was a Rinzai master and former chief abbot of Myōshin-ji

Myoshin-ji

is a temple complex in Kyoto, Japan. The Myōshin-ji school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism is the largest school in Rinzai Zen. This particular school contains within it more than three thousand temples throughout Japan, along with nineteen monasteries. The head temple was founded in the year 1342 by the...

 and of Daitoku-ji

Daitoku-ji

is a Buddhist temple, one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen. It is located in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The "mountain name" , who is known by the title Daitō Kokushi, or "National Teacher of the Great Lamp," that he was given by Emperor Go-Daigo...

, at that time the most important position in Rinzai. One of his students, of fifteen years, was author Huston Smith

Huston Smith

Huston Cummings Smith is a religious studies scholar in the United States. His book The World's Religions remains a popular introduction to comparative religion.-Education:...

. He was one of four students ordained by Sokatsu Shaku, and was a member of a group of fourteen who went to the US with Sokatsu in 1906 and attempted strawberry farming in Hayward, California, returning to Japan in 1910. He received his inka from Sokatsu in 1916. Subsequently, he spent fifteen years as a missionary in Seoul. His two Dharma heirs were Oda Sessō

Oda Sesso

Oda Sessō was a Rinzai Rōshi and abbot of the Daitoku-ji in Kyoto, Japan, a Dharma successor of Gotō Zuigan. He was elected abbot of Daitoku-ji upon Goto's retirement from that post in 1955. At Goto's request, Oda opened Daitoku-ji to foreigners...

 and Sōkō Morinaga

Soko Morinaga

was a Rinzai Zen roshi. He was head of Hanazono University and abbot of Daishu-in in Kyoto, one of the twenty-four sub-temples of the Daitoku-ji temple complex....

.