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Roshi, Philip Kapleau

1912 – 2004

Early teacher (1968 - 1975) of Hogen Bays

Kapleau was born in 1912 to a working class family in New Haven, Connecticut. As a young man he studied law and became a court reporter, serving for many years in the state and federal courts of Connecticut. He recorded trials of increasing importance and was selected in 1945 to serve as chief court reporter for the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and later covered the Tokyo War Crimes Trials. Months of recording the minutiae of the atrocities of World War II affected him deeply and awakened a spiritual longing that shaped the remainder of his life. Read more...

©2006 Zen Community of Oregon
Designed by Michelle Bagley
Updated: July 31, 2006

Chozen and Hogen Bays Shodo Harada Roshi August 2, 2006