Search of Moriyama Roshi, Future of Zuigakuin

Lily behind Zendo of Zuigakuin

More than five months have passed since the disappearance of Moriyama Roshi, but we still don't have any information about his whereabouts. I have visited the temple Roshi had stayed just before his disappearance and talked with the police officer in that area and persons who may know Roshi's possible destination. All lead to nowhere.

In Japan, over eighty thousand persons are reported to be disappeared every year. Some people are young and some are very old. Majority of them come back or are found within a few months. Some people were found even many years later. At the same time, it is also the fact that some people just disappear without any apparent reason and could not be found many many years. Because of large number of the missing persons, the police will not conduct any active search unless there is strong evidence the missing is caused by violence or the missing person may be in serious life-and-death situation. Furthermore, particularly this year, there are still 8000 people missing due to Tsunamis, and the police seems to have no resource to conduct any searching of "normal" missing persons. 

At this moment, we really don't have any clue as to what did happen to him on the day of disappearance and whether he is still alive or not, -- like "Emptiness", just beyond any speculation.

Presently, Zuigakuin is closed and no practitioner is accepted. Schedule of re-opening and new teacher for Zuigakuin are not decided yet. We may hear about those things after September 2011. For more information, please contact Togari Roshi of Kichijoin, who is one of the closest friend of Moriyama Roshi and co-founder and abbot of Zuigakuin.

If you like the way of practice conducted in Zuigakuin, being surrounded by deep mountains in Japan, you may contact Sato Joko Sensei at Chokaisan International Zendo. Sato Sensei is youngest disciples of Hakusan Kojun Roshi lineage, in which Moriyama Roshi is the second senior disciple.

I am sorry to inform that the blog "Zuigakuin/瑞岳院" will be closed by the end of August 2011 due to change in Zuigakuin. With regard to the searching of Moriyama Roshi, I will keep updating in my blog "芝浦坐禅会/Shibaura Zen Group". The blog is now mostly in Japanese but there will be English posting as well in future for non-Japanese readers.

In deep gassho,