Enni

Enni Ben'en (also Enni Bennen; jap円 尔 弁 円( Shinjitai ) or圆 尔 辩 圆( Kyūjitai ) * 1202 in the province of Suruga, † 1280 at Tofuku -ji ) was a Buddhist monk from Japan, the decisive shares in the establishment of Zen as a separate school had in his home country by a true hybrid between Zen and already established, practiced Buddhist teachings, but this Zen conceded a primacy.

His him in 1312 from Hanazono tennō posthumous title conferred is Shoichi Kokushi (圣 一 国 师), of which the name of the substantiated by the very successful tradition of the Rinzai shū that Shoichi -ha (圣 一派) derived.

Significant, direct students Ennis were among others Tanshō Tozan (1231-1291), Mukan Gengo (or Mukan Fumon; 1221-1291 ) and Hakuun Engyo ( 1228-1297 )

To the left behind him writings include his Treatise on the Buddhist schools and the specificity of the Zen school Jushūyōdōki ( "Essence of the way of the ten schools ") and the collection of sayings Shoichi goroku ( " Analects of Shoichi ").

Life

Enni was five years old on the mountain Kuno, where he recorded with eight years under the guidance of the Tendai monk Gyōben the study of Buddhist scriptures. At age 18, he entered the Mii -dera into the monastic life, his ordination with the adoption of Silas took place at Todai -ji. He then studied for three years in Kyoto Confucianism, after which he returned to the Mii -dera, and finally settled in Choraku -ji, where he became a pupil of Eichō ( a disciple of Eisai ). It was followed by another study of Tendai esotericism (台 密, taimitsu ) on the mountain at Kenzei Kuno ( 1224 ), which he completed in Jufuku -ji under A'nin ( 1228 ).

1235 joined Enni of a trip to China. There he became a student of Wuzhun Shifan (Chinese无 准 师范, Pinyin Wúzhǔn Shifan, W.-G. Wu -chun Shih -fan; jap Bujun Shipan or Bushun Shihan; 1177-1249 ), a Chan master of the line Yangqi (Chinese杨 岐, Pinyin Yangqi, W.-G. Yang -ch'i; jap Yogi ) of the Linji zong (Chinese临济 宗pinyin Linji Zong, W.-G. Lin -chi tsung ), which in a temple on Mount Jing (Chinese径山, Pinyin of Jing Shan, W.-G. Ching- shan) worked in the Zhejiang Province. 1237 Enni received the seal of enlightenment (印 可, inca ) of Wuzhun and became his Dharma successor.

After his return to Kyushu in 1241 Enni founded several monasteries near Hakata and preached at the temples Sofuku -ji, Manju -ji -ji and Shoten. Already 1243 Fujiwara Michiie (藤原 道家; 1192-1252 ) his patron, began the construction of the later Tofuku -ji and Enni saw as its founding chief before. In addition to Zen and Tendai and Shingon rites should be held at the temple. It was inaugurated in 1255 by Enni, who had until then Fumon'in, a tributary of the unfinished temple the main temple, lingers. Later Enni same time took over the head office on Kennin -ji. So Kyoto soon became the center of early Zen in Japan. From 1257 Enni also worked on Jufuku -ji in Kamakura.