Shaku Soen

2018/07/23

Image: Shaku Soen in Western attire (Collection of Tokeiji Temple)

It has been a long time since Japanese "Zen" permeated Western society as "ZEN," and even Steve Jobs is said to have been a practitioner. If one asks about the origin of Zen's propagation from Japan to the world, it is generally said to be when a certain Zen monk visited the Chicago World's Fair held in 1893. This Zen monk was none other than Shaku Soen, an alumnus of Keio University.

Shaku Soen was born on December 18, 1859 (January 10, 1860) in what is now Takahama Town, Fukui Prefecture. In 1871, at the age of 10, he entered the priesthood under Kokei Shuken, a Rinzai sect monk and distant relative. Eventually, he came under the tutelage of Imakita Kosen at Engakuji Temple in Kamakura, completing his training with exceptional speed in 1883. The following year, he was appointed head priest of Butsunichian, a sub-temple of Engakuji, and his path as a monk seemed set. However, Soen's life becomes interesting from this point forward.

In 1885, he suddenly left Engakuji and enrolled in Keio University against Kosen's opposition. He was 26 years old at the time. A long farewell letter he left upon leaving the Engakuji monastery still exists, beginning with the words, "It is impossible to fully express my feelings in words."

His master, Imakita Kosen, was originally a Confucian scholar who ran a private school in Osaka but could not suppress his desire to enter the priesthood, eventually divorcing his wife to do so. His work "Zenkai Ichiran" (A Glance at the Ocean of Zen) argues for the unity of Confucianism and Zen. Such a man was unlikely to permit Soen to study Western subjects. In a letter to Soen, Kosen stated flatly, "Western studies have no use in matters of faith," and wrote, "The likes of Fukuzawa Yukichi went abroad while Westerners were viewed as barbarians, thoroughly observed foreign academic schools, and became a pioneer of our country's civilization, leading to the current prosperity of Keio University. ... To follow the crowd and aspire to Western studies now is to be eight hours late" (from "Soen Zenji to Sono Shuhen"). Despite this, Soen entered Keio University. His enrollment record is dated September 1885. His guarantor was Kawai Kiyomaru, acting on behalf of Torio Koyata.

Due to the religious policies of the Meiji government, the decadence of Buddhism at the time was significant. It was a period of major upheaval, including the anti-Buddhist movement (Haibutsu Kishaku), the loss of temple lands, the separation of sects, and the establishment of the post of chief abbot. Kawai and Torio, named as guarantors at the time of his enrollment, were figures who advocated for the fusion of Shinto, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Similarly, Yamaoka Tesshu, who would become a supporter of Soen, was a man who championed Bushido as a fusion of Shinto, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Therefore, it is thought that Soen's perspective upon entering the Juku already transcended the framework of a single sect, intending to counter the modernization of Japanese religion, particularly Christianity. In a letter sent back to the monastery after entering Keio University, he expressed indignation, saying, "Both Kitchen and Lloyd (teachers at the Juku) are foreign missionaries... while selling academic knowledge, they secretly spread their faith," and described his days as a student as "the living hell of Mita" (from "Shaku Soen Zenji Shokanshu").

No documents remain regarding his interactions with Fukuzawa during this time. However, according to legend, when Fukuzawa first saw Soen, he remarked, "This young monk will surely become the head of a great temple one day," and when other Keio students criticized Soen for his bold behavior while wearing his monk's robes, Fukuzawa reportedly said, "It is none of your business." Soen positioned these days as a student as "Shotei Choyo" (practice after enlightenment), studied for two years in the "Bekka" (special course) for late-blooming students, and then went to study abroad in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The details of this process are not well known, but a painting of a scarecrow remains, which Yamaoka Tesshu is said to have given him with the remark, "The priest's eyes are too sharp; go and become a fool in India."

In March 1887, Soen departed for Ceylon. The diary Soen kept at this time includes Japanese, Classical Chinese, and later English, with some Sinhalese characters from Ceylon mixed in. Throughout his study abroad, he observed Hinayana (Theravada) Buddhism and the realities of colonial Ceylon while living in poverty. In the process, he learned that the Buddhism of Ceylon—which he had thought was the original Buddhism that had long since declined in India—had actually been revived in the 18th century by welcoming high priests from Siam and Burma. He then attempted to transfer his studies to Siam. However, upon arrival, he was turned away and faced failure. Unable to even find a place for a temporary stay, Soen was forced to end his studies abroad against his wishes. He returned to Japan in October 1889.

The harrowing experience during his voyage to Siam is famous. Traveling as a "deck passenger" unable to enter the cabins, he was attacked by swarms of mosquitoes. Amidst the swarm that he could not possibly brush away, he reached a state of mind where he felt it would be his heart's desire just to satisfy the mosquitoes' bellies, and he entered a deep state of Zen meditation. After some time had passed, he suddenly realized that red silverberry-like fruits were falling before his eyes. Looking closely, he saw they were the corpses of mosquitoes that had died after sucking all of Soen's blood.

Through this study abroad, his perspective evolved further, and he envisioned an ideal where Buddhist countries would interact and unite globally to develop, transcending Mahayana and Hinayana. His writings even advocated for the independence of Ceylon beyond that goal.

In 1892, following the passing of Kosen, Soen was inaugurated as the second chief abbot of the Engakuji branch. Soon after, a request for cooperation for the first World's Parliament of Religions arrived from America. This conference was to be held as a related event of the Chicago World's Fair, which was said to be an unprecedented exhibition celebrating Caucasian civilization. Japanese Buddhism was skeptical of this conference, seeing a high possibility that it would be used to assert the superiority of Christianity. Both Japanese Buddhism as a whole and individual sects voted against sending representatives, and participation was limited to individuals. Nevertheless, four monks participated, and it is interesting to note that two of them were alumni of Keio University. Besides Soen, the other was Doki Horyu, who would later become the chief abbot of the Koyasan Shingon sect.

At the conference, Soen gave two instances of public speaking: "The Law of Cause and Effect as Taught by Buddha" and "Arbitration Instead of War." The second speech, in particular, questioned the role religion should play in avoiding war and called for us to take center stage in realizing love for humanity. This speech was read on his behalf by Dharmapala, a widely known Buddhist from Ceylon, and reportedly received great applause. Japanese Buddhists gained attention, and the event served as a catalyst for spreading understanding of Mahayana Buddhism, which had been viewed as irrational, leaving behind a result that could be called a success.

At this time, Soen met the American Buddhist scholar Paul Carus. The two hit it off, discussed the future of world religions, and left behind a series of correspondence. In those letters, it is written, "Before the Truth, there is no distinction such as Christianity, Islam, or Buddhism, let alone differences in race, customs, or language." It appears that Soen had evolved further and was even looking toward the creation of a new religion that would encompass even Christianity.

Helping with this communication in English was Suzuki Teitaro, who frequented Soen's circle and to whom Soen would later give the lay Buddhist name "Daisetsu"—the very same D.T. Suzuki.

Soen later sent Daisetsu to Paul Carus to engage in the dissemination of Buddhist research in English. Furthermore, in July 1902, when a group led by the American Mrs. Russell visited Engakuji and requested to practice Zen, he accepted them and allowed six months of training. Upon her return, Mrs. Russell requested Soen to visit the United States. Although delayed by his service in the Russo-Japanese War, Soen stepped down from his position as chief abbot to fulfill his promise. In 1905, Soen traveled to the U.S. and spent nine months at Mrs. Russell's villa in San Francisco, during which time he gathered Americans to guide them in Zazen, gave lectures on scriptures, and made English study his daily routine. His disciples who followed in this lineage, such as Senzaki Nyogen, Shaku Sokatsu, and Sokatsu's disciples Sasaki Shigetsu and Mrs. Ruth Fuller Sasaki, would go on to contribute significantly to the spread of Zen in America. During this visit to the U.S., Soen met with President Theodore Roosevelt and remarked, "If Buddhism becomes Westernized and Christianity becomes Japanized—or rather, Orientalized—then world peace will finally be achieved," finding common ground with the president (from "Obey Unsuiki").

Soen also left his mark in various parts of East Asia, and as he noted in a 1907 letter his determination to "propagate under the open sky" with a ratio of "seven parts of the year traveling for teaching and three parts staying at the temple," he traveled throughout Japan. Dharma talk gatherings called "Hekigankai," which brought together political and business leaders, were also frequently held, and influential figures from various fields often visited Soen in Kita-Kamakura.

Regarding this side of Soen, his grand-disciple Asahina Sogen later wrote that there were many evaluations of him as being "vaguely stylish or a seeker of novelty" (from "Meiji no Zenjo"). His dealing with the nouveau riche or his travels across the country may have appeared as performances for general popularity. However, Soen did not mind. And indeed, Zen became ZEN. Furthermore, lay Zen for the general public also steadily spread.

Chinese poems that Soen sent to Fukuzawa as 60th birthday congratulations and as a memorial still exist. Although there are many followers of Fukuzawa, few have shown such diligent courtesy. Regarding Fukuzawa, traditionally only his relationship with his family's sect, Jodo Shinshu, has been emphasized, but many of Fukuzawa's statements actually seem to resonate with Zen. For instance, phrases like "Though it is said that originally not a single thing exists, one should see the great power naturally residing in the realm of nothingness," "Freedom exists within lack of freedom," "In the coming and going of play, there is naturally truth," and "No self, other, this, or that" reflect this, as does the state of mind in "One Hundred Discourses of Fukuzawa." In the process of planning the special exhibition "Shaku Soen and Modern Japan: A Young Zen Monk Racing Across the World" (until August 6) currently being held at Mita, the author felt many commonalities between Soen and Fukuzawa. I intend to write about this in detail again, but above all, they both broke free from conventional stereotypes, immersed themselves in the "secular world" with the aim of "salvation of all living beings," and for that purpose, while appearing flexible and unconstrained, they possessed an unwavering backbone. It seems less that Soen was influenced by Fukuzawa and more that they each independently reached and resonated with the same state of mind.

Unfortunately, Soen passed away on November 1, 1919, at the young age of 59. Soen's grave is located at Tokeiji Temple in Kita-Kamakura, where he served as head priest after retiring as chief abbot. Additionally, a memorial tower containing the ashes of Mrs. Russell stands in front of the main hall of Tokeiji.