KEN, ZEN, SHO

 

Ōmori Sōgen Roshi (1904 -1994) was a Japanese Master of Zen,  from the Tenryū-ji line of Rinzai School, Shodo (Calligraphy) from the Taishi school of Yamaoka Tesshū (another famous Zen and Kendo Master), and Kendo of the Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū.

Omori Sogen Roshi taught a unique approach to Zen practice integrating insights from Martial and Fine Arts training with traditional Zen methods; sometimes described as a unity of Zen, Ken ("sword", referring to martial arts or physical culture), and Sho ("brush", referring to calligraphy or fine arts). This unique approach is described in the book “Omori Sogen – the Art of a Zen Master” by Hosokawa Dogen.

This remarkable video is part of a 1977 BBC documentary entitled "The Long Search - Land of the disappearing Buddha with Ronald Eyre". The parts with Omori Sogen Roshi were filmed at the Koho-in dojo in Tokyo.

Omori Sogen Roshi was the author of more than 20 books in the Japanese language. His excellent and practical “Zen Training” was translated in English by Trevor Leggett.