Background
Chushin Zekkai was born on 9 December 1336 in Tosa, Japan. He was a son of the prominent Tsuno family.
中津 絶海
Chushin Zekkai was born on 9 December 1336 in Tosa, Japan. He was a son of the prominent Tsuno family.
Chushin Zekkai studied Zen under Shun’oku Mydha, a leading disciple of Muso Soseki. After the death of Muso Soseki in 1351, he joined Gido Shushin and other monks who had been studying at Tenryu-ji in moving to another Zen temple in Kyoto, Kennin-ji, where he studied under Ryuzan Tokken.
In 1364 Chushin Zekkai went to Kamakura and studied under Seizan Jiei and Daiki Hokin of Kencho-ji. While pursuing his Zen training, he also studied the writing of poetry in Chinese and took lessons in calligraphy from Chu-an Ch’an-shih. Chushin Zekkai also traveled about to other Zen training centers such as Ling-yin-ssu and Tao-ch’ang-shan to meet eminent Zen masters.
In 1348 Chushin Zekkai went to Kyoto and entered Tenryu-ji, a Zen temple headed at that time by Muso Soseki. In 1350 he shaved his head and entered the priesthood; he was given the name Chushin.
In 1368 Chushin Zekkai voyaged to Ming China in company with Nyoshin Ryosa and Nyoshin Chujo, where he became a disciple of Chi-t’an Tsung-le, also known as Ch’iian-shih Ch’an-shih, of the temple called Chung-chu-ssu in Hangchow.
In 1376, Chushin Zekkai was summoned to an audience by Emperor T’ai-tsu, the founder of the Ming dynasty. In response to the imperial command, he composed a four-line poem in Chinese dealing with the shrine in Kumano dedicated to Hsu Fu, a Chinese who according to legend journeyed to Japan in ancient times. The emperor was so impressed that he composed a poem in response.
Chushin Zekkaireturned to Japan the same year and took up residence in Ungo-an in Kyoto, but was invited by Shokai Reiken to take the position of sliuso, chief of trainees, in Tenryu-ji. In 1380 he moved to Erin-ji in the province of Kai. In 1383 he returned to Tenryu-ji, but incurred the anger of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and in 1384 retired to a place called Zenihara in Settsu. At the invitation of the statesman Hosokawa Yoriyuki, he founded a temple called Hokan-ji in the province of Awa in Shikoku. Later, when the misunderstanding between him and the shogun was dispelled, Chushin Zekkai returned to Kyoto, residing at Toji-ji and Sokoku-ji.
During the reign of Emperor Gokameyama Chushin Zekkai went on a preaching tour to China, and upon return entered Shokokuji Temple.