also: てんぞ
one of the six chief administrators of a Zen temple; the officer in charge of meals and provisions
A specific role within the traditional Zen monastic hierarchy (六知事). The 典座 oversees the kitchen, food preparation, and related supplies. The term is primarily encountered in Buddhist contexts.
See also: 六知事
He serves as the tenza (chief cook) at the Zen temple.
The tenza is an important position that manages the meals of the trainee monks.
Standard kanji form for the Zen temple role; reading てんざ is the most common.
Alternate reading; less common but still encountered in some Zen traditions.
From Chinese Buddhist terminology; the characters 典 (rule, code) and 座 (seat, position) together denote the officer in charge of a specific administrative function within the temple.