The Lost Nishijima Roshi Interview: My Childhood

[Jundo]

Dear All,

Especially for those who might be interested in the personal story of my Teacher, Nishijima Roshi, I found this interview recording which I had conducted with him, but which was misplaced and just rediscovered. In it, he discusses his childhood, introduction to Zazen, and his experience and attitude toward WWII and war in general.

I miss him very much. Last January was the 10th anniversary of his passing.

https://youtu.be/0tTTmo8qZco

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

[Antonio]

I really appreciate to have the opportunity to watch this interview! thanks sensei!

[Byokan]

Oh my gosh. Too wonderful! Deep bows to our Dharma Grandpa

Thank you Jundo!

Gassho
Byōkan
sat + lah

[Guest]

Thanks Jundo, this will definitely be of interest. It’s always nice finding lost treasure, particularly when it pertains to our teachers.

Gassho
Myojin

[Kotei]

Thank you Jundo.
Wonderful to meet Nishijima roshi in this way.

Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today,.

[Bion]

Absolutely loved it. I relate very much to Nishijima Roshi’s path to Zen, that wasn’t created by tragedy or deep suffering. I also appreciate his focus on balance and practice rather than tackling heavy philosophical questions.
Thank you for sharing this! What a valuable piece of history for us

Gassho
Sat and lah

[Seijin]

Judo san
Thank you so much for sharing. Love his words his smile and manners.
Gassho Sei
Sat/lah

[Kakunen]

Dear All,

Especially for those who might be interested in the personal story of my Teacher, Nishijima Roshi, I found this interview recording which I had conducted with him, but which was misplaced and just rediscovered. In it, he discusses his childhood, introduction to Zazen, and his experience and attitude toward WWII and war in general.

I miss him very much. Last January was the 10th anniversary of his passing.

https://youtu.be/0tTTmo8qZco

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

Jundo

Thank you for sharing about Nishijima-Roshi.

I also share about my teacher.He was only teacher at 1st temple Eihei-ji.

Everybody believe their teacher,I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9seUdf4gLEs&t=1227s

Teacher is like father,this is my opinion.

Respect each other.

Thank you Jundo and Treeleafer.

Keep on practicing together.

Gassho
Sat today
LAH
kakunen

[Kakunen]

Jundo

Thank you for sharing about Nishijima-Roshi.

I also share about my teacher.He was only teacher at 1st temple Eihei-ji.

Everybody believe their teacher,I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9seUdf4gLEs&t=1227s

Teacher is like father,this is my opinion.

Respect each other.

Thank you Jundo and Treeleafer.

Keep on practicing together.

Gassho
Sat today
LAH
kakunen[/QUOTE]

My teacher with my son.

https://monkkakunen.blogspot.com/2022/11/good-pic.html

Gassho
Sat today
LAH
Kakunen

[Jundo]

Hi Kakunen,

I am just curious about your meaning here ... as they have many teachers there.

He was only teacher at [Soto-shu Head Temple] Eihei-ji.

He looks like a nice man.

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

[Kakunen]

Hi Kakunen,

I am just curious about your meaning here ... as they have many teachers there.



He looks like a nice man.

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

Your teacher Nishijima Roshi is also nice man.

His translation book is treasure for all over the world.

I try to express my mind step by step.

My English is bad.

Gassho
SAT today
LAH
kakunen

[Kakunen]

Hi Kakunen,

I am just curious about your meaning here ... as they have many teachers there.



He looks like a nice man.

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

Jundo

In Eihei-ji,every year there have Genzo-e(眼蔵会）at one time,only one teacher at every year.

He was teacher at Genzo-e for 5 years.

And his teacher Tokugen Sakai was teacher of Genzo-e for 10 years.

Tokugen Sakai call as Zuishin(1st trainee monk) of Kodo Sawaki,I heard.

In Antai-ji,I can not say such thing,maybe lots of monks understand,Uchiyama is 1st trainee monk..

I did Shukke-Tokudo at Tenryu-ji at Fukui,temple 1st trainee monk of master Sakai(His name is master Sasagawa)

But for me this is important things but this is secret things..(only in my mind)

But this is not joke.But joke.

Sorry for bad English.

But here in Treeleaf,my teacher is Jundo and everybody.

Gassho
Sat today
LAH
Kakunen

[Jundo]

For those truly wishing to know the personality of Nishijima Roshi ...

... there is the lovely documentary on his day to day teaching and working life. I have a cameo or two in the movie. I am the bearded fellow, considerably more hair and less grey, seen about 7:30 of 'Part II' carrying a blackboard saying "REALITY/REALISM" with my other Dharma Brother Peter Rocca. That was during a retreat at our root temple in Japan, the Tokei-in (more on the Tokei-in here ... lovely photos) ...

http://www.treeleaf.org/about-tokei-in/tokei-in-1.html

The following is from Brad Warner's website:

The synopsis on that Dutch film festival's website says:

"I live my Buddhist life from day to day, from moment to moment sometimes in my office, sometimes in my home, sometimes in a temple. In every situation there was just my Buddhist life." Gudo Wafu Nishijima was born in Yokohama, Japan. With a new and fresh approach to the Buddhist view of reality and the sense of balance to the philosophical and scientific investigations from last decades, Master Nishijima gives us the coordinates to start to understand Buddhism with our own method of thinking. He wants to pass the teachings of Buddhism to people all over the world who are searching for "Truth". "We have to say that we live in a succession of moments rather like the frames of a film." In these frames, from the present moment, the documentary is about Master Nishijima´s daily life that is all ready a Buddhist life.

... Watching it again I'd forgotten how good it was. It gives you a very honest look at who Nishijima Roshi was when the film was made. It shows him leading one of his annual retreats in Shizuoka for foreigners. It shows him in Europe giving talks and running a sesshin. It shows him talking to students of his from Israel and Ireland. There's also a wonderful scene of him dragging his suitcase through Tokyo Station. He always insisted on carrying his own stuff when he went on retreats. If you wanted to help him out with his bags you'd have to kind of trick him by grabbing them before he noticed. But he was always very quick.

... The opening scenes were shot one morning at Nishijima's dojo in Chiba prefecture. ...

PART I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G0Pdq1ESf0

PART II

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_W-dmbE3po

PART III

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy9ll4d_JLo

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

[Bion]

For those truly wishing to know the personality of Nishijima Roshi ...

... there is the lovely documentary on his day to day teaching and working life. I have a cameo or two in the movie. I am the bearded fellow, considerably more hair and less grey, seen about 7:30 of 'Part II' carrying a blackboard saying "REALITY/REALISM" with my other Dharma Brother Peter Rocca. That was during a retreat at our root temple in Japan, the Tokei-in (more on the Tokei-in here ... lovely photos) ...

http://www.treeleaf.org/about-tokei-in/tokei-in-1.html

The following is from Brad Warner's website:

PART I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G0Pdq1ESf0

PART II

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_W-dmbE3po

PART III

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy9ll4d_JLo

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

“If you wanted to help him you’d have to trick him by being faster than him” .. that sounds oddly familiar, right? Haha

Gassho
Sat and lah

[Onki]

Thank you so much, Jundo!!

Gasshō,

On

Sat today/LAH