Ryōkan

Ryōkan Taigu (良寛大愚) (1758 – 18 February 1831)[1] was a quiet and unconventional Sōtō Zen Buddhist monk who lived much of his life as a hermit.

He renounced the world at an early age to train at nearby Sōtō Zen temple Kōshō-ji, refusing to meet with or accept charity from his family.

Once the Zen master Kokusen visited the temple, and Ryōkan was deeply impressed with his demeanour.

At the time, Gentō was aggressively reforming the Sōtō school to remove perceived 'foreign' elements, including kōan.

In the tradition of Zen his quotes and poems show he had a good sense of humour and didn't take himself too seriously.

He moved into the house of one of his patrons, Kimura Motouemon, and was cared for by a young nun called Teishin.

"The [first] visit left them both exhilarated, and led to a close relationship that brightened Ryōkan's final years".

When asked why, Ryōkan replied, “I eat fish when it's offered, but I also let the fleas and flies feast on me [when sleeping at night].

I let the maggots escape before I eat it and it tastes just fine!” One evening a thief visited Ryōkan's hut at the base of the mountain only to discover there was nothing to steal.