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無文元選

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: Mumon Gensen

Senses:

  • (1323–1390) A Japanese Rinzai 臨濟宗 monk born in Kyoto. It is said that his father was Emperor Godaigo 後醍醐天皇 (1288–1339) and his mother was Shōkei Mon'in 昭慶門院 (1270–1324). His wet-nurse passed away when he was seven, and in his deep sadness Gensen entered a mountain temple where he immersed himself in waka 和歌 poetry and seated meditation 禪定. In 1340 at age eighteen he went to pay his respects to Myōsō Sōkan 明窗宗鑑 (d.u.) of Kenninji 建仁寺 and then went on to study under Kaō Sōnen 可翁宗然 (d.u.) and Sesson Yūbai 雪村友梅 (1290–1346). In 1343, in preparation for travelling to Yuan China, Gensen sought out Muin Genkai 無隱元晦 (?–1358) at Shōfukuji 聖福寺 in Hakata 博多 for guidance. He traveled via merchant ship to Yuan and toured various famous locations before arriving at Dajuesi 大覺寺 in Fuzhou 福州 (Fujian 福建 province) in 1347, where he studied under Gumei Zhengyou 古梅正友 (1285–1352). There, he inherited the dharma of Zhengyou and was given the name 'Mumon' before continuing his studies under masters such as Chushi Fanqi 楚石梵琦 (1296–1370), Liaoan Qingyu 了庵淸欲 (1288–1363), and Xiaoyin Daxin 笑隱大訢 (1284–1344). Due to armed conflicts in Yuan, he left in 1350 to return to Japan along with Gi'nan 義南 (d.u.) and Hekigansan 碧岩璨 (d.u.). After returning, he toured various locations, teaching and founding temples such as Hōkōji 方廣寺 in Tōtōmi 遠江, establishing himself as the founder of the Hōkoji branch of Rinzai. He passed away in the third month of the year at the age of sixty-eight. His posthumous titles include Shōkan Kokushi 聖鑑國師 and Enmyō Daishi 圓明大師. His works include Mumon Oshō goroku 無文和尙語錄 (2 fasc.). 〔本朝高僧傳; 無文禪師語録 T 2559.80.615b16〕 [Stefan Grace; source(s): Yokoi]
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    [Dictionary References]

    Japanese-English Zen Buddhist Dictionary (Yokoi) 474

    Index to the Bussho kaisetsu daijiten (Ono) 637

    Bukkyō jiten (Ui) →元選 250

    Zengaku daijiten (Komazawa U.) →元選 0290d

    Fo Guang Dictionary →元選 1230

    Nihon bukkyō jinmei jiten (Saitō and Naruse) →元選 142

    Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) →元選 (v.1-6)972b,1686a,4594b

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    Entry created: 2018-10-18