COMMEMORATION (ZEN MASTER MISSEN MEIHO)

The 15th anniversary of the death of Missen Meiho Michel Bovay will be marked this year with a 2-hour Zen practice that focuses on the foundation of Zen, and is therefore suitable also for beginners.

Meihō Missen (明峰密仙, Michel Bovay 1944-2009)

Michel Bovay was born in Monthey, Switzerland, in 1944.  After meeting the Japanese Zen master Deshimaru (Mokudo Taisen 黙堂泰) in 1972, he soon became his close student and assistant, accompanying him to France and supporting him in spreading of Soto Zen across Europe. After Taisen Deshimaru's death in 1982, Michel Bovay and three other close disciples of Deshimaru were appointed to receive the Dharma transmission certificate (shiho). He had received transmission in 1998 from Yuko Okamoto Roshi (岡本有) (1935-2021),32th Abbot of Teishō-ji, student of Kōdō Sawaki (沢木 興道, 1880 – 1965) and supporter of Master Deshimaru.

During his lifetime, Master Missen Michel Bovai was one of those responsible for…