Significance of Eiheiji Monastery

Eiheiji Monastery is one of two main temples of Soto Zen. It is located just east of Fukui in the Fukui Prefecture in Japan, which is about 280 miles directly west of Tokyo. Suzuki studied here as a young man. Suzuki makes a couple of references to Eiheiji in his talks. He describes not having any special feeling when he practiced at Eiheiji. He was just going about his daily life and practice. But when he returned to Eiheiji after many years, he was overcome by incredible feeling (64-5). In another reference to Eiheiji, he describes “Half-Dipper Bridge” where one fills up the dipper only half way to wash one’s face, then returns the rest of the water to the river (81-2).