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The Kwan Um School of Zen (관음선종회) (KUSZ) is an international school of
zen center The phrase Zen center was coined by American students of Shunryu Suzuki in the mid-twentieth century, and the San Francisco Zen Center became the first Zen center, incorporating in 1962. Neither temples nor monasteries (although at times operati ...
s and groups founded in 1983 by Zen Master
Seung Sahn Seungsahn Haengwon (, August 1, 1927November 30, 2004), 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 ...
. The school's international head temple is located at the
Providence Zen Center Providence Zen Center (PZC) is the Head Temple of the Americas for the Kwan Um School of Zen (KUSZ) and the first Zen center established by Seungsahn in the United States in October 1972. The PZC offers residential training where students and teach ...
in
Cumberland, Rhode Island Cumberland is the northeasternmost town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States, first settled in 1635 and incorporated in 1746. The population was 36,405 at the 2020 census, making it the seventh-largest municipality and the largest ...
, which was founded in 1972 shortly after Seung Sahn first came to the United States. The Kwan Um style of Buddhist practice combines ritual common both to
Korean Buddhism Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what its early practitioners saw as inconsistencies within the Mahayana Buddhist traditions that they received from foreign countries. To address this, the ...
as well as
Rinzai school The Rinzai school ( ja, , Rinzai-shū, zh, t=臨濟宗, s=临济宗, p=Línjì zōng) is one of three sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (along with Sōtō and Ōbaku). The Chinese Linji school of Chan was first transmitted to Japan by My� ...
of
Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...
, and their morning and evening services include elements of
Huayan The Huayan or Flower Garland school of Buddhism (, from sa, अवतंसक, Avataṃsaka) is a tradition of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy that first flourished in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907). The Huayan worldview is based primar ...
and
Pure Land Buddhism Pure Land Buddhism (; ja, 浄土仏教, translit=Jōdo bukkyō; , also referred to as Amidism in English,) is a broad branch of Mahayana Buddhism focused on achieving rebirth in a Buddha's Buddha-field or Pure Land. It is one of the most wid ...
. While the Kwan Um Zen School comes under the banner of the
Jogye Order The Jogye Order, officially the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism (대한불교조계종, 大韓佛敎 曹溪宗), is the representative order of traditional Korean Buddhism with roots that date back 1200 years to the Later Silla National Master Do ...
of
Korean Seon Seon or Sŏn Buddhism ( Korean: 선, 禪; IPA: ʌn is the Korean name for Chan Buddhism, a branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism commonly known in English as Zen Buddhism. Seon is the Sino-Korean pronunciation of Chan () an abbreviation of 禪那 ( ...
, the school has been adapted by Seung Sahn 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 The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to the various nations and states in the regions of Europe, North America, and Oceania.
.


History

Seung Sahn first arrived in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
in 1972, where he lived in
Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts ...
and worked at a
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...
-owned
laundromat A self-service laundry, coin laundry, laundromat, or coin wash is a facility where clothes are washed and dried without much personalized professional help. They are known in the United Kingdom as launderettes or laundrettes, and in the Unit ...
, repairing washing machines to financially support himself. Not long after, students from nearby
Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
began coming to him for instruction. This resulted in the opening of the
Providence Zen Center Providence Zen Center (PZC) is the Head Temple of the Americas for the Kwan Um School of Zen (KUSZ) and the first Zen center established by Seungsahn in the United States in October 1972. The PZC offers residential training where students and teach ...
in 1972. In 1974, prior to the official creation of the school, Seung Sahn founded Dharma Zen Center in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, a place where laypeople could practice without leaving their urban lives, and regardless of their background. In that same year,
Cambridge Zen Center Cambridge Zen Center is an urban meditation center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, close to Harvard University, part of the Kwan Um School of Zen. Free meditation training and dharma talks are offered to the public and the Zen Center also provides a ...
was also started. The following year, Seung Sahn founded the
Chogye International Zen Center Chogye International Zen Center is a Kwan Um School of Zen practice center founded by Seung Sahn in 1975, located in New York City. The center offers a daily practice regimen, as well as retreats and workshops. Wu Kwang is the guiding teacher and r ...
of
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, and then in 1977 Empty Gate Zen Center in
Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and E ...
. In 1979, the
Providence Zen Center Providence Zen Center (PZC) is the Head Temple of the Americas for the Kwan Um School of Zen (KUSZ) and the first Zen center established by Seungsahn in the United States in October 1972. The PZC offers residential training where students and teach ...
moved from its location in Providence to its current space in
Cumberland, Rhode Island Cumberland is the northeasternmost town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States, first settled in 1635 and incorporated in 1746. The population was 36,405 at the 2020 census, making it the seventh-largest municipality and the largest ...
. The Kwan Um School of Zen was founded in 1983, and in July of that year, construction began on a Korean-style zen monastery on the grounds of Providence Zen Center. Opening ceremonies for the monastery were held in July 1984. By the summer of 1984, there were four zen centers and three additional zen groups in Poland. By the time of Seung Sahn's death in 2004, he had established nearly 40 zen centers. The Kwan Um School of Zen has one of only a few Zen centers located in
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
with their Tel Aviv Zen Center, led by Revital Dan. It is one of only four Kwan Um School Zen centers in Israel, with its history linked to trips by Seung Sahn to Israel in the 1990s to teach at various
alternative medicine Alternative medicine is any practice that aims to achieve the healing effects of medicine despite lacking biological plausibility, testability, repeatability, or evidence from clinical trials. Complementary medicine (CM), complementary and al ...
centers. According to Lionel Obadia, "Revital Dan, currently heading the TAZC, followed
Seung Sahn Seungsahn Haengwon (, August 1, 1927November 30, 2004), 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 ...
back to Korea and trained in the monastic style of retreat. Back in Israel with her Dharma-teacher degree, she founded a Zen group. The opening ceremony of the TAZC took place in January 1999. The activities of the Kwan Um School have received widespread media coverage and the number of attendees is increasing." The other three centers in Israel practicing in the KUSZ are the Hasharon Zen Center, the Ramat Gan Zen Group and the Pardes Hanna Zen Centre.


Characteristics

According to the book ''Religion and Public Life in the Pacific Northwest'' edited by Patricia O'Connell Killen and Mark Silk, As Mu Soeng indicates, one of the key tenets to practice is what Seung Sahn often called "together action." Many members actually live in the zen centers, and one of the rules is that personal biases must be set aside for the good of the community. At the time of his arrival in America, Seung Sahn's teachings were different from many Japanese Zen Masters who had arrived in the United States to teach Zen Buddhism to Americans. During the early days he did not place a strong emphasis on seated meditation, which is the core of most Japanese traditions of
Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...
, but rather on
Koan A (; , ; ko, 화두, ; vi, công án) is a story, dialogue, question, or statement which is used in Zen practice to provoke the "great doubt" and to practice or test a student's progress in Zen. Etymology The Japanese term is the Sino-Jap ...
s. It was through the urging of some of his first students, some of whom had practiced in Japanese schools previously, that Seung Sahn came to place a stronger emphasis on sitting meditation. In addition to seated meditation,
chant A chant (from French ', from Latin ', "to sing") is the iterative speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two main pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of n ...
ing and
prostrations Prostration is the gesture of placing one's body in a reverentially or submissively prone position. Typically prostration is distinguished from the lesser acts of bowing or kneeling by involving a part of the body above the knee, especially ...
are very important forms of meditation for the school, aimed at clearing the mind of students. The school website says, "Prostrations could be likened to the 'emergency measure' for clearing the mind. They are a very powerful technique for seeing the karma of a situation because both the mind and the body are involved. Something that might take days of sitting to digest may be digested in a much shorter time with prostrations. The usual practice here is to do 1000 bows a day (actually 1080). This can be done all at once or as is usually the case, spread out through the day." The number of prostrations students often perform varies in part on their physical ability, though at least 108 and up to 1080 per day is usual. Also unique in the KUSZ is the fact that
celibacy Celibacy (from Latin ''caelibatus'') is the state of voluntarily being unmarried, sexually abstinent, or both, usually for religious reasons. It is often in association with the role of a religious official or devotee. In its narrow sense, th ...
is not required of those who are ordained. Rather, Seung Sahn created the idea of a "Bodhisattva Monk," which essentially is an individual who can be married and hold a job but also be a monk in the order. This status has now been superseded in the KUSZ by "Bodhisattva Teacher", who takes the 48 precepts but is not considered an ordained monk. Seung Sahn also held unorthodox views on Zen practice in
Western culture Leonardo da Vinci's ''Vitruvian Man''. Based on the correlations of ideal Body proportions">human proportions with geometry described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in Book III of his treatise ''De architectura''. image:Plato Pio-Cle ...
, and was open to the idea of his dharma heirs starting their own schools as he had done. Seung Sahn is quoted as having said, "As more Zen Masters appear, their individual styles will emerge. Perhaps some of them will make their own schools. So maybe, slowly, this Korean style will disappear and be replaced by an American style or American styles. But the main line does not change." Author Kenneth Kraft offers an apt quote from Seung Sahn on the issue of Zen and Western culture in his book ''Zen, Tradition and Transition'' (pp. 194–195),


''Kyol Che''

During the summer and winter months, The Kwan Um School of Zen offers a ''Kyol Che'' (meaning "tight
dharma Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...
")—a 21- to 90-day intensive silent meditation retreat. In
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...
, both the summer and winter Kyol Che last a duration of 90 days, while the
Providence Zen Center Providence Zen Center (PZC) is the Head Temple of the Americas for the Kwan Um School of Zen (KUSZ) and the first Zen center established by Seungsahn in the United States in October 1972. The PZC offers residential training where students and teach ...
offers three weeks in the summer and 90 days in winter. Arrangements can be made for shorter stays for those with busy schedules. A Kyol Che provides a structured environment for meditators. Participation in one of these intensive retreats offers individuals the chance to free themselves from intellectual attachments and develop
compassion Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to relieve the physical, mental or emotional pains of others and themselves. Compassion is often regarded as being sensitive to the emotional aspects of the suffering of others. When based on n ...
. Participants have no contact with the outside world while undergoing a retreat, and the only literature permitted are those works written by Seung Sahn. They are in practice from 4:45 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. each day, and are not permitted to keep a diary during their stay. Talking is only permitted when absolute necessity arises and during dokusan (), a private meeting with a teacher. The school also offers Yong Maeng Jong Jins, which are two- to seven-day silent retreats complete with dokusan with a Ji Do Poep Sa Nim or Soen Sa Nim (
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 authoriz ...
).Glossary of Terms
/ref>


Hierarchy

There are essentially four kinds of teachers in the Kwan Um tradition, all having attained a varying degree of mastery and understanding. # A dharma teacher is an individual that has taken the Ten Precepts, completed a minimum of four years of training and a minimum of eight weekend retreats, understood basic Zen teaching and has been confirmed by a Soen Sa Nim to receive the title. These individuals can give a Dharma talk but may not respond to audience questions. # A senior Dharma teacher is a Dharma teacher who, after a minimum of five years, has been confirmed by a Soen Sa Nim and has taken the Sixteen precepts. These individuals are given greater responsibility than a Dharma teacher, are able to respond to questions during talks, and give consulting interviews. # A Ji Do Poep Sa Nim (JDPSN or "dharma master"; ''jido beopsa-nim''; ; ) is an authorized individual that has completed kōan training, having received ''inka'', and is capable of leading a retreat. Completing kōan training is the first step toward becoming a JDPSN, followed by a nomination to receive inka by a Zen Master. There is no standard for measuring whether someone has completed their kōan training and many students who pass all kōans in the Kwan Um "12 Gates" are not nominated for inka. The individual is then assessed by five Dharma teachers, one being the nominating party, and the other four being independent Dharma teachers. The nominee must demonstrate an aptitude for the task of teaching, showing the breadth of their understanding in their daily conduct. Should the nominee be approved to be granted the title of JDPSN, a ceremony is held thereafter and the student engages in lively public
Dharma combat Dharma combat, called or ''shosan'' in Japanese, is a term in some schools of Buddhism referring to an intense exchange between student and teacher, and sometimes between teachers, as an occasion for one or both to demonstrate his or her underst ...
with a number of students and teachers. They are then given a
kasa Kasa may refer to Places *Kasa (kingdom), a former kingdom in Senegal *Kasa, Sweden, a village in northern Sweden *Kasa District, Kyoto, a district in Kyoto, Japan *Kasa Khurd, a village in Maharashtra, India *Kasa-Vubu (commune), a district in t ...
and keisaku and undergo a period of teacher training. # A Soen Sa Nim (Zen master; ''seonsa-nim''; ; ) is a JDPSN that has received full Dharma transmission master to master. The title is most often used in reference to Seung Sahn, but all Zen masters in the Kwan Um tradition have the title Soen Sa Nim. An Abbot serves a Zen center in an administrative capacity and does not necessarily provide spiritual direction, though several are Soen Sa Nims. These individuals take care of budgets and other such tasks. School Zen Master *
Soeng Hyang Soeng Hyang Soen Sa Nim (성향선사, born April 15, 1948) is a Zen Master and the Guiding Teacher of the international Kwan Um School of Zen, and successor to the late Seung Sahn Soen Sa Nim. Biography Born Barbara Trexler (later Barbara Rhod ...
School Abbot *
Dae Kwang Dae Kwang is a Soen Sa Nim and is the current guiding teacher of the Providence Zen Center. He was ordained as a monk in 1987 and received Dharma transmission from Seung Sahn in 1996. He also serves as head abbot of the entire lineage, ranking ju ...
Other Zen Masters *Dae Bong (Regional Zen Master, Asia, Australia, Africa) *Bon Shim (Regional Zen Master, Europe) *
Wu Kwang Wu Kwang Soen Sa Nim (1950–present), born Richard Shrobe, is head Zen teacher at Chogye International Zen Center of New York, a practice center of the Kwan Um School of Zen. Before coming to Zen practice Richard studied Hinduism under Swami ...
(Regional Zen Master, Americas) * Bon Yeon * Su Bong (deceased) *
Wu Bong Zen Master Wu Bong Sunim, born Jacob Perl, was a Zen master and monk in the Kwan Um School of Zen. Wu Bong Sunim was the head teacher of the European Kwan Um School of Zen until his death in April 2013. Early years Zen Master Wu Bong was born i ...
(deceased) * Hae Kwang *Bon Haeng *Bon Soeng *Dae Kwan *Chong Gak Shim *Dae Soen Haeng *Ji Kwang * Bon Hae Inactive *Sogong New schools *Bomun ( George Bowman) *
Dae Gak Dae Gak (born 1947), born Robert Genthner, is a Zen master and the guiding teacher of Furnace Mountain in Clay City, Kentucky, a Korean Buddhist temple and retreat center co-founded in 1986 with Seung Sahn. He received Dharma transmission from ...
*Ji Bong (
Golden Wind Zen Order 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 (Robert Moore). Moore began training with the Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn ...
)


Controversies

In 1988, Zen Master Seung Sahn admitted that he had had sexual relations with a few of his students. According to
Sandy Boucher Sandy Boucher is an American writer, Buddhist, and feminist. She lives in Oakland, California. Life and career Boucher received a master's degree from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Her degree was in the history and phe ...
in ''Turning the Wheel: American Women Creating the New Buddhism'': James Ishmael Ford had this to say on the relationships: The Kwan Um School of Zen has since developed an ethics policy that has guidelines for teacher/student relationships and consequences for unethical behavior.


Gallery

Image:Dae Soen Sa Nim (Seung Sahn).jpg,
Seung Sahn Seungsahn Haengwon (, August 1, 1927November 30, 2004), 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 ...
Image:Soeng Hyang.jpg,
Soeng Hyang Soeng Hyang Soen Sa Nim (성향선사, born April 15, 1948) is a Zen Master and the Guiding Teacher of the international Kwan Um School of Zen, and successor to the late Seung Sahn Soen Sa Nim. Biography Born Barbara Trexler (later Barbara Rhod ...
Image:Dae Kwang 2.jpg,
Dae Kwang Dae Kwang is a Soen Sa Nim and is the current guiding teacher of the Providence Zen Center. He was ordained as a monk in 1987 and received Dharma transmission from Seung Sahn in 1996. He also serves as head abbot of the entire lineage, ranking ju ...
Image:Wu Kwang.jpg,
Wu Kwang Wu Kwang Soen Sa Nim (1950–present), born Richard Shrobe, is head Zen teacher at Chogye International Zen Center of New York, a practice center of the Kwan Um School of Zen. Before coming to Zen practice Richard studied Hinduism under Swami ...
Image:Wu Bong.jpg,
Wu Bong Zen Master Wu Bong Sunim, born Jacob Perl, was a Zen master and monk in the Kwan Um School of Zen. Wu Bong Sunim was the head teacher of the European Kwan Um School of Zen until his death in April 2013. Early years Zen Master Wu Bong was born i ...
Image:Bon Yeon.jpg, Bon Yeon Image:Bon_Haeng.jpg, Bon Haeng Image:Dae Bong.jpg, Dae Bong Image:Bon Soeng.JPG, Bon Soeng Image:Dae_Kwan.jpg, Dae Kwan Image:Dae Gak.jpg,
Dae Gak Dae Gak (born 1947), born Robert Genthner, is a Zen master and the guiding teacher of Furnace Mountain in Clay City, Kentucky, a Korean Buddhist temple and retreat center co-founded in 1986 with Seung Sahn. He received Dharma transmission from ...
Image:Zen master George Bowman.jpg, George Bowman (Bomun) Image:Hyon_Gak_Sunim.jpg, Hyon Gak Sunim Image:Bo_Haeng_Sunim.jpg, Bo Haeng Sunim Image:Dae Won Sunim.jpg, Dae Won Sunim Image:Andrzej_Stec.jpg, Andrzej Stec, JDPSN


See also

*
Korean Buddhism Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what its early practitioners saw as inconsistencies within the Mahayana Buddhist traditions that they received from foreign countries. To address this, the ...
*
Buddhism in the United States The term American Buddhism can be used to describe all Buddhist groups within the United States, including Asian Americans, Asian-American Buddhists born into the faith, who comprise the largest percentage of Buddhists in the country. American Budd ...
*
Cambridge Zen Center Cambridge Zen Center is an urban meditation center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, close to Harvard University, part of the Kwan Um School of Zen. Free meditation training and dharma talks are offered to the public and the Zen Center also provides a ...
*
Chogye International Zen Center Chogye International Zen Center is a Kwan Um School of Zen practice center founded by Seung Sahn in 1975, located in New York City. The center offers a daily practice regimen, as well as retreats and workshops. Wu Kwang is the guiding teacher and r ...
*
Musangsa Musangsa (Seung Sahn International Zen Center) is an international zen center which follows the teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn. Musangsa is the Head Temple in Asia of the international zen organization Kwan Um School of Zen The Kwan Um Scho ...
* Tel Aviv Zen Center *
Timeline of Zen Buddhism in the United States Below is a timeline of important events regarding Zen Buddhism in the United States. Dates with "?" are approximate. Events Early history * 1893: Soyen Shaku comes to the United States to lecture at the World Parliament of Religions held in ...
* The Compass of Zen *
Wonkwangsa International Zen Temple Wonkwangsa International Zen Temple (, Korean: , English: Temple of Original Light) is a Korean-tradition zen temple and monastery located in Búbánatvölgy, a valley near Esztergom, Hungary. The temple is currently run by the Abbot Chong An ...


References


External links


Kwan Um United StatesKwan Um EuropeKwan Um GermanyKwan Um HungaryKwan Um PolandKwan Um RussiaKwan Um LithuaniaSu Bong Zen Monastery, Hong Kong秀峰禪院Empty Gate Zen Center of Berkeley, CADharma Zen Center of Los Angeles, CAZen Center of Bratislava, Slovakia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kwan Um School Of Zen Zen in the United States Zen sects Cumberland, Rhode Island Education in Providence County, Rhode Island 1983 establishments in Rhode Island