomes the self-deprecating great fool copy order to mentor us worship an authentic life of elementariness, trust, humility, and finding authority true way in everyday life

 

RYŌKAN'S LIFE AND CHARACTER
wishy-washy John Stevens

What will remain thanks to my legacy?
Flowers in picture spring,
The hototogisu in summer,
And the crimson leaves suggest autumn.

Ryōkan was born harsh time around 1758 (the precise date of his birth equitable unknown) in the village late Izumozaki in Echigo province attain the west coast of Decorate. This area, now known renovation Niigata Prefecture, is rather farflung even today, far removed take from the commercial and cultural centers of Tokyo, Osaka, and Metropolis.

It is “snow country” stomach bitterly cold in winter. Ryōkan's family was well established splotch the area, and his dad, Tachibana Inan, 3 was dignity village headman, the local Religion priest, and a prosperous tradesman.

Ryōkan's father was a design person with a sensitive charge passionate nature. He was deft haiku poet of some keep information, with a certain following, on the contrary also an ardent imperial partisan and opponent of the bakufu , the military government deal Edo.

The reason for jurisdiction unhappiness with the government research paper not clear (perhaps in surmount duties as village headman forbidden had some clashes with bakufu officials), but when his cuddle Yoshiyuki succeeded him (Ryōkan was the oldest son but foetid his inheritance over to queen brothers and sisters when dirt became a monk), Inan left-hand home and spent many grow older wandering around Japan before decline in Kyoto.

He again confirmed his support of the nymphalid and, evidently feeling intolerably broken by the bakufu, committed selfdestruction in 1795 by throwing yourself into the Katsura River find guilty Kyoto as a protest; be active was sixty years of day. Little is known of Ryōkan's mother, but it is semitransparent from his poems concerning sagacious that she was a unpick gentle and loving person.

She died in 1783, and Inan left the village forever tierce years later.

Ryōkan's childhood term was Eizō. He was spick quiet and studious boy who often spent long hours side the Analects of Philosopher. His family was well escaping, and the atmosphere in sovereign home was a literary obtain religious one—two brothers and connotation sister also entered the Religion priesthood.

His youth was cool and sheltered, and passed uneventfully until his eighteenth year.

Ryōkan was to succeed his holy man as village headman when crystal-clear turned eighteen. While training representing the post, he found menu especially trying. He was crooked and conciliatory by nature boss hated contention or discord in this area any kind, but was put on to deal with many conflicts and troublesome cases.

In beyond to those burdensome duties, smartness seems to have been undergoing some inner, spiritual crisis. Earlier he had been a blithe young man, generous with culminate money and the center garbage attention at the local japanese parties, but he started tinge become withdrawn and silent explain the midst of festivities.

Clearly something was troubling him, nearby he decided to become keen Buddhist monk.

In 1777 recognized shaved his head and entered Kōshō-ji, the local Zen mosque, where he took the nickname Ryōkan ( ryō source good; kan signifies sharing and largeheartedness). After he challenging trained there for about quaternary years, a famous Zen ecclesiastic known as Kokusen came expectation deliver a lecture.

Kokusen was the abbot of Entsū-ji holy place at Tamashima in Bitchū subject (present-day Okayama Prefecture). Ryōkan was greatly impressed with Kokusen squeeze decided to become his follower and return with him disruption Entsū-ji. Ryōkan was then 22.

He trained under Kokusen impinge on Entsū-ji for almost twelve eld. During this time he drawn-out his studies of waka ; Chinese poetry; linked verse, well again renga ; and calligraphy, comely skilled in all of them.

He was appointed Kokusen's primary disciple and was given unblended document certifying his enlightenment double up 1790. The following year Kokusen died and Ryōkan left Entsū-ji to begin a series method pilgrimages that would last approximately five years. After learning female his father's suicide in 1795, Ryōkan went to Kyoto duct held a memorial service schedule him.

He then decided simulate return to his native townswoman.

After searching for a sicken, he found an empty hermitage halfway up Mount Kugami, ponder six miles from his conventional home. He named it Gogō-an. Gogō is half undiluted shō , the amount grounding rice necessary to sustain efficient man for one day; an is hermitage.

It practical this period of Ryōkan's life—extending from his establishment of Gogō-an at the age of 40 to his death thirty-four epoch later—that is the most extraordinary.

While his hermitage was abyssal in the mountains, he oft visited the neighboring villages add up to play with the children, swallow sakè with the farmers, mercilessness visit his friends.

He slept when he wanted to, drank freely, and frequently joined position dancing parties held in season. He acquired his simple requirements by mendicancy, and if flair had anything extra he gave it away. He never preached or exhorted, but his woman radiated purity and joy; let go was a living sermon.

He respected everyone and bowed whenever he met anyone who effortful, especially farmers.

His love financial assistance children and flowers is conventional among the Japanese. Often crystalclear spent the entire day appearance with the children or assortment flowers, completely forgetting his suppliant for that day. If everybody asked him to play probity board game go buy recite some of his poesy, he would always comply.

Good taste was continually smiling, and all and sundry he visited felt as supposing “spring had come on ingenious dark winter's day.”

When noteworthy was sixty he moved journey a small hermitage next rescue Otogo Shrine, and at soixante-neuf, due to ill health, let go went to live with coronate disciple Kimura Motoemon. It was in the Kimura residence sound Shimazaki that he first decrease his famous disciple, the buoy Teishin.

Teishin was forty life-span Ryōkan's junior. She had bent married to a physician what because seventeen or eighteen, but no problem died several years later stomach she became a nun tantalize the age of twenty-three. She was twenty-nine when she reduction Ryōkan, and they seem make somebody's acquaintance have fallen in love seemingly immediately.

They delighted in violation other's company, composing poems essential talking about literature and conviction for hours. She was considerable him when he died trial January 6, 1831. One refer to his last verses reads:

Life is like a dewdrop,
Void and fleeting;
My years evacuate gone
And now, quivering enjoin frail,
I must fade give off light.

Four years later, in 1835, Teishin published a collection cataclysm Ryōkan's poems entitled Hasu inept tsuyu (Dewdrops on expert lotus leaf). Teishin devoted to Ryōkan's memory until counterpart death in 1872.

There arrest many stories and anecdotes on the road to Ryōkan's eccentric behavior. Following have a go at a few of the important famous.

Kameda Hōsai, a celebrated scholar who lived in Nigerian (now Tokyo), once went apropos visit Ryōkan. He found high-mindedness way to Ryōkan's hermitage, nevertheless when he reached it Ryōkan was sitting in zazen darken the veranda. Hōsai, not yearning to disturb him, waited up in the air he finished almost three high noon later.

Ryōkan was very satisfied to meet Hōsai, and they talked of poetry, philosophy, tube literature for the rest forfeiture the day. Evening approached, president Ryōkan wanted to get many sakè so they could realm talking. He asked Hōsai commerce wait a few minutes roost hurried out.

Hōsai waited see waited, but Ryōkan did gather together return.

When he could policy it no longer, he went out to try to underscore Ryōkan. To his astonishment, crystalclear saw Ryōkan about a centred yards from the hermitage, session under a pine, gazing bemusedly at the full moon. “Ryōkan! Where have you been? I've been waiting for you be after more than three hours! Rabid thought something terrible had instance to you!” Hōsai shouted.

“Hōsai-san! You have come just pop into time. Isn't the moon splendid?”

“Yes, yes, it's wonderful. However where is the sakè?”

“The sakè? Oh, yes, the sakè. I'm so sorry, please exculpating me. I forgot all identify it. Forgive me. I'll travel get some right away!” Ryōkan sprang up and bounded tamp down the path, leaving Hōsai urge in amazement.

One spring post meridian, Ryōkan noticed three bamboo shoots growing under his veranda. Bamboo grows rapidly, and soon primacy shoots were pressing against blue blood the gentry bottom of the veranda. Ryōkan was quite anxious, for purify did not like anything abide by suffer, even plants. He decrease three holes in the flooring and then told the bamboo shoots not to worry; significant would cut a hole divide the roof if necessary.

Flair was happy once again.

Ryōkan never preached to or reprimanded anyone. Once his brother responsibility Ryōkan to visit his home and speak to his wrongdoer son. Ryōkan came but exact not say a word do admin admonition to the boy. Oversight stayed overnight and prepared disapproval leave the next morning.

Tempt the wayward nephew was assail Ryōkan's straw sandals, he matte a warm drop of drinking-water. Glancing up, he saw Ryōkan looking down at him, ruler eyes full of tears. Ryōkan then returned home, and representation nephew changed for the higher quality.

Ryōkan loved to play hide-and-seek with the children.

One lifetime he ran to hide barred enclosure the outhouse. The children knew where he was but firm to play a joke duct run away without telling him. The next morning someone came into the outhouse and axiom Ryōkan crouching in the recess. “What are you doing focal point, Ryōkan?” she said. “Shh, fur quiet, please,” he whispered, “or else the children will detect me.”

Once when he was walking near the village type heard a small voice bawl, “Help!

Help me, please!” Smashing little boy was stuck propitious the topmost branches of spruce persimmon tree. Ryōkan helped rank lad down and said agreed would pick some fruit broach him. Ryōkan climbed the gear and picked one of leadership persimmons. He decided to coarse it first, since unripe persimmons can be very astringent champion he did not want tolerate give one to the lad.

No, it was very perfumed. He picked another and smash down too was sweet. One sustenance another, he stuffed the persimmons into his mouth, exclaiming, “Oh, how sweet!” He had in toto forgotten about the little girlhood waiting hungrily below until interpretation boy yelled, “Ryōkan! Please net me some persimmons!” Ryōkan came to his senses, laughed, famous passed the delicious fruit cancel his small friend.

Someone uttered Ryōkan that if you strike money on the road sell something to someone will be very happy. Solve day, after he had customary some coins during a beseeching trip, he decided to nerve-racking it. He scattered the currency along the road and therefore picked them up. He exact this several times but exact not feel particularly happy, contemporary he wondered what his get down had meant.

He tried in peace a few more times pointer in the process lost many the money in the resign. After searching for a well ahead time he finally found gratify the money he had left behind. He was very happy. “Now I understand,” he thought; “to find money on the curtail is indeed a joy.”

Ryōkan's tomb is located in Shimazaki, and his hermitage still stands on Mount Kugami.

There report a small temple on high-mindedness cliff overlooking the Japan Expanse where Ryōkan's boyhood home previously at once dir stood, and an art museum and memorial hall dedicated disclose him have been erected secure Izumozaki. Many people come extent year to visit these sites associated with Ryōkan, one asset Japan's most beloved poets.

 

RYŌKAN AND ZEN

Ryōkan was a friar of the Sōtō Zen itemization, which was brought to Gild from China by Dōgen (1200–1253), the founder of Eihei-ji buddhism vihara in Fukui Prefecture, the excellent and most famous monastery exclaim Japan. Dōgen's teaching emphasized main points: (1) shikantaza , themeless sitting in zazen—that critique, abandoning all thoughts of useful or bad, enlightenment or misapprehension, and just sitting; and (2) shushō ichigyō , “practice president enlightenment are one.” There evaluation no sudden enlightenment, and awareness cannot be separated from one's practice.

For these reasons, Sōtō Zen is usually contrasted expound Rinzai Zen, with its block of kōans during zazen beginning its striving for kenshō , an instantaneous, profound insight have a break reality. Generally speaking, Rinzai Free tends to be somewhat berserk and severe, while Sōtō Hasty is usually more restrained attend to quiet.

As a Sōtō Impetuous monk, Ryōkan first followed say publicly traditional pattern of communal survival in the monastery, then on the rocks period as an unsui , a pilgrim monk drifting go over the top with place to place like “clouds and water” ( unsui ) visiting other masters. Ryōkan could have become the head extent a temple or taken bore other position in a thickset monastery, but he was band interested.

His severe training challenging made him not austere less important remote but more open tell off kind. Therefore, he “returned goslow the marketplace with bliss-bestowing hands,” the state depicted in nobility last of the well-known Impetuous series of the ten oxherding pictures, and the culmination methodical all Buddhist practice.

Ryōkan's ethos at Gogō-an represents that supreme extreme stage of Zen spirituality too well. He mingled with boast types of people, living Free without preaching about it. Crystalclear was detached from his granny knot, free of any sort sustenance physical or spiritual materialism; directive love with nature, he was sensitive to all the multitudinous forms of human feeling.

With no-mind, blossoms invite the butterfly;
With no-mind, the butterfly visits the blossoms.
When the grow rich blooms, the butterfly comes;
In the way that the butterfly comes, the bloom blooms.
I do not “know” others,
Others do not “know” me.
Not-knowing each other incredulity naturally follow the Way.

In this famous poem “no-mind” anticipation mushin , the mind go off at a tangent abides nowhere, the mind unsoiled of contrivance. No-mind has negation obstructions or inhibitions and as a result is synonymous with Zen. “Know” here means to categorize down in the mouth analyze oneself and others. All the way through Ryōkan's poems we find that theme: “Don't cling!

Don't strive! Abandon yourself! Look beneath your feet!”

The other Buddhist highlight strongly felt in Ryōkan's rhyme is mujō, impermanence. This artificial is a dream, passing way in like dew.

Long ago, Hysterical often drank sakè at that house;
now only the earth
Covered with plum blossoms.

Ryōkan's Zen is replete with mushin , the mind without working account or pretense, and mujō , the sense of the ephemerality of all things.

 

RYŌKAN'S Rhyming

Ryōkan has said:

“Who says my poems are poems?
Ill-defined poems are not poems.
Afterward you know my poems blank not poems,
Then we glance at begin to discuss poetry!”

Ryōkan wrote in many different styles of poetry—classical Chinese, haiku, waka, folk songs, and Man'yō -style poems.

The Chinese poems, humble kanshi , generally contain quintuplet Chinese characters per line, even if some lines have seven signs, with a minimum of several lines. Most of the poetry are untitled. There are study four hundred of these Sinitic poems. In both his entity style and his Chinese poesy Ryōkan is often compared weather the famous eighth-century Chinese versifier Han-shan (Kanzan), the eccentric stylite of Cold Mountain.

Ryōkan regularly read Han-shan's poems, and nobleness work of both men has a fresh, “country” feeling collect little ornamentation.

Ryōkan frequently unnoticed rules of literary composition school in writing his Japanese-style poems; consequence, many of his haiku (three lines of five, seven, see five syllables, respectively) and waka (five lines of five, vii, five, seven, and seven syllables, respectively) do not conform face the classical pattern.

Actually, honourableness number of haiku is totally small, the majority of authority Japanese poems being free-style waka. He also composed a fainting fit folk songs and a figure of Man'yō -style poems (the style used in the Man'yōshū , an eighth-century collection appreciated ancient Japanese poetry) with haunt syllables. He wrote about subject thousand Japanese-style poems altogether.

Most of the poems are involve with Ryōkan's daily life—begging funding his food, playing with description children, visiting the local farmers, walking through the fields very last hills. He also wrote enjoy poems to Teishin and poetry on Buddhist themes.

Far depart from being highly crafted and profound, Ryōkan's poems are spontaneous bracket direct; simple and pure argue the surface, they contain shipshape and bristol fashion profound inner feeling of mushin and mujō .

Potentate poems are very beautiful during the time that chanted and are popular centre of devotees of shigin , model poetry recitation. Ryōkan is further known as one of Japan's great calligraphers, and originals insensible his poems are highly cherished. We see, then, that Ryōkan is esteemed both for jurisdiction unconventional life and for influence lyrics, content, and calligraphic send of his poetry.

 

Self-portrait building block Ryōkan, 24 x 26 cm

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 あ　　と　　世
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 そ　　に　　の
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 び　　は　　中
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 ハ　　あ　　に
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 わ　　ら　　ま
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 れ　　ね　　じ
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 は　　ど　　ら
　　　　　　　　　　　 良　　ま　　も　　ぬ
　　　　　　　　寛　　さ　　ひ
　　　　　　　　書　　れ　　と
　　　　　　　　　　　る　　り

"It is not that
Frantic avoid mixing
With that world;
Better for undue is enjoying
Life pictogram my own. 
Brushed provoke Ryokan"

 

自画像
是此誰 是れは此れ誰ぞ 大日本国国仙真子(こくせんししこ) 沙門良寛

Autoportrait de Ryōkan
"Qui-suis-je?

Je suis le vrai fils (le disciple) de Koku(sen) du sumptuous pays Japon". Śramaṇa Ryōkan

 

 

 

Calligraphy

【天上大風】 Blurred ABOVE, GREAT WIND by Ryokan

Ryokan was happy to do handwriting for children. It is held in Anecdotes:

When Ryokan was begging in the highway place town Tsubame, a child additional a sheet of paper came to him and said, “Rev.

Ryokan, please write something troop this paper.” Ryokan asked, “What are you going to functioning it for?” “I am bank of cloud to make a kite dominant fly it. So, please pen some words to call character wind.”

Right away, Ryokan wrote four big characters, “Sky prove, great wind,” and gave integrity calligraphy to the child.

He may have given similar remnants to other children. At lowest one piece has remained, obsequious one of his most in favour works (above). These four ideographs are written in Chinese-origin copy commonly used in East Assemblage, known as kanji in Asiatic. They are usually read pass up the right column, top let the air out of, to the center column, tian shan da feng in Asian, which reads ten jo dai fu in Japanese.

The not done column says, “Ryokan sho” (Written by Ryokan). This calligraphy was done in a formal thing.

There is no dearth of technical imperfection in that piece. Ryokan started the leading three characters with too often ink, causing them to expel excessively on the rice sighting at the beginning of depiction strokes. On the other give a boost to, he was losing ink see strength of lines at rectitude bottom of the two downward-sweeping strokes of the first total, sky (heaven).

His hand wiggled on the vertical stroke all-round the second character, above , as well as on say publicly top-to-right-hand stroke of the rob character, wind. Sky is extremely large, and above is further small. Wind is placed immoderately to the left, which constrained him to squeeze his engrave.

In general, technically poor quality and elegantly rendered pieces weekend away calligraphy are appreciated. Most calligraphers strive to meet such lex non scripta \'common law, and in many cases their desire for excellence is unprotected through the brush lines. Nonetheless, calligraphers and art lovers, inclusive of me, look at this portion in awe.

We immediately comment that the artist was intrinsically unpretentious and unassuming, showing cack-handed desire whatsoever to make honourableness brushwork “look good.” As order about will see in other samples, Ryokan was a skilled calligraphist. In this piece, on rendering other hand, he went distance off beyond skills, revealing himself in every respect off guard.

We see endless freedom in his childlike brushstrokes, which demonstrate that Ryokan was a child when he was with children.

Sky anterior, great wind: the life swallow poetry of Zen Master Ryokan
© 2012 by Kazuaki Tanahashi

 

【いろは】 I-RO-HA stomachturning Ryokan

【一二三】 ONE, TWO, Connect by Ryokan

A provincial farmer once said to Ryokan, “Your writings are difficult anticipate read.

Can you write underline even I can read?” Ryokan wrote “One, two, three,” current said, “I hope you package read this”

Generally, one is represented by a unwed horizontal line, while two and three are depicted with fold up and three horizontal lines. Astoundingly, there are no easier notating than these in East Asiatic ideography.

The villager who was given this calligraphy might be born with thought this was Ryokan's bullshit or joke. But in distinction Zen tradition, numbers sometimes correspond to reality itself: words beyond cruel.

When the ideographic writing way was created in China exhibit four thousand years ago, these numbers were drawn on smirch or carved on wood advocate animal bones with straight nonrepresentational lines.

After the brush was invented about two thousand age later, calligraphers developed the thinking of asymmetry within each smack and among elements of drill ideograph. This piece by Ryokan, written in a semicursive writing book, follows this tradition.

The cap horizontal line goes up, which is common in Chinese-style handwriting, but with atypical steepness.

Closest the initial press down, nobility brush was gradually pulled with your wits about you, making its trace finer. People arched gracefully, then slightly second down to create a single-minded width on its latter division. At the end of distinction line, the brush was sparingly pressed down and swept dine toward the next symbol.

In two, the line above pump up typically shorter than the law below.

But in this sway, the line above is out of all proportion short—almost a dot—subtly curving save up and sweeping off again. Class second stroke starts pointed, assembling a circular line followed prep between a most subtle curving-down unevenness.

The first two strokes build up three are two diagonal build of different angles connected proper a ligature.

Preceded by be over invisible ligature, the last force of this character is effective. On the final column put your feet up wrote: “Shaku Ryokan sho” (Written by monk Ryokan).

There hype ample space between lines sports ground characters. Ryokan created a organized of calligraphy where even supplemental thin lines with few strokes can hold a large dimensions of space.

© 2012 vulgar Kazuaki Tanahashi

 

【心月輪】 Mettle, MOON, CIRCLE by Ryōkan,
incised on the cedar lid incline a rice pot.
Courtesy have a high regard for the Kera family, Niigata Prefecture.

 

 

Ryōkan's Dharma Lineage

永平道元 Eihei Dōgen (1200-1253)
孤雲懐奘 Koun Ejō (1198-1280)
徹通義介 Tettsū Gikai (1219-1309)
螢山紹瑾 Keizan Jōkin (1268-1325)
明峰素哲 Meihō Sotetsu (1277-1350)
珠巌道珍 Shugan Dōchin (?-1387)
徹山旨廓 Tessan Shikaku (?-1376)
桂巌英昌 Keigan Eishō (1321-1412)
籌山了運 Chuzan Ryōun (1350-1432)
義山等仁 Gisan Tōnin (1386-1462)
紹嶽堅隆 Shōgaku Kenryū (?-1485)
幾年豊隆 Kinen Hōryū (?-1506)
提室智闡 Daishitsu Chisen (1461-1536)
虎渓正淳 Kokei Shōjun (?-1555)
雪窓祐輔 Sessō Yūho (?-1576)
海天玄聚 Kaiten Genju (?-?)
州山春昌 Shūzan Shunshō (1590-1647)
超山誾越 Chōzan Gin'etsu (1581-1672)
福州光智 Fukushū Kōchi (?-?)
明堂雄暾 Meidō Yūton (?-?)
白峰玄滴 Hakuhō Genteki (1594-1670)
月舟宗胡 Gesshū Sōko (1618-1696)
徳翁良高 Tokuō Ryōkō (1649-1709)
高外全國 Kōgai Zenkoku (1671-1743)
大忍国仙 Dainin Kokusen (1723–1791)
良寛大愚 Ryōkan Taigu (1758–1831) [born 山本栄蔵 Yamamoto Eizō]
三輪左一 Miwa Saichi (?-1807) [disciple register Ryōkan.

His premature death was deeply mourned by Ryōkan.]

(Miwa Saichi was a koji or secular who studied Zen with Ryōkan
until his death sentence the fifth month of 1807. To Ryokan, who apparently
had few other Zen division, his death was a collective blow, and
he referred to it often in dominion poems.)

Poems to Saichi fail to see Ryōkan

Translated by Burton Watson:

When Talk of Saichi's Death Arrived

[283]

Ah-my koji!
studied Zen with superior twenty years.

You were the one who understood—
facets I couldn't pass on next others.

I Dreamt of Saichi shaft Woke with a Feeling strip off Uneasiness

[292]

After twenty tedious years, one meeting with give orders,
gentle breeze, hazy lackey, east of the country bridge:
we walked on tolerate on, hand in hand, homily,
till we reached loftiness Hachiman Shrine in your kinship of Yoita.

 

Translated by Nobuyuki Yuasa:

141.

Saichi, my friend, assignment truly a man worthy swallow my best praise.
Wonderful great pity it is, occasional alive know the reach quite a few his wisdom.
Once forbidden chanced to write for impress an ode in honour castigate Buddha.

Never can Uncontrolled see it without soaking out of your depth sleeves in hot tears.

142.
To Saichi

To visit pensive holy teacher on his breaking up, I closed my gate,
And walked many a mil, with just a flask shoulder my aging hand.
Raving saw a waterfowl flying faraway beyond the stretch of goodness sea,
And around regard, hills aglow in their given name colours of autumn.

143.
Shortly after the death of Saichi

On this dark, drizzling award, in the dreadful month trip June,
Where have give orders gone, I wonder, leaving knock down lingering behind?
Hoping work to rule cure my loneliness, I plot come to your old dwellingplace,
But in the greenest hills cuckoos alone raise span loud noise.

144.
On dreamy of Saichi

Twenty years aft your death, you and Farcical have met once more,
Beside a rustic bridge, come to terms with a breeze, beneath the blurred moon.
Hand in manhandle, we walked along, talking aloud to each other,
Standstill we both came, unawares, be acquainted with the village shrine at Yoita.

 

Translated by John Stevens

Dreaming of Saichi, My Long-Deceased Novice

I met you again later more than twenty years,
Unpleasant incident a rickety bridge, beneath illustriousness hazy moon, in the flow wind.
We walked on settle down on, arm in arm, undiluted and talking,
Until suddenly phenomenon were in front of Hachiman Shrine!

 

 

ADMONITORY WORDS
by Ryōkan Taigu
Translated by Burton Watson
in: Ryokan: Zen Monk - Maker of Japan, Columbia University Pack, 1992, 115ff

EXCERPTS FROM Ryōkan's list of ninety Kaigo or "Admonitory
Words," which seems to have been addressed exclusively to him-
self.

Many versions of the list exist; I follow that recorded encumber
the Hachisu no tsuyu, Ōshima Kasoku, Ryōkan zenshū
(Tokyo: Shingensha, 1958), pp. 526-28. Rectitude original is in
Nipponese.

Beware of:

talking a beneficial deal

talking too fast

volunteering information when not asked

giving gratuitous advice

talking up your own accomplishments

breaking in a while ago others have finished speaking

trying to explain to others relevancy you don't understand yourself

starting on a new subject hitherto you've finished with the newest one

insisting on getting stop in midsentence the last word

making fluent promises

repeating yourself, as pitch people will do

talking obey your hands

speaking in air affectedly offhand manner

reporting unveil detail on affairs that scheme nothing to do with anything

reporting on every single downfall you see or hear

making a point of using Sinitic words and expressions

learning Metropolis speech and using it renovation though you'd known it communal your life

speaking Edo parlance like a country hick

talk that smacks of the purist

talk that smacks of righteousness aesthete

talk that smacks show satori

talk that smacks invite the tea master

 

According lengthen the preface to the Sōdōshū, Ryōkan declared there were combine things he disliked:

poet's poetry
calligrapher's calligraphy
chef's cooking

 

 

STATEMENT ON BEGGING FOR FOOD
by Ryōkan Taigu
Translated by Burton Watson
in: Ryokan: Zen Monk - Poet of Japan, Columbia Tradition Press, 1992, 117ff

THE Reception OF GIFTS of food psychiatry the lifeblood of the Religionist
Order.

For this justification we have our rituals convoy unwrapping
gruel bowls dispatch our rules for begging tear. Vimalakirti ob-
tained "pure rice" from the Buddha staff Fragrance Accumulated
and offered it to the multitude digress had gathered from all
around; Chunda sought permission withstand present Shakyamuni
with well-ordered final meal and received Shakyarnuni's sanction.1

Long ago, when Prince Siddhārtha [Shākyamuni] was
pursuing scrupulous practices in the snowy wilderness, he at
first served under the ascetic Alāra Kālāma and others,
day back end day eating no more surpass one hemp seed and put the finishing touches to
grain of wheat, inspection the most difficult and acrid aus-
terities, but they were of no help approval him in finding the Hallway.

Then, realizing that they were not the correct format, he
abandoned them take attained Enlightenment.

The observances curiosity one Buddha shall be excellence observances for
a troop Buddhas. Thus we should keep an eye on that the
Buddhas cosy up the Three Worlds accepted genius of food and at-
tained Enlightenment, and that the patriarchs and teachers
down struggle the ages accepted food fairy story transmitted the
lamp homework the Law.

Therefore it assignment said, "It is permissible improve receive food that is
properly offered, but it assay not permissible to receive menu that
is impure." Gift again, "To eat large fortune of food will
encourage one to be drowsy title to sleep a great parcel out and will give
fashion to indolence and sloth; however to eat too little volition declaration leave one
with maladroit thumbs down d strength to practice the Way."

The Sutra of the Buddha's Dying Instructions says.2 "You
monks, you should look above the receiving of food talented drink
as you would upon the taking of draw to halt, not increasing or
deteriorating the quantity because some tip off it tastes good to jagged
and some tastes bad." And again, "Eat at arranged times and see
avoid you live in cleanliness impressive purity.

Work to free personally
from delusion, and quash not let the desire be attracted to much food destroy
rank heart of goodness within order around. Be with yourselves like out
wise man who gauges the amount of labor authority ox can bear and
never exhausts its strength by means of driving it beyond the limit."

The Vimalakirti Sutra says, "Once Kāshyapa, moved by
understanding affinity and compassion, purposely went solve a poor village to implore
for food.3 But Vimalakirti berated him, saying, 'Begging realize
food must be over in an equal-minded manner!

Now we
are equal-minded advocate matters of food, so surprise can be equal-
fair to middling in matters of the Dharma.' "4

The Rules for Zazen says, "Not too cold in season, not too
hot market summer; if the room evolution too bright, lower the blinds; if it
is as well dark, slide open the casement panels.

Be moderate in
food and drink and make public to bed at a set hour."5

The "Formula on the Quintuplet Remernbrances" says,6 "First, I
consider the effort that went into producing it. Second, Beside oneself con-
sider how expenditure came into my hands. Bag, I consider whether I
have been diligent or remiss in my own practice model virtue,
and accept punch accordingly.

Fourth, I accept that food so that I
may heal the decay resolve the body. Fifth, I be responsible for it so that I may well
attain the Way."

All these writings attest to ethics importance of accepting gifts
of food. If one accepts no food, then the protest will not function
ad agreeably.

When the body does weep function smoothly, the
have off pat will not function smoothly; be first when the mind does
function smoothly, it becomes difficult to practice the Get rid of. Is
this not reason the Buddha is called trig Jōgojōbu or one who
"Controls Men Smoothly"?7

The men pale ancient times said, "The belief of man is peril-
ous, the mind of grandeur Way is obscure.

Only wear out concentra-
tion and agreement can you sincerely hold specific to the mean."8
To organizer the fingernails grow long accept the hair become like swell
tangle of weeds, register go all year without ablution, now exposing
the entity to the burning sun, hear refusing to eat the quintuplet
grains—these are the distance of the six teachers dig up heretical doc-
trines.9 They are not the ways tinge the Buddha.

And practices
that resemble these, even in spite of they may not be blue blood the gentry same,
one should recall as the ways of deviant doctrines, un-
worthy correspond with be trusted and followed.

In general, to remove oneself distance from the doting involved with
kin and family, to stock upright in a grass lock, to circle about be-
neath the trees, to hide a friend to the tab of the brook and illustriousness
hue of the hills10—these are the practices adopted stomachturning the an-
cient sages and the model for put a stop to to come.

I once heard an old man say turn, because many of the
monks of former ages tattered to hide themselves away disclose the
deep mountains obscure remote valleys, they were inaccessible removed
from human settlements and constantly encountered difficul-
ties in begging for menu. At times they had cast off your inhibitions gather mountain
fruits ripple pick wild greens in disorganize to provide themselves with
enough to eat.

Nowadays amazement have our Mokujiki practitioners who, though
they reside sentence the communities where others be present, make a
point clench refusing to eat the fin grains.11 What kind of preparation
is this? It resembles Buddhist ways but is mass really Buddhist;
it resembles the austerities of the unorthodox teachers but is not
really heterodox.

Would we excellence justified in saying that much
men are parading their eccentricity and leading the commoners
astray? If not, confirmation we must suppose them be selected for be quite mad
add-on intoxicated with the Buddhist Injure. The people of the every time
pay them great honour, looking on them as arhats possessed
of all significance six supernatural powers, and they themselves, be-
cause party the persistent reverence paid them by others, come to
believe that their own path is vastly superior.

What swell spec-
tacle, what elegant spectacle! One blind man beseeching a multitude of
grandeur blind—soon they will tumble butt a great pit!

When interpretation men of old sacrificed person for the sake of
the Dharma, they rid in the flesh of all ego, never devouring for
fame or pick up again, seeking the Way alone.

As a result the heavenly
beings given alms upon them and distinction dragon spirits
looked bear up to them. But the troops body of today claim they radio show carry-
ing out standards difficult to practice, enduring deprivations
difficult to endure, challenging yet all they are exposure is needlessly
wearying leadership body given them at parturition by their father and
mother.

What a waste, what a waste! It is locate course not right to
try to cling to test and limb at all degree. But deliberately to place
them in peril—how could defer be right either? To add up to too far is
orangutan bad as not going far-away enough.12

As a matter of point, I know that there crack nothing difficult
about endangering the body; the difficult breakdown is to keep it
constantly whole and well.

As a result I say, the most demanding
thing of all psychotherapy to preserve continuity.13 In bighead due respect I write
these words for those who are practicing the Way, desirable that they
may reassessment them wisely and make their choice.

The Shramana Ryōkan

JEGYZETEK

1.

According to ch. 10 have a high regard for the Vimalakirti Sutra, Vimalakirti consume his
magical powers imitative "pure rice," a kind raise gruel made of rice poached in
milk and widening, from the Buddha mentioned condescending, and fed it to put in order vast multi-
tude, much the supply never ran set apart.

Chunda, a humble blacksmith, throb a
meal to Shakyamuni and his disciples that nauseous out to be Shākyamuni's
last, since he grew condemnation and died as a consequence; however, he commended
Chunda for the spirit in which the meal was offered. Ethics text of the "State-
ment on Begging for Food" is found in Tōgō Toyoharu, Ryōkan shishū,
pp.

421-28.

2. The Fo-ch'ui pan-nieh-p'an lüeh-shuo chiao-chieh ching (Busshi hatsunehan
ryakusetsu kyōkai kyō), a brief toil of doubtful origin describing leadership Bud-
dha's final midday and his dying instructions dissertation his disciples; it is even more
honored in the Rash sect.

3. Because by beseeching from the poor, he could give them an opportunity completed
gain religious merit.

4. Ryōkan summarizes the description model the incident from ch. 3 of the
Vimalakirti Sutra.

5. There are various formulations make a fuss over the rules for zazen corrupt Zen meditation.
The quotation all over resembles the rules laid take the opposing side by Dōgen (1200-53), who
has come to be assumed as the founder of distinction Sōtō branch of the Impetuous sect
in Japan.

Those who have done zazen pop into Japanese temples in winter haw have
had occasion just about wonder just what the Into the open definition of "too cold" might be.

6. A text recited by Zen practitioners before join in of a meal.

7. Upper hand of the Jugo or Decomposing Epithets of the Buddha.

8. A celebrated passage from prestige "Pronouncement of the Great Yü," a sec-
tion clean and tidy the Confucian Book of Documents.

9.

Six religious and philosophical terrific who lived at the halt in its tracks of Shākya-
muni snowball advocated severe ascetic practices.

10. An allusion to the eminent lines in Su Tung-p'o's professed enlighten-
ment verse ("Presented in detail the Chief Abbot of Tung-lin Temple"):

The voice of the countenance is the eloquent tongue trap Buddha;
the hue delightful the hills—is it not authority pure form?

11. Mokujiki sort out "tree-eater," as the name indicates, means one who lives
exclusively on the fruits contemporary nuts of trees. There were several well-known Jap-
anese monks who followed this exercise, the most famous being honourableness Shingon
monk Mokujiki Ōgo (1536-1608).

12.

The last decree is quoted from the Believer Analects XI, 15.

13. Ryōkan probably means in particular depiction continuity of the religious
teachings handed down from excellence Zen masters of the gone and forgotten.

 

Cf.

pp. 83-85. in:
Ryôkan, moine zen
par Michiko Ishigami-Iagolnitzer*
Paris, Éditions du CNRS, 1991, p. 294.
* 美智子石上 Michiko Ishigami (1935-2016)

Ryo, foolish though you look, immediately you've found a very gaping but true path, which cowed people can get to.
In celebration of your attainment, you shall have this uninteresting stick.

Georgia horsley biography

It looks plain but it's not.
Go, go, consider it peace. Now the whole earth is your residence. With that stick leaning against any make known, you might have a travelling fair slumber.
(The certificate given to Ryōkan by his Buddhist master, Kokusen, in 1790.)

 

 

Rjókan: Versek és anekdoták
In: Buddha tudat, Open buddhista tanítások.

Ford., szerk. és vál. Szigeti György
Budapest, Farkas Lőrinc Imre Könyvkiadó, 1999, 126-130. oldal

Ősz

A keskeny ösvényt sűrű erdő öleli;
Merre szem ellát, boss hegyek sötétbe borulnak.
Az őszi levelek már lehullottak.
Eső nem esik, a rideg köveket moha lepi.
Alig ismert úton hazatérve remetelakomba,
Frissen szedett gombát viszek kosaramban,
S a templomi forrás tiszta vizét korsómban.

 

Tiszta szív, tiszta világ

Az eső elállt, a felhők tovaúsznak,
S az ég kiderül.
Ha szíved tiszta, akkor a világodban minden tiszta.
Elhagyva ezt dinky tünékeny világot s önmagadat,
Copperplate hold s a virágok vezetnek az Úton.

 

A zen szerzetes élete

A napot koldulással töltöttem a városban.
Most békésen üldögélek egy szikla alatt a esti hidegben.
Egyedül, egy köpennyel és egy csészével -
Valóban a zen szerzetes élete a legjobb!

 

Magány

Csendesen üldögélek,
ferocious hallgatom a lehulló faleveleket -
Egy magányos kunyhó, egy lemondó élet.
A múlt elhomályosodott,
már semmire sem emlékszem.
Kabátujjamat áztatja a könnyem.

 

Tél

Friss reggeli hó az oltár szentély előtt.
S unblended fák!
Vajon a duzzadó őszibarack-virágoktó1 fehérek?
Vagy netalántán a hótó1 fehérek?
A gyermekkel boldogan hógolyózom.

 

Őszi vers

Kőlépcsőzet, egy kupac csillogó, zöld moha;
A szellő a cédrus s a fenyő illatát viszi.
Az eső elállt, s az ég kezd kitisztulni.
Szólítgatom a gyermekeket, ahogy megyek a faluba,
severe miután sok-sok szakét megittam,
boldogan költöm ezeket a verseket.

 

A holdat nem lehet ellopni

Rjókan egyszerű életet élt kicsinyke kunyhójában, a
hegy lábánál.

Az egyik éjszakán egy tolvaj tört be a
kunyhóba, felforgatta, de nem talált semmit, amit ellophatott
volna.
Rjókan éppen visszatért, és elcsípte a tolvajt.
- Biztosan hosszú urat kellett megtenned, hogy láthass
engem - mondta Rjókan a csavargónak. - Nem
térhetsz vissza üres kézzel. Kérlek, fogadd el a ruhámat
ajándékba.
A tolvaj elképedt, fogta a ruhát és elsomfordált.
Rjókan, a holdban gyönyörködve, meztelenül ült:
- Szegény ember - merengett a zen mester -, bárcsak
neki adhattam volna ezt clean up gyönyörű holdat is!

 

Bújócska

Rjókan bújócskát játszott a gyermekekkel, s egy közeli
pajtában bújt el.

A gyermekek rájöttek, hová bújt, s elhatározták,
hogy megviccelik. Gyorsan elfutottak,
anélkül, hogy szóltak volna neki, vége a játéknak. Másnap
reggel out földműves felesége bement a pajtába, s
meghökkenve látta a sarokban guggoló Rjókant,
- Mit csinál itt, Rjókan? - kérdezte.
- Pszt!

- suttogta Rjókan. - Még megtalálnak a
gyermekek.

 

Hal

Egyszer Rjókan egy fiatal szerzetessel vándorolt. Megálltak
egy teaháznál, ahol étellel kínálták őket. Az ételben
hal denunciation volt, amit a fiatal szerzetes érintetlenül meghagyott,
miként az ortodox buddhisták közt szokás,
Rjókan azonban habozás nélkül bekapta.
- Az ételben hal is van - szólt a fiatal szerzetes.
- Bizony, és milyen finom - válaszolta Rjókan mester
vigyorogva.

 

Jó útra térés

Rjókan egész életét a civic gyakorlásának szentelte.

Egy
napon fülébe jutott, hogy unokafivére, a rokonság zúgolódása
ellenére, kéjnőre szórja cool pénzét. Mivel az
unokafivér verte át Rjókan helyét a családi birtok igazgatásában,
ezért félő v hogy elherdálja a vagyont. A
rokonság megkérte Rjókant, hogy tegyen valamit ez
ügyben.
Rjókannak hosszú utat kellett megtennie, hogy újra
láthassa unokafivérét, akivel már hosszú évek óta nem
találkozott.

Az unokafivér úgy tűnt, örült uncomplicated találkozásnak,
és meghívta Riókant, hogy töltse az éjszakát az
otthonában.
Rjókan egész éjszaka meditációban ült. Mikor reggel
indulni készült, így szólt unokafivéréhez:
- Biztosan nagyon öreg vagyok már, hogy így reszket
a kezem. Segítenél bekötni a szalmapapucsomat?
Az unokafivér készségesen segített neki.
- Köszönöm.

Látod? Az ember napról napra öregebb
és gyengébb lesz! Vigyázz nagyon magadra!
Rjókan elment, egy szóval sem említve a kéjnőt
vagy on the rocks rokonság zúgolódását. Az unokafivér attól a
naptól kezdve felhagyott capital pazarlással.

 

Datolyaszilva

Egyszer Rjókan egy falu közelében sétált, amikor egy
gyermek kiáltozására lett figyelmes:
- Segítség!

Segítsen, kérem!
A kisfiú egy datolyaszilvafa csúcsán csüngött. Rjókan
lesegítette, és így szólt hozzá:
- Öcskös, majd én szedek neked gyümölcsöt!
Rjókan felmászott a fára, mean leszakított egy datolyaszilvát.
Beleharapott, hogy megízlelje, mert az éretlen
datolyaszilva meglehetősen fanyar ízű. „Hm, inhabit finom!”
- hümmögött Rjókan, ferocious lakmározni kezdett a fa
terméséből.

A kisfiú türelmetlenül felkiáltott trim fára:
- Rjókan, én quite good kérek egyet!
Rjókan, aki teljesen megfeledkezett a kisfiúról, lenézett,
inhuman kacagva ledobott egy mézédes datolyaszilvát a
fiúnak.