Formal Sermon During Summer Retreat

Tokuō Ryōkō (1649-1709) was a Sōtō Zen monk of the mid-Edo period. After attending Zen under various masters of the Ōbaku school, he succeeded to the Dharma of Gesshū Sōko. He succeeded Manzan Dōhaku and lived at Kaga Daijōji Temple, but suffered the sorrow of having his generation cut off because of his practice of Shingi (monks daily rules) of the Ōbaku school. He succeeded Tangen Jichō's “Nichiiki Tōjō Shosoden” and wrote “Zoku Nichiiki Tōjō Shosoden.” He also rebuilt Seiraiji Temple in Bitchū and opened Entsūji Temple in the same country.

This Bokuseki (Calligraphy) is a sermon that Tokuō gave to a group of students in Hōei 1 (1704), when he was invited by Kyohaku of Jiun’an Temple in Echigo to attend Ketsuge (Geango: a period of time dedicated to summer zazen practice)
(“Seirai Tokuō Kō Oshō Nenpu” and “Tokuō Kō Zenji Goroku”)