Muso Soseki

JAPAN, Mie; Kamakura to Nanbokucho period

With an original name of Chikaku, Muso Soseki was a master of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism from Ise (present day Mie). He is also commonly known as National Master Muso. His family moved to Kaikoku (present day Yamanashi) when he was age four, and when he was nine years old, he renounced at Heiensanji Temple under Kuua Daitoku. He was ordained by Master Zikan at Todaiji Temple in Nara nine years later, and studied the Tendai teachings and Esoteric Buddhism; he eventually settled on following the teachings of the Zen school after learning from Koho Kennichi at Jochiji Temple in Kamakura, under whom he received Dharma transmission. Master Muso went to Kenchoji Temple in Kanagawa in 1299 and studied under Master Yishan Yining, a Chinese master who visited Japan during the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368).
Because he was greatly respected by Emperor Go-Daigo (reigned 1318–1339), he was invited to be based at the prestigious Nanzenji Temple in Kyoto on two different occasions. He established Zuisenji Temple in Kanagawa, Erinji Temple in Yamanashi, Rinsenji Temple in Kyoto, and more. In addition, after the emperor’s death, Master Muso received support from the ruling Shogunate to establish Tenryuji Temple in Kyoto to transfer merits to the deceased emperor. For his tremendous contributions to the development of Buddhism in Japan, he was honored with seven posthumous titles including National Master Shokaku and National Master Shinshu, both before and after his passing. Since he was a teacher to seven emperors, he was also given the title of Nanocho Teishi. Many of his disciples, including Shun’oku Myoha, Gido Shushin, and Zekkai Chuushin, became highly cultivated masters.
Wherever he stayed, Muso would renovate the temple and create gardens. He skillfully utilized the natural environment and took advantage of the four seasons to install pools, bridges, waterfalls, pavilions, and more. This integration of gardens became the model for the future landscape design of temple grounds. Gardens designed by Muso include those seen at Zuisenji Temple in Kamakura, Eihoji Temple in Gifu, and Saihoji and Tenryuji temples in Kyoto.
Muso was a skilled painter of landscapes and also excelled in calligraphy. His works in cursive script are similar to those by Issan Ichinei, and his style is fluid and carefree, expressing the simple and detached sentiments of Zen. Works by Muso include A Mind That Does Not Dwell on Anything, kept at Shokokuji Temple in Kyoto; and Gego Resigning from His Post as Abbot of Nanzenji Temple, kept at Tenryuji Temple in Kyoto.