House of Silent Light: The Dawning of Zen in Gilded Age America - Hardcover

by Brian Riggs (Author), Hidemi Riggs (Author)

This Oceanside House south of San Francisco is where Zen was first introduced to the West. It was here that Mrs. Ida Russell hosted Zen master Shaku Sōen for a period of time. Even though this marks its beginning, this book explains why Shaku Sōen's dream of introducing Zen to the West ultimately went unfulfilled during his lifetime. This pioneering work also examines the varying roles of Sasaki Shigetsu, Senzaki Nyogen, and D. T. Suzuki, all of whom were related to Shaku Sōen. And yet none of this would have happened if Mrs. Ida Russell had not been there.

Author Biography

Brian Riggs was an independent researcher and Buddhist scholar. His first-hand examination of little-known archives in America and Japan made this work possible. Hidemi Riggs, who has a PhD from UCLA, importantly assisted in her late husband's research by examining source materials in libraries and special archives in Japan.