Taisen Deshimaru

Here is a detailed biographical article about Taisen Deshimaru:

Taisen Deshimaru – Life, Teachings & Legacy

Discover the life and influence of Taisen Deshimaru (1914–1982), the Japanese Sōtō Zen master who brought Zen practice to Europe. Read about his biography, teachings, key works, and enduring impact.

Introduction

Taisen Deshimaru (弟子丸 泰仙, Deshimaru Taisen; born 29 November 1914 – died 30 April 1982) was a Japanese Sōtō Zen Buddhist teacher and writer who is widely credited with establishing and spreading Zen practice in Europe, especially in France.

He founded the Association Zen Internationale (AZI), established many dojos across Europe, and emphasized zazen (sitting meditation) as the heart of Zen practice for laypeople and monastics alike.

His approach was marked by the integration of Zen into everyday life and his clarity in teaching for Western students.

Early Life, Family & Spiritual Background

• Deshimaru was born in Saga Prefecture, on the island of Kyūshū, Japan, on 29 November 1914.

• He came from a family with samurai heritage: his grandfather was a former samurai (before the Meiji Restoration), and his mother was a devout practitioner of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism.

• Growing up, he was exposed to apparent tension between his mother’s religious devotion and the more materialistic environment associated with his father’s side—this tension shaped his early spiritual seeking.

• In his youth, he explored Christian teachings for a time under a Protestant minister but ultimately found them unsatisfying.

Zen Training & Ordination

• Deshimaru became a disciple of Kodo Sawaki, one of the most influential Zen teachers of 20th-century Japan, who emphasized the practice of zazen and making Zen accessible to lay practitioners.

• Although Deshimaru wished to be ordained earlier, Sawaki initially resisted ordaining him as a monk, believing Deshimaru’s energetic and active nature more suited to a bodhisattva in the world than a cloistered monastic.

• In November 1965, shortly before Sawaki’s passing, he ordained Deshimaru and gave him transmission, entrusting him with the mission of bringing Zen to the West.

• Later, in 1974, Deshimaru received the formal shiho (Dharma transmission) from Yamada Reirin, the abbot of Eihei-ji, completing his legitimization within the Sōtō school.

Mission to Europe & Establishing Zen in the West

• In 1967, following Sawaki’s instructions and at the urging of interested students in Europe, Deshimaru traveled to France to begin his mission.

• He arrived in Paris without much financial backing or fluency in French; to sustain himself, he worked modest jobs, including in a macrobiotic food shop, teaching zazen from its back room.

• Over subsequent years, he founded dojos (Zen meditation centers) across Europe, North Africa, and even in Canada. He helped establish perhaps more than a hundred practice groups.

• In 1970, he founded the Association Zen Internationale (AZI), which became the institutional framework for spreading Soto Zen in Europe.

• In 1979–1980, he initiated the construction of La Gendronnière, a large Zen temple in France, which became a focal center for practice in Europe.

• He also engaged in interreligious dialogue, meditated in Christian monasteries, and connected Zen to Western philosophy and science.

• To support scientific interest, his brainwave activity during zazen was studied in labs in France and Japan, helping highlight correlations between meditation and changes in consciousness.

Teachings, Emphasis & Style

• Deshimaru’s core emphasis was zazen (sitting meditation) as the essential method of Zen, especially shikantaza (“just sitting”) without goal or object.

• He stressed that Zen is not a special state, but rather the normal state of mind in balance, and that practice must integrate into daily life, not remain confined to monasteries or rituals.

• His style was pragmatic, direct, and often austere: he avoided unnecessary ceremony or grand doctrinal exposition, preferring experiential, concrete instruction.

• He encouraged his Western disciples to understand not merely the theory of Zen, but to embody its practice in simplicity, humility, and consistency.

• He is sometimes referred to as the “Bodhidharma of modern times” because of his role in transmitting Zen outside of Asia.

Later Years, Illness & Death

• In his 60s, Deshimaru developed pancreatic cancer. He returned to Japan to seek treatment.

• He passed away on 30 April 1982 in Tokyo.

• After his death, several of his Western disciples were formally recognized by the Japanese Soto school (via senior authorities) to carry on his lineage.

Key Works & Writings

Deshimaru authored many books and writings; some of his more influential works include:

• Za-Zen – On practice and posture of meditation

• The Ring of the Way (L’Anneau de la Voie)

• The Other Shore (L’Autre Rive) – Commentaries on Zen texts

• Autobiography of a Zen Monk

• The Treasure of Zen

• Zen & Martial Arts

• The Bowl and the Stick (Le Bol et le Bâton) – Zen stories

• True Zen (Vrai Zen) – Introduction to Shōbōgenzō

• Questions to a Zen Master (Questions à un maître zen)

Many of these have been translated into multiple languages.

Legacy & Influence

• Today, many Zen centers and dojos in Europe trace their lineage back to Deshimaru. His influence helped make Zen practice accessible to Westerners in a living, practice-based way.

• The Association Zen Internationale (AZI) continues to function as a network maintaining his teachings and dojos.

• The temple La Gendronnière remains a significant center in Europe for retreats, sesshin, and continuing Zen training.

• Many of his students and successors were formally recognized as Zen masters in Japan, linking East and West in the Soto lineage.

• His model of Zen in everyday life helped bridge cultural gaps, connecting Zen practice with Western intellectual and spiritual traditions.

Notable Quotes & Teachings

Here are a few representative quotes and sayings attributed to Deshimaru:

• “Zen is not a special state, but the normal state: silent, peaceful, unagitated.”

• “The secret of Zen is just sitting, without goal, without gain.”

• He often said simply: “Le Zen c’est seulement zazen” (“Zen is only zazen”) in French contexts.

These encapsulate his emphasis on simplicity, direct practice, and non-attachment to conceptual frameworks.

Lessons from Taisen Deshimaru

From Deshimaru’s life and work, we can draw several enduring lessons:

1. Practice first, theory second
   His focus on zazen as primary reminds that spiritual insight arises from doing, not only from reading or thinking.

2. Bridge cultures with humility
   He left his homeland to teach in a foreign context, living simply, learning languages, and adapting without compromising core practice.

3. Zen in everyday life
   He taught that enlightenment isn’t secluded—it’s expressed in how one sits, walks, speaks, and acts each day.

4. Courage in mission
   He embarked upon his European mission with few resources, confidence in his master’s charge, and a willingness to suffer hardship.

5. Legacy through disciples
   By training committed practitioners and establishing structures (dojos, associations), he ensured his teachings would continue beyond his lifetime.