The tree of spiritual genealogy of Zen Buddhism is rooted in Sakiamuni, the historical Buddha, and has grown over time into various lineages.
Bodhidharma, an Indian monk ,introduced Chan meditation into China.
Five generations followed until the sixth ancestor, Huineng. From Huineng five chan schools expanded in China. Two of them were introduced in Japan in the 13th century: the school Linji (Rinzai in jp.) was introduced by the Japanese monk Eisai; the Soto school was introduced by the Japanese monk Eihei Dôgen. From the 13th century until the 20th century, soto zen Buddhism continued to be transmitted in Japan.
During the first half of the 20th century Kodo Sawaki Roshi was one of the more prominent zen masters in the Japanese Soto Zen .
Among the main disciples of Kodo Sawaki Roshi was the master Taisen Deshimaru Roshi, who introduced the Soto Zen tradition in Europe in 1967. He died on April 28, 1982.
The master Soden Shuyu Narita Roshi was the first successor in the Dharma of master Kodo Sawaki Roshi. For many years he was Abbot of the Todenji Temple in the North of Japan. He died on 22 November 2004.
This lineage is represented in our country by the founder master Dokushô Villalba Roshi, who received the monk ordination by master Taisen Deshimaru in 1978, and the transmission of the Dharma by the master Shuyu Narita Roshi, in 1987.