Continuing from the http://shorinjizendo-ryu.com/ website, I trained for many years under great and sincere Karate Masters and Grandmasters, such as Eizo Shimabuku, Hidetaka Nishiyama, and Richard Kim. I studied in various timeblocks under other masters such as G. Yamaguchi, Mas Oyama, T.Okazaki, H. Kanazawa,T. Shimabuku, H. Ohtsuka, T. Chitose, R. Sakagami, C. Chibana, K. Enoda, Y. Yaguchi, and K. Uechi. Many of these masters were direct students of Shotokan founder, Gigen Funakoshi and the JKA President, Masatoshi Nakayma.
I also sat down with these masters and simply talked, delving deeply into their innter understandings and knowledge. Some had strong religious beliefs like Ueshiba OSensei, the founder of Aikido, and Gogen Yamaguchi in Shintoism, a Japanese religion and philosophy. Many had personal concepts of "Do" (the Way), "Ki" (life force) and morality in the martial arts, but did not have an extensive knowledge or background in Zen itself. In Zen teachings, the goal is always to find the "Way" (Do). This philosphy is explained in other websites and in great detail in Shorinji Zendo-ryu Kempo:Karate, History & Philosophy. Information on how to puchase is in http://.zendoryukarate.com .
I have known thousands of good martial artists over the last sixty years. I have worked out with, and discussed philosophy with, many hundreds. But because of the transmission of Karate and former Chuan-fu Kung-fu systems, Zen-disciplined teachings were not infused throughout many martial art styles and systems. In hundreds of books on martials arts, and karate-do, limited historical significance is devoted to Zen ("Chan") itself, as it came from the Shaolin Temple (Shorinji).
Other good books with stories of the ancient masters are : Okinawa, Island of Karate, by my old friend and guest instructor at the Hombu, George Alexander, 9th dan, from Florida, U.S.A. The other is The Weaponless Warrior, by my old friend and mentor in Shorinji-ryu Karate, Richard Kim, 10th dan from San Francisco, California, U.S.A., now deceased. (For over a quarter of a century, his school was a member of A.A.K.F., as was my school, which was founded by Hidetaka Nishiyama, now deceased.) 