Koun Ejō (孤雲懐奘) (1198–1280)Giin, all of whom were originally students of Dōgen, but his failure to designate a clear heir himself led to a power struggle known as the
sandai sōron that temporarily split the community.
[2]
Biography
Early life
Koun Ejō was born into the powerful
Nara, apparently after having fled from Mount Hiei, where they had been persecuted by members of the Tendai school. Ejō is reported to have been a prominent student under Kakuan, but his time there was cut short in 1228 when representatives of the Tendai temple
Kōfuku-ji in Nara burned down the buildings in the Daruma school temple complex, seemingly in response the perceived threat posed by its new teachings; the students were thus forced to disperse.
[2]First encounters with Dōgen
After the destruction of Kakuan's group in Tōnomine, Koun Ejō returned to Kyoto. It was during this visit in 1228 that Ejō met Dōgen at
Uji, where he would finally become his student.
[2]Ordination at Kōshōhōrin-ji
After about a year living at Dōgen's new temple, Ejō was accepted as a student and ordained into the lineage on 15 August 1235. Shortly after this event, Ejō took part in the planning of the sōdō (僧堂; meditation hall) which was to be built there, and also oversaw its dedication in October 1236. According to
kōan to his students in which a monk asks
Shishuang Chuyuan, "How is it that one hair digs many ditches"?, reportedly triggering his experience. This is thought to have taken place in November 1236. According to Dairyō Gumon, writing much later in the 17th century, Ejō received
dharma transmission from Dōgen just after this event, complete with the presentation of certification documents. The following month, Ejō was made shuso (首座; head monk). Following these events, regardless of the veracity of Gumon's claims, contemporary historical sources such as the
Denkōroku agree that Ejō was treated as Dōgen's heir, serving as his closest attendant. The
Denkōroku states: "Throughout the day, he was inseparable from the master, like a trailing shadow".
[2]During his first few years at Kōshōhōrin-ji, he began to record Dōgen's teachings in what became known as the Shōbōgenzō zuimonki.
[2]: 128 [3]: 24 He wrote the work in every-day Japanese rather than Chinese, the intellectual language of the time. To this day, it is considered one of the more easily understood of Dōgen's work, although the topics included seem to be a reflection of Ejō's interests.
[3] His mother also became ill during this period and died soon thereafter. Ejō apparently visited her during her illness during an allotted six-day vacation period following the winter
sesshin, but shortly after he returned, he was informed his mother's condition had worsened and she would likely soon expire. However, because he had already used his allowed free time, he decided not to return to her side, instead choosing to strictly observe monastic regulations.
[2]
Transition to Echizen
In the summer of 1243, Ejō left Kōshōhōrin-ji for
Shōbōgenzō zuimonki mentioned above), and also assisting in the planning of the new temple being constructed. In the summer of 1244 the hattō (法堂; dharma hall) of the new temple, originally called Daibutsu-ji, was completed. In June 1246, the temple name was changed to what it is still known as to this day:
Eihei-ji. For these first years at the new temple, Ejō found himself taking on many of the responsibilities for the day-to-day functioning of the new temple. He simultaneously began work on
Eihei kōroku (
Broad Record of Eihei) and
Eihei shingi (
Pure Criteria of Eihei) with the help of the other students
Gien and Sene.
[2]Dōgen's death and Ejō as second abbot of Eihei-ji
Ejō accompanied Dōgen to
Kamakura, then the capital of Japan, during a six-month visit starting in 1247 on which he taught
Hōjō Tokiyori, the shōgun's regent. They returned in 1248, during which time Ejō continued his recordings of Dōgen's sermons, which increased in frequency during these years. By the fall of 1252, Dōgen had become sick. In expectation of his approaching death, in the summer of 1253 he passed Ejō's responsibilities on to
Tettsū Gikai and installed Ejō as the second
abbot of Eihei-ji. Dōgen left for Kyoto to seek medical assistance, but died a few days after his arrival there on 28 August, leaving Ejō as the sole leader of Eihei-ji. Ejō's first act was to have a
pagoda built in Dōgen's honour.
[2]Ejō's tenure as abbot attempted to keep things at Eihei-ji as they were. Unfortunately, he was not gifted with Dōgen's keen leadership abilities, and he had the most trouble with his former fellow students of the
Darumashū, who saw him as an equal and not an authority figure. Problems also arose with the question of a successor. Dōgen had clearly considered Tettsū Gikai a preeminent disciple, which Ejō well knew. However, he disliked Gikai's desire to reintroduce aspects of Darumashū practice that Dōgen had rejected, and Dōgen himself had commented on his lack of compassion in his interactions with other monks. Nonetheless, Ejō formally made Gikai his heir in January 1256 after making him agree to uphold Dōgen's teachings above all else. After this, Ejō sent Gikai on a
pilgrimage of Zen temples in Japan, which Gikai voluntarily extended to include a visit to China, whence he returned in 1262.
[2]Start of sandai sōron and death
Gikai's return marked the beginning of what is known as the sandai sōron, a schism that would split Dōgen's community into multiple competing factions. Because Gikai had an interest in architecture and had recorded temple constructions during his time in China, Ejō allowed him to take control of the ongoing building projects at Eihei-ji. In 1267, Ejō had become ill and decided to retire as abbot. He moved out of Eihei-ji to a nearby location, but continued to be considered the tōdōi, a rank for retired abbots. Two monks, Bussō and Dōson, are even said to have attained enlightenment under him during his stay outside the temple. At any rate, his health had improved within a short time of leaving Eihei-ji.[2]: 132
Meanwhile, Gikai was deeply unpopular at Eihei-ji. Despite his assurances to Ejō to the contrary, he attempted to reform the practices at Eihei-ji, which were generally seen by the monks as an affront to Dōgen's teachings. He focused on building projects and expansion of the physical aspects of the school while apparently ignoring Dōgen's preference for poverty. Especially unpopular was his attempt to introduce rituals from the
Shingon school which Dōgen had expressly condemned. Rather than face a popular uprising, he decided to step down as abbot and Ejō was asked to return in that capacity in 1272. Ejō worked to reconcile the competing factions in the community. By 1280 he had become ill again and began to prepare for his death. He requested that no pagoda be built for him, but rather that he be buried next to Dōgen's pagoda. After he died, confusion surrounded who should next lead the community, culminating in the climax of the
sandai sōron, with several of Dōgen's students, especially Gikai and Gien, claiming the right to the abbotship.
[2]References
- ^
Okumura (trans.), Shohaku
(2014). Shōbōgenzō Zuimonki. Sotoshu Shumucho. pp. 5–10.
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