Vers la redécouverte de Tōrei

Abstract

The role played by Tōrei in the revival of the Rinzai school is still not widely known. Continuing the movement initiated by his master Hakuin, Tōrei lived at the crucial period preceding the emergence of the Takujū and Inzan lineages. He gave his certification to Gasan, leaving thus his imprint on all the remaining lineages up to today. Tōrei's life and work also reveal a remarkable combination of erudition and spiritual depth, expressed in his numerous works, including commentaries on classical texts. The author argues that the study of the Tokugawa period is essential for understanding Rinzai Zen as it is today. It shows in particular the limits of the idealized image associated with the so-called golden age of the Zen school during the Tang period. However, the field of modern Japanese Zen Buddhism is still much neglected by both Japanese and Western scholarship. Further research on modern Rinzai Buddhism must take into account Hakuin and his school within the general context of reforms made in most of the Buddhist sects at that time. A closer look at the specific contribution of Hakuin's successor is an important step for getting a more precise picture of Zen Buddhism as it developed during that period. This article has five parts: I. The place of Tōrei in Hakuin 's lineage II. The state of the field III. Biographical data IV. The main works of Tōrei (including dates of composition and publication, when known) V. Bibliography