Hugo Enomiya-Lassalle
Encyclopedia
Aiun-ken Hugo Makibi Enomiya-Lassalle (born 11 November 1898 in Gut Externbrock near Nieheim
/Westphalia
; died 7 Juli 1990 in Münster/Westphalia
) was a German Jesuit
priest and one of the foremost teachers to embrace both Roman Catholic Christianity
and Zen
Buddhism
.
Enomiya-Lassalle joined the Society of Jesus
on the 25 april 1919. At the end of the usual Jesuit spiritual and academic training he was ordained priest on the 28 august 1927.
He travelled to Japan
as a missionary in 1929 and became interested in that country's Buddhist
practices. In 1940, he became the vicar of Hiroshima
, and on 6 August 1945 he was critically wounded by the nuclear blast in that city. Shortly thereafter, he returned to Germany.
In September 1946, he had an audience with Pope
Pius XII, in which he revealed his plan to build in Hiroshima a cathedral
dedicated to the idea of world peace. Designed by Japanese architect Togo Murano
, construction on the cathedral began in 1950 and on 6 August 1954, the Memorial Cathedral for World Peace （ja）was dedicated http://hiroshima.catholic.jp/~pcaph/cathedral/?page_id=2.
In 1956, Enomiya-Lassalle began studying Zen with Harada Daiun Sogaku
. In 1958, he published Zen: A Way to Enlightenment, but the Holy See
ordered him not to continue publishing on the subject.
Following Harada's death in 1961, Enomiya-Lassalle became an apprentice of one of Harada's students, Yamada Koun
. Yamada was enthusiastic about the possibilities of Zen as a Christian practice, believing that "Zen would become an important stream in the Catholic Church one day". With Enomiya-Lassalle's active assistance, he attracted a number of Catholic priests and nuns as students. In the late 1960s, Enomiya-Lasalle was certified as a teacher in Yamada's Sanbo Kyodan
sect and given the title roshi
(Zen master
), while professing his continued belief in Christianity. After 1968, Enomiya-Lassalle spent much of his time in Europe leading Zen retreats and encouraging Zen practice among Christians.
Lassalle published The Practice of Zen Meditation, (1987, Thorsons
).
Nieheim
Nieheim is a town in Höxter district in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Constituent communities :Nieheim consists of the following 10 centres:* Entrup* Eversen* Erwitzen* Himmighausen* Holzhausen* Merlsheim* Nieheim* Oeynhausen* Schönenberg...
/Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
; died 7 Juli 1990 in Münster/Westphalia
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
) was a German Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
priest and one of the foremost teachers to embrace both Roman Catholic Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
.
Enomiya-Lassalle joined the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
on the 25 april 1919. At the end of the usual Jesuit spiritual and academic training he was ordained priest on the 28 august 1927.
He travelled to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as a missionary in 1929 and became interested in that country's Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
practices. In 1940, he became the vicar of Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
, and on 6 August 1945 he was critically wounded by the nuclear blast in that city. Shortly thereafter, he returned to Germany.
In September 1946, he had an audience with Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Pius XII, in which he revealed his plan to build in Hiroshima a cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
dedicated to the idea of world peace. Designed by Japanese architect Togo Murano
Togo Murano
was a Japanese architect. He was a modernist but also a master of the sukiya style. His work incorporated large public buildings as well as hotels and department stores and he has been recognised as one of Japan's Modern Masters.-Life:...
, construction on the cathedral began in 1950 and on 6 August 1954, the Memorial Cathedral for World Peace （ja）was dedicated http://hiroshima.catholic.jp/~pcaph/cathedral/?page_id=2.
In 1956, Enomiya-Lassalle began studying Zen with Harada Daiun Sogaku
Harada Daiun Sogaku
Daiun Sogaku Harada Rōshi was a Sōtō Zen monk who trained under both Soto and Rinzai teachers and became known for his teaching combining methods from both schools.- Biography :...
. In 1958, he published Zen: A Way to Enlightenment, but the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
ordered him not to continue publishing on the subject.
Following Harada's death in 1961, Enomiya-Lassalle became an apprentice of one of Harada's students, Yamada Koun
Yamada Koun
, or Koun Yamada, was the former leader of the Sanbo Kyodan lineage of Zen Buddhism, the Dharma heir of his teacher Yasutani Haku'un Ryoko. Yamada was appointed the leader of the Sanbo Kyodan in 1967, 1970 or 1973 and continued to differentiate the lineage from other Japanese Zen traditions by...
. Yamada was enthusiastic about the possibilities of Zen as a Christian practice, believing that "Zen would become an important stream in the Catholic Church one day". With Enomiya-Lassalle's active assistance, he attracted a number of Catholic priests and nuns as students. In the late 1960s, Enomiya-Lasalle was certified as a teacher in Yamada's Sanbo Kyodan
Sanbo Kyodan
Sanbo Kyodan is a Zen sect derived from both the Rinzai and Soto traditions of Japanese Zen.-History:...
sect and given the title roshi
Roshi
is a Japanese honorific title used in Zen Buddhism that literally means "old teacher" or "elder master" and sometimes denotes a person who gives spiritual guidance to a Zen sangha or congregation...
(Zen master
Zen master
Zen master is an umbrella title sometimes used to refer to an individual who has been recognized by an authorized Zen lineage holder and teacher as having met his or her own teacher's standards of realization or insight. These standards vary widely in different traditions, and may vary among...
), while professing his continued belief in Christianity. After 1968, Enomiya-Lassalle spent much of his time in Europe leading Zen retreats and encouraging Zen practice among Christians.
Lassalle published The Practice of Zen Meditation, (1987, Thorsons
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
).