Daishonin

Daishonin is a honorific title used within Japanese Zen Buddhism to recognize a teacher or master who has achieved a high level of spiritual attainment and authority. The term derives from the Japanese rendering of the Chinese title Daōshī (道師), which literally means “master of the Way.” In Zen tradition, a daishonin is not simply a teacher but embodies the integrated practice of teaching, meditation, and living in accordance with the Dharma.

The title is usually prefixed to the posthumous or honorific name of senior Zen practitioners. For example, the early medieval monk Keizan Jōkin, founder of the Sōtō branch in Japan, is often referred to as Daishonin Keizan. Likewise, the 18th‑century Sōtō master Hakuin Ekaku, who revitalized the tradition, is titled Daishonin Hakuin. In contemporary contexts, some senior teachers of the Rinzai school, such as Daishonin Gōzan and Daishonin Kōtake, carry the appellation as a mark of their esteemed status.

Although the term is used almost exclusively within Japan, it has occasionally appeared in translations of Zen texts and in international Zen communities. In English‑speaking contexts the designation may be rendered simply as “Grand Master,” but this is considered a loose approximation, as the Japanese term connotes a deeper integration of monastic discipline and teaching authority. In summary, Daishonin denotes a senior Zen master who has demonstrated profound insight, sustained meditation practice, and the capacity to transmit those insights to disciples.