Sōyū Matsuoka

Dr. Soyu Matsuoka (松岡 操雄, 1912–1997), along with Sokei-an and Nyogen Senzaki, was one of the early Zen teachers to make the United States his home.

Soyu Matsuoka
Personal
Born	1912 Hiroshima, Japan
Died	1997
Religion	Zen Buddhism
School	Sōtō
Education	Komazawa University
Senior posting
Successor	Richard Langlois, Zenkai Taiun Michael Elliston (East Coast), Hogaku Shozen McGuire (West Coast)
Website	http://www.azszc.org/dedication.htm

Biography

Shortly before World War II Matsuoka came to the US, to serve Japanese immigrants.[1] He came to be the assistant to the abbott of Zenshuji Temple in Los Angeles, and was later the supervisor at Sokoji Soto Zen Mission (Temple) in San Francisco.

Matsuoka established the Chicago Buddhist Temple in 1949 (now the Zen Buddhist Temple of Chicago). In the 1960s he gathered a following of Americans. Richard Langlois was one of the first Americans ever to receive Dharma transmission. In 1970 Matsuoka left Chicago and moved to Long Beach, California, where he continued to preside over other communities. Matsuoka left the Soto-shu,[1] Matsuoka holding that Zen is a personal experience, and that the authority of the Soto Sect and its training monasteries (専門僧堂) inhibit the practice of Zen.

Matsuoka died in 1997.[1][2][3]

Dharma heirs

According to Kozen Sampson, at least three of Matsuoka's students received inka shomei. These three "were considered to be fully transmitted priests with the status of Roshi by him".[4] Four students were registered with the Soto-Shu as "initial novice priest", and to five students was conferred "full priesthood".[4]

There are three living Dharma Heirs of Soyu Matsuoka:

• Hogaku Shozen McGuire,
• Zenkai Taiun Michael Elliston,
• Kaiten Johndennis Govert,

Hogaku established Daibutsuji Zen Temple in Cloudcroft and the Zen Center of Las Cruces, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. So Gozen is now the Abbot of Daibutsuji and the Zen Center of Las Cruces.[5] Daiho Hilbert left Daibutsuji to establish the Order of Clear Mind Zen, a socially engaged sangha in New Mexico.[6] Taiun Elliston Sensei established the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and is working to establish an order honoring Matsuoka.

Later in life it was claimed that Matsuoka was showing signs of possible seniltly and named some Dharma heirs (beyond those named above) whose qualifications as teachers have been questioned, given the short time of practice required by Matsuoka and the absence of formal ordination.[1]

References

Notes

1. Ford 2006, p. 80–81.
2. Prebish 1999, p. 13.
3. Williams & Queen 1999, p. 118. sfn error: no target: CITEREFWilliamsQueen1999 (help)
4. Mount Adams Zen Center, Rev. Dr. Soyu Zengaku Matsuoka, Roshi. 25 November 1912 – 20 November 1997
5. NMPRC.state.nm.us
6. NMPRC.state.nm.us

Sources

• Ford, James Ishmael (2006). Zen Master Who?: A Guide to the People and Stories of Zen. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-509-8.
• Prebish, Charles S (1999). Luminous Passage: The Practice and Study of Buddhism in America. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-21697-0.
• Williams, Duncan Ryūken; Christopher S. Queen (1999). American Buddhism: Methods and Findings in Recent Scholarship. Routledge. ISBN 0-7007-1204-6. OCLC 41034761.

External links

• Mount Adams Zen Center, Rev. Dr. Soyu Zengaku Matsuoka, Roshi. 25 November 1912 – 20 November 1997