Hakuin Ekaku - Selected Poems and Verses for Meditation - Zen Buddhism

[Newest Reality]

Hakuin Ekaku (January 19, 1686 – January 18, 1769) is undeniably one of the most important of all Zen masters. He came into the Rinzai school of Zen and revitalized it during a period when its very survival was in question, focusing practice back on the basics of zazen and koan study. He was the quintessential Zen master of the people, who extended his teaching far beyond the monastery to include folks from all walks of life. All modern Rinzai masters trace their lineage back through Hakuin.

Hakuin was born in the small village of Hara, at the foot of Mount Fuji, Japan. His mother was a devout Nichiren Buddhist, and it is likely that her piety was a major influence on his decision to become a Buddhist monk.