Chikotsu Daie 癡兀大慧 was a high-ranking disciple of Enni 円爾, the patriarch of the Shōitsuha 聖一派 sect of Rinzai 臨済 Zen Buddhism at the end of the Kamakura period. According to his biography in the Buttsū zenji gyōjō 仏通禅師行状, Chikotsu Daie was famous for his comprehensive knowledge of both Tendai 天台 and Shingon 真言 Esoteric Buddhism before becoming a disciple of Enni. In addition, it is noteworthy that he frequently relied on his Esoteric Buddhist knowledge in the process of advancing his understanding of Rinzai Zen.
In this paper, I focus on how Esoteric Buddhism influenced Chikotsu Daie. Specifically, I examine his Esoteric Buddhist discourses concerning consciousness, mental activities, and the corporeal mind, and attempt to reveal a hidden genealogy between Chikotsu Daie, the Shōitsuha sect, and Shingon Buddhist traditions.
