Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Hojo Tokimune
Hojo Tokimune (北条 時宗 1251-1284) was the 8th regent of the Kamakura shogunate (r. 1268-84), who led Japanese forces against the invasion of the Mongols.
The Mongol invasion had been stopped by a typhoon (Kami-kaze or divine wind), and the resistance of new zen-warrior class. Tokimune planned and led the defence. Tokimune wanted to defeat cowardice, so he asked Bukko (his zen master) how to do it and where that cowardice comes from. Bukko replied he had to sit in meditation to search his cowardice source in himself. When the Mongols invaded Japan Tokimune went to Bukko and said: Tokimune: <<Finally there is the greatest happening of my life.>> Bukko: <<How do you plan to face it?>> Tokimune screamed <<Katsu! (victory)>> as he wanted to scare all the enemies in front of him. Bukko felt satisfied and said: <<it is true that the son of a lion roars as a lion!>>
When Tokimune died, Bukko said he had been a bodhisattva, looked at people's welfare, betrayed no signs of joy or anger and studied zen so that he reached enlightenment.
Born as the eldest son of the regent Tokiyori, Tokimune became a regent at age 18. It is due to him that zen firmly established in Kamakura first, then in Kyoto and in the whole Japan especially among the warrior class.
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