Kaisan (開山) is a Japanese term used in reference to the founder of a school of Buddhism or the founder of a temple, literally meaning "mountain opener" or "to open a mountain."[1] Chan monasteries of China and Japan have traditionally been built in mountainous regions, with the name of whatever mountain it has been built upon then fixed upon the monastery as well as the founding abbot.[2]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Baroni, 171-172
  2. ^ Fischer-Schreiber, 168

References edit

  • Baroni, Helen J. (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Zen Buddhism. The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. ISBN 0-8239-2240-5. OCLC 42680558.
  • Fischer-Schreiber, Ingrid; Schuhmacher, Stephan; Woerner, Gert (1994). The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Zen, Taoism. Shambhala Publications. ISBN 0-87773-980-3.