Tozan's Five Ranks

Tozan's Five Ranks are a scheme of practice laid out by Zen Master Tozan, who lived around about 900 CE in China. Although Tozan is mostly associated with the Soto school of Zen (the 'to' in Soto comes from his name), the five ranks (positions/steps/stages) are central to both the Rinzai and the Soto schools. From one perspective, they can be seen as describing the journey from delusion to enlightenment, but from another perspective each of these positions can be seen as describing an alignment within enlightenment.

This ebook is based on a series of Dharma talks given by Daizan Roshi in 2020. In it, he takes each of the ranks in turn and unpacks them in a very elloquent and relatable way.

Master Rinzai, a contemporary of Tozan, had a very different approach to ranks and positions. So in the last talk, Daizan discusses Rinzai's famous teaching phrase 'One True Person of No Rank'.

Transcription: Nigel Feetham and his team of sangha volunteers

Managing Editor: Mark Kuren Westmoquette

Editor: Michael Shoshin Cullingworth

Proofing: Jolyon Daigen Patten

Designer: Lloyd Shoren Clater