was a
Sōtō Zen monk,
origami
) is the Japanese art of paper folding. In modern usage, the word "origami" is often used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin. The goal is to transform a flat square sheet of paper into a ...
master, and abbot of
Antai-ji near
Kyoto, Japan.
Uchiyama was author of more than twenty books on
Zen Buddhism
Zen (; from Chinese: '' Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka ph ...
and origami, of which ''Opening the Hand of Thought: Foundations of Zen Buddhist Practice'' is best known.
Education and career
Uchiyama graduated from
Waseda University
Waseda University (Japanese: ), abbreviated as or , is a private university, private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the Tōkyō Professional School by Ōkuma Shigenobu, the fifth Prime Minister of Japan, prime ministe ...
with a
master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
in
Western philosophy
Western philosophy refers to the Philosophy, philosophical thought, traditions and works of the Western world. Historically, the term refers to the philosophical thinking of Western culture, beginning with the ancient Greek philosophy of the Pre ...
in 1937 and was ordained a priest in 1941 by his teacher
Kōdō Sawaki. Throughout his life, Uchiyama lived with the damaging effects of
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
.
Uchiyama became abbot of Antai-ji following Sawaki's death in 1965 until he retired in 1975 to Nokei-in, also near Kyoto, where he lived with his wife. Following the death of his teacher he led a forty-nine-day
sesshin
A ''sesshin'' (接心, or also 摂心/攝心 literally "touching the heart-mind") is a period of intensive meditation (zazen) retreat in a Japanese Zen monastery, or in a Zen monastery or Zen center that belongs to one of the Japanese Zen trad ...
in memorial of his teacher. In retirement he continued his writing, the majority of which consisted of
poetry
Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...
.
''Opening the Hand of Thought''
''Opening the Hand of Thought'', first published in English in 1993 by Arkana Press, was edited by
Jishō Cary Warner, and translated by Thomas Wright and Uchiyama's Dharma heir
Shohaku Okumura. Portions of the book first appeared in a different English language translation in the author's Approach to Zen: The Reality of Zazen, Japan Publications, 1973. The book attempts a straightforward and practical description of Zen, with a emphasis on the practice of
zazen
''Zazen'' is a meditative discipline that is typically the primary practice of the Zen Buddhist tradition.
The generalized Japanese term for meditation is 瞑想 (''meisō''); however, ''zazen'' has been used informally to include all forms ...
, and uses comparisons of
Buddhism
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
and
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
as a way for westerners to understand Uchiyama's approach
His summary is:
which refers to his own formula: two practices of "vow" and "repentance", and three minds: "magnanimous mind, nurturing mind and joyful mind". He says his book covers ''butsudō'', the effort of an individual to actualize their universal self.
Bibliography
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* Uchiyama, Kosho (2008): ''Das Leben meistern durch Zazen''. Angkor Verlag. .
* Uchiyama, Kosho; Sawaki, Kodo (2007): ''Die Zen-Lehre des Landstreichers Kodo''. Angkor Verlag. .
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References
Sources
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External links
Seven chapters from Uchiyama's book "The Zen Teaching of 'Homeless Kodo'"Kosho Uchiyama: "To you who are still dissatisfied with your zazen"Kosho Uchiyama: "To you who has decided to become a Zen monk"* https://web.archive.org/web/20111003051939/http://www.zen.ite.pl/masters/kosho_uchiyama.html (Polish language)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Uchiyama, Kosho
Zen Buddhism writers
Soto Zen Buddhists
Zen Buddhist priests
1912 births
1998 deaths
Japanese Zen Buddhists
Origami artists
Religious leaders from Tokyo
Writers from Tokyo
Waseda University alumni