Zenshuji Soto Misson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zenshuji Soto Mission |
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曹洞宗北米両大本山別院禅宗寺 (Sōtōshū Hokubei Ryōdaihonzan betsuin Zenshūji))
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Soto Zen Buddhism |
| Location | |
| Location | 123 S Hewitt St, Los Angeles, California 90012 |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
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| Date established | 1922 |
The Zenshuji Soto Mission is a special Buddhist temple located in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California. It was started in 1922 and was the very first Soto Zen Buddhist temple in North America.
Today, Zenshuji is the main center for Soto Zen Buddhism in North America. It works closely with the Soto Zen headquarters in Japan. It is also directly connected to Eiheiji and Sojiji, which are the two most important head temples in Japan.
What is Soto Zen?
Zenshuji follows the ancient teachings of Gautama Buddha. These teachings were passed down through important teachers like Koso Dogen Zenji (who lived from 1200 to 1253) and Taiso Keizan Zenji (who lived from 1268 to 1325). These two are known as the founders of Soto Zen.
Soto Zen began in Japan about 800 years ago during a time called the Kamakura period. Dogen Zenji brought the main ideas of Soto Zen to Japan. Later, Keizan Zenji helped make the Soto Zen teachings more popular and easier for everyday people to understand and practice.
In 1244, Dogen Zenji built Eiheiji Temple in what is now Fukui Prefecture. Then, in 1321, Keizan Zenji built Sojiji Temple in what is now Kanagawa Prefecture. These two temples, Eiheiji and Sojiji, are still the main temples for the Soto Zen school of Buddhism today.
The History of Zenshuji Temple
In 1922, a few years after visiting a big fair in San Francisco, a priest named Rev. Hosen Isobe started the Zenshuji Soto Mission. He began it in an apartment in Los Angeles. At that time, there were laws that made it very hard for people of Japanese descent to buy land in the United States.
Even with these challenges, land was bought in 1923. The building of the temple was finished in 1926. In 1927, Zenshuji became officially recognized as a non-profit organization in the United States. By 1937, Zenshuji was formally named the North America Headquarters for Soto Zen. It also became a direct branch of the important Eiheiji and Sojiji temples in Japan.
Bishop Daito Suzuki became the third head priest on December 8, 1941. This was a very difficult time. During World War II, many people of Japanese heritage in the United States were sent to special camps. Because of this, Zenshuji had to close temporarily. During the war, another religious group used the temple for their worship. When the war ended, Bishop Daito Suzuki returned to Zenshuji and worked hard to bring it back to life.
Zenshuji Soto Mission Today
Today, Rev. Shumyo Kojima has an office at Zenshuji. He often leads many of the ceremonies and services at the temple. Rev. Shumyo Kojima helps Zenshuji continue its mission. This mission is to offer guidance in Soto Zen practice to the many different people in Los Angeles. It helps those who are looking for spiritual meaning, new ideas, or a sense of community.
See also
- Shuichi Thomas Kurai
- Timeline of Zen Buddhism in the United States
