Discussions around Zen Tradition in Kamakura Buddhism: Scripture Problem

Abstract

Search of balance between the quatrain of principles forming “the essence of zen-buddhism”
and Japanese strong devotion to kyōkan (Buddhist scriptures) became one of the main quests in
the majority of texts of the Kamakura Buddhist thinkers (XIII–XIV cc.). Tendai scholars and
other texts worshippers called down “new” practitioners for their defi ance of sūtras. The article
deals with the responses to these cavils of Zen masters. Analysis of Dōgen’s writings and survey
of the ideas of Yōsai et al. shows that all of them felt deep reverence for kyōkan and based their
doctrinal innovations on those very texts.
The article introduces Dōgen’s Kankin Translated into Russian.