Daigaku Rumme was born in 1950 in Mason, City Iowa, USA. In 1976, he entered Hosshinji as a layman and was ordained by Harada Roshi in 1978. He lived and practiced at Hosshinji until 2003. On several occasions he accompanied Harada on his visits to Europe, India, and the United States, as his interpreter. Since 2003, Rumme has been on the staff of the Soto Zen Buddhism International Center located in San Francisco.