Rujing


Tiāntóng Rújìng was a Caodong Buddhist monk living in Qìngdé Temple on Tiāntóng Mountain in Yinzhou District, Ningbo. He taught and gave dharma transmission to Sōtō Zen founder Dōgen as well as early Sōtō monk Jakuen.
His teacher was Xuedou Zhijian, who was the sixteenth-generation dharma descendant of Huineng.
According to Keizan, when Ruijing became a leader, he didn't put himself above the other monks. He wore the black surplice and robe of a monk. He was given a purple vestment of honor by the emperor of China, but he declined it. Even after reaching enlightenment, he was willing to clean the bathroom.
He is traditionally the originator of the terms shikantaza and shinjin-datsuraku.