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
Nichiren Buddhism Japan while Tadao Yanaihara described Nichiren as one of the four historical figures he most admired. While various sects and organizations have had a presence in nations outside Japan for over a century, the ongoing expansion of Nichiren Buddhism overseas started in 1960 when Soka Gakkai president Daisaku Ikeda initiated his group's worldwide propagation efforts growing from a few hundred transplanted Japanese to over 3500 families just by 1962. Nichiren Buddhism is now practiced in many countries outside of Japan. In the United States Prebish coined the typology of "two Buddhisms" to delineate the divide between forms of Buddhism that