Brief history of the Shôgen-Dôjo Zurich

In 1975 the Rinzai Zen Society was founded by students of Dr. Henry Platov, Chikuen Kugai Dai Osho, in order to support him and his teaching activities. In 1980 this society established the Shogen-dojo as a branch of Myôshin-ji (headquarter of Rinzai Zen in Japan). After Dr. Henry Platov had passed away in 1990 the Shôgen-Dôjo was taken care of by the Zen masters Tani Kogetsu Roshi and Eido Shimano Roshi. Nowadays the Shôgen-Dôjo is independant.

The Shôgen-Dôjo is situated at Zollikerstrasse 269A in 8008 Zürich and open to everyone who is interested. At the Dojo, also called Zendo, Zazen – sitting meditation – is practised, as well as Kinhin and Samu – walking and working with mindfulness and devotion. Besides numerous 1-Day Sesshin the 5-Day Sesshin provides an opportunity to intensive deepening.

Our Zendô is lead by the Rinzai Zen monk Shôkan Oshô Marcel Urech. Since 1991 he is a disciple of Eido Shimano Roshi, the former Abbot of Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji in upstate New York. After six years of training at this monastery, Shôkan Oshô Marcel Urech returned to Switzerland in 2000 and took the lead of our Zendô a few years ago.

At the Summer Sesshin 2008 Eido Roshi acknowledged him as Oshô (Dharma Teacher). Consequently the Sangha-members have the opportunity to study Koan with Shôkan Oshô Marcel Urech.