Background
Sawaki was born in Tsu, Mie on June 16, 1880. He was the sixth child and both his parents died when he was young, his mother when he was four and his father three years later.
沢木 興道
Sawaki was born in Tsu, Mie on June 16, 1880. He was the sixth child and both his parents died when he was young, his mother when he was four and his father three years later.
Sawaki was then was adopted by an aunt whose husband soon died. After this, Sawaki was raised by a gambler and lantern maker named Bunkichi Sawaki. However, he was drafted to serve in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 to minister to the wounded.
After being discharged in 1906, Sawaki became head student at Soshin-ji.
He received dharma transmission later that year from Zenko Sawada. At this point, Sawaki began studying Dogen and practicing zazen.
Sawaki spent a three-month practice period studying Dogen with Oka Sotan. Sawaki died on December 21, 1965, at Antaiji.
He was succeeded by a senior disciple, Kosho Uchiyama.
He is known for his rigorous emphasis on zazen, in particular the practice of shikantaza, or "just sitting". Dharma transmission to
Though Sawaki ordained many monks and nuns, only five monks and three nuns received Dharma Transmission (Shihō) from Sawaki:
Shūyū Narita (1914-2004): students in Japan and Europe. Kosho Uchiyama (1912-1998): succeeded Sawaki as abbot of Antai-ji.
Satō Myōshin, active in Japan.
Kōjun Kishigami (born 1941): lives in Japan. Students in Japan, France and Germany.
Jōshin Kasai: died in 1984 at Antai-ji. Kōbun Okamoto: lives in Ichi-no-miya, Japan, where she teaches kesa sewing.
Baikō Fukuda. Influential students
Other influential students of Sawaki who did not receive Dharma transmission from him are:
and Jundo Cohen.