My Teacher

Rev. Hogaku Shozen McGuire-roshi

Hogaku Shozen McGuire-roshi was the founding abbot of Daibutsuji Zen Temple in Las Cruces (1987) and Cloudcroft (1998), New Mexico.  Hogaku is Dharma Heir to Rev. Dr. Soyu Matsuoka-roshi, the first Zen Master from Japan to establish a Zen Temple in the United States.  Hogaku-roshi studied with Matsuoka-roshi in Long Beach, California from 1977 until he moved to New Mexico in 1983. Hogaku-roshi took Shukke Tokudo in 1984 and received Inka Shomei in 1987 from Matsuoka-roshi.  In 1985 and 1986 he traveled to Japan with Matsuoka-roshi and was presented to the abbot of Sojiji.    Recently, Rev. McGuire-Roshi was honored with the Transmission of Light Ceremony in the Vietnamese Rinzai Zen tradition by the Most Venerable Thich An Giao.  Hogaku-roshi was elevated to the rank of Great Master which is equivalent to Bishop. Hogaku-roshi died June 24, 2012.