KEIZAN JOKIN

posthumous name Josai Daishi born Nov. 13, 1268, Echizen province [now in Fukui prefecture], Japan died Sept. 22, 1325, Noto province [now in Ishikawa prefecture] priest of the Soto sect of Zen Buddhism, who founded the Soji Temple (now in Yokohama), one of the two head temples of the sect. At the age of 12 Keizan entered the priesthood under Koun Ejo, the second head priest of the Eihei Temple (in modern Fukui prefecture), the headquarters of the sect. After the death of Koun Ejo, Keizan studied under Tettsu Gikai of the Daijo Temple and finally received the law of Buddha from him. After studying under Koho Kakumyo, he returned to the Daijo Temple and there propagated the teachings of the Soto sect for 10 years, until he became the head priest of the Shogaku Temple (in modern Ishikawa prefecture). Keizan gave the temple a new name, Shogaku-zan Soji Temple, and affiliated it with the Soto sect in 1321. Later, when he preached to the emperor Go-Daigo on the Ten Questions on Buddhism, Soji Temple became an imperial temple. It was destroyed by fire in 1898 and was rebuilt on the present site in Yokohama. Keizan devoted himself to establishing many temples, renewing the religious traditions of his sect, and popularizing the teachings of its founder, Dogen. Under him the Soto sect developed rapidly and expanded to all corners of Japan. Now called Taiso (Great Master), he is worshiped as the restorer of the Soto sect. The main literary works of Keizan are explanations of Soto methods of meditation and daily monastic life.