Rōshi

( Japanese: "old teacher"; "old master") is a title in Zen Buddhism with different usages depending on sect and country. In Rinzai Zen, the term is reserved only for individuals who have received ''inka shōmei'', meaning they have completed the entire '' kōan'' curriculum; this amounts to a total of fewer than 100 people at any given time. In Sōtō Zen and Sanbo Kyodan it is used more loosely. This is especially the case in the United States and Europe, where almost any teacher who has received dharma transmission might be called rōshi, or even use it to refer to themselves, a practice unheard of in Japan.

Etymology

The Japanese ''rōshi'' is a translation of the more antiquated Chinese ''Laozi'' ( Wade-Giles; ''Lao Tzu'') meaning 'Old Master' and connoting the archetype of a wise old man. The modern Chinese 老師/老师 (''Chinese'' ) is a common word for teacher or professor without the religious or spiritual connotation of ''rōshi''. Chinese Chán Buddhism (Zen is the Japanese transliteration of Chán) uses the semantically related title 師父/师父 or Mandarin '' shīfu'' (Cantonese "sifu), literally "master father" or "father of masters", or 師傅/师傅, literally "master teacher" or "teacher of masters"; both pronounced "shīfu" in Mandarin) as an honorific title for the highest masters, but it also may be used in respectful address of monks and nuns generally.

Usage

Traditionally, the term ''rōshi'' has been applied as a respectful honorific to a significantly older Zen teacher considered to have matured in wisdom and to have attained a superior understanding and expression of the Dharma (Japanese: ''mujōdō no taigen'') . Typically, a ''rōshi'' will have received dharma transmission (Jap: ''inka shōmei'') many years ago and although often the abbot or spiritual director of a monastery may in fact be too old to carry these responsibilities.

Despite this historical reality, it has come in some modern Zen schools to be applied as a general title for a teacher regardless of the age of the individual who receives it. This is especially true in the United States and Europe where it appears that some confusion has arisen where the word ''rōshi'' has been conflated with the term '' oshō'', which is the generic term for a Soto Buddhist teacher who has received '' shiho'' and completed her or his basic training. Historically, the term ''rōshi'' will only be applied to an ''oshō'' after they have given many years of service as a teacher.

Rinzai

In some Rinzai organizations, a monastic is sometimes called ''rōshi'' after they have received ''inka shōmei'', meaning they have completed ''kōan'' study and received Dharma transmission from their master;

According to roshi Sokun Tsushimoto, the title of ''rōshi'' is equivalent to ''Zen master'' and ''shike'':

Sōtō

In the Sōtō organization, a person is sometimes called ''rōshi'' after they have received the title of ''shike'', but this is by no means standard practice:

Western Zen

Many Zen communities in the United States confer the honorific title of ''rōshi'' to their teachers as a regular title, in deference to perceived Japanese Zen tradition. In most western instances it is used synonymously with the term Zen master, which has a quite specific meaning in Japan, namely the select group of persons who are qualified to supervise the headtemples and monk training halls.

In the west, Rinzai and Soto-uses of the term have been mixed:

In the Sanbo Kyodan, a lay organization that combines Soto and Rinzai elements, a person is called ''rōshi'' when they have received ''inka'', indicating they have passed the ''kōan'' curriculum and received Dharma transmission.

Criticism

The use of the term ''rōshi'' in the U.S. and Europe has at times led to confusion and controversy.Gard, 193Muho Noelke, ''Ten points to keep in mind about dharma transmission''
/ref> Stuart Lachs has argued that Zen institutions in the West have often attributed a mythic status to the title ''rōshi'' with harmful consequences.
/ref>

See also

* Dharma transmission
* Oshō
* Sensei
* Zen master
* Zen ranks and hierarchy

References

Web references

Sources

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External links

Buddhadharma, Dharma Dictionary, ''Roshi''

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Japanese Buddhist titles
Zen