 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
|
Pohwa Sunim (born July 15, 1955) is the head monk of the Young Pyung Sa International Zen Center in South Korea.
Sunim is the disciple of Myo Vong who is the Dharma successor of Hye Am. Pohwa Sunim founded the World Zen Fellowship in 1994 which includes the Potomac Zen Sangha, the Patriarchal Zen Society and the Baltimore Zen Center. He is known for his teaching and direct presentation style. He pioneered the use of “Cyber Zen” (information age technology) to propagate his teachings in the West, including the early use of web sites, user groups, and video tele-conferencing. He produced a series of teaching videos in 2004 called “Zen Dharma Exchange”, which are widely available on the internet.[ citation needed ] He is a frequent speaker at American universities (Columbia, Georgetown, Naropa University, George Washington, the University of Maryland) and religious gatherings. (1)
The focus of his teaching is to learn Buddha's enlightened mind through the practice of the koan, a story or question that cannot be understood by logical thinking but only through intuitive thinking. The focus is on attaining the true nature of all beings directly through intuitive thinking. This mind-to-mind teaching is the core teaching of the Korean Buddhist Chogye Order and is now being spread throughout the world by lineage masters such as Pohwa Sunim. “If you want to know the answer, you must see your ‘original mind’ which is the ‘original mind’ of all sages and all beings.” (2)(3)
Some of his more frequently employed phrases include, “Dogs chase mudballs. A lion bites the thrower”, and “ An apple is an apple. An orange is an orange. They are not the same. They are not different.” (4)
Stephen Batchelor is a British author and teacher, writing books and articles on Buddhist topics and leading meditation retreats throughout the world. He is a noted proponent of agnostic or secular Buddhism.
Seungsahn Haengwon, born Duk-In Lee, was a Korean Seon master of the Jogye Order and founder of the international Kwan Um School of Zen. He was the seventy-eighth Patriarch in his lineage. As one of the early Korean Zen masters to settle in the United States, he opened many temples and practice groups across the globe. He was known for his charismatic style and direct presentation of Zen, which was well tailored for the Western audience.
Buddhism, once thought of as a mysterious religion from the East has now become very popular in the West, including the United States. As Buddhism does not require any formal "conversion", American Buddhists can easily incorporate dharma practice into their normal routines and traditions. The result is that American Buddhists come from every ethnicity, nationality and religious tradition. In 2012, U-T San Diego estimated U.S. practitioners at 1.2 million people, of whom 40% are living in Southern California. In terms of percentage, Hawaii has the most Buddhists at 8% of the population due to its large Asian American community.
The Kwan Um School of Zen (관음선종회) (KUSZ) is an international school of zen centers and groups founded in 1983 by Seungsahn. The school's international head temple is located at the Providence Zen Center in Cumberland, Rhode Island, which was founded in 1972 shortly after Seungsahn first came to the United States. The Kwan Um style of Buddhist practice combines ritual common both to Korean Buddhism as well as Rinzai school of Zen, and their morning and evening services include elements of Huayan and Pure Land Buddhism. While the Kwan Um Zen School comes under the banner of the Jogye Order of Korean Seon, the school has been adapted by Seungsahn to the needs of Westerners. According to James Ishmael Ford, the Kwan Um School of Zen is the largest Zen school in the Western world.
Martine Batchelor, a former Jogye Buddhist nun, is the author of several books on Buddhism currently residing in France. She and her husband, Stephen Batchelor, work mostly in the United Kingdom and occasionally in the United States. In addition to writing books, she leads meditation groups with her husband that incorporate aspects of Zen, vipassanā, and Tibetan Buddhism. Batchelor also blogs frequently for the U.S.-based Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. She studied Jogye Zen Buddhism for ten years at Songgwangsa with her former teacher Master Kusan Sunim, being ordained as a nun in 1975. Batchelor served as Kusan's interpreter on speaking tours of the United States and Europe from 1981 to 1985, the year she left monastic life, married Stephen Batchelor, and returned to Europe. There she became a member of Sharpham North Community and served as a guiding teacher at Gaia House, both of which are based in Devon, England. She has also led a Buddhist studies program at Sharpham College in Totnes, Devon. As a multilingual individual, Martine speaks English, Korean, and French and can read Chinese characters.
Hyunoong Sunim is a Korean Zen master as well as a Taoist Master born in South Korea. He is a disciple of Ku San Sunim and entered Songgwangsa Buddhist Monastery in 1966. From 1966-1969 he studied in the Sutra Hall of Songgwangsa, studying Buddhist sutras and philosophy. In 1970 he began his studies of Zen philosophy and Zen meditation. After ten years of training in Zen Meditation halls, he felt that the traditional zen hall training was not helping his practice. He then lived for three years as a wandering beggar, begging for his food and places to sleep. This gave him the opportunity to let go of everything he was holding on to. It was during this period that he finally realized what correct zen practice really is, and felt that he was ready to study under a great master. He then went to Master Jeon Gang Sunim in YongHwaSa Temple in Incheon, South Korea and began studying under him.
Su Bong was a Soen Sa Nim in the Kwan Um School of Zen, the designated heir of Seung Sahn's lineage. Of both Korean and Chinese heritage, he was born in Kona, Hawaii. Su Bong began his practice with Seung Sahn in 1974, helping to establish many Zen groups and temples for the lineage in the years that followed. In 1981 he received inka from Seung Sahn, making him a Ji Do Poep Sa Nim (JDPSN) in the lineage and, in 1983, he was ordained a sunim and given the Buddhist name Mu Deung. He received Dharma transmission on October 11, 1992. On July 17, 1994, Su Bong died of unknown causes at a retreat while conducting kong-an interviews in Hong Kong. Today the Kwan Um School of Zen has a practice center in his name located in Hong Kong and named Su Bong Zen Monastery.
Kobongsoensanim, the 77th Patriarch in his teaching lineage, was a Korean Zen master.
Zen master is a somewhat vague English term that arose in the first half of the 20th century, sometimes used to refer to an individual who teaches Zen Buddhist meditation and practices, usually implying longtime study and subsequent authorization to teach and transmit the tradition themselves.
The Venerable Samu Sunim (1941), born Sam-Woo Kim, is a Korean Seon sunim of the Jogye Order. He received Dharma transmission from Zen Master Weolha Sunim in 1983. He has taught primarily in Canada and the United States, having opened centers in Toronto, New York City, Ann Arbor, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois as well as Mexico City.
Below is a timeline of important events regarding Zen Buddhism in the United States. Dates with "?" are approximate.
The Golden Wind Zen Order (GWZO) is an American Zen Buddhist Order with centers and groups in Long Beach, CA and Seattle, WA. It was founded in 2004 by Zen Master Ji Bong. Moore began training with the Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1974, and was one of the founders of the New Haven Zen Center and core teachers of the early years of the international Kwan Um School of Zen. He was a teacher at several centers around the United States, and after more than twenty years of training, he received Dharma transmission from Seung Sahn in 1997.
The roots of Buddhism in Lithuania can be traced to the 20th century, although the time of its first introduction there remains unknown. Zen Buddhism practiced in Lithuania today originated in Korea. There are a few active communities across the country including Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, Panevėžys and Šakiai.
Soshimsa Zen Center is a Buddhist organization in New Jersey affiliated with the Taego Order of Korean Zen.
Yaoshan Weiyan was a Zen Buddhist monk who lived during the Tang dynasty.
Zen was introduced in the United States at the end of the 19th century by Japanese teachers who went to America to serve groups of Japanese immigrants and become acquainted with the American culture. After World War II, interest from non-Asian Americans grew rapidly. This resulted in the commencement of an indigenous American Zen tradition which also influences the larger western (Zen) world.
Seon Buddhism is the name given to the Chan Buddhism tradition in Korea. A main feature of Seon Buddhism is a method of meditation, Ganhwa Seon. A Korean monk, Jinul accepted partially a meditative method of Chan Buddhism in 1205. In Chan Buddhism, hwadu was a delivery of realising a natural state of the Awakening. Jinul addressed a doctrine of Sagyo Yiepseon ) that monks should live an inborn life after learning and forgetting all creeds and theories. Within the doctrine of Jinul, hwadu is the witnessing of truthful meaning in everyday life.
Zen Master Daewon Moon Jae-hyeon is a Korean Zen master in South Korea. A disciple of Zen Master Jeongang, he received Dharma transmission from his teacher and thereby becoming the 78th patriarch in the Dharma Lineage of the Buddha in 1962.
Daehaeng Kun Sunim was a Korean Buddhist nun and Seon (禪) master. She taught monks as well as nuns, and helped to increase the participation of young people and men in Korean Buddhism. She made laypeople a particular focus of her efforts, and broke out of traditional models of spiritual practice, teaching so that anyone could practice, regardless of monastic status or gender. She was also a major force for the advancement of Bhikkunis (nuns), heavily supporting traditional nuns’ colleges as well as the modern Bhikkuni Council of Korea. The temple she founded, Hanmaum Seon Center, grew to have 15 branches in Korea, with another 10 branches in other countries.
Pomnyun Sunim is a Korean Buddhist monk and a Seon master renowned as an author, a Dharma teacher, and for his humanitarian work. He is also a social activist, leading various movements, such as ecological awareness campaigns and the promotion of human rights, as well as working toward world peace and the eradication of famine, disease, and illiteracy. In recognition of his efforts and achievements, Pomnyun Sunim was a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding in September 2002.
1. World Zen Fellowship http://www.worldzen.org. Retrieved 2010-11-02 and Rocky Mountain News 9/27/2002, and Korean American Buddhist Times June 28, 2003 and http://www.youngpyungsa.org/temple/community/community_04_view.html?id=4330 Young Pyung Sa (YPS) International Zenn Center and http://www.rappnews.com/2010/10/21/sperryville-column-for-oct-21/8547/ Rappahanock News, October 21, 2010
2. Hwagyesa International Zen Center http://www.seoulzen.org/information.html Retrieved 2010-11-02
3. Pohwa Sunim quoted from Zen Dharma Exchange #1 “Dualistic Thinking”
4. Pohwa Sunim quoted from Zen Dharma Exchange #2 “Enlightenment”
