Tessai comes from a samurai background, which shaped his early life before he took monastic vows. He trained alongside Ikkyuu at the same temple, Ankoku-ji, where the two formed their bond. At one point, Tessai left the temple to participate in a war against the shogun, but the experience didn't go as he'd hoped—his side lost. That defeat apparently hit hard enough that when he returned to Ankoku-ji, he made a commitment to never fight in another war again. It's one of those turning points that defines a person's path, and for Tessai, it meant dedicating himself fully to monastic life.
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