禅Masters

Jakushō Kwong

Jakushō Kwong — portrait unavailable

Sōtō

Jakushō Kwong

1935 – Unknown

Lineage of Jakushō KwongSōtō school

Jakushō (Bill) Kwong (b. 14 November 1935, Santa Rosa, California) is a senior American Sōtō teacher and the founder (1973) of Sonoma Mountain Zen Center (Genjōji)[1]. He was a close personal student of Shunryū Suzuki at SFZC from 1959 until Suzuki's death in 1971, and Suzuki recognized him as a Dharma successor — but the formal transmission (shihō) was unfinished at Suzuki's death and was completed in 1978 at Rinso-In, Yaizu, Japan, by Suzuki's son and primary heir Hoitsu Suzuki, with the rite officiated by Hakusan Kojin Noiri[1][2]. Kwong subsequently spent approximately five years of interim transmission study with Kōbun Chino Otogawa. He is a Sōtōshū-certified Dendō-kyōshi (1995) and is recorded as a 91st-generation teacher in the Sōji-ji-line succession. His son Nyoze Demian Kwong received Dharma transmission from him in November 2014 and has served as abbot of Sonoma Mountain Zen Center since 2023[2].

Names

dharma · enJakushō Kwong
alias · enBill Kwong
alias · enJakusho Kwong
alias · enKwong Roshi

Teachers and lineage of Jakushō Kwong

Teacher / root master:

  • Hoitsu SuzukiDharma transmission (shihō) 1978 at Rinso-In, Yaizu, Japan, from Hoitsu Suzuki (Shunryū Suzuki's son and primary heir). Hakusan Kojin Noiri officiated. The Shunryū Suzuki relationship (1959–1971) was the formative root-teacher discipleship; Suzuki recognized Kwong as a successor but died before completing transmission. The 1978 Hoitsu shihō is the institutional Sōtōshū-registered edge. · 1939 – Unknown

Formal Dharma transmission (shihō):

  • Shunryu SuzukiRoot-teacher discipleship 1959–1971 at SFZC. Suzuki recognized Kwong as a Dharma successor but died before formal transmission; the institutional shihō was completed by his son Hoitsu in 1978. · 1904 – 1971

Full lineage of Jakushō Kwong →

Other masters in Sōtō

Master Record Sources

  • birth datehigh — multiple authoritative sources
  • death datelow — based on hagiography or single popular source
  • schoolmedium — one authoritative source

2 supporting citations on record (see Sources above).

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