Zen: Its Practice and Philosophy for Everyday Life

In this talk, the Reverend Sokun Tsushimoto, a Zen master of the Rinzai School and qualified medical doctor, will provide insight into the essence of Zen, its traditional practices and discipline. He will also discuss his role as both clinician and priest in the context of birth, aging, sickness and death.

 

Zen is one of the main schools of Buddhism and originally came to Japan from China in the 13th century. Over time, a distinctly Japanese form of Zen developed. Today, what the world commonly understands as Zen is without a doubt a Japanese tradition. It is not an overstatement to say that the essence of Zen goes right to the heart of many Japanese cultural traditions.

 

To understand the essence of Zen will give a richer understanding of Japanese culture. As a doctor and priest, Reverend Tsushimoto is concerned with both the physical and spiritual; this talk about his ideas and experiences promises to offer fascinating insights.

 

Reverend Sokun Tsushimoto studied the philosophy of religion at Kyoto University and spent 15 years training at Tenryuji in Kyoto. In 1993, he was appointed Chief Abbot (Kancho), the highest position in Rinzai-shu, and became involved in Zen training within Japan as well as in Europe. Later, he switched to medicine and graduated from Kyoto University Medical School in 2006. Since then, he has been active as a doctor priest with a specialism in internal medicine. He has been in London since 2010, engaged in the study of clinical uses of complimentary medicine.

 

This lecture will be in Japanese, with English translation.

 

To reserve your place, please call the Japan Society office on 020 7828 6330 or email events@japansociety.org.uk or submit the online booking form.