Buddhism in Japan brought to Japan. Note that Zen influences are identifiable earlier in Japanese Buddhism, esp. cross-fertilization with Hosso and Kegon, but the independent schools were formed quite late. 1191: Eisai introduces the Rinzai school to Japan. Founder: Linji Yixuan (臨済義玄), China, c. 850 Chinese name: Linji school (臨済宗), named after founder First Introduction to Japan: Eisai (栄西), 1191 Major Influences: East Asian Yogācāra, Kegon Doctrine: zazen (坐禅, "sitting meditation"), especially kōan (公案, "public matter") practice Primary Texts: Transcendental Wisdom Sutras aka Prajnaparamita (般若波羅蜜経), incl. Heart Sutra 1227: Dōgen introduces the Sōtō (Caodong school) to Japan. Founders: Caoshan (曹山, Jp. "Sosan") and
Faith in Buddhism bird-like deities and violent spirits which previously were the focus of pre-Buddhist cults became guardians of the Buddhist teaching. This process of adopting deities as part of Buddhism often occurred when Buddhist devotees or monks did not fully renounce their former devotions when embracing Buddhism. In the early Pāli scriptures, as well as in some customs in traditional Buddhist societies, traces can still be found of the period that Buddhism competed with "nāga" worship and assimilated some of its features. In some Buddhist countries like Japan, a perspective arose of the human world as a microcosm of the macrocosmic realms