Imakita Kosen

Imakita Kosen (Japanese今 北 洪川, Imakita Kosen, born August 3, 1816 in Fukushima, Nishinarigun, histor Settsu Province; . † January 16, 1892 ) was a Japanese monk and master of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism and trailers of Neo- Confucianism. He was the Engaku -ji Temple in Kamakura before as abbot.

He is known for his good relations with the political circles of the Meiji government, and has played an active role as a teacher in the Great teaching campaign of the Ministry of Education and Doctrine ( Kyōbushō ) in the 1870s. Imakita Kosen studied under Daisetsu Joen and Gisan Zenrai and received his inka from the latter, what the Dharma transmission is similar. His successor was Shaku Soen.

Life

Imakita Kosen was born in the province Settsu (now Osaka Prefecture and Hyogo Prefecture), the third son of Imakita Zenzo (今 北 善 蔵) as Imakita Shinsaburō (今 北 新 三郎). Since the study of Confucian texts him was not enough, he decided to become a monk against his parents' resistance and began in 1840 to study under Daisetsu Joen in Shokoku -ji in Kyoto. Furthermore, he went to Bizen to absorbed -ji, to learn from Gisan Zenrai (仪 山 善 来). 1858 Imakita abbot was in Eiko -ji in Iwakuni and helped with the reconstruction. At this time Imakita taught the unity of Confucian and Buddhist teachings in order to fight against the anti- Buddhist tendencies Haibutsu kishaku time. At the same time, the abbot began to criticize Christianity sharp.

In 1875 he was invited to Tokyo, where he took over the management of a teaching institution of the Rinzai school. In the same year he was at the request of the Ministry of doctrine and education abbot of Engaku -ji in Kamakura. In Engakuji he concentrated his energy as abbot of the receipt of the Rinzai Zen School. One aspect of this was the support of a circle of laymen, among other things, the Yamaoka Tasshū and Kawajiri Hokin belonged. Under him, studied among others Shaku Soen, who became his successor, and Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki, who was to play an important role in the spread of Zen teaching in the 20th century.