Zhúxiān Fànxiān 竺僊梵僊 (Jp. Jikusen Bonsen, 1292–1348) — Late-Yuán Chinese Línjì-school 臨濟宗 Chán master of the Yángqípài 楊岐派 (the dominant Línjì sub-school) who emigrated to Japan in 1329 and became one of the foundational figures of medieval Japanese Rinzai-Zen and Gozan literature. Style-name Zhúxiān 竺仙; self-sobriquets Láilái Chánzǐ 來來禪子 (“Come-Again Zen Child”), Jíshèng Chuáng 寂勝幢 (“Quiet-Conquering Banner”), and Sīguī Sǒu 思歸叟 (“Thinking-of-Return Old Man” — referring to his Chinese homeland).
Born Zhìyuán 29 (1292) in Xiàngshān 象山 (modern Zhèjiāng), of the Xú 徐 clan. At age eight entered the Wúxīng Zīfúyuàn 吳興資福院 (Zhèjiāng). At 18 received the full precepts under Língshān Ruìyún Yǐn 靈山瑞雲隱. Travelled widely as an itinerant scholar-monk; ultimately at Bǎoníngsì 保寧寺 (Nánjīng) became dharma-heir to Gǔlín Qīngmào 古林清茂 (1262–1329) of the Yángqípài. Hence his lineage is called the Gǔlínpài 古林派 (or Méilín 梅林派, “Plum-Grove sub-school”) in Japan.
In Tiānlì 2 (1329) he travelled to Japan with the senior master Míngjí Chǔjùn 明極楚俊 (Mei-zū Soshun) at the invitation of the Japanese Zen establishment. Held abbacies at Jōmyō-ji 淨妙寺, Jōchi-ji 淨智寺, and Kenchō-ji 建長寺 in Kamakura, and at Nanzen-ji 南禪寺 and Shinnyo-ji 真如寺 in Kyoto. In Kenmu 2 (1335) he became the founding patriarch of Muryō-ji 無量寺.
Died at the Ryōga-in 楞伽院 of Jōmyō-ji on Shōhei 3 (1348), Yuán Zhìzhèng 8 at age 57.
His Recorded Sayings — Jikusen Oshō goroku 竺僊和尚語錄 (KR6t0260, T80n2554) — four fascicles, compiled by his disciple Eigyō 裔堯 and others. He also produced a Shūmon senjimon 宗門千字文 (“Thousand-Character Essay on the School Tradition”). His dharma-heirs in Japan included Dainen Hōen 大年法延, Chintei Kaiju 椿庭海壽, and others; the line became one of the 24 transmission-lines of medieval Japanese Zen.
DILA Buddhist Person Authority A000765.
Source: DILA A000765; Zōji-zoku dentōroku 增集續傳燈錄 fasc. 6; Bukkō 佛光 Buddhist Encyclopedia p. 4640; Giyū-ji-roku 疑年錄 p. 329.