Kogen Mizuno

Kōgen Mizuno (水野 弘元, Mizuno Kōgen; November 19, 1901 – January 1, 2006) was a Japanese Buddhist monk of the Soto sect^[1] and scholar of Early Buddhism. He served as president of Komazawa University^[2] where he attained the status of professor emeritus. He held a Doctorate of Letters degree from the (University of Tokyo) and had an honorary Doctorate of Literature degree from Nalanda University.^[2]

Kōgen Mizuno
Native name	水野 弘元
Born	Hiromoto Mizuno (1901-11-19)November 19, 1901  Japan
Died	January 1, 2006(2006-01-01) (aged 104)
Occupation	Writer
Language	Japanese
Education	Komazawa University University of Tokyo
Genre	Buddhism
Subject	Pre-sectarian Buddhism Pali language
Notable awards	Purple Ribbon Medal

Kogen Mizuno conducting a lecture at Fo Guang Shan in 1978.

Career

Mizuno was born in Saga Prefecture in 1901^[2] and attended Soto Zen Daishi Junior High School (known now as Takagawa Gakuen High School/Junior High School) and then Yamaguchi High School. In 1928, he enrolled in Tokyo Imperial University where he graduated from the Department of Indian Philosophy, Faculty of Letters, before entering the same university's graduate school.

In 1935, he became a lecturer at Komazawa University where he was promoted in 1940, as a professor.^[2] Mizuno was renowned for specializing in Pali literature.^[1] From 1959 to 1962, he was also a professor at the University of Tokyo. From 1976, he served as vice president of Komazawa University and from 1982 as president of Komazawa University.^[2] In 1967, he received the Purple Ribbon Medal.

Mizuno died in January 2006^[2] at the age of 104.

See also

• Pre-sectarian Buddhism
• Buddhism in Japan
• Japanese Zen
• Pali literature
• Sōtō Zen