Taisen Deshimaru
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese Sōtō Zen
Buddhist teacher.
sect of Buddhism. Interested in the world, he abandoned his mother's practices and studied Christianity for a long while under a Protestant minister before ultimately deciding that it was not for him either. He returned to his own religion, Buddhism, and eventually came into contact with Rinzai
teachings. Eventually, he also grew distant from Rinzai Buddhism and was unsatisfied by his life as a businessman. This led him to meet Sōtō
Zen
Master Kodo Sawaki
, whom he quickly became a disciple of. Deshimaru quickly followed in Master Sawaki's footsteps and devoted himself to the practice of Shikantaza
.
In 1967, Deshimaru came to Europe and settled in Paris in order to fulfill his master's wish and spread the teachings of Zen. In the 1970s, his mission grew and he received dharma transmission from Master Yamada Reirin and became Kaikyosokan (head of Japanese Soto Zen for a particular country or continent) in Europe. He trained many disciples, and was the catalyst for the creation of a multitude of practice centers. His teachings and multitude of books helped spread the influence of Zen in Europe and America, particularly of the Sōtō
sect. He founded the AZI in 1970 and La Gendronnière in 1979. He died in 1982, after having solidly established Zen practice in the West.
After Master Deshimaru's death, three of his closest disciples, Etiene Zeisler, Roland Rech, and Kosen Thibaut, traveled to Japan to receive the shiho
from highest Soto authority, Master Rempo Niwa.
Soto
Sōtō Zen , or is, with Rinzai and Ōbaku, one of the three most populous sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism.The Sōtō sect was first established as the Caodong sect during the Tang Dynasty in China by Dongshan Liangjie in the 9th century, which Dōgen Zenji then brought to Japan in the 13th century...
Buddhist teacher.
Early life
Born in the Saga Prefecture of Kyūshū, Deshimaru was raised by his grandfather, a former Samurai before the Meiji Revolution, and by his mother, a devout follower of the Jōdo ShinshūJodo Shinshu
, also known as Shin Buddhism, is a school of Pure Land Buddhism. It was founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Today, Shin Buddhism is considered the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan.-Shinran :...
sect of Buddhism. Interested in the world, he abandoned his mother's practices and studied Christianity for a long while under a Protestant minister before ultimately deciding that it was not for him either. He returned to his own religion, Buddhism, and eventually came into contact with Rinzai
Rinzai school
The Rinzai school is , one of three sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism.Rinzai is the Japanese line of the Chinese Linji school, which was founded during the Tang Dynasty by Linji Yixuan...
teachings. Eventually, he also grew distant from Rinzai Buddhism and was unsatisfied by his life as a businessman. This led him to meet Sōtō
Soto
Sōtō Zen , or is, with Rinzai and Ōbaku, one of the three most populous sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism.The Sōtō sect was first established as the Caodong sect during the Tang Dynasty in China by Dongshan Liangjie in the 9th century, which Dōgen Zenji then brought to Japan in the 13th century...
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...
Master Kodo Sawaki
Kodo Sawaki
is considered by some to be the most important Japanese Zen master of the 20th century. His parents died early, and he grew up being adopted by a gambler and an ex-prostitute. When he was 16, he ran away from home to become a monk at Eihei-ji, one of the two main temples of Sōtō Zen. At first...
, whom he quickly became a disciple of. Deshimaru quickly followed in Master Sawaki's footsteps and devoted himself to the practice of Shikantaza
Shikantaza
is a Japanese term for zazen introduced by Rujing and associated most with the Soto school of Zen Buddhism. Ford cites on p. 224 an opinion that it is "the base of all Zen disciplines." Some people claim that according to Dōgen Zenji, shikantaza i.e...
.
War years
Deshimaru was exempted from the army because of his short-sightedness and went to Indonesia.Teacher
Deshimaru quickly rejoined his master and was by his side for fourteen years until Sawaki's death in 1965. Deshimaru received the monastic ordination shortly before Sawaki grew ill. Sawaki is said to have expressed his wish to spread Zen to other parts of the world on his death-bed, and asked Deshimaru to travel to Europe and spread the teaching.In 1967, Deshimaru came to Europe and settled in Paris in order to fulfill his master's wish and spread the teachings of Zen. In the 1970s, his mission grew and he received dharma transmission from Master Yamada Reirin and became Kaikyosokan (head of Japanese Soto Zen for a particular country or continent) in Europe. He trained many disciples, and was the catalyst for the creation of a multitude of practice centers. His teachings and multitude of books helped spread the influence of Zen in Europe and America, particularly of the Sōtō
Soto
Sōtō Zen , or is, with Rinzai and Ōbaku, one of the three most populous sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism.The Sōtō sect was first established as the Caodong sect during the Tang Dynasty in China by Dongshan Liangjie in the 9th century, which Dōgen Zenji then brought to Japan in the 13th century...
sect. He founded the AZI in 1970 and La Gendronnière in 1979. He died in 1982, after having solidly established Zen practice in the West.
After Master Deshimaru's death, three of his closest disciples, Etiene Zeisler, Roland Rech, and Kosen Thibaut, traveled to Japan to receive the shiho
Shiho
refers to a series of ceremonies in Sōtō Zen Buddhism wherein which a priest receives full transmission, inheriting the Dharma from his/her master and becoming empowered to transmit the precepts and lineage to others. A shiho ceremony can last anywhere from one to three weeks, with the final...
from highest Soto authority, Master Rempo Niwa.
Books by Taisen Deshimaru
- Za-Zen, the practice of the Zen
- Sit: Zen Teachings of Master Taisen Deshimaru
- The Ring of the Way: Testament of a Zen Master
- Questions to a Zen Master
- The Zen Way To Martial Arts
- The Way of True Zen
See also
- Buddhism in FranceBuddhism in FranceBuddhism is widely reported to be the third largest religion in France, after Christianity, and Islam.France has over two hundred Buddhist meditation centers, including about twenty sizable retreat centers in rural areas...
- ZenZenZen 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...
- ZazenZazenIn Zen Buddhism, zazen is a meditative discipline practitioners perform to calm the body and the mind, and be able to concentrate enough to experience insight into the nature of existence and thereby gain enlightenment .- Significance :Zazen is considered the heart of Zen Buddhist practice...
- SōtōSotoSōtō Zen , or is, with Rinzai and Ōbaku, one of the three most populous sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism.The Sōtō sect was first established as the Caodong sect during the Tang Dynasty in China by Dongshan Liangjie in the 9th century, which Dōgen Zenji then brought to Japan in the 13th century...
- Stephane Thibaut
- Barbara Kosen
- Robert LivingstonRobert Livingston (Zen teacher)Robert Livingston was born in New York City in January 1933. He grew up in New York, California and Texas, and graduated from Cornell University. He spent two years in Japan and Korea in the U.S. Army in the early 1950s, and studied and travelled in Europe after his Army discharge...
External links
- Association Bouddhiste Zen Deshimaru
- Association Zen Internationale
- Buddhist Masters and their Organisations
- Mokusan Dojo de Madrid Zen master Barbara Kosen Sangha
- New Orleans Zen Temple (Robert Livingston Roshi, Deshimaru's student)
- Taisen Deshimaru in My Space
- Zen Association Germany (ZVD), Ludger Tenryu Tenbreul Roshi
- International Zen Association United Kingdom
- Zen road - Rei Ryu Philippe Coupey
- http://www.mokushozen.hu/ Mokusho Zen Haz Budapest
- Zen Soto Monastery Parma, Italy (Fausto Guareschi Roshi, Deshimaru's student)