Statement by the Bodhidharma Zendo
and its abbot, Seigaku Kigen Oshō,
on Kyozan Joshu Sasaki Rōshi

The monks and Oshōs of the Zen lineage handed down at the Bodhidharma Zendo were trained at the Rinzai-ji Zen Center in Los Angeles, USA, by Kyozan Joshu Sasaki (1907-2014), a Zen master (Rōshi) of the Myōshin-ji school of Rinzai Zen in Japan.

Sasaki Rōshi taught tirelessly in the USA and Europe for more than 50 years. In the course of his long teaching career, however, many people were also harmed by unwanted sexual advances and conduct on the part of Sasaki Rōshi in private teaching situations. Because the gravity of the problem was not clearly recognised at the time, the misconduct was able to continue unchecked for decades.

The damage this behaviour caused to those affected and to the well-being of the Sanghas connected with Joshu Rōshi can hardly be measured. Our process of healing and recovery is not complete to this day. Over the past ten years, the board of the Rinzai-ji Zen Center in Los Angeles has worked to address the harm done and to ensure that nothing of the kind can ever happen again.

Although the Bodhidharma Zendo is not directly affiliated with Rinzai-ji Los Angeles, we adopt the “Guidelines for Right Conduct” adopted in Los Angeles. We commit ourselves to ensuring that these guidelines are followed in full and without exception. Our practice takes place in a physically, psychologically and spiritually safe space, which we all hold together.

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The code of conduct referred to above, applying at the Bodhidharma Zendo and BergZendo, can be found here. It consists of five principles and general considerations on right conduct, together with the ethics and reconciliation council.