Tetsugen Dōkō (鉄眼道光 1630–1682) was a Japanese Zen Master, and an important early leader of the Ōbaku school of Buddhism. Tetsugen was born in the seventh year of the Kan'ei era (1630) in Higo Province. He became a priest of the Jodo Shinshu sect at the age of 13. When Ingen came to Japan, Tetsugen became his follower in the Ōbaku school. In 1681, Tetsugen oversaw the production of the first complete woodcut edition (consisting of around 60,000 pieces) of the Chinese Buddhist sutras in Japan. Tetsugen died at the age of 53 in the second year of the Tenna era (1682). The anniversary of Tetsugen's birth is celebrated on January 1 in the Western calendar.

Tetsugen and the Sutras

The following story is told of Tetsugen's efforts to publish the sutras.