Risshi Unsho

Background

Risshi Unsho was born in 1827 in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, Japan.

Education

In 1837 Risshi Unsho went into priesthood at the early age of 10 under Jiun at Tamonji Temple.

Career

At the age of 18 Risshi Unsho became head priest of Kannonji Temple of his hometown. Later became a disciple of Jitsuken at Mount Koya (Wakayama Prefecture), and then sought masters at Kyoto and other parts of western Japan to learn more about Buddhism.

In the early years of the Meiji Era the government ordered Buddhism and Shintoism separated from each other and a strong wave of anti-Buddhism took place. Risshi Unsho then appealed to the people from Daigakuji Temple in Kyoto, to remain calm and sent several petitions to the government requesting to suppress anti-Buddhist agitation and restore Buddhism.

Later Risshi Unsho founded the Toji Temple in Kyoto for training those who were desirous of becoming priests. He introduced a rigid system of examenation for newcomers and those who failed were sent back to secular life. With support of Tesshu Yamaoka Goro Miura, Masataro Sawayanagi and others he founded Isshin Shoja (school for Buddhist precepts). There he wrote such books as Bukyo Daigensoku (Principles of Buddhism), Dai-Nihon Kokkyoron (On the State Religion of Japan), Shūlcyō Jaseiben (How To Differentiate Orthodox and Pagan Religions), all of which were intended to the people on the true nature of Buddhism.

At the age of 79 he led a group of disciples to the battlefields of Port Arthur on a preaching mission and on his way back spent several months in Korea and advised the Emperor of that country to encourage Buddhism which was on the decline there (1906). Later he toured through Sakhalin and Hokkaido on a similar mission.

Works

• book

  • Shulcyo Jaseiben

    (How To Differentiate Orthodox and Pagan Religions)

  • Bukkyo kyo Kyokai

    (Interpretation of the Konko Doctrines of Buddhism)

  • Kyoiku Chokugo Kai

    (Commentary On the Imperial Rescript On Education)

  • Dai-Nihon Kokkyoron

    (On the State Religion of Japan)

  • Bukyo Daigensoku

    (Principles of Buddhism)

  • Misshu Anshin Giso

    (Buddhist Estoricism)

Personality

An ardent student of Buddhism, he never was sparing of any labor to learn all he could. Soon he came to be considered one of the greatest schoolars of his time.