About Gesshū Sōko
Lived 1618 – 1696 (aged 77–78). Gesshū Sōko was a buddhist monk and teacher.
Gesshū Sōko (1618–1696) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher and a member of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan. He studied under teachers of the lesser known, and more strictly monastic, Ōbaku School of Zen and contributed to a reformation of Sōtō monastic codes. As a result, he is sometimes given the title "The Revitalizer".
He is known for his calligraphy as well as his poetry, including his death poem: Inhale, exhale Forward, back Living, dying: Arrows, let flown each to each Meet midway and slice The void in aimless flight -- Thus I return to the source.
Gesshū Sōko passed Dharma transmission to Zen Master Manzan Dōhaku who went on to restore the strong master-disciple bond in Sōtō Zen.
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Important facts
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Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Gesshū Sōko's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Gesshū Sōko?
Zen Buddhist teacher and calligrapher (1618–1696)
When was Gesshū Sōko born?
Gesshū Sōko was born in 1618 in Japan.
When did Gesshū Sōko die?
Gesshū Sōko died in 1696.
What was Gesshū Sōko's occupation?
Gesshū Sōko was a buddhist monk and teacher.
What nationality was Gesshū Sōko?
Gesshū Sōko's recorded nationality: Tokugawa shogunate.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Gesshū Sōko. https://biography.guide/gesshu-soko/
MLA: "Gesshū Sōko." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/gesshu-soko/.
Chicago: "Gesshū Sōko." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/gesshu-soko/.
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