Keishō Leary is the founder of the original “California Tendai Monastery” or Hoshu-in, previously located in Cobb, California. He was the first Tendai monastic in the US, living a celibate renunciate lifestyle in the mountains of California and making his ascetic-hermit approach accessible to the occasional visitors.

He engaged in twice weekly goma (fire ceremonies), 1 day to 100 day kaihogyo (mountain circumambulations), yearly fasting for days without water, food, or sleep, constant recitation of the mantra of Acalanatha, and maintained the bodhisattva precepts as they are without equivocation.
The daily schedule that was kept there was an ideal situation for a monastic or lay ascetic practitioner. One that not many interested in Tendai had the disposition for. As he said “Here is for the PRACTICE of the dharma. If you want to STUDY the dharma there are other places.”

He eschewed membership, titles, and religious pomp, leading some to label him an iconoclast for his lack of participation in such efforts. Shortly after his passing away, the original board members and participants went their own ways when the land was absorbed by another organization. Later that year a fire consumed Mt. Cobb and the Monastery- nothing was preserved of his life work besides his writings and the impact he had on those who lived and practiced with him.

He continues to be an inspiration for us as we continue his legacy of establishing a place for ascetic practitioners and a monastic community engaged in the study and application of Dharma.

1943 — Born in San Francisco
1961 — As deck hand on Pacific Far East Lines freighter, made the 1st of 12 visits to Japan
1968 — Completed Masters Degree at Cornell University
1969-1987 — Shukke (“leaving home”). Entering into religious life with the communal Shugen Church of America and named Vimalakirti
1988 — Visited Hieizan (the Japanese holy mountain of the Tendai sect) for the first time, leading to a heart decision to follow the Tendai path
1991 — Became Gozen-sama’s disciple and lived two months at Gyokusho-In on Hieizan
1992 — Received tokudo (Tendai ordination) and the name Keisho, living at Sekizan Zen-In in Kyoto for three months
1997-2002 — Served in the Tendai temples Sekizan and Choraku-In and completed the shido kegyo, the training and license for the performance of goma (the sacred fire offering meditation)
2003-2008 — Established a goma temple, a non-profit religious corporation, and a monastery, all located 100 miles north of San Fransisco
2008-2015 — various practices, teaching, and events in California
2015 – passed away