About Gisan Zenkai

Gisan Zenrai was a Zen Master in 19th century Japan. He taught at Sōgen-ji 曹源寺 in Okayama. The most famous story about him concerns his conversation in 1837 with the disciple cooling his bath: this is given in an abbreviated version in Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, and in more expanded version in other sources. The Zen Flesh, Zen Bones version is:"A Zen master name Gisan asked a young student to bring him a pail of water to cool his bath. "The student brought the water and, after cooling the bath, threw on to the ground the little that was left over. "'You dunce!' the master scolded him. 'Why didn't you give the rest of the water to the plants? What right have you to waste even a drop of water in this temple?' The young student attained Zen in that instant. He changed his name to Tekisui Giboku (1822—1899), which means a drop of water."
An illustration of Hōnen preaching

Zen Buddhist monks – The unchanging essential nature

20
May
2022
Biography, Monks, Zen
According to tradition, Chan was introduced around 500 CE by Bodhidharma, an Indian monk teaching dhyāna. is deeply rooted in the teachings and doctrines of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism teaches śūnyatā, "emptiness", which is also emphasized by Zen. But another important doctrine is the buddha-nature, the idea that all human beings have the possibility to awaken. All living creatures are supposed to have the Buddha-nature, but don't realize this as long as they are not .
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