also: こもぞう
noun
mendicant Zen priest of the Fuke sect
Archaic term for a komusō (虚無僧), a mendicant Zen monk of the Fuke sect known for playing the shakuhachi and wearing a deep straw hat. This term is historical and rarely used in modern Japanese.
See also: 虚無僧
薦僧は尺八を吹きながら諸国を歩いた。
The mendicant Fuke-sect priest wandered the provinces playing the shakuhachi.
虚無僧 is the standard modern term for the same type of monk. 薦僧 is an archaic variant.
The term 薦僧 (also written 菰僧) is an old name for a komusō. The exact derivation is uncertain, but it likely refers to the straw mat (薦/菰) associated with the monk's attire or begging practice.