Sensei - Use in Buddhism

Use in Buddhism

In Sanbo Kyodan related zen schools, sensei is used to refer to ordained teachers below the rank of rōshi. However, other schools of Japanese Buddhism use the term for any priest regardless of seniority; for example, this title is also used for Jōdo Shinshū ministers in the United States, whether they are ethnic Japanese or not. In the Kwan Um School of Zen, according to Zen master Seung Sahn, the title Ji Do Poep Sa Nim is much like the Japanese title "sensei". In Nichiren Buddhism, sensei refers to the highest figure of authority in the organization. In Soka Gakkai International (SGI), an offshoot of Nichiren Shōshū, sensei is used to refer to President Daisaku Ikeda.