Ikkyū Sōjun

Sōjun worked between 1394 and 1481 across Buddhist monk, poet and calligrapher. This article rests on 4 visual works, 1 digitised documents and 10 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

The recorded working language is Japanese. The field of work recorded is philosophy. Positions recorded include abbot. Work by Ikkyū Sōjun is recorded in the collections of Vanderbilt Museum of Art, Cleveland Museum of Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art.

• Name — Ikkyū Sōjun • Other Names — Shūken • Dharma Name — Ikkyū Sōjun • Born — February 1, 1394 • Birthplace — Kyoto, Japan • Died — December 12, 1481 (aged 87) • Place of death — Kyōtanabe, Kyoto • Religion — Buddhism • School — Rinzai • Title — Zen master • Predecessor — Kaso • Illustration — Buddhist verse by Ikkyū

Ikkyū was born in 1394 in a small suburb of Kyoto. It is generally held that he was the son of Emperor Go-Komatsu and a low-ranking court noblewoman. His mother was forced to flee to Saga, where Ikkyū was raised by servants. At the age of five, Ikkyū was separated from his mother and placed in a Rinzai Zen temple in Kyoto called Ankoku-ji, as an acolyte. The temple masters taught Chinese culture and language as part of the curriculum, a method termed Gozan Zen. He was given the name Shuken, and learned about Chinese poetry, art and literature.

When Ikkyū turned thirteen he entered Kennin-ji in Kyoto to study Zen under a well known priest by the name of Botetsu. Here Ikkyū began to write poetry frequently that was non-traditional in form. He was openly critical of Kennin-ji's leadership in his poetry, disheartened with the social stratum and lack of zazen practice he saw around him. In 1410, at the age of sixteen, Ikkyū left Kennin-ji and entered the temple Mibu-dera, where an abbot named Seiso was in residence. He did not stay long, and soon found himself at Saikin-ji in the Lake Biwa region where he was the sole student of an abbot named Ken'o. It seemed Ikkyū had finally found a master that taught true Rinzai Zen as Ikkyū saw it. Ken'o was sporadic in his teaching style and was a strong believer in the supremacy of zazen. In 1414, when Ikkyū was 21, Ken'o died. Ikkyū performed funeral rites and fasted for seven days. In despair Ikkyū tried to kill himself by drowning himself in Lake Biwa, but was talked out of it from the shore by a servant of his mother. Ikkyū soon found a new teacher in a master named Kaso at Zenko-an, a branch temple of Daitoku-ji. Kaso was much like Ken'o in his style. For years he worked hard on assigned and made dolls for a local merchant in Kyoto. In 1418 Ikkyū was given Case 15 of the Mumonkan ("The Gateless Gate", a famous set of 49), known as "Tozan's Three (or 60?) Blows", which depicts Tozan becoming enlightened when Ummon rebukes him for wandering from one monastery to another. One day a band of blind singers performed at the temple and Ikkyū penetrated his while engrossed in the music. In recognition of his understanding Kaso gave Shuken the Dharma name Ikkyū, which roughly means 'One Pause'. In 1420, Ikkyū was meditating in a boat on Lake Biwa when the sound of a crow sparked satori. When Ikkyū told Kasō of his experience, Kasō replied, "This is the enlightenment of a mere arhat, you're no master yet." Ikkyū responded, "Then I'm happy to be an arhat, I detest masters." Thus, Kasō declared, "Ha, now you really are a master." Kasō confirmed Ikkyū's great enlightenment and granted him inka. However, when presented with his inka, Ikkyū threw it to the ground and stomped off. Kasō retained the inka for safekeeping, but when Ikkyū learned of this, he tore it to pieces. Later, when his disciples had it pieced back together, Ikkyū burned it completely. Ikkyū came up against the jealousy of Yoso, a more senior student who eventually came to run the monastery. In Ikkyū's poems, Yoso appears as a character unhealthily obsessed with material goods, who sold Zen to increase the prosperity of the temple.

Ikkyū could sometimes be a troublemaker. Known to drink in excess, he would often upset Kaso with his remarks and actions to guests. In response, Kaso gave inka to Yoso and made him Dharma heir. Ikkyū quickly left the temple and lived many years as a vagabond. He was not alone, however, as he had a regular circle of notable artists and poets from that era. Around this time, he established a sexual relationship with a blind singer, Mori, who became the love of his later life. Ikkyū strove to live Zen outside of formal religious institutions. However, the Ōnin War had reduced Daitokuji to ashes, and Ikkyū was elected to be its abbot late in life, a role he reluctantly took on. This firmly placed him at the head of one of the most important Zen institutions. However, Ikkyū refused to give formal sanction to any of his disciples, stating his intent thus: "I have never given inka to anyone.... So if after I'm gone, someone comes claiming to have my inka, you should report him to the authorities and prosecute for criminal misconduct. That's why I'm telling everyone the facts by way of a written testament." Toward the end of his life, Ikkyū told his disciples: After my death some of you will seclude yourselves in the forests and mountains to meditate, while others may drink saké and enjoy the company of women. Both kinds of Zen are fine, but if some become professional clerics, babbling about 'Zen as the way,' they are my enemies. I have never given an inka, and if anyone claims to have received such a thing from me, have him or her arrested! In 1481, Ikkyū died at the age of 87 from acute ague.

• Toei Animation produced the historical comedy anime series Ikkyū-san (一休さん) based on Ikkyū's recorded early life at Ankoku-ji Temple, originally airing on TV Asahi from October 15, 1975, to June 28, 1982. The anime was directed by Kimio Yabuki and written by Makoto Tsuji, Tadaki Yamazaki, Hisao Okawa, Tatsuo Tamura, Hiroyasu Yamaura and Keisuke Fujikawa. The series was received by all ages in Japan and throughout Asia. In 1976, a theatrical film released was released as part of the Toei Manga Matsui film festival in the summer of that year. • In the anime OVA Read or Die, a clone of Ikkyū appears as the leader of the villains, all of whom are also clones of famous historical figures. • In the second edition of the book On the Warrior's Path, author Daniele Bolelli refers to Ikkyū as his "hero and philosophical role model". He also explored Ikkyū's life story in a chapter of his 50 Things You're Not Supposed to Know: Religion, and in two episodes of the podcast History on Fire. • The Japanese manga author Hisashi Sakaguchi wrote a life story of Ikkyū, あっかんべェ一休, 'Ikkyu', or 'Akkanbe Ikkyu', more or less according to the popular stories about him. The manga has been translated in four volumes into Catalan, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese. • In the manga Afterschool Charisma, a clone of Ikkyū appears among the main body of classmates in a special school filled with clones of famous historical figures. • Comic author Tom Robbins identifies Ikkyū as his "idol". • Kleenex Girl Wonder wrote the song "Don't Cry, Ikkyu" about Ikkyū. • Wednesday Campanella's song and PV "Ikkyu-san".

Ikkyū Sōjun was born on 1 February 1394 in Kyoto. Sōjun held the nationality of Ashikaga shogunate. Recorded father: Go-Komatsu. Recorded sibling: Shōkō and Ogawa no miya. Sōjun worked as Buddhist monk, poet and calligrapher. Sōjun held the posts of abbot. Sōjun worked in Japanese.