Loading ...Does Genpo mean “way of universal wisdom”?
flockwoodEpisco-Buddhist bishop-elect Kevin Genpo Thew Forrester has told his fellow Episcopalians in Northern Michigan that his new middle name is Japanese for the “way of universal wisdom.”
But Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi, a popular “American-born, Japanese trained Buddhist” teacher based in Salt Lake City, says Genpo means “mysterious dharma.”
A Japanese-English dictionary does not list “Genpo” but lists “Genpou” — a word that means “salary reduction.”
Genpu, another Japanese word, means “your honored father.”
March 14th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Given that Merzel’s main claim to fame is teaching the ability to reach enlightenment, a state known in Buddhism as kensho, a process normally taking years of meditation and training, in only one hour, I don’t know that I’d consider him the last word on the meaning of Buddhist terms of art.
March 14th, 2009 at 11:29 am
Interestingly, Merzel’s wife is, according to Wikipedia, the great great granddaughter of Brigham Young. I guess that’s why he’s in Salt Lake City, not generally thought of as a hotbed of Buddhist activity.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Some very interesting stuff to say the least. It makes one think.
April 15th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Japanese is rendered in 55 syllables (with a few more when foreign languages are borrowed more faithfully) and so a name like “Genpo” can have multiple meanings.