茶禅一味：堺の南宗寺Cha-Zen Ichimi Philosophy: 茶禅一味

During the Sengoku period, Miyoshi Nagayoshi (三好長慶, 1522-1564), a warlord who controlled the Kinai region, expanded his power by bringing the autonomous merchant city of Sakai under his influence. The merchants of Sakai skillfully maintained a balance between practical benefits and autonomy by carefully assessing the political situation of the era, occasionally forming strategic alliances with powerful warlords (daimyo, 大名), thus preserving and furthering Sakai’s unique culture. Amidst this challenging period, the people of Sakai honed their political skills through intricate navigation of complex circumstances, ultimately giving rise to a significant cultural current in Japanese history. This cultural development was “tea ceremony,” or more accurately, a profound blend of “Zen and tea.” Today’s concept of tea ceremony (茶道, sado) as a well-established cultural practice developed much later; its origins lie deeply rooted in sophisticated philosophical and cultural traditions.

Firstly, in 1557, Nagayoshi constructed Nanshu-ji Temple (南宗寺), affiliated with the Daitoku-ji school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism, in Sakai as a memorial to his late father, Motonaga. The roots of this temple trace back approximately thirty years earlier to 1526, when a famous monk named Kogaku Soko (古嶽宗亘, 1465-1548) of Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto established a hermitage called “Nanshu-an” (南宗庵) in Sakai. Due to the early death of Soko’s initial successor, another disciple named Dairin Soto (大林宗套, 1480-1568) took over as the third-generation successor, marking the beginning of significant cultural history from this point onward.

This was largely because Miyoshi Nagayoshi had profound reverence for Dairin Soto, inviting him to become the founding abbot upon the establishment of Nanshu-ji Temple. At this juncture, Nanshu-ji became a symbolic nexus linking the Miyoshi regime and the vibrant merchant culture of Sakai during the turbulent Sengoku period. Nagayoshi invited his revered master Soto to establish the temple in the vicinity of the present-day Shukuin-cho area in Sakai city, developing it into a grand temple. Given this historical backdrop, Nanshu-ji Temple served both as the Miyoshi family’s ancestral temple and as a spiritual and cultural cornerstone for Sakai’s merchant community. Later, in 1615, Nanshu-ji Temple was destroyed during the Siege of Osaka (大坂夏の陣), the largest battle between the Toyotomi and Tokugawa clans for nationwide dominance. However, this cultural beacon in Sakai was rebuilt at the beginning of the Edo period, largely due to the efforts of the renowned Zen monk Takuan Soho (沢庵宗彭, 1573-1645), maintaining its close ties with Sakai thereafter.

But how exactly did this Nanshu-ji Temple become the cradle of the tea ceremony tradition we recognize today? The answer deeply involves Dairin Soto, who was instrumental in the temple’s founding. Although Soto was renowned as a high-ranking monk within Rinzai Zen Buddhism, he also began providing a space for Zen meditation (坐禅) for the tea practitioners of Sakai, who were essentially merchants. This demonstrates that Nanshu-ji was more than just a temple; it held far greater cultural significance. Simply viewing Nanshu-ji as merely a religious institution obscures its true historical role.

Underlying this scenario was the crucial fact that throughout the Muromachi period (1336-1573) governed by the Ashikaga shogunate, Zen temples served not only religious functions but also acted as vital cultural hubs for accessing sophisticated Chinese cultural elements such as poetry (詩文), Confucianism (儒学), calligraphy (書芸), ink painting (墨絵), architecture (建物), and garden design (庭園). In other words, Zen temples functioned as intellectual salons, gathering places where scholars and cultural figures exchanged ideas, with Zen monks serving as cultural ambassadors. Unlike today, cutting-edge cultural imports from China were restricted and accessible only to a limited elite group.

Understanding this cultural context thoroughly, Dairin Soto led Nanshu-ji Temple to become a pioneering intellectual and cultural salon where Sakai’s intellectuals and cultural figures could interact. In other words, Soto was instrumental in establishing the foundational currents of what would become the tea ceremony, born from the blend of Zen and tea cultures. During this era, the tranquil environment of temples served as social gathering spaces for merchants, Zen monks, and tea practitioners to engage in discussions of philosophy and art. Temples, being somewhat secluded and spiritually protected spaces, also allowed for discreet gatherings shielded from political interference. Within this context, the role of tea became indispensable; indeed, tea had the power to influence political decisions themselves.

The grounds of Nanshu-ji Temple included a karesansui (枯山水) and tea houses, uniquely blending Zen aesthetics with the chanoyu (茶の湯, the practices of tea) from its very inception. This distinctive space became a focal point for the cultural life of Sakai’s merchant class, significantly influencing the later formulation of tea ceremony principles. Most of the tea masters living in Sakai at the time reportedly received Zen training under Dairin Soto, beginning their experimental integration of Zen spiritual disciplines into the chanoyu. Notable tea figures who formed the basis for later tea ceremony culture, such as Kitamuki Dochin (北向道陳, 1504-1562) and Takeno Joo (武野紹鴎, 1502-1555), also studied under Soto, whose influence extended even to Sen no Rikyu (千利休, 1522-1591), widely recognized as the one who perfected wabi-cha (侘び茶). Indeed, the Buddhist name “Soeki” (宗易), which Rikyu received at the age of 23, is believed to have been given by Soto during Zen meditation practice at Nanshu-ji Temple.

The Zen style promoted by Soto emphasized discovering Buddhist practice within everyday life, considering tea practice itself as “everyday Zen”. Central to this concept was the philosophy of “cha-zen ichimi” (茶禅一味), meaning that tea and Zen share the same fundamental essence. This philosophy elevated every gesture and mental attitude during tea ceremonies, emphasizing mindfulness in simple acts such as boiling water and whisking tea. In other words, Nanshu-ji Temple served as a critical place where the spiritual lineage of the Daitoku-ji branch of Rinzai Zen was firmly established, simultaneously becoming the decisive site where the culture and philosophy of “cha-zen ichimi” intersected, laying the foundations of tea ceremony. The cultural history of Zen Buddhism, which greatly flourished during China’s Song dynasty (宋代) and subsequently merged with local practices in Sakai, presents an especially fascinating story.

Additionally, it should be noted that another major contributor to the formation of the “cha-zen ichimi” tradition was Murata Juko (村田珠光, 1422-1502), regarded as the pioneer of wabi-cha. Juko, originally a Jodo sect monk from Nara, famously trained under the eccentric Zen monk Ikkyu Sojun (一休宗純, 1394-1481) of the Daitoku-ji lineage. Through this relationship, Juko pursued the ideal state represented by “cha-zen ichimi.” The successor to Juko’s philosophy was Takeno Joo, a wealthy merchant-tea master based in Sakai. Joo further developed Juko’s teachings, deepening them into the refined spirit of “wabi-sabi” (侘び寂び) within the tea ceremony. Viewed from another angle, this means the cultural soil for tea ceremony had already been cultivated long before Sen no Rikyu, who is today revered almost as a deity of tea culture, emerged.

Takeno Joo had deep connections to Zen from early on, having received the character “Sho” (紹) from Kogaku Soko, who established the original Nanshu-an hermitage, predecessor to Nanshu-ji Temple. Joo’s devotion to Zen was such that it is said he received the Buddhist name “Ikkan Koji” (一閑居士) directly from Dairin Soto himself through Zen training at Nanshu-ji. Particularly noteworthy about Joo’s approach to tea was his preference for tranquility and simplicity, described as “jaku-cha” (寂茶), which deliberately moved away from the ornate tastes prevalent at the time, reflecting the serene stillness integral to Zen philosophy. Influenced greatly by Joo, the merchant class of Sakai began to appreciate modest, domestically produced tea utensils over extravagant imported ones, thus advancing the practice of wabi-cha, which emphasized heartfelt communication within simple, unadorned tea rooms. In short, the cultural phenomena unfolding at Sakai’s Nanshu-ji during this period represented not merely commercial amusement but rather sophisticated cultural creation, harmonizing personal spiritual training with genuine hospitality toward guests.

The spiritual ethos developed within this “chanoyu” was solidified through its integration with Zen teachings, eventually gaining deep respect and appreciation among the samurai class, who found Zen Buddhism congenial to their lifestyle and values. Subsequently, with the patronage of powerful warlords such as Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, tea ceremony culture flourished significantly. It was during this era that Sen no Rikyu prominently emerged, contributing profoundly to tea ceremony culture. Therefore, “cha-zen ichimi” can be understood as a cultural and philosophical synthesis of Zen Buddhism and tea, whose foundational ideas, deeply rooted in Sakai’s Nanshu-ji Temple, continue to exert a profound influence on the tea ceremony traditions practiced today.