Omori Sogen
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
Rinzai Rōshi
, a successor in the Tenryū-ji
line of Rinzai Zen, a teacher of Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū
swordsmanship, and a calligrapher in the Taishi school of Yamaoka Tesshū
. He became well known for his unique approach to Zen
practice integrating insights from his martial and fine arts training with traditional Zen methods; this approach has been described as a unity of Zen, Ken ("sword", referring to martial arts or physical culture), and Sho ("brush", referring to calligraphy or fine arts).
The author of more than 20 books in the Japanese language
, Ōmori founded Seitaiji monastery in Japan and Daihonzan Chozen-ji in Honolulu, Hawaii
, the first Rinzai headquarters temple established outside of Japan according to Rinzai canon law. He also served as president of Hanazono University
, the Rinzai university in Kyoto
, Japan
. Ōmori was well known for his political activism and influence in government circles prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. He became a priest in 1945.
Dharma successors and descendents of Omori Roshi are active in both Japan and the West. In the United States, along with Chozen-ji, Daiyuzenji
has been established in Chicago
, and Korinji
is being constructed near Madison
, Wisconsin
. In Germany
and Austria
, there are active groups connected to Sasaki Gensō Rōshi and Hozumi Genshō Rōshi.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
Rinzai Rōshi
Roshi
is a Japanese honorific title used in Zen Buddhism that literally means "old teacher" or "elder master" and sometimes denotes a person who gives spiritual guidance to a Zen sangha or congregation...
, a successor in the Tenryū-ji
Tenryu-ji
—more formally known as —is the head temple of the Tenryū branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism, located in Susukinobaba-chō, Ukyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan. The temple was founded by Ashikaga Takauji in 1339, primarily to venerate Gautama Buddha, and its first chief priest was Musō Soseki. Construction was...
line of Rinzai Zen, a teacher of Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū
Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu
, often referred to simply as Jikishinkage-ryū or Kashima Shinden, is a traditional school of the Japanese martial art of swordsmanship...
swordsmanship, and a calligrapher in the Taishi school of Yamaoka Tesshū
Yamaoka Tesshu
also known as Ono Tetsutarō, or Yamaoka Tetsutarō, was a famous samurai of the Bakumatsu period, who played an important role in the Meiji Restoration...
. He became well known for his unique approach to Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
practice integrating insights from his martial and fine arts training with traditional Zen methods; this approach has been described as a unity of Zen, Ken ("sword", referring to martial arts or physical culture), and Sho ("brush", referring to calligraphy or fine arts).
The author of more than 20 books in the Japanese language
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, Ōmori founded Seitaiji monastery in Japan and Daihonzan Chozen-ji in Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, the first Rinzai headquarters temple established outside of Japan according to Rinzai canon law. He also served as president of Hanazono University
Hanazono University
is a private university located in Kyoto, Japan that belongs to the Rinzai sect, a major competitor of the Sōtō college in Tokyo known as Komazawa University. Despite the university's sectarian affiliation, the school does also accept Soto students as well. The school operates two research centers...
, the Rinzai university in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Ōmori was well known for his political activism and influence in government circles prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. He became a priest in 1945.
Dharma successors and descendents of Omori Roshi are active in both Japan and the West. In the United States, along with Chozen-ji, Daiyuzenji
Daiyuzenji
Daiyuzenji is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple located on the north side of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States.Daiyuzenji began in 1982 as the Illinois betsuin of Daihonzan Chozen-ji, a Rinzai headquarter temple founded in 1979 in Honolulu, Hawaii by Omori Sogen Roshi , a successor in the...
has been established in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and Korinji
Korinji
Sotekizan Korinzenji , Korinji for short, is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monastery being constructed in the Upper Midwest region of the United States near Madison, Wisconsin. The Korinji Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable organization, was founded in 2005 to fund Korinji's construction and to...
is being constructed near Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. In Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, there are active groups connected to Sasaki Gensō Rōshi and Hozumi Genshō Rōshi.
Notable students
- Hosokawa Dōgen Rōshi
- Hozumi Genshō Rōshi
- Tanouye Tenshin Rōshi
- Sasaki Gensō Rōshi
- Terayama Katsujō