Shohaku Okumura

Shohaku Okumura was born in Osaka, Japan in 1948. He is an ordained priest and Dharma successor of Kōshō Uchiyama Roshi in the lineage of Kōdō Sawaki Roshi. He is a graduate of Komazawa University and has practiced at Antaiji with Kōshō Uchiyama Roshi, Zuioji with Narasaki Ikkō Roshi in Japan, and Pioneer Valley Zendo in Massachusetts. He taught at Kyoto Sōtō Zen Center in Japan and Minnesota Zen Meditation Center in Minneapolis. He was the director of the Soto Zen Buddhism International Center (previously called Soto Zen Education Center) in San Francisco from 1997 to 2010. He is the author of Realizing Genjōkōan: The Key to Dōgen’s Shōbōgenzō and Living by Vow: A Practical Introduction to Eight Essential Zen Chants and Texts. His previously published books of translation include Dōgen’s Extensive Record: A Translation of the Eihei Kōroku; Shikantaza: An Introduction to Zazen; Shōbōgenzō Zuimonki: Sayings of Eihei Dōgen Zenji; Heart of Zen: Practice without Gaining-mind (previously titled Dōgen Zen); Zen Teachings of “Homeless” Kōdō; Opening the Hand of Thought; The Whole Hearted Way: A Translation of Eihei Dōgen’s Bendōwa with Commentary by Kōshō Uchiyama Roshi; and Dōgen’s Pure Standards for the Zen Community: A Translation of Eihei Shingi. Okumura is also the editor of Dōgen Zen and Its Relevance for Our Time; Soto Zen: An Introduction to Zazen; and Nothing is Hidden: Essays on Zen Master Dōgen’s Instructions for the Cook. He is the founding teacher of the Sanshin Zen Commuinity, based in Bloomington, Indiana, where he lives with his family.