Questions to Master Deshimaru

Question

Why did you come to Europe?

Answer

Because I wanted to! I'm very glad I did. I like France and Europe very much, so I came. That's an easy question, and an easy answer. Here's another: I came here to teach true Zen to Europeans, because they do not understand it. Intellectuals have only a literary notion of it. My master said to me, "It would be best to go to Europe. Bodhidharma brought Zen from India to China, Dogen brought it from China to Japan, and from Japan it must go to Europe. It's very important." When the soil is exhausted the seed can no longer grow. But if you change the soil a good seed can develop. Europe is fresh, as far as Zen is concerned, and I hope that the seed of Zen will grow there. Now the Japanese are trying to imitate European Zen. So it is being effective in both directions!