Kanro Eisen’s 甘露英泉 View of Zen Monastic Precepts in His Shira kozuisho 尸羅敲髄章

Abstract

This paper aims to reconsider Kanro Eisen’s 甘露英泉 philosophical position on the conflict that happened in Edo 江戸 period over the Zen Monastic Precepts, and the validity of the Sixteen Article Precepts 十六条戒 advocated by Dōgen 道元 based on the content analysis in his book Shira kozuisho 尸羅敲髄章.

During the Edo period, the Chan Monastic Precepts of the Ming dynasty flowed into Japan. Since the precepts of the Ming Dynasty had descended from the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya 四分律, it had far more precepts than the Sixteen Article Precepts.

Thereafter, many Sōtō 曹洞宗 monks were affected by and devoted themselves to Chinese Chan precepts. It also resulted in confusion over the rituals for the reception of the precepts.

Eisen worked hard to rectify the disorder in the Sōtō sect. He severely criticized the Chan precepts, which brought confusion to the monks who participated in the Ming monastic rituals for the reception of the precepts, and to the Sōtō sect monks who were influenced by the Chinese monastic precepts.

Eisen claimed that the Sixteen Article Precepts were the traditional precepts handed down from Śakyamuni to the Sōtō sect. Also he believed Eisai’s rituals for the reception of the precepts were the origin of the Zen Precepts based on the theory of “Propagation of Zen for the Protection of the Country” （kōzengokoku 興禅護国）.