Rinzai Zen is a Japanese style of Mahayana Buddhism. Founded in China from the teachings of Lin-chi, the tradition grew to one of the leading Buddhist schools in all of China. It was later carried to Japan where it was further developed into the practice we perform today.

The Rinzai group is one of the longest established practices at EBS. The group meets each Thursday evening from 6:00 until 7:00 at the Buddhist Center.

The practice opens with chanting the Heart Sutra. Then, sitting meditation (zazen) for 25 minutes, and slow walking meditation (kinhin) for about 10 minutes. Another 25 minute sitting meditation period is concluded with chanting the Four Universal Vows. All chanting is done in Japanese from sheets with English transliteration.

One Saturday every three months, the group offers an extended period of practice at the center. From 9am to 4pm, the group alternates sitting and walking meditation periods. Breaks, lunch, and tapes of lectures from Fukushima Roshi are also scheduled. You may join for a portion of the day at the breaks or during lunch. Everyone is welcome.

Keido Fukushima Roshi became a monk at the age of 14 and trained with his first Master, Okada Roshi, who also served as Head Abbot of the Tofukuji sect. Fukushima Roshi later studied at Otani University in Kyoto and graduated with a doctorate degree in Buddhist studies. He then entered into a training monastery and trained with his second Master, Shibayama Roshi, who served as Head Abbot of the Nanzenji sect of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. After completing his Zen training, Fukushima Roshi became the vice resident priest of Okada Roshi's temple. In 1980, he became Zen Master of the Tofukuji Monastery and in 1991 he became Head Abbot of the Tofukuji sect.

Fukushima Roshi first visited the U.S. in 1969 with his Master, Shibayama Roshi. In 1973-74, he taught Zen meditation to American students at Claremont College in California. Since 1989, Fukushima Roshi has been visiting colleges and universities in the U.S. annually, including Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. He has conducted Zen meditation retreats in the Little Rock area since 1990. Fukushima Roshi has made a commitment to visit the U.S., including Arkansas, at least once a year to lecture on Zen Buddhism and to teach Zen meditation.

Zen is the religion of "Mu". Fukushima Roshi prefers not to translate "Mu", but says that it refers to the experience of "cutting off the ego" (no-ego). After having the experience of "Mu", you can get the state of mind of "Mu-shin", which is empty, free, creative and fresh.

When your mind is empty, you can respond to anything freely, and you can accept anything freely. Therefore your daily life will be "Ji yu" (free). "Ji" means "oneself" and "Yu" means "to depend upon". Although it thus means "to depend upon oneself", this "oneself" has to be a "oneself" of  "Mu" in the state of mind of "Mu-shin".

Zen emphasizes satori (enlightenment). The self of "Mu" in the state of mind of "Mu-shin", leading a daily life of "Ji yu" - that is what is called a life of satori.

In Rinzai Zen the student trains the mind by sitting Zazen and by engaging in Koan study (Zen question and answer) with a Zen master. When one has cut through the ego, feelings of compassion rise up from the depths of one's heart.

Finally, Zen is not only a religion of satori, but also a religion of compassion.

Judith Elane has been involved with the EBS since the beginning. She has been a student of Fukushima Roshi since 1993 and has visited Tofukuji Temple several times, including participation in Sesshin, a seven day period of intensive meditation practice.

E-mail Judith Elane

(If you're on a dial-up connection, you may want to right-click and open the links below in a new page. Some are quite large.)

Visit Tofuku-ji Temple
How to sit Zazen
11th Annual Zen Retreat
Calligraphy Demonstration
Daily Zen
Zen Meditation