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The Rinzai school (, p=Línjì zōng), named after (Romaji: Rinzai Gigen, died 866 CE) is one of three sects of in Japanese Buddhism, along with Sōtō and Ōbaku. The Chinese school of was first transmitted to by Myōan Eisai (1141–1215). Contemporary Japanese Rinzai is derived entirely from the Ōtōkan lineage transmitted through (1686–1769), who is a major figure in the revival of the Rinzai tradition.Moore (2018), p. xiii.

History
The Rinzai school is the Japanese line of the of Chan Buddhism. Although is usually credited as its founder, as Albert Welter points out, "While the inspiration for the Linji Chan faction was, of course Linji Yixuan, the real founder of the movement was, as noted previously, Shoushan Shengnian (926—993), a fourth-generation descendant."Welter, Albert (2008), The Linji Lu and the Creation of Chan Orthodoxy: The Development of Chan's Records of Sayings Literature, page 112. Oxford University Press.

Kamakura period (1185–1333)
Though there were several attempts to establish Rinzai lines in Japan, it first took root in a lasting way through the efforts of the monk . In 1168, Myōan Eisai traveled to China, where he studied for twenty years. In 1187, he went to China again, and returned to Japan to establish a , which is known in Japan as Rinzai. Decades later, 南浦紹明 (1235–1308), who also studied Linji teachings in China, founded the Japanese Ōtōkan lineage, the most influential and only surviving branch of the Rinzai school of Zen.

Rinzai Zen was established in Japan as the rose to power. Along with early imperial support, Rinzai came to enjoy the patronage of this newly ascendant warrior class.

Muromachi (or Ashikaga) period (1336–1573)
During the , the Rinzai school was the most successful of the Zen schools in Japan because it was favoured by the shōgun. The school may be said to have truly flowered and achieved a distinctly Japanese identity with Shūhō Myōchō (aka Daitō Kokushi 1283–1337) and Musō Soseki (1275–1351), two influential Japanese Zen masters who did not travel to China to study.

Five Mountain System
In the beginning of the Muromachi period, the Gozan system was fully worked out. The final version contained five temples of both Kyoto and Kamakura, presided over by . A second tier of the system consisted of Ten Temples. This system was extended throughout Japan, effectively giving control to the central government, which administered this system. The monks, often well educated and skilled, were employed by the shōgun for the governing of state affairs.

+ Gozan system
  !Kyoto !Kamakura
First RankTenryū-jiKenchō-ji
Second RankShōkoku-ji
Third Rank
Fourth RankTōfuku-jiJōchi-ji
Fifth RankJōmyō-ji

Rinka-monasteries
Not all Rinzai Zen organisations were under such strict state control. The Rinka monasteries, which were primarily located in rural areas rather than cities, had a greater degree of independence. The Ōtōkan lineage, which centered on , also had a greater degree of freedom. It was founded by Nanpo Shōmyō, Shūhō Myōchō, and Kanzan Egen. A well-known teacher from Daitoku-ji was Ikkyū.

Another Rinka lineage was the Hotto lineage, of which Bassui Tokushō is the best-known teacher.

Tokugawa (1600–1868) – Hakuin and his heirs
By the 18th century, the Rinzai school was challenged by the newly-imported Obaku-lineage, and by the waning of support from the ruling elites. (1686–1769), with his vigorous zeal for -practice and his orientation towards common people, became the hero of a revigorized tradition of koan-study and an outreach to a lay-audience, and most Rinzai lineages claim descent from him, though his engagement with formal Rinzai-institution was minimal. When he was installed as head priest of Shōin-ji in 1718, he had the title of Dai-ichiza, "First Monk":

Hakuin considered himself to be an heir of Shōju Rōnin (Dokyō Etan, 1642–1721), but never received formal dharma transmission from him. Nevertheless, through Hakuin, all contemporary Japanese Rinzai-lineages are considered part of the Ōtōkan lineage, brought to Japan in 1267 by , who received his dharma transmission in China in 1265.

Tōrei Enji (1721–1792), who had studied with , was a major student of Hakuin and an influential author, painter and calligrapher.Tōrei, Taibi Shaku (1996), The Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp of the Zen School, C.E. Tuttle Company, p. 5.Joskovich, Erez Hekigan. The Inexhaustible Lamp of Faith: Faith and Awakening in the Japanese Rinzai Tradition. Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 42/2:319-338. Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture. He is the author of the influential The Undying Lamp of Zen (Shūmon mujintō ron), which presents a comprehensive system of Rinzai training.Cleary, Thomas (2012), The Zen Reader, Shambhala Publications, p. 150.Cleary, Thomas (2010). The Undying Lamp of Zen: The Testament of Zen Master Torei, Shambhala Publications, p. viii.

Through Torei's student Gasan Jitō (1727–1797) Hakuin's approach became a focal point in Japanese Rinzai Zen. Before meeting Hakuin, Gasan received Dharma transmission from Rinzai teacher Gessen Zen'e, who had received dharma transmission from Kogetsu Zenzai. Gasan is often considered to be a dharma heir of Hakuin, despite the fact that "he did not belong to the close circle of disciples and was probably not even one of Hakuin's dharma heirs." Gasan's students Inzan Ien (1751–1814), who also studied with Gessen Zen'e,terebess.hu, 隱山惟琰 Inzan Ien (1751–1814) and Takujū Kosen (1760–1833) created a systematized way of koan-study, with fixed questions and answers. In 1808 Inzan Ien became abbott of , one of the main Rinzai temples in Japan, where he served for a short time, while Takujū Kosen was appointed as head abbott of Myoshin-ji in 1813.terebess.hu, 卓洲胡僊 Takujū Kosen (1760–1833) All contemporary Japanese Rinzai-lineages, and their methods and styles of koan-study, stem from these two teachers, though at the end of the Tokugawa-periond his line was at the brink of extinction.Michael Mohr, Hakuin. In: Buddhist Spirituality II: Later China, Korea, and Japan

Meiji Restoration (1868–1912) and Imperial Expansionism (1912–1945)
During the (1868–1912), after a coup in 1868, Japan abandoned its feudal system and opened up to Western modernism. became the state religion, and Buddhism adapted to the new regime. Within the Buddhist establishment the Western world was seen as a threat, but also as a challenge to stand up to.

A Rinzai university was founded in 1872, Hanazono University, initially as a seminary for those entering the priesthood. Hanazono University has grown to become the major Rinzai higher education institution in Japan.

Post-war (1945–present)
Modern Rinzai Zen is made up of 15 sects or branches, the largest being the Myoshin-ji line.

Some influential modern Rinzai figures include (大森 曹玄, 1904–1994), Sōkō Morinaga (盛永 宗興, 1925–1995), (原田 正道), (西村 惠信; born 1933), (福島 慶道, 1933–2011) and D.T. Suzuki (鈴木 大拙 貞太郎, 1870–1966).

Literary sources
Rinzai is a Buddhist tradition that draws from the various Indian (like the and the ) and shastras (treatises) of the Indian masters. Rinzai also closely follows the works of the tradition, particularly that of the masters of the like (d. 866) and (1089–1163) and various traditional records of that school, like the Transmission of the Lamp, and the Línjì yǔlù (臨濟語錄; Jp: Rinzai-goroku, the Record of Linji) .

Important Japanese sources of the Rinzai school include the works of and his student Tōrei Enji. Torei's Undying Lamp of Zen (Shūmon mujintō ron) offers a comprehensive overview of Hakuin's Zen and is a major source for Rinzai Zen practice.Joskovich, Erez Hekigan. The Inexhaustible Lamp of Faith: Faith and Awakening in the Japanese Rinzai Tradition.Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 42/2:319-338. Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture. A more modern overview of Japanese Rinzai praxis is 's Sanzen Nyumon (An Introduction to Zen Training).

(2025). 9780804832472, Tuttle Pub.

Japanese Rinzai practice
Contemporary Japanese Rinzai Zen is marked by its emphasis on kenshō (見性, "seeing one's/ self nature" or "to see clearly into the ") as the gateway to authentic Buddhist practice.Moore (2018), pp. 9-10. Rinzai also stresses the importance of post-kensho spiritual training that actualizes awakening for the benefit of all beings.

The student's relationship with a Zen teacher is another central element of Rinzai Zen practice. This includes the formal practice of , a private interview between student and master and various methods of "direct pointing" that are used by Rinzai masters to guide the student to the experience of kensho.Moore (2018), pp. 145-150

Formal Rinzai training focuses on (seated meditation). Practices such as different forms of breath meditation (, diaphragmatic breathing and tanden, breath cultivation), kōan introspection, , and practice (such as using the mantric syllable Ah) are used in zazen.Moore (2018), pp. 106-120. Other practices include walking meditation (Jp. kinhin), ōryōki (a meditative meal practice), and samu (physical work done with ). Chanting ( okyo) or is also a major element of Rinzai practice.Moore (2018), pp. 126-132.

Kōans are a common object of meditation when engaged in formal zazen. ("just sitting") is less emphasized in Rinzai, but still used. This contrasts with Sōtō practice, which has de-emphasized kōans since Gentō Sokuchū (circa 1800), and instead emphasizes shikantaza.

The Rinzai school developed its own formalized style of kōan introspection and training. This includes a standardized curriculum of kōans, which must be studied and "passed" in sequence. This process may include standardized questions ( sassho) and common sets of "capping phrases" ( ) or poetry citations that are memorized by students as answers.Bodiford, William M. (2006). Koan practice. In: "Sitting with Koans". Ed. John Daido Loori. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, p. 94. A student's understanding of a kōan is presented to the teacher in a private interview ( dokusan, daisan, or sanzen) and the teacher's job is to guide the student to kensho, in part by judging the student's kyōgai. Kōan-inquiry may be practiced during (sitting meditation) , (walking meditation), and throughout all daily activities.Lachs, Stuart (2006), The Zen Master in America: Dressing the Donkey with Bells and ScarvesLow, Albert (2006), Hakuin on Kensho. The Four Ways of Knowing, pp. 36-37. Boston & London: Shambhala

In general, the Rinzai school is known for the rigor and severity of its training methods. The Rinzai style may be characterized as somewhat martial or sharp (following in the spirit of ). Since the adoption of Rinzai Zen by the Hōjō clan in the 13th century, some Rinzai figures have even developed the arts ( budō) within a Zen framework.Mann, Jeffrey, When Buddhists Attack: The Curious Relationship Between Zen and the Martial Arts, p. 61. One influential figure was the Rinzai priest Takuan Sōhō who was well known for his writings on Zen and budō addressed to the class (see The Unfettered Mind).Takuan Soho, The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman, p. xv. In this regard, Rinzai is often contrasted with another sect of Zen deeply established in Japan, Sōtō, which has been called more gentle and even rustic in spirit. A Japanese saying reflects these perceptions: Rinzai Shōgun, Sōtō Domin.

The Rinzai school also adopted certain Taoist energy cultivation practices. They were introduced by (1686–1769) who learned them from a hermit named Hakuyu.Waddell, Norman (ed. & trans.), Hakuin's Precious Mirror Cave: A Zen Miscellany, 2009, p. 83. These energetic practices are called naikan. They are mainly based on focusing the mind and one's vital energy ( ki) on the (a spot slightly below the navel).Julian Daizan Skinner (2017), "Practical Zen: Meditation and Beyond," pp. 203–204. Singing DragonHakuin Ekaku (2010), "Wild Ivy: The Spiritual Autobiography of Zen Master Hakuin", p. 150. Shambhala Publications

Certain Japanese such as painting, , , , and the are also often used as methods of Zen cultivation in Rinzai. is famously known for his sumi-e (ink and wash) paintings as well as for his calligraphy.Stephen Addiss, John Daido Loori, The Zen Art Book: The Art of Enlightenment, p. 15. is said to have popularized green tea in Japan and the famed master of Japanese tea, Sen no Rikyū (1522–1591), was also trained in Rinzai.Nishibe Bunjo, "Zen priests and Their Concepts of Tea," p. 13, in Chanoyu Quarterly no. 13 (1976).

Contemporary Rinzai schools
Rinzai Zen in Japan today is not a single organized body. Rather, it is divided into 15 branches (or 16, if Ōbaku is included), referred to by the names of their head temples, of which half are based in (8, plus Ōbaku). The largest and most influential of these is the Myōshin-ji branch, whose head temple was founded in 1342 by (1277–1360). Other major branches include and Tenryū-ji (both founded by Musō Soseki), (founded by Shūhō Myōchō), and Tōfuku-ji (founded by Enni Ben'en, 1202–1280). These branches are purely organizational divisions arising from temple history and teacher-student lineage, and do not represent sectarian divides or fundamental differences in practice. There are nevertheless small differences in the way kōans are handled.

These head temples preside over various networks, comprising a total of approximately six thousand temples, forty monasteries, and one nunnery. The Myōshin-ji branch is by far the largest, approximately as big as the other branches combined: it contains within it about three thousand five hundred temples and nineteen monasteries.

Japanese Rinzai schools
The 15 branches of Rinzai, by head temple, are:

Western Rinzai
A number of Rinzai lines have been transplanted from Japan to Europe, the Americas, and Australia, and non-Japanese practitioners have been certified as teachers and successors of those lineages. Rinzai temples, as well as practice groups led by lay practitioners, may now be found in many nations.

North American Rinzai centers include founded by Kyozan Joshu Sasaki Roshi and the Pacific Zen Institute founded by John Tarrant Roshi in California, Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji established by Roshi and Roshi in New York, founded by Omori Sogen Roshi in Hawaii, in and in both founded by in Roshi's line, and founded by Genki Takabayashi Rōshi in Seattle, Washington. In Europe there is established by a of Eido Shimano, Egmund Sommer (Denko Mortensen).

Related Japanese Zen schools
Obaku
Aside from Rinzai and Sōtō, there is a third tradition of Zen present in Japan, the Ōbaku Zen sect. It was brought to Japan in the 17th century, and shows significant influence from the school. This reflects the syncretistic tendencies that developed in Chinese Buddhism in the centuries after the earlier Rinzai lines had been transmitted to Japan.

Ōbaku is also descended from the Chinese Linji school, and so technically may be considered a part of the Japanese Rinzai movement; further, its abbots are now part of the same Ōtōkan lineage as Rinzai branches, though they were not so originally (instead following a more recent Chinese lineage). While , the Ōbaku headquarters temple, is considered one of the 15 Rinzai branches mentioned above, Ōbaku Zen is administratively separate from the other 14 branches and continues to maintain its own distinct identity.

Fuke
A final Japanese Zen sect that self-identified as descending from the Linji school was the sect; Fuke Zen was suppressed with the Meiji Restoration in the 19th century and no longer exists. Its influence on the development of music for the (bamboo flute), however, has been great.

Ichibata Yakushi Kyodan
Ichibata Yakushi Kyodan (properly written Ichiba Yakushi Kyōdan 一畑薬師教団) is today generally considered an independent school of Buddhism, though it was previously associated with Myōshin-ji (and before that ), and may still be considered part of Rinzai, though its practices and beliefs have little in common with Rinzai. It places great importance in faith in (Medicine Buddha), and is known as a destination for healing.

Cultural influence
Remarkable results of the early relationship between Rinzai Zen and the ruling classes were a strong Rinzai influence on education and government, and Rinzai contributions to a great flowering of Japanese cultural arts such as , , , , design, and even . A perhaps unanticipated result is that Soto Zen temples, with their connection and appeal to commoners, eventually came to outnumber Rinzai temples.

See also

Sources
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