“Ōbaku monks” in the history of the formation of the Ōbaku sect in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868)

This article examines the history of the formation of the Ōbaku Zen sect and the role that the so-called “Ōbaku monks” played in this process. The Ōbaku sect is the third school of Japanese Zen Buddhism, which appeared in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868) due to Chinese immigrants. The Edo period of the history of Japan is often characterized by the isolationist foreign policy enacted by the Tokugawa shogunate, thus the emergence of the Ōbaku sect, which was actually borrowed from China during the isolation, had an impact not only on the Japanese Buddhist community, but also on the formation of the cultural image of the period. The successful establishment of the Ōbaku school, representing the spiritual heritage of Ming China, resulted from many aspects, and one of the most noteworthy points was the efforts of the founder of the school, Yinyuan Longqi (1592-1673), his students and Japanese followers, who formed a group of “Ōbaku monks”. In addition, the “Ōbaku monks” also included Chinese Buddhist priests who settled in Nagasaki since the beginning of the 17th century. Largely due to them, a powerful Chinese diaspora appeared in Nagasaki, which had a sufficient material base and influence to invite an eminent Buddhist monk (later it was decided to choose Yinyuan) from China. It is clear that the role of the individual in the story of success of the Ōbaku in Japan is especially important. Ōbaku masters had to productively interact with the Japanese authorities, get material support and convert new members of the sect relying mainly on their authority and charisma, because they had a difficult task to spread «the word of the Teacher» across the new land. The biographies of prominent Ōbaku monks fully reflect the history of the formation of the doctrine with its ups and downs. Not only did they engage in religious and creative activities, but they also devoted a lot of time to communicating and helping the lay people, forming a positive image of the school in the eyes of the Japanese. The various activities of the followers of the school - both Chinese and Japanese - contributed significantly to the surge in popularity of Ōbaku in Japan during the Edo period.