| Ōmori Sōgen Rōshi | |
|---|---|
| Religion | Rinzai |
| Personal | |
| Born | 1904 Japan |
| Died | 1994 |
| Senior posting | |
| Based in | Tenryū-ji |
| Title | Rōshi |
| Predecessor | Seki Bokuo |
Ōmori Sōgen (大森 曹玄, 1904—1994) was a Japanese Rinzai Rōshi, a successor in the Tenryū-ji line of Rinzai Zen, a teacher of Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū swordsmanship[1], 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 right wing ultra-nationalist[2] 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.
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