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The Japanese Buddhist Schools and Teaching

Hosso School

Jap., lit. "school of the characteristics of dharmas"; it is continuation of the Chinese Fa-Hsiang school (which in turn was based on the Yogachara school of India).

The Hosso school was brought to Japan by the Japanese monk Dosho (629-700). He went to China in 653 and was there a student of Hsuan-tsang(600-664) for ten years. Hsuan-tsang was the founder of the Fa-hsiang school. Back in Japan Dosho propagated the Hosso teaching at the Guan-go-ji monastery. His first student was Gyogi (667-748). The lineage founded by him was called the transmission of the teachinis of the Southern Monastery.

In 716 the monk Gembo went to China and became a student of the Fa-hsiang master Chih-chou. Gembo also remained for ten years. After his return to Japan in 735, he taught at the Kobuku-ji monastery. His student was Genju, who propagated the line of the teaching represented by Gembo. This line of transmission is known as that of the Northern Monastery. It is generally considered to be the orthodox line. The Hosso school never flourished in Japan to the extent that its counterparts had in India and China.

(excerpted from "The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion", Shambhala, Boston)



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