or Dainichibō Nōnin (d. c.1194). The founder of the Daruma school, an early and short-lived school of Japanese zen. Nōnin studied Zen texts on his own early in his monastic career, and had a significant enlightenment experience. Realizing that Zen enlightenment requires authentication by a recognized master, he sent two disciples to China in 1189 to visit the master Te-kuang (1121-1203) with letters and gifts. The latter sanctioned Nōnin's experience and sent back a certificate and robe. Thereafter, Nōnin's fame spread and he gathered many disciples. An early account says that he was killed by a nephew in either 1194 or 1195, but scholars give little credence to this. After his death, his disciples joined Dōgen (1200-53).

A Dictionary of Buddhism, Oxford University Press, 2003, 2004 (which is available in electronic version from answer.com)