To-day Donfu[12] came, and we fell to talking of Mokuan. It seems that he was once known as Ze-itsu. But on becoming a pupil of the priest Kenzan[13], he changed his name to Mokuan. Afterwards he went to China and entered the Honkakuji[14], where he became the disciple of Ryo-an[15] and was made librarian. Here he published at his own expense (lit. “selling his shoes”) the Second Collection of Sayings by Korin.

Subsequently he lived at the Shotenji at Soochow, and was warden there under Nanso[16], dying soon afterwards.

When he first came to China he spent some time at the Joji Monastery at Hangchow and from there visited the Rokutsuji on the shores of the Western Lake. This monastery was inhabited by the followers of Mokkei. The abbot greeted Mokuan with a smile, saying to him: “Last night I dreamt that our founder Mokkei came back again. You must be his reincarnation”; and he gave to Mokuan Mokkei’s two seals, white and red. Henceforward he was known as Mokkei the Second.