In the late summer of 1243, Dogen was invited by local disciples to establish a temple in Echizen, the province where Eiheiji is. At that time he moved his growing community of monks from the capital area of Kyoto up to a beautiful and remote mountain valley. Over the subsequent centuries, Eiheiji has expanded into one of Japan’s largest monastic communities whose main buildings and halls are tiered up steep hillsides and connected by long staircases protected against the winter snows. The climates of Shasta Abbey and Eiheiji are rather similar.
Eiheiji is now a huge international institution, accepting more than 200 new trainee monks every year. Typically they study here for a minimum of two years after university before returning to a home temple. Visitors are looked after in a large guest building with comfortable Japanese-style tatami rooms and are able to join in the schedule during their stay.
By Iain. From left to right, Rev. Kuroyanagi (International Department), Rev. Matsunaga Roshi (Assistant Administrator), Mugo and Iain.
Hokyoji is one of the oldest of the Soto Zen temples and very unusual in that it was founded by a ‘foreigner’, a Chinese monk called Jakuen who was a contemporary of Dogen. Jakuen (Ch. Chi-yuan) is said to have returned to Kyoto with Dogen in 1227 and then stayed with him until Dogen’s death. Afterwards, Jakuen established this temple amongst the pines up in the hills above Ono about 30 miles from Eiheiji and in a location that would feel familiar to congregation members from Montana or Idaho. Last year the temple was badly damaged by floodwater and mudslides following torrential typhoon floods in the valley which washed away roads and railways.
On the temple site is a small structure housing some temple treasures of which the best-known one is a contemporary portrait of Dogen often reproduced in books on Zen. There is also a portrait of Tendo Nyojo said to have been brought to Japan from China by Dogen which I’ve never seen reproduced anywhere. There’s also a portrait of Jakuen himself. By Iain. The Meditation Hall.
Practice Within The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives
