Rinzai

Rinzai, or Rinzai-shū, is one of the main schools of Zen Buddhism in Japan. It traces its lineage to the Linji school (Linji Yixuan) in China and was transmitted to Japan in the late 12th century by the monk Eisai, who founded Kennin-ji in Kyoto and helped establish Rinzai monasteries throughout the country. The school is noted for its emphasis on koan study as a central method for awakening, alongside formal meditation and strict monastic discipline.

Practice centers on koan training, with regular sanzen (private interviews with a master) and sustained zazen used to prepare for working with a koan. The aim is to provoke a direct, experiential insight, or satori, that transcends conventional logic. Koan curricula often include traditional collections such as the Mumonkan (The Gateless Gate) and other classical texts, with masters giving commentaries and sanzen.

Historically, Rinzai rose to prominence during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods and became associated with major Kyoto temples, notably Daitoku-ji and Myōshin-ji. In the Edo period, Hakuin Ekaku (1686–1769) revitalized the school by systematizing koan study and reinforcing the teacher-student lineage. Prominent figures linked to Rinzai include Ikkyū Sōjun, Bankei Yōkan, and other abbots who contributed to its artistic and philosophical traditions.

Today, Rinzai remains active in Japan and around the world through temple communities and meditation centers. Its signature approach—intense koan inquiry, disciplined practice, and direct transmission—continues to distinguish it from other Zen schools, such as Sōtō, which emphasizes shikantaza (just sitting) as its primary method. The interpretation and emphasis on koans can vary by lineage and master.