Soyen Shaku
Soyen Shaku
1860 – 1919
Soyen Shaku (1860–1919) was the first Zen master to teach in America and a pivotal figure in the global transmission of Zen Buddhism. Born in Wakayama Prefecture, he entered monastic training as a boy and became the dharma heir of Kosen Imakita at Engaku-ji in Kamakura. After Kosen's death, Soyen succeeded him as abbot of Engaku-ji. In addition to his Zen training, he studied Western philosophy at Keio University, giving him an unusual capacity to communicate with non-Japanese audiences.
In 1893, Soyen traveled to Chicago to address the World Parliament of Religions, becoming the first Zen master to speak publicly in America. His address, delivered in English, introduced Zen Buddhism to a Western audience for the first time. He returned to the United States in 1905–1906, teaching in San Francisco and spending time in the household of the Russell family, where he sent his lay student D.T. Suzuki to serve as a translator and secretary at Open Court Publishing.
Soyen's most lasting influence came through his students. D.T. Suzuki went on to become the single most important figure in bringing Zen to Western awareness through his prolific English-language writings. Nyogen Senzaki, another of Soyen's students, quietly planted the seeds of American Zen through decades of humble teaching in California. Through these two disciples alone, Soyen Shaku set in motion the transformation of Zen from an East Asian monastic tradition into a worldwide spiritual movement.
Teachings
- proverbA Cup of Tea Is a Cup of Tea
A cup of tea is a cup of tea. But if you drink it with full attention, it becomes the whole universe in a cup.
- sermonAddress at the World Parliament of Religions
We Buddhists believe in a universal law of causation, which governs the rise and fall of all things. This law is the foundation of the moral order. No God made it; no God can unmake it. It operates in the heavens and on the earth, in the realm of mind and the realm of matter, alike and without exception. Through understanding this law, we attain freedom. Through ignorance of it, we remain in bondage. The purpose of the Buddha's teaching is to awaken human beings to this law so that they may live in harmony with the truth and attain the highest peace.
- sayingOn the Law of Cause and Effect
The law of cause and effect is the universal law. It governs the physical world and the moral world equally. A stone thrown in the air must come down. A deed done in darkness must come to light. This is not punishment; it is the nature of reality. When you understand that every thought, every word, every action plants a seed, you will be careful what you plant. The one who understands causation is free, because he no longer plants the seeds of suffering.
Master Record Sources
- datesZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
1860-1919
- nameZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Soyen Shaku
- schoolZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Rinzai
- teachersZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Kosen Imakita