Echi-zen, where his ideal monastery was built, now known as
Ei-hei-ji.[FN#78]


[FN#77] It was in this monastery (built in 1236) that Zen was first
taught as an independent sect, and that the Meditation Hall was first
opened in Japan. Do-gen lived in the monastery for eleven years, and
wrote some of the important books. Za-zen-gi ('The Method of
Practising the Cross-legged Meditation') was written soon after his
return from China, and Ben-do-wa and other essays followed, which are
included in his great work, entitled Sho-bo-gen-zo) ('The Eye and
Treasury of the Right Law').

[FN#78] The monastery was built in 1244 by Yoshi-shige (Hatano), the
feudal lord who invited Do-gen. He lived in Ei-hei-ji until his
death, which took place in 1253. It is still flourishing as the head
temple of the So To Sect.


In 1247, being requested by Toki-yori, the Regent General
(1247-1263), he came down to Kama-kura, where he stayed half a year
and went back to Ei-hei-ji. After some time Toki-yori, to show his
gratitude for the master, drew up a certificate granting a large
tract of land as the property of Ei-hei-ji, and handed it over to
Gen-myo, a disciple of Do-gen. The carrier of the certificate was so
pleased with the donation that he displayed it to all his brethren
and produced it before the master, who severely reproached him
saying: "O, shame on thee, wretch! Thou art -defiled by the desire
of worldly riches even to thy inmost soul, just as noodle is stained
with oil. Thou canst not be purified from it to all eternity. I am