Head Priest:
Kotoku Crivello
Kotoku Ray Crivello is a Zen Priest in the Soto Zen tradition in the Lineage of Gengo Akiba Roshi, Sokan or Bishop, Administrative Head of the North American Region of the Japanese Soto School.
His Zen studies began in his late teens as a temple resident at the New York Zendo Shobo-ji, in the Rinzai tradition under the Abbotship of Soen Nakagawa Roshi from 1970-1975. His duties there included assisting in the day to day management of the temple, attendant to the abbot and leading introductory meditation classes and retreats.
Kotoku Crivello
In 1976, Kotoku relocated to San Francisco where he lived and practiced at San Francisco Zen Center including two years of practice study at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, until 1983.
After completing University studies in 1986, he established a home practice until becoming Akiba Roshi’s disciple in the late 1990’s. Kotoku was ordained in 2004 by Akiba Roshi at his home Temple, Kojin-an in Oakland, California.
Following periods of formal monastery training or Angos held in America and in Japan, hosted by the Japanese Soto-Shu for the training of western Zen Priests, Kotoku received Shiho, or DharmaTransmission with Akiba Roshi in 2012.
Kotoku was appointed Kokusai-fukyoshi (Teacher in the Japanese Soto School system located outside Japan) by the Japanese Soto Shu, Education Office.
Kotoku is Member of:
Soto Zen Buddhist Association, SZBA – American based Soto Zen Priest Organization
Association of Soto Zen Buddhists- Japanese Soto Zen School sponsored organization for American Zen Priests
American Zen Teachers Association American Peer Group Organization for various Zen Lineages