Hara Tanzan

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Matylda
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Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 3:32 pm

Hara Tanzan

Post by Matylda »

Hara Tanzan roshi (1819-1892) was a great zen master in the XIXth century. Abbot of Daiyuzan Saijoji, the third important soto zen monastery in Japan. He was famous for being the first teacher at Tokyo uni teaching Indian philosophy. In zen he was well known for publishing very detailed instructions on physical and mental energy, its channels and flow. He was criticised by some teachers for it and they pointed out that it was part of dokusan or kirigami within the lineage of transmission, and generally not for beginners.
His main teacher under whom he attained satori and deep enlightenment was Fugai Honko (1779-1847), famous for his zenga and calligraphy. Fugai was in the lineage of Tenkei Denson (1548-1736), just two generatios later. He is also known for the authorship of last in the zen history koan collection of 100 cases published in the XIX th century - The Iron Flute.
3 prominent disciples of Fugai attained daigo - great satori under his guidance and each one of them became abbot of the most important monasteries - Eheiji, Sojiji and Saijoji. Tanzan roshi served at the last one.
reiun
Posts: 978
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Location: Florida USA

Re: Hara Tanzan

Post by reiun »

Matylda wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2020 3:40 pm Hara Tanzan roshi (1819-1892) was a great zen master in the XIXth century. Abbot of Daiyuzan Saijoji, the third important soto zen monastery in Japan. He was famous for being the first teacher at Tokyo uni teaching Indian philosophy. In zen he was well known for publishing very detailed instructions on physical and mental energy, its channels and flow. He was criticised by some teachers for it and they pointed out that it was part of dokusan or kirigami within the lineage of transmission, and generally not for beginners.
His main teacher under whom he attained satori and deep enlightenment was Fugai Honko (1779-1847), famous for his zenga and calligraphy. Fugai was in the lineage of Tenkei Denson (1548-1736), just two generatios later. He is also known for the authorship of last in the zen history koan collection of 100 cases published in the XIX th century - The Iron Flute.
3 prominent disciples of Fugai attained daigo - great satori under his guidance and each one of them became abbot of the most important monasteries - Eheiji, Sojiji and Saijoji. Tanzan roshi served at the last one.
Thanks for posting this. I am currently reading biographies (Hugh Cornwell, JunPo Denis Kelly). I will keep an eye out elsewhere for mentions of this master.
Your reference to Iron Flute (another thank you) prompted me to pick it up again. My edition (Tuttle, 2000) has Genrō Ōryū as author, but there is also commentary by him, Fugai, and substantially by the translator Nyogen Senzaki. The latter was a teacher of my teacher, very erudite and kind, so it is great to be reacquainted with his work.
Matylda
Posts: 1065
Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 3:32 pm

Re: Hara Tanzan

Post by Matylda »

spike wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2020 4:56 pm
Matylda wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2020 3:40 pm Hara Tanzan roshi (1819-1892) was a great zen master in the XIXth century. Abbot of Daiyuzan Saijoji, the third important soto zen monastery in Japan. He was famous for being the first teacher at Tokyo uni teaching Indian philosophy. In zen he was well known for publishing very detailed instructions on physical and mental energy, its channels and flow. He was criticised by some teachers for it and they pointed out that it was part of dokusan or kirigami within the lineage of transmission, and generally not for beginners.
His main teacher under whom he attained satori and deep enlightenment was Fugai Honko (1779-1847), famous for his zenga and calligraphy. Fugai was in the lineage of Tenkei Denson (1548-1736), just two generatios later. He is also known for the authorship of last in the zen history koan collection of 100 cases published in the XIX th century - The Iron Flute.
3 prominent disciples of Fugai attained daigo - great satori under his guidance and each one of them became abbot of the most important monasteries - Eheiji, Sojiji and Saijoji. Tanzan roshi served at the last one.
Thanks for posting this. I am currently reading biographies (Hugh Cornwell, JunPo Denis Kelly). I will keep an eye out elsewhere for mentions of this master.
Your reference to Iron Flute (another thank you) prompted me to pick it up again. My edition (Tuttle, 2000) has Genrō Ōryū as author, but there is also commentary by him, Fugai, and substantially by the translator Nyogen Senzaki. The latter was a teacher of my teacher, very erudite and kind, so it is great to be reacquainted with his work.
Genro was teacher of Fugai. English version has removed parts which are in Japanese edition as far as I know. It is commo for koan collecions that there were mor authors. But thanks to Fugai it was published. But his comments are missing in English
humble.student
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Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2015 1:35 pm

Re: Hara Tanzan

Post by humble.student »

Thanks again for the details Matylda.
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