Kempo and zen
As mentioned above, Shorinji Kempo incorporates zen as a mental training. According to the teaching of Kongō-zen, training of body and sprit can never be carried out separately. The trainings of the body consists of 3 categories which are gōhō (hard techniques such as punch, kick), jūhō (soft techniques such as drawing out, throwing) and seihō (correcting techniques such as spine adjustments). Doshin So recalled in his book that he had become aware to follow Bodhidharma for his revelation and also expand the fighting techniques (阿羅漢乃拳) which was believed to be transferred from India and was painted on the wall of Byakue-den chapel at Shaolin Temple. Shorinji Kempo is a gyō and it exists under Kongo Zen teaching.
The people who entered Kongō-zen are called pupils (門信徒) and who are practicing Shorinji Kempo are called kenshi (拳士). Kenshi always salute with "gassho-rei" the greetings commonly used among buddhist pupils. gassho-rei is also "gassho-gamae" stance, the both palms are put together and raised in front of one's face.
Milestones
1947 established religious entity
1948 established "Nippon Hokuha Shorinji Kempo Society"
1951 started "Kongo Zen Sohonzan Shorinji" (金剛禅総本山少林寺)
1956 established educational entity
1957 established "All Japan Shorinji Kempo Federation"
1963 established "Shorinji Kempo Federation of Japan" as corporate entity
1972 established "World Shorinji Kempo Organization" (WSKO)
1980 Doshin So died
1992 established "Shorinji Kempo Federation Foundation" as a foundation entity
1997 celebrated 50th anniversary
2000 Shorinji Kempo Group organized
2002 Busen (Shorinji Kempo Budo Academy) opened high school
2003 Busen renamed to be Zenrin Gakuen College
2003 designed the new mark so-en and new logo of Shorinji Kempo
2005 migration from manji to so-en
2007 60th annversary
2008 established All Japan Junior HIgh School Shorinji Kempo Federation
2009 Sekai-taikai (global convention) canceled at Indonesia but held as opened taikai
(source: w:ja:少林寺拳法, in Japanese)
Read more about this topic: Shorinji Kempo