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, and became a disciple of Nyo-jo of Ten-do. When he returned to Japan, the Emperor Go-Sa-ga paid great respect to him, gave him a purple robe as a gift, and addressed him by the title of Buppo Zen-ji, or the Teacher of Contemplation in the Law of Buddha. ZEN-SHU. 119 Sho-kin of the So-ji-ji was a disciple in the foiii-th generation of Do gen. The Emperor Go Dai-go gave him a purple robe, and called his monastery as the principal one of the sect. The Emperor GoMura-kami gave him the posthumous title of Butsu-ji Zen-ji. The Ei-hei-ji and So-ji-ji are called the two prin- cipal monasteries of the So-to sect in Japan. Afterwards, in the reign of the Emperor Go Ko- myo; 1644-1654 A. D., a Chinese priest named In- gen came to Japan. He was a disciple by descent of the O-ryfi school, a branch of the Kin-Zai, and established here the 0-baku sect. The Rin-Zai, So-to and 0-baku are called the three Japanese Contemplative sects or schcools. ( b ) The origin of the Southern and Northern sects. As it has been mentioned, there have long existed two branches of the Contemplative sect in China as the southern and Northern sects. This divission took place between the two worthies, E-no and Jin-shu, disciples of Ko-nin, the fifth patriarch, On a certain occassion, the teacher told all his disciples that the right law of Buddha was difficult to understand, and that they should not merely rely upon the words of their master, but their own views. So they were order- ed to compose verses expressing their own opinions, with the condition that ho whose verses were correct in meaning should he given the cloaks and the alms- 120 -ZEN-SHU. bowl of AS'akyamnni, transmilted through the Indian and Chinese patriarchs, as the symbols of the right- ful successor. Then the venerable Jin-shii, the head of seven hundred disciples, composed the following verses: — ^'The body is liketlie knowledge tree. 1 he mind is like a mirror on its stand. It should be constantly and carefully brushed, Lest dust should le attracted to it."^ His teacher recognized it and said; 'If men in future should practise their religion according to this view, they would have an excellent reward.' This is the origin of the Northern sect. The venerable E-no was then only a servant, employed to clean rice in a mortar, the pestle of which was worked by the foot. Hearing of Jin-shu's verses secretly, he remarked that it was very beauti- ful, but not perfectly good. So saying, he wrote verses as follow: — "There is no such thino- as a knowled^re tree. There is no such thins: as a mirror stand. There is nothing that has a real existence. Then how can dust be attracted .'^"^ On seeing these verses, the teacher Ko-nin at onco gave him the symbols of the cloaks and bowl. This is the origin of the Southern sect. The doctrine of this sect is a most sublime one of thought transmitted ^ Dr. Edkins, Chinese Buddhism, p. 162. ZEN-SHU. 121 by thought, Leing entirely independent of any letters or words. It is in later period called the Patriarch's Contemplation (So-shi-zen), because it contains the key of the thonght of the Indian patriarch Bodhi- d harm a. But it is a mistake that some call the doctrine of the Northern eect the Tathagata's Con- templation (Nyo-rai-zen). Thus in China there have been the two divisions of the Southern and Northern sects and the former was subdivided into five houses and seven schools as before said. Three schools of the Southern sect exist in Japan at present. But all these are the descen- dants of Bodhidharma, and the principle of their doctrine is only to show what appears in one's own thoucrht. If one wishes to understand the true mean- iug of the doctrine, he must study it under the instruction of a right teacher. There are however numerous worlvS containing the instructive words of the teachers of different schools. They are called Go- roku, or ' Kecords of sayings/ which may be service- able in understanding the doctrine of this sect. 122 CHAPTER XL The Shin-slit5, or Tnie sect. 1. A history of the sect. The full name of the sect is Jo-do-shin-shu, or ' True sect of the Pure Land.' Tlie Pure Land is the term r.ntithetical to that of the Sho-do or Holy Path. The object of the followers of this sect is to be born in the Pure Land Sukhavati of Amitabha. The third word Shin or 'True' is used to show the antithesis to the Gon-ke-ho-ben, or ^ Temporary ex- pedients.' Among those who follow the doctrine of the Pure Land, there are several different systems of teaching, which are as follow: — Some say that we should practice various good works, bring our stock of merits to maturity, and be born in the Pure Land. Others say that w^o should repeat only the name of Amitabha Buddha, in order to be born in his Pure Land, by the merit produced from such repeti- tion. These doctrines are all considered as yet the temporary expedients. To rely upon the power of the Original Prayer of Amitabha Buddha with the whole heart and give up all idea of Ji-riki or 'self power' is called the truth. This truth is the doctrine of this sect. Therefore it is called the Shin-shti, or True sect. Shin-ran, the founder of the sect, makes in his work a clear distinction of four systems with as SHIN-SHU. 123 many terms known as the 'two pairs' and 'four folds' or tiers (Ni-so Shi-jii). They are: 1. The ' lengthwise going-ont ' (Shu shutsu), that is the .attainment of Enlightenment after long practice and perseverance, through many kalpas or periods, in the way of lioly n^en. 2. The ' lengthwise passing-over ' (Shu-cho), which refers to Enlightenment in this life, or to the attainment of Bnddhahood in the present existence. 3. The ' crosswise going-out ' (0- shutsu), i. e. the attainment of birth in a region where the state of beings is like that of those in the womb, and a border-land, or species of limbo, adjoin- ing the Pure Land. The imperfection of this birth is the result of carelessness and doubt. 4. The ' crosswise passing-over ' (0-cho), i. e. birth in the true Land of Amitabha Buddha according to his Original Prayer.^ Of these four systems, the fourth is the doctrine of the Shin-shii. There are three principal sacred books of this sect, all of which contain /Sakyamuni's teaching on the doctrine of going to be born in Sukhavati. These are the same Sutras as those mentioned in the pre- vious chapter on the Jo do-shfi. Tlie Dai-mu-ryo-ju- kyo,^ or Larger Sukhavativyuha, the longest of the three Sutras, is taken as a special text book. This is because in it are spoken the forty-eight Original ^ See note 6 in Mr. James Tronp's translation of the Shin-shu-kyo-shi. - No, 27. 124 SHIN-RElfJ. Prayers of Amitablia, the eigliteenth of which is the foundation of the doctrine of the ^ crosswise passing- over' (0-cho). This doctrine was transmitted at various times and in different places by the so-called ' Seven High Priests ' (Shiclii-ko-so), who were the patriarchs of the three countries of India, China and Japan. They were the two Bodhisattvas Nagar(/una (Ryu- jn) and Vasubandhu (Ten-jin) of India, Don-ran, Do-shaku and Zen-do of Cliina, and Gen-shin and Gen-ku of Japan. Their works are most minute in explaining the doctrine of the sect^for wliich reason the authors are reckoned as patriarchs. The seventh patriarch Gen-ku also called Ho-nen was the teacher of Shin-ran, the founder of the sect. Shin-ran was a .^cion of the Fuji-wara family (born 1173 and died 1262 A. D.). He was a descendant of Uchi-maro, and son of Ari-nori, who was an official belonging to the palace of tlie Empress Do- wager. As a boy he went to mount Hi-ei, wliere he studied the doctrine of the Ten-dai sect. In his twenty-ninth year, he became the disciple of Ho- nen, from whom he received the tradition of the doctrine of the Pare Land. Although there were many fellow-disciples, he was especially Ilivoured by his teacher. Afterwards he compiled a book with the title of Kyo-gyo-shin-sho-mon-rui, or 'Collection of Maxims concerning the Doctrine, Practice, Faith RHIN-SHtJ. 125 and Enlightenment. In this work he showed the important meaning of the doctrine, as taught hy the master. This is therefore the standard book of this sect. II. The doctrine of the sect. As has ah-eady been stated, the foundation of the doctrine of this sect is the Original Prayer of Amita- bha Buddha.