Shaku Bodhidhamma founded the Indosan Sogenji Zen Monastery in Bijapur city, Karnataka State to spread Zen Buddhism in India and to provide a conducive place for the practice of zazen under the guidance of a qualified teacher.

Every year in the month of August Ven. Shodo Harada Roshi, visits India to conduct an Osesshin (a period of intensive zazen) lasting seven days and to hold lay ordination (Jukai) ceremonies. In addition to the Bijapur venue, sesshins have been held in Gulbarga City and Bijjargi Village on many occasions.

A video of Shodo Harada, Roshi leading a sesshin (intensive retreat) in India may be viewed here: "Sesshin in India"

Last year, on August 17, 2009, Ven. Harada, Roshi arrived in India with Sozen Koji, of Belgium. Their India journey began from Mumbai Airport by car, to Bijapur, a Journey of 500km.  During the trip many short breaks were taken for tea and the travelers arrived in Solapur City on the morning of August 18, at 7:30 AM. After a much needed breakfast in Solapur, the group continued a further 100km to the Bijapur district. At the border of the Bijapur district the group was detained at a medical check point set up to screen visitors for influenza.  The group informed the doctors at the check point that the guests had already gone through an influenza check point at Mumbai Airport and that all was in order. 

The travelers arrived at Indosan Sogenji Zen monastery shortly after noon and were greeted by the novices and sesshin participants who received Roshi by bowing to him three times and presenting roses. In the evening an opening ceremony was held for the fifty sesshin participants that included a half a dozen young women. Sesshin times are special times for Dalit participants as they enter into a completely caste-free environment.

This year, a five-day Osesshin will be held at the Indosan Sogenji Zen Monastery, Bijapur City, Karnataka State, under the guidance of Zen Master Shodo Harada Roshi and his disciple, Zen Monk Shaku Bodhidhamma. 

Osession will extend from August 19^th to August 23^rd 2010.

 On August 24^th there will be a Lay Ordination Ceremony.

All Zen practitioners are welcome, information is available and registration can be arranged through: bodhi@onedropindia.org or by telephone at:  09900438454.

The rise of the nascent Indian neo-Buddhist movement began in earnest with the conversion of Bodhisatva Dr. Ambedkar on October 14, 1956 in Nagpur at the site of the Diksha Bhumi.  Since that historic day the movement has grown in leaps and bounds as the Dalit people caught in the iron grip of the notoriously brutal oppression of the Hindu caste system that deprived them of their basic human rights free themselves.  Now, after half a century of struggle, the former “untouchables” who have embraced Buddhism have risen up en masse.  Still, it will take some time before adequate societal change takes place for these people to gain sufficient political and economic strength to be able to afford the time and wealth to properly pursue the path of awakening to satisfy their deep spiritual hunger.

This year, in 2010, the India Osesshin will run from August 18, 2020 through August 23^rd in celebration of the 70^th birthday of Venerable Shodo Harada, Roshi.  On August 24^th a Ten Percepts Lay Ordination ceremony (Jukai) will be conducted with an expected four hundred people attending to witness the ceremony.