Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji

In the heart of Seattle, nestled on North Beacon Hill, sits the Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji. This Rinzai-style Zen temple’s name, meaning “Listening to the Dharma Zen Temple on Great Plum Mountain,” evokes a sense of peaceful contemplation. Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji was founded in 1983 by Zen Master Genki Takabayashi. He arrived in Seattle at the invitation of the Seattle Zen Center. The center, founded by Dr. Glenn Webb, a University of Washington Art History professor, sought a resident teacher. Takabayashi accepted. By 1983, he established Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji. Before coming to America, Takabayashi trained for nearly two decades at Daitoku-Ji in Japan. This temple, one of the main Rinzai school temples, grounded him in the tradition. He also led a Rinzai temple in Kamakura, further honing his practice and leadership. His journey began early, entering the monastery at just eleven years old. Takabayashi, a dedicated teacher, ordained three priests during his time at Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji. One of them, Genjo Marinello Osho, became his successor in 1999. After twenty years of sharing the Buddha Dharma in the United States, Takabayashi retired in 1997. He moved to Montana, where he pursued his passions for gardening, pottery, calligraphy, writing, and cooking. He passed away at his home in 2013, leaving behind a legacy of Zen practice at Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji. Today, the temple continues to be a place of practice and learning. It offers weekly introductions to Zen, daily Zazen meditation, and dharma talks. It also hosts regular sesshins, intensive meditation retreats. Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji serves as a quiet sanctuary amidst the bustle of Seattle. It offers a space for those seeking to deepen their understanding of Zen Buddhism.