Tettō Gikō

"I look now at the very moment Even the Buddha is dumbfounded. All turns with a swing. I land on the plain of nothingness."

"The truth is never taken From another. One carries it always By oneself. Katsu!"

"The dying master left in the hands of Tetto Giko, his disciple during the years of obscurity at Ungo-an and the head monk of Daitokuji since its inauguration. Tetto, an able and energetic administrator, served as abbot for thirty-one years. He persuaded several well-known nobles and warriors to become personal disciples and temple patrons, stabilizing Daitokuji during a period of political and economic adversity. Tetto was so fervent in the guidance of his monks that he once threatened to cut off his own tongue unless someone attained kensho during a ninety-day training session. Midway through the term Gongai Sochu (1315-1390) came to enlightenment, and Gongai later became Tetto’s principal successor."

"Tetto Giko (1295-1369) [was a] Japanese Rinzai monk of the late Kamakura (1185-1333) and early Ashikaga (1392-1568) periods. Tetto was born in Izumo and became a Buddhist monk at age six. He began his practice of Zen at Kennin-ji, where he took the precepts at age nineteen."

"Words of Tetto Osho (ja: 『徹翁和尚語録』), 2Vols., 応永32 年(1435)"