Enni Ben’en 圓爾辯圓 (1202–1280) — Kamakura-period Japanese Rinzai-Zen 臨濟宗 master, the founder of Tōfuku-ji 東福寺 in Kyoto and one of the principal figures of the early Japanese Zen transmission. Posthumous imperial title Shōichi Kokushi 聖一國師 (“National Master Holy-One”); the first Japanese monk to receive an imperial Kokushi (national-master) title.
Born in Suruga Province (modern Shizuoka). Studied Tendai on Mt. Hiei, then Zen under Eisai’s disciple Eichō 榮朝 (Chōraku-ji). In 1235 he travelled to Song-dynasty China, where he received Línjì-school transmission from Wúzhǔn Shīfàn 無準師範 (1178–1249) at Jìngshānsì 徑山寺. Returned to Japan 1241. With the patronage of the regent Kujō Michiie 九條道家, founded Tōfuku-ji 東福寺 in 1255 — modeled on Jìngshānsì and one of the five great Kyoto Rinzai temples of the Gozan 五山 system.
His Recorded Sayings — Shōichi Kokushi goroku 聖一國師語錄 (KR6t0250, T80n2544) — were compiled by his dharma-grandson Kokan Shiren 虎關師錬 (1278–1346) in Genkō 元徳 3 (1331), as recorded in Shiren’s preface. The compilation followed earlier scattered recensions; Shiren’s gathering produced the present canonical text.
DILA Buddhist Person Authority A001419.
Source: DILA A001419; the Shōichi Kokushi goroku preface; Dumoulin, Heinrich, Zen Buddhism: A History, vol. 2: Japan, World Wisdom, 2005, pp. 31–35.