Gesshu Soko

Gesshu Soko was a Soto Zen master of the Edo period who contributed to the school's intellectual and spiritual vitality. He was part of a movement within Soto Zen to return to the original teachings of Dogen, which some felt had been obscured by centuries of institutional adaptation and the influence of Rinzai methods. This "return to Dogen" movement helped reinvigorate Soto practice.

Soko's emphasis on Dogen's original vision—the practice of shikantaza (just sitting) as the complete expression of awakening—represented an important corrective within the tradition. By insisting on the primacy of Dogen's teaching, he helped ensure that the contemplative heart of Soto Zen was not lost amid institutional and ritual elaboration.