Background
Myocho Shuho was born in 1282 in the province of Harima.
Myocho Shuho was born in 1282 in the province of Harima.
At the age of ten he entered a temple on Mt. Shosha, studying under a monk named Kaishin and receiving instruction in the rules of monastic discipline and the teachings of the Tendai sect. Convinced that the truth could not be attained through such academic study, he determined to take up Zen practice and to that end traveled about visiting various Zen masters in Kyoto and Kamakura.
At the age of twenty-two, he began study under Koho Kennichi (1241-1316) at Manju-ji in Kamakura. Koho Kennichi was a Dharma heir of the Chinese Zen monk Wu-hsiieh Tsu-yiian and the teacher of Muso Soseki. Koho shortly after conferred inka upon Shuho Myocho, the mark of approval indicating that he was qualified to become a Zen master. But Shuho felt the need for more rigorous training, and journeyed to Kyoto, where he became a disciple of Nampo Shomin (1235-1308), better known as Daio Kokushi.
Nampo had studied in China and become a Dharma heir of the Chinese Zen master Hsii-t’ang Chih-yii (Kido Chigu), and on his return to Japan had spent a number of years teaching Zen in Kyushu.
In 1307, Shuho accompanied Nampo to Kencho-ji in Kamakura, where he attained final enlightenment. He received inka from Nampo, but was ordered to spend twenty more years in religious practice before attempting to become a teacher. After Nampo’s death, he went to Kyoto, where he lived in retirement in a retreat on Higashiyama known as Ungo-an. During this period, he copied out the text of the Ching-te ch’mn-teng lu, a work containing biographies of Chinese Zen monks compiled by Tao-yiian at the beginning of the eleventh century, and engaged in discussions with a monk of Shoun-an, a retreat attached to Ryusho-ji. He is also said to have mingled with the crowd of beggars living under the Gojo Bridge.
Around 1315, Shiiho gained the support of Akamatsu Enshin, a Zen monk from a distinguished family who later became a statesman and military leader. He moved to a small residence in the Murasakino area of Kyoto, founding what in time became the renowned Zen temple Daitoku-ji. He later won as converts to his teaching Retired Emperor Hanazono and Emperor Godaigo. In 1325 he engaged in a doctrinal debate with representatives of the Tendai sect in the presence of the court and emerged the victor; the affair is known as the Shochu no Shuron, “Sectarian Debate of the Shochu Era.” In 1326 construction was completed on the main hall of Daitoku-ji, and he became more active than ever in the teaching of Zen.
In 1337 he entrusted all his affairs to his disciple Tetto Giko, and died the same year of illness.
In 1335 he wrote his famous “Testamentary Admonitions,” a brief statement designed to guide his disciples after his death, which is today regularly recited in Rinzai Zen temples, and drew up a set of rules, the Jiki jujo, to insure that temple discipline would not become lax.
His writings are collected in the Daito kokushi goroku and Kana hogo. The Kaian kokugo consists of passages taken from the Daito kokushi goroku with critical comments added by Hakuin Ekaku.
Shuhb’s style of Zen teaching placed great emphasis upon the need for the student to delve deep within himself. He was much influenced by the teaching line deriving from the tenth century Chinese Zen master Yiin-men (Ummon) and composed a number of excellent jakugo, or brief critical comments appended to the koans handed down from the past. (Koans are problems or themes for meditation assigned by the Zen master to his students to help them achieve understanding and a proper attitude.) In addition to Tetto Giko already mentioned, his disciples include Kanzan Egen (1277-1360), famous as the founder of Myoshin-ji, another important Zen temple in Kyoto. The posthumous title Kokushi was bestowed upon him by Retired Emperor Hanazono.