HALF-DAY SESSHIN

MEMORIAL SESSHIN FOR ROSHI TAISEN DESHIMARU

Taisen Deshimaru (弟子丸 泰仙, Deshimaru Taisen, 29 November 1914 - April 30, 1982)

Taisen Deshimaru was born in 1914 in Saga Prefecture, Kyūshū. He was raised by his grandfather, a former samurai, and his mother, who followed the Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist sect. On his way to self-realization, he came into contact with various spiritual, philosophical and religious thoughts until he finally settled in Sōtō-Zen,becoming a student of master Kodo Sawaki in 1935. He followed his teachings for 14 years and shortly before Sawaki's death in 1965, he was also ordained as a monk by him. Deshimaru's approach to Zen practice was clearly influenced not only by his upbringing and exposure to various spiritual teachings, but also by his secular lifestyle that he lived for large part of his adulthood. 

In 1967, he went to Europe to spread the teachings of Zen. He settled in…