13 Facts About Keido Fukushima

1.

Keido Fukushima was a Japanese Rinzai Zen master, head abbot of Tofuku-ji, centered in Kyoto, Japan.

2.

Keido Fukushima graduated from Otani University's Department of Buddhist Studies in 1956, following completion of Otani's doctoral course.

3.

In 1973 Keido Fukushima received a fellowship to study English at the Claremont Colleges where he conducted seminars on Zen and led zazen practice.

4.

Keido Fukushima was elected head abbot of Tofuku-ji in 1991, supervising 363 affiliated temples.

5.

Keido Fukushima accepted Western students as monks, both at Hofuku-ji and Tofuku-ji.

6.

Keido Fukushima conducted annual speaking tours at American universities including Pomona College, Millsaps College, Hendrix College, Bard College, Columbia University, Bucknell University, Xavier University in Cincinnati, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Kansas, the University of Richmond, Middlebury College and the University of Vermont.

7.

Keido Fukushima worked to raise awareness and funds to revive and reconstruct several of China's important historical monasteries, thereby aiding Chan's emergence from the Cultural Revolution's devastating effects.

8.

Keido Fukushima realized the very act of doing calligraphy could exert educational and inspirational influence upon those who witnessed it.

9.

Around 2000, Keido Fukushima began showing symptoms of the onset of Parkinson's disease, and his health steadily declined.

10.

Keido Fukushima died on his seventy-eighth birthday in 2011.

11.

Keido Fukushima authorized one Japanese Dharma heir, Yudo Harada,' and one lay successor, Jeff Shore.

12.

Keido Fukushima permitted Westerners to live in the monastery and train under him at both Hofuku-ji and Tofuku-ji.

13.

Senior disciples who have done sustained training under Keido Fukushima include Alex Taikei Vesey, Hap Tivey, Tayo Gabler, James Green, Tim Armacost, Ron Sinnige, Alex Buijs, and Sally Stein.