Seisetsu Shucho

Seisetsu Shucho, also known as Daiyu Kokushi, (1745 – June 28, 1820) was a Japanese Zen priest, poet and artist, He is known for the reconstruction and consolidation of the Engaku-ji temple towards the end of the Edo era.

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Quotes

My hour draws near and I am still alive.
Drawn by the chains of death
I take my leave.
The King of Hades has decreed
Tomorrow I shall be his slave.
- Japanese Death Poems. Compiled by Yoel Hoffmann. ISBN 978-0-8048-3179-6

Quotes about Seisetsu Shucho

Whenever Chan Master Seisetsu Shucho gave Dharma talks at Engaku Temple many, many people would come. Whenever there was a talk the crowd would be so tightly packed into the hall that you could barely move. Finally, someone suggested that a new wing be added to the temple to allow for a more spacious lecture hall.

One devotee filled a bag with one hundred taels of gold and brought it to the temple to give to Chan Master Seisetsu, explaining that the donation was to fund the building of the lecture hall. Seisetsu received the gold and then quickly busied himself with other matters. The devotee was extremely displeased by the Chan master's attitude. He though to himself, “One hundred taels of gold is no small amount of money. How could the master receive such a large donation and not bother saying a single word of thanks?”

So the devotee followed Seisetsu and dropped a little hint, “Master, you know there are one hundred taels of gold in that bag I gave you.”

Seisetsu responded coolly, “You already told me. I'm aware.” The devotee raised his voice, “Hey! I donated one hundred taels of gold today!”

Seisetus had just reached the main shrine, and stopped.

“If you would like to treat donating money to the Buddhas like some sort of business deal, then on behalf of the Buddhas I can offer you a word of thanks for this transaction. Now consider the account between you and them settled.”

Xingyun, ‎Kumārajīva. Four Insights for Finding Fulfillment. 2012. p. 98

External links

SEISETSU Shucho, the Manyo'an Collection of Japanese Art.