Taigen Daniel Leighton
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Taigen Dan Leighton (born 1950, grew up in Pittsburgh, PA) is a
Sōtō Sōtō Zen or is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (the others being Rinzai school, Rinzai and Ōbaku). It is the Japanese line of the Chinese Caodong school, Cáodòng school, which was founded during the ...
priest and teacher, academic, and author. He is an authorized lineage holder and
Zen Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...
teacher in the tradition of
Shunryū Suzuki Shunryu Suzuki (鈴木 俊隆 ''Suzuki Shunryū'', dharma name ''Shōgaku Shunryū'' 祥岳俊隆, often called Suzuki Roshi; May 18, 1904 – December 4, 1971) was a Sōtō Zen monk and teacher who helped popularize Zen Buddhism in the Unite ...
and is the founder and Guiding Teacher of Ancient Dragon Zen Gate in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, Illinois. Leighton is also an authorized teacher in the Japanese Sōtō School (''kyōshi'').


Biography

Leighton's father was a medical school professor and cancer researcher, his mother a high school French teacher and librarian. Leighton began his Zen practice in 1975 at the New York Zen Center, training under Kando Nakajima
rōshi (Japanese language, Japanese: "old teacher"; "old master") is a title in Zen Buddhism with different usages depending on sect and country. In Rinzai Zen, the term is reserved only for individuals who have received ''inka shōmei'', meaning the ...
. He studied at
Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
, where he obtained a
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
in East Asian studies. Leighton worked as a television and film editor in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, and then San Francisco. In 1978, he moved to
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
and eventually became a resident at
San Francisco Zen Center San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC), is a network of affiliated Sōtō Zen practice and retreat centers in the San Francisco Bay area, comprising City Center or Beginner's Mind Temple, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, and Green Gulch Farm Zen Center. ...
, where he worked at Tassajara Bakery and other of Zen Center's businesses. In subsequent years, Leighton practiced in residence at all of the San Francisco Zen Center facilities, including
Green Gulch Farm Zen Center Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, or Sōryu-ji (蒼龍寺 '' Green Dragon Temple'') is a Soto Zen practice center located near Muir Beach, California, that practices in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. In addition to its Zen training program, the cente ...
and
Tassajara Zen Mountain Center The Tassajara Zen Mountain Center is the oldest Japanese Buddhist Sōtō Zen monastery in the United States. It is on the border of the Ventana Wilderness and within the Los Padres National Forest, southeast of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The ...
. In 1986, Leighton was ordained as a priest by Reb Anderson in the latter's first ordination ceremony. In 1990 Leighton served as ''shuso'' (head monk) for the Spring practice period at Tassajara monastery under Zenkei Blanche Hartman as her first ''shuso''. Leighton lived in
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
from 1990–1992, translating
Dōgen was a Japanese people, Japanese Zen Buddhism, Buddhist Bhikkhu, monk, writer, poet, philosopher, and founder of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan. He is also known as Dōgen Kigen (), Eihei Dōgen (), Kōso Jōyō Daishi (), and Busshō Dent ...
texts with
Shōhaku Okumura Shōhaku Okumura (, born June 22, 1948) is a Japanese Sōtō Zen priest and the founder and abbot of the Sanshin Zen Community located in Bloomington, Indiana, where he and his family currently live. From 1997 until 2010, Okumura also served a ...
and training under various masters. In 1994, Leighton founded the Mountain Source Sangha in
Bolinas Bolinas is an unincorporated coastal community and census-designated place in Marin County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 1,483. It is located on the California coast, approximately (straight line dis ...
, San Rafael, and
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
, California (of which Ancient Dragon Zen Gate is a sister temple). In 2000, Leighton received ''
shihō refers to a series of ceremonies in Sōtō Zen Buddhism wherein a '' unsui'' receives Dharma transmission, becoming part of the dharma lineage of his or her teacher. Ceremony ''Shiho'' is done "one-to-one in the abbot's quarters (''hojo'')". ...
'', or Dharma transmission, from Reb Anderson. He taught for four years at
Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola is one of the largest Catholic Church, ...
and has taught since 1994 at the
Institute of Buddhist Studies The Institute of Buddhist Studies is a Jodo Shinshu-affiliated seminary and graduate school, located in Berkeley, California. It is a member school of the Graduate Theological Union, also located in Berkeley. Its mission is to provide graduate le ...
, part of the Berkeley
Graduate Theological Union The Graduate Theological Union (GTU) is a consortium of eight private independent American Seminary, theological schools and eleven centers and affiliates. Seven of the theological schools are located in Berkeley, California. The GTU was founded ...
, from which Leighton has a
Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...
degree. Leighton has been involved in many interfaith dialogue programs, including conducting Buddhist–Christian dialogue workshops. He has long been active in various Engaged Buddhist programs for social justice, including Environmental and Peace activism. Leighton's peace activism goes back to dedicated anti-Vietnam War work in high school, and he was then as a College freshman arrested as part of the 1968 week-long building occupation at Columbia University protesting the War and racism. In 2007 Leighton relocated to Chicago to serve full-time as Guiding Dharma Teacher for Ancient Dragon Zen Gate, which he had founded with students there a few years before. In 2008 Leighton performed ''Zuisse'' ceremonies at Eiheiji and Sōjiji temples in Japan to be recognized as a Dharma teacher by the Japanese Sōtō School. In 2019 Leighton completed Dharma transmission ceremonies at Ancient Dragon Zen Gate for his Dharma heirs Nyozan Eric Shutt and Eishin Nancy Easton.


Professorships

Over the years, Leighton has taught at various universities around the world. The following is a complete list: *
Kansai University , abbreviated as or , is a Private school, private non-sectarian and coeducational university with its main campus in Suita, Osaka, Suita, Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan and two sub-campuses in Sakai, Osaka, Sakai and Takatsuki, Osaka. Founded as ...
*
Ōtani University is a private Buddhism, Buddhist university in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Ōtani University is a coeducation institution with an emphasis on Buddhist studies. A two-year private junior college is associated with the university. The university is asso ...
*
California Institute of Integral Studies The California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) is a private graduate school (with limited undergraduate offerings) in San Francisco. Founded in 1968 as the California Institute of ''Asian'' Studies, the name was changed in 1980. CIIS has b ...
*
University of San Francisco The University of San Francisco (USF) is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit university in San Francisco, California, United States. Founded in 1855, it has nearly 9,000 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees ...
*
Saint Mary's College of California Saint Mary's College of California is a Private college, private Catholic college in Moraga, California, United States. Established in 1863, it is administered by the De La Salle Brothers. The college offers undergraduate and graduate programs w ...
*
Institute of Buddhist Studies The Institute of Buddhist Studies is a Jodo Shinshu-affiliated seminary and graduate school, located in Berkeley, California. It is a member school of the Graduate Theological Union, also located in Berkeley. Its mission is to provide graduate le ...
*
Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola is one of the largest Catholic Church, ...
*
Meadville Lombard Theological School The Meadville Lombard Theological School is a Unitarian Universalism, Unitarian Universalist seminary in Chicago, Illinois. History Meadville Lombard is a result of a merger in the 1930s between two institutions, a American Unitarian Associatio ...


Gallery

Image:Taigen_Dan_Leighton_3.jpg


Bibliography

*Leighton, Taigen Dan (2022) “Dōgen’s Vision of the Environment and his Practice of Devotion and Faith,” in Prebish, Charles S. and Ng, On-cho (eds.) ''The Theory and Practice of Zen Buddhism: A Festschrift in Honor of Steven Heine''. Singapore, Springer. pp. 103-121. * *Leighton, Taigen Dan (2020) “Being Time and Deep Time” in Kaza, Stephanie (ed.) ''A Wild Love for the World: Joanna Macy and the Work of Our Time''. Boston: Shambhala. pp. 226-235. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


See also

*
Buddhism in the United States The term American Buddhism can be used to describe all Buddhism, 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. ...
*
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 ...


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Leighton, Taigen Dan Buddhist translators San Francisco Zen Center Soto Zen Buddhists Zen Buddhist priests American Zen Buddhists Nautilus Book Award winners Living people 1950 births Columbia College (New York) alumni Graduate Theological Union alumni