SO TO ZEN - Shasta Abbey

ABOUT THE AUTHORRev. Keid‡ Chisan Koh‡ Zenji was born on August 16, 1879 inToyama Prefecture, Japan. He was ordained as a Buddhist traineeby Koh‡ Hakugan of Eik‡-ji Temple, Ishikawa Prefecture in1892, and received the Dharma Transmission from Koh‡ Hakuganin 1901. He graduated from the S‡t‡ Zen SectÕs (Kamazawa)University and entered S‡ji-ji Temple in 1904. The next year hebecame the Abbot of Senpuku-ji Temple in Chiba Prefecture, andin 1907 he became the Abbot of the Raigaku-ji Temple in NaganoPrefecture.In 1915 he became the Vice-Principal of the S‡t‡ ZenChurch First Middle School. In 1918 he became the Principal ofthe Setagaya Middle School. He became the Treasurer of the S‡t‡Zen Headquarters (S‡t‡shu Shumucho) in 1926. In the followingyear he advanced to become the Abbot of Eik‡-ji Temple and theVice-Director of Daihonzan S‡ji-ji. In 1937 he was promoted tobe Director of S‡ji-ji. In 1947 he received the post of Abbot ofSaij‡-ji Temple, which was quickly followed by promotion toChief Abbot of Daihonzan S‡ji-ji and Archbishop of the Kant‡Plains, and receipt of the honor and the title Daiky‡sei (GreatTeacher) from the Emperor of Japan in 1948. During the next 12years he made two tours of the West. Rev. P.T.N.H. Jiyu-Kennett155