Shido Bunan

Shido Bunan was a Rinzai Zen master of the early Edo period who served as an important link in the chain of transmission leading to Hakuin Ekaku. He was known for his emphasis on the practice of dying while alive—the complete extinction of the ego-self that is the prerequisite for genuine awakening. His teaching was fierce and uncompromising.

Bunan's famous verse—"Die while alive, and be completely dead. Then do whatever you will, all is good"—captures the essence of his teaching and became one of the most quoted verses in the Japanese Rinzai tradition. His student Shoju Rojin (Dokyo Etan) would become Hakuin's teacher, making Bunan the spiritual grandfather of the entire modern Rinzai school.