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spring wind newsletter Vol. 1, No. 1 Fall 2009 An Account of How Sunim Came to New York City & All that Happened in the buddhist society for compassionate wisdom Summer of 1967 In This Issue Zen Master Who? Errata Statement Unfolding Buddha’s Teaching My Path to the Way of Buddha Precept-Taking & Renewal Ceremony The No Dharma Family Dharma Training Opportunities Visitor’s Program Sangha News Peace Camp Teachers’ Corner 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 In 1967, I arrived in New York City and stayed for five months. Forty years later, in November 2007, I returned. What I am today for Buddhism in this country I owe to three people I met 40 years ago in Japan. Nomura Tadayoshi was then a Rinzai Zen monk of Kotoku-ji temple in Ueno, Tokyo, when I was staying at the same temple in Spring 1967. Without his kind help I would not have been able to come to America. I met Perry Bullard at the East-West Discussion Group in Tokyo. At the time he was serving as a U.S. Navy pilot on an ROTC ticket, and during his off-duty period, he was active in the anti-Vietnam War movement. We spent time together discussing non-aggression and conflict resolution for achieving world peace, and we became good friends. It was Perry who purchased a plane ticket for me to fly to New York City. He asked me, “Where do you want to go in the U.S.?” “I have no idea,” I said. He thought for a moment and replied,“It’s a big country. You should go to New York City. It’s big enough, and you’ll have no trouble finding interesting people to help you.” Brian Victoria was a Christian missionary turned Soto Zen monk who was getting a name for his anti-war activism. One day he confided to me that he was making good money on takuhatsu (almsbegging). This was counterintuitive to me, because I was more used to destitution as a beggar and the vow of poverty and humility as a mendicant. Brian (author of Zen at War) took me to Asakusa, a major tourist attraction in Tokyo, and we stood in front of the gateway at a respectable distance from each other and began to recite the Heart Sutra aloud in Japanese. Brian immediately attracted attention and donations—he was tall, and hakujin (white person) at that. People swarmed around him and donations poured in. It was an instant success not only for solicitation but also for publicity. Once he was featured on the cover of Time magazine for We are delighted to present the first issue of the Spring Wind Newsletter. The purpose of this quarterly newsletter is to connect and serve the Spring Wind community of the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom through the exchange of information and improved communication. Continuing in the tradition of our past publications Temple News and Spring Wind: Buddhist Cultural Forum, the Spring Wind Newsletter seeks to bring our sanghas together while informing the public of Buddhist tradition and promoting Buddhism in everyday life. We also strive to facilitate the encounter between Buddhist wisdom and Western society. We invite your feedback and welcome your contributions in the form of local news, short articles, photographs and letters to the editor as together we walk the Way of Buddha in North America. Spring Wind Fall 2009 1 disgust about the dirty hippies ruining the country. Jim and the veteran immediately got into a heated argument about the Vietnam War and patriotism. I watched with growing interest and awakening. I witnessed young people questioning blind patriotism (“our country right or wrong”), perhaps for the first time in U.S. history, and protesting against their president (“Tricky Dick”) misleading the nation. Old Dharma friends: Samu Sunim with Charles Carpenter, the first American Zen monk in the Japanese tradition, at Charles’s farmhouse in Coon Rapids, Iowa (June 2003). Samu Sunim stayed in his one-bedroom rooming house for one week when he first arrived in New York City in the summer of 1967. (For more information on Charles Carpenter, see Spring Wind: Buddhist Cultural Forum, Spring 2004, Vol. 9, No. 2) Photo: Sanha Jung Soon Park his political activism, which annoyed the Nixon Administration. Brian helped me obtain a visa from the U.S. consulate in Tokyo. After his discharge from the U.S. Navy in 1968, Perry went back to Harvard and then to the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor for his graduate studies. In 1972, he was elected to the state legislature as a representative of Ann Arbor. He served as a liberal lawmaker for the state of Michigan for 20 years. He passed away at the age of 56 in October 1998. I am grateful to these three unforgettable good friends for the wonderful opportunity they provided me for Buddhist work in this country. What contributions I have made to the Buddhist movement in the last 40 years are thanks to them. 2 Spring Wind Fall 2009 San Francisco & Haight-Ashbury In mid-August 1967, I arrived at San Francisco airport and learned that I had to wait three days for my connecting flight to New York City. I remembered the letter of introduction to Shunryu Suzuki Roshi (1904–1971) that Brian had given me just in case. So I visited the San Francisco Zen Center on Bush Street. I greeted Katakiri Sensei, who was conducting zazen, and was told that Suzuki Roshi was away on a fundraising trip. For a guide and orientation, I called a friend of Perry’s in Berkeley. It didn’t take long before Jim showed up. No sooner had we finished greeting each other than he said with excitement, “You can’t leave San Francisco without visiting HaightAshbury! It’s one place you cannot miss, if you want to see change taking hold in this country.” So we set out for the center of the hippie movement. On the way we ran into a veteran who was grumbling with More and more countercultural young people came into view. Some wore Indian headbands and jackets with tassels and carried burning incense, while others wore tie–dyed clothes or halter tops and carried small bells that jingled as they walked. Many were barefoot or wore sandals. We dropped by a local clothing store run by the Diggers. The clothes were not for sale; they were free. We were told we could pick any clothes on the rack but should leave our old clothes behind. What a just distribution according to one’s need, I thought. It was akin to Buddhist monastic communism based on the minimalist economic principles of reduced desire, reuse and recycling. There was much in common between Buddhism and their consciousness revolution, the peace movement, anti-establishment sentiment and communal living. Add to this young people sitting in meditation at the Zen Center! I could hardly believe the extraordinary phenomenon of my encounter with the subculture of the “flower generation.” However, it was not until we arrived at a community church—where several hundred hippies were doing love-ins, during what later became famous as the Summer of Love—that I had my first serious cultural shock. Their psychedelic indulgence and sexual revolution, which was their expression of peace, love and personal freedom, were well beyond my comprehension at the time. I managed to stop by the Zen Center again before I left for the airport. I wanted to take one more good look at young Americans sitting still in Zen concentration. Still it was difficult for a monastic product like me to understand the two sides of the young Americans’ bohemian subculture—their unrestrained behavior and their spiritual aspirations. I met Shunryu Suzuki Roshi briefly. He had just returned from his trip in time for an important service for his Japanese congregation, so it was a busy time, but he was gracious in receiving me. I was more impressed, however, with his wife, Mitsu-san, partly due to my solidarity with minjung bulgyo (Buddhism for common ordinary people) and sympathy for underdogs. Propriety and ritual are an important part of Japanese society. I presented Suzuki Roshi with the letter of introduction from Brian Victoria. Then he shouted to the outside, “O-cha” (“tea”). Before long the door flew open, and a pot of tea was brought in. That was the first time I met Mitsu-san. I could see and feel her scurrying around to prepare the service and attend to her husband so that he would enjoy peace of mind and be able to entertain the guest. It was a familiar scene of the drudgery performed by wives of Japanese temple priests. I excused myself and bowed out of the room. After the death of Roshi, I met Mitsu-san twice at the San Francisco Zen Center. According to the Japanese custom, she was addressed as oku-san (someone’s wife) at the Zen Center. Mitsu-san faithfully served her husband and supported his Dharma work when he was alive. She stayed on at the Zen Center after his death and imparted stability to the sangha through her quiet and dignified presence during the turmoil of the early 1980s. But very little, if anything, is known about her, while a great deal of information, some of which is romanticized and exaggerated, is available on Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. Panhandling in New York City Ten days after I arrived in Manhattan— during which time I moved from place to place—I ended up on the streets with nowhere to turn. I figured that people in academic institutions would be sympathetic to a Buddhist monk from Asia, so I picked up an empty can and went to Columbia University. I sat down at the non-entrance side in front of a double iron gate and carefully placed the empty can in front of me. It was my hope that passersby would drop some coins in the can while I meditated. But it didn’t work. People were curious about the novelty of silent begging, but apparently they did not respond to non-proactive solicitation. A man was standing in front of me before I became aware. He was a university guard. He shouted something like, “Beat it, man,” with a wild gesture. I got up to move. Just then a student who was watching me intently from a distance came over and motioned for me to follow him. He took me to the subway and then to Washington Square Park, haven for hippies and anything-goes. He selected a “good” spot for me on the corner and went across the street to watch the turnout of the event. Soon I was surrounded by about 30 young people in every form of casual dress and hairstyle. Like good boys and girls, they were admirably sitting quietly, perhaps in imitation of me. However, that did not keep the police away. Two policemen came by to check me out. Noticing the most unusual figure even among the unusual crowd, they came straight to the main perpetrator and pulled me out. “What were you doing?” “Meditating.” “You cannot meditate in the public space. It obstructs the free movement of pedestrians.” “I was soliciting donations through meditation.” “Do you have a permit?” It never occurred to me that I would need a permit for mendicancy (or “panhandling”—the hippie jargon I learned later on). One policeman whispered to his friend and then came over and drew me aside. Moving away from the hippie crowd he said, “My girlfriend is Asian.” Conveying a friendly feeling, he advised me, “Avoid violating the law. You can get into trouble with U.S. immigration officials. Go get a permit from the Department of Social Services.” Then he drew a map to get there. I thanked him for his kindness. I walked all the way to the department. When I arrived, I explained my situation and requested a permit for soliciting. The official said, “No, I cannot issue you a permit just to support you. You must have a good reason such as feeding the hungry and helping the poor or building a church or temple for the public.” I said right away, “I would like to build a temple.” He looked at me straight and said with a smile, “Well, our city can benefit from a new Buddhist temple! But I need a letter from an established Buddhist church in the city stating that you are a Buddhist monk.” I was at a loss, for I didn’t know of any such place. Sensing my predicament, he mentioned a well-known Buddhist establishment and gave me directions. Three Vows I was all curious and eager to see the Buddhist establishment in Manhattan. The head minister was away so the assistant minister received me. I told him my situation and asked for help. He was reluctant and evasive. I grew desperate and pleaded with him for help. Still with great reluctance, he went inside and brought back a letter. I took it, anxious to get back to the office before it closed. The official greeted me with a beaming smile. I respectfully presented him the letter. He opened the letter and read it. Then he looked up at me with disbelief. He glanced at the letter one more time and asked me if I knew what the letter said. I said I did not know. He handed it to me to read. The letter said, “I do not know this person. He looks like a monk. But I do Spring Wind Fall 2009 3 not really know him. He urged me to write something for you so I wrote this.” All of a sudden, everything looked dark, and tears began to form with surging sadness. But I did not want to show my emotion in front of the official. I thanked him for his help and hurried out of his office. I sat down on the corner of the street, buried my head between my knees and broke into tears. When I finally raised my head after a good sob, I realized that I was practically surrounded by rush hour traffic. I must have been so absorbed in my sadness that I became totally oblivious to the hustle and bustle of the largest city in the world for a little while. Everyone was busy going home or on the move. I got up and looked up at the sky. I realized that the minister did nothing wrong. He was trying to be honest with himself. As a result of that, perhaps, he may have overlooked important Buddhist values of Sangha brotherhood and compassion. I made three bodhisattva vows to follow, provided that I be allowed to stay in this country to work for Buddhism. First, I would do my utmost to help Buddhist monks and teachers from Asia settle in America and spread the teachings of the Buddha. Second, I would help promote inter-Buddhist dialogue among different groups representing Asian traditions, both national and sectarian, so that they could understand each other better and share their experiences for their common goals in the West. Third, I would learn from the social service experiences of Christian traditions and work with their leaders for interreligious exchange and cooperation on social justice and world peace. Washington Square Park & Greenwich Village I was feeling dizzy and had to sit down. I had no energy left. It dawned on me that I had not eaten for more than three days. I moved my body slowly and walked back to Washington Square Park. The young flower people were waiting for 4 Spring Wind Fall 2009 me. “What happened? What happened? Did you get a permit?” they kept asking. I had no answer. I could not say anything. I was also very tired. They understood. Right away someone brought me water and then food. They kissed and hugged me. It was all so intimate, immediate and spontaneous! I knew that in Seon (Zen) training, monks learn to do things intimately, immediately and spontaneously until they become obvious. However, this was a totally new experience! It was difficult to distinguish giving your life for the salvation of the world in enlightened consciousness from giving yourself freely for peace and love in unenlightened consciousness. I was nicely confused. This was my second cultural shock. My hippie friends went around panhandling on my behalf while I was regaining my strength. They collected $35 and gave it to me as an offering. I was completely overwhelmed. It was getting dark. A woman invited me to her house. She lived alone. As soon as I was shown my quarters, I fell to sleep. It was a long day! When I woke up in the morning, everything was very quiet. The house looked deserted. I went to the living room and sat down on the couch. I was careful not to make noise or disturb the owner, who I thought might be asleep. As I was thinking that the house was bare and empty, all of a sudden I began to notice black cats here and there and everywhere. They were all coming out of their hiding toward me. I was not used to domesticated animals, so I was a little scared. When I realized that they were harmless, I sat still and meditated for a long time. When I got up to do bohaeng (walking) meditation, the cats followed me. So we did bohaeng together. Around noon I went outside and walked the short distance to the park. When the hippies saw me, they brought water and food again. I sat near the fountain or in the shade and watched them playing. I also watched reactions to the hippie scene by “straight” people. When I returned to the house in the late afternoon, five black cats were all waiting for me. I knew nothing about pets. I was not familiar with pet food and playing with them or showing affection. So it took me a while to learn to be helpful when they approached me. In the meantime, I also learned that nighttime hippies were different from daytime hippies. Nighttime hippies were part-timers who showed up after work or on weekends. They embraced the hippie philosophy of peace and love but also indulged in the use of marijuana and LSD and drinking. At night, the pubs in Greenwich Village surrounding Washington Square Park thronged with nighttime hippies, freelancers and tourists. The scent of pot smoke drifted to the street, borne by laughter. True, it was mostly adults having fun through their psychedelic experience, but framed against the darkness outside, it was a piece of non–still life that somehow increased my feeling of isolation as “the stranger in a strange land.” The majority of daytime hippies were runaway teenagers. In rebellion against the establishment, the hippie counterculture expressed itself through love and sharing, rock music and dance, and getting high via grass and consciousness expansion. So many male and female teenagers were willing to drop out of school and leave home to join this subculture and/or wander around in pursuit of a meaningful life and liberation. Perhaps it was the first time in human history since the preenlightenment Buddha joined the samana (wandering spiritual seekers) movement more than 2,500 years ago that young people were rejecting the establishment en masse for a new age and message. To be continued in the next issue. Zen Master Who? errata statement James Ford has kindly allowed us to reprint this posting from his blog, which corrects several errors of fact about Samu Sunim that appeared in his book Zen Master Who? (Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2006). The post can be accessed at http://monkeymindonline. blogspot.com/2008/09/zen-mastersamu-sunim.html ✦ Sadly my book Zen Master Who? has numerous errors of fact. Most are pretty small potatoes. But I have recently learned of one significant enough that I am seeking various venues to publicly correct it. There will be an errata page for the book placed at my publisher’s website, and should there be a subsequent edition it will be corrected. I have corrected Samu Sunim’s biographical sketch at Wikipedia which was based in part upon my work. And I also want to post this here at my personal blog. I have long been an admirer of Zen Master Samu Sunim’s work. But I read that he never received Dharma transmission. I should have dug deeper than I did before writing this as fact. In fact Samu Sunim received Dharma transmission from Zen Master Weolha Sunim in 1983. Perhaps of course this particular article in the book has more errors than I find in any other single place. Nowhere near as important, but still needs to be said is that I reported he had married without leaving the celibate Jogye Order, when in fact he had left that order and established a non-celibate order, the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Living [sic] prior to his marriage.* I deeply regret these errors of fact. For more details I copy a note from the Secretary of the Society. 1) In 1943, Samu Sunim’s father left for Manchuria in order to join the Korean army for national independence. He did not return to his family in South Korea after liberation from Japan in 1945. 2) Samu Sunim was ordained by Dongsan Sunim (1890–1965) who served as the spiritual head (Supreme Ancestor) of the Jogye Order from 1954 through 1962. Sunim studied Seon under Dongsan Sunim and Seolbong Sunim (1890–1969), the Seon master of Beomeo-sa monastery in Busan. In September of 1983, Sunim received a Certificate of Dharma Transmission (Geondang, literally “establishing your own Dharma house”) from Weolha Sunim (1915–2005), Seon Master of Tongdo-sa monastery (one of the Three Jewel Temples in Korea). 3) Samu Sunim arrived in New York City in August 1967. In February 1968, he moved to Montreal and four years later to Toronto. The Seon(Zen) Lotus Society (Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom since 1990), which Sunim founded in New York City, is a noncelibate (celibacy optional), North American Buddhist order. 4) At present, Haju Linda Jean Murray and Toan José Castelão Cámara are the only disciples who received Sunim’s sanction to teach Dharma. *The Jogye Order used to represent traditional Korean Buddhism in its entirety and was the only Buddhist monastic community in the country prior to 1962. As members of the ruling class of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), Neo-Confucian scholar officials suppressed Buddhism in varying degrees of intensity throughout the dynasty’s half millennium of domination. They forced different Buddhist schools to merge with the two schools of doctrine and meditation (Seon) and abolished the rest. They reduced the number of temples and monks and confiscated their landed properties. During the later period of the dynasty, the monks were treated as lower class and became subject to corvée and extortion by local and central government officials. The result was the complete collapse of ecclesiastical hierarchy, and groups of individual monks left to fend for themselves with or without a teacher. It was under such circumstances that Gyeongheo (1849–1912) enlightened himself without a teacher and revitalized Seon Buddhism by establishing meditation centers and training eminent disciples who together ushered in a golden age of Seon. It was during the Japanese colonial period (1910– 1945) that the ecclesiastical order of Korean Buddhism was reestablished and the name Jogye adopted. This Jogye Order was an all-embracing and truly ecumenical form of Buddhism that included not only Seon and all doctrinal schools but also Pure Land and mantra/esoteric practice. Great tolerance and Dharma energy prevailed, and a free and uplifting spirit flowed among the practitioners. Samu Sunim comes from this Jogye Order, a bond that he cannot sever, like no one can sever their ties with their birthplace. What he left was his relationship with the current administration of the Order, partly because he could not maintain celibacy while doing Dharma work in secular society and could not insist on celibacy to his ordained Western disciples. —Spring Wind Newsletter Editors Spring Wind Fall 2009 5 Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom News Unfolding Buddha’s Teaching Wondrous is this robe of liberation, A jewel beyond form and emptiness. Wearing it, I will unfold Buddha’s teaching For the benefit of all sentient beings. —Gatha for Accepting the Gasa In a solemn and moving ceremony celebrated on July 4, 2009 at 9:30 am at Zen Buddhist Temple–Toronto, Ven. Samu Sunim ordained three new Dharma Teachers by giving them the Ten Bodhisattva Precepts to serve the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom. With Buddhas, bodhisattvas, friends, family and sangha members bearing witness, Bopchi Eduardo López Colin, Kohye Jeffrey Boland and Koseya Blair Thomas recited the Ten Great Vows in unison, committing to benefit all beings and follow the Dharma—and never grow tired of it! As Dharma protectors for the BSCW, Bopchi, Kohye and Koseya also pledged to ensure the integrity of the Spring Wind Sangha and to promote its solidarity and growth. Bopchi (“Dharma Pass”) Eduardo López Colin was born December 11, 1963 in Mexico City, Mexico. He first became involved with the Mexico City sangha in 1996. Bopchi took precepts in Chicago in 2001 and started Maitreya Buddhist Seminary training in 2002. He is married to Victoria Olivar and is the father of Ashavri (21 years old) and Diego (18 years old). Bopchi studied Psychology at the Universidad Autónoma de México and holds a diploma in Human Resources Management from Lasalle University in Mexico City. He is a Business Strategy and Human Resources Consultant and Executive Coach. In addition, he has been a business trainer for the last 23 years and an open space conference facilitator for the last 17 years. Bopchi also sings and plays guitar for a hobby. Bopchi’s wonderful Dharma energy and Dharma rhythm are apparent to all who meet him! 6 Spring Wind Fall 2009 Left to right: Toan Sunim, Koseya Blair Thomas, Ven. Samu Sunim, Kohye Jeffrey Boland, Bopchi Eduardo López Colin, Haju Sunim Photo: Sanha Jung Soon Park Koseya (“No Meaning”) Blair Thomas was born May 30, 1962 in Iron Mountain, Michigan. He grew up in Jacksonville, Alabama where his family was active in the Episcopal Church. Koseya studied at Oberlin’s Conservatory of Music and College in Ohio, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature in 1985. Koseya moved to Chicago that same year to begin a career in the theater. He founded Chicago’s renowned Redmoon Theater in 1989 and served as the artistic director and co-artistic director until 1998. Koseya began teaching at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1991 where he is currently an adjunct associate professor. in January 1998 and began the Maitreya Buddhist Seminary in September of that same year. In January 1999, Koseya became a residential Dharma student at the Chicago temple for six months and continued Dharma student training until the fall of 2001. Since September 2007, he has participated in the Dharma Guardian Program. Koseya started attending Zen Buddhist Temple–Chicago in May of 1995 and took the Introductory Meditation Course that summer. He participated in his first Yongmaeng Jeongjin Retreat in June 1997 and took precepts that July. He started the Dharma Worker Program Koseya consciously promotes Dharma by integrating Zen teachings and stories of spiritual transformation into his acclaimed puppet productions including The Oxherder’s Tale, which ran most recently at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, and the series 108 Ways to Nirvana, In August 2001, Koseya married Taga Sheri Doyel. He started his own puppet theater named Blair Thomas & Company in 2002 where he serves as Artistic Director. He is the father of the twin boys Abraham and Silas Thomas. The Five Pledges performed at Zen Buddhist TempleChicago and other venues. Standing upright, Koseya has been an inspiring example of going straight and ever guarding the Dharma. Kohye (“Grateful Heart”) Jeffery Boland was born in Battle Creek, Michigan on October 7, 1969. He first began meditation training with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s students in 1987 in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, Michigan. He began Zen study in 1992 with Genjo Marinello Osho, based in Seattle, where he also studied Aikido. Kohye first visited Zen Buddhist Temple–Ann Arbor in 1989 and began attending regularly in 1996. He took the Introductory Meditation Course at the Ann Arbor temple in 1997 and took precepts in Chicago the same year. Kohye earned a BA in philosophy and mathematics from the University of Michigan in 1992 and his PhD in mathematics, also from the University of Michigan, in 1998. He moved to Hamilton, Ontario, to teach mathematics at McMaster University and began occasionally attending the Toronto temple at 86 Vaughan Road. He first entered Maitreya Buddhist Seminary in 1998. In 2000, Kohye moved to Toronto and became a very active member of the Toronto sangha, serving on the Advisory Council and volunteering in many capacities. He re-entered Dharma student training in 2007 and has been instrumental in establishing our New York City sangha. I am fully aware that the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom originated from and inherited its Buddhadharma from the Korean Jogye Order. Therefore, it is my duty to become familiar with the Korean Buddhist tradition and gain a great understanding of the ecumenical character of our tradition, so that I am able to contribute to the transmission of Korean Buddhism to the West. I pledge that I will adhere to the pure standards and other guidelines of our ordained sangha and honor my commitments to the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom. I pledge that I will faithfully follow the teachings of our founding teacher Master Samu Sunim and embody his Dharma spirit to advance his teaching and wisdom. I pledge that as a member of the Sangha Council, the decision-making body of our order, I will abide by our Statement of Purpose, Constitution and by-laws laid down by our President and senior Sangha Council members. I pledge that I will serve as a Dharma protector for the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom and promote solidarity, harmony and peace within our Spring Wind Sangha. I pledge that I will do my utmost to ensure the integrity and unity of the Spring Wind Sangha and to further the growth and flourishing of the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom. Kohye has been employed in the financial industry and is the founder/principal of a newly established life reinsurance and asset management company. Kohye is a deeply modest person and Dharma friend to all, whose generous heart has benefited the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom in many silent ways. Ordainees reciting the Ten Great Bodhisattva Precepts Photo: Sanha Jung Soon Park Spring Wind Fall 2009 7 Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom News My Path to the Way of Buddha Koseya Blair Thomas I look forward to providing an example and an opportunity for people to enrich their lives spiritually. I was drawn to meditation for practical reasons, at the beginning. I wanted to remember what had happened in the course of the day.… And so I started to sit in meditation as a practical thing, just to remember what had happened to me. This sitting led to gradually becoming more awake to the experience of my life. From there, taking the responsibility for my own life seemed like the obvious next step. It was very easy for me to live a life of delusion, to live a fantasy of what I wanted my life to be and the way I would like it to be. But in sitting, it became clear to me how this delusion created suffering for myself and for others around me. So I tried to just sit and not be concerned about my failings and my successes but just to sit. And I was reminded of that this week—I was able to join the Yongmaeng Jeongjin retreat here. I am a theater artist and a teacher with an area of focus in puppetry. In 1998 I was in need of a mentor, professionally. That’s how I thought of it. I thought, I need some sort of guidance. I looked around in my field and couldn’t really find anyone, but I had been going to this temple in Chicago. And it was pretty easy: I just got on my bicycle and rode over there. It was very close; I didn’t have to do any research or climb a mountain. And there was Samu Sunim. He was always there as an example. And I decided that I would follow him as a mentor. I asked him if I could study with him, and he said that he would be responsible for my Dharma training. And I can attest that he has been responsible, from that moment on. Directly and indirectly, all my interactions with him have helped me in my practice. And so I’m just closing to say that I’m very grateful for this gift, and I will do my utmost to bring the practice as an example to others around me, whether that’s a 8 Spring Wind Fall 2009 passerby or intimate friend, student, colleague, my family members or members of the sangha as well. Photo: Gaia Louman Kohye Jeffery Boland When I stumbled upon Buddhism and meditation in 1987, it was immediately compelling to me, and quickly became one of the most important things in my life. It changed my life at that time. And I can say that it’s really the only thing that’s been constant through my life since then. Meditating, Buddhist practice, coming to temple, things of that sort, to me always feel like really coming home. Especially here in Toronto, with this sangha. Since the mid-’90s, when I met Haju Sunim and Samu Sunim in Ann Arbor, this community has really been my true home. So that’s the first thing that brought me here. There’s no other place to really be. The second thing that brings me here is the tradition that extends back 2,500 years to the Buddha himself. The more I learn about and study that tradition, reading the words of the saints, the scholars, the monks, the arhats, the poets, the vast literature of thought and wisdom that’s kept in this treasure trove of Buddhist teaching, I remember I just wanted to be part of that tradition. I really believe that it’s just an amazing source of insight and knowledge and wisdom, and the really strong thing that’s compelled me to be here is that I would hate for that to disappear from the world, and I think that this country and this culture that we live in deserve to understand and know about all those things. So, hopefully I can help transmit some of that. The third reason I’m here is Samu Sunim himself. For me, Sunim connects that path, that long tradition with the future. I have a profound respect, love, gratitude and admiration for Sunim as my Dharma teacher. And I want to help him with his work extending this tradition into the future. In closing, I would also like to thank all of the teachers in this community that have really been instrumental examples to me: Haju Sunim, Toan Sunim, and Anicca and Anjali, in particular. “...this community has really been my true home. So that’s the first thing that brought me here. There’s no other place to really be.” —Kohye Jeffery Boland Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom News 18th Biennial International Precept-Taking & Renewing Ceremony On July 4, 2009 at 11 am after the ordination ceremony, the 18th Biennial International Precept-Taking and Renewing Ceremony was held at the Toronto temple. Thirty-five members and friends took the eight precepts to form the No Dharma family with 14 from Ann Arbor, 6 from Chicago, 3 from Mexico City, 3 from New York City and 9 from Toronto. Twentyfour people renewed their precepts (10 from Ann Arbor, 3 from Chicago, 3 from Mexico City and 8 from Toronto). Ven. Samu Sunim explained the three major meanings of the homonym “No” which he selected as the common name for the Dharma Family taking precepts: one is “old and experienced” (like an old mountain or old tree); the second meaning is “open and outdoor”; the third meaning is “exertion.” Kunaka Pearl Ratunil from Chicago encouraged the new Buddhists with an account of the often unexpected ethical awakenings she experienced in her everyday life after taking her precepts last year. At the end of the precept taking and renewing ceremony, Sunim reminded everyone assembled there of the three “Wows” of Buddhist Life: Buddhists are a bunch of energetic people; Buddhists are a bunch of happy people, and Buddhists are a bunch of helpful people! Everyone shouted back, full of enthusiasm and renewed spirit for their Buddhist journey. A delectable feast was arranged by the Toronto Advisory Council to celebrate the commitment of the No Dharma Family. Welcome! Eight Precepts I resolve to abstain from doing harm, but to cherish all life. I resolve to abstain from taking what is not given, but to respect the things of others. I resolve to abstain from engaging in sexual misconduct, but to practice purity of mind and self-restraint. I resolve to abstain from lying, but to speak the truth. The No Dharma Family and precept renewers Photo: Sanha Jung Soon Park Taking precepts along with the rest of the No family in Toronto this summer was an incredibly joyful experience for me. From the moment I arrived at the temple, I was overflowing with excitement. After all the preparations with my Dharma sisters in Chicago, after all the weeks of prostrations and chanting and contemplations on the precepts, it was finally time for the culminating event. (But first, of course: more prostrations!) The ceremony itself embodied all the qualities of being “intimate, immediate, spontaneous and obvious,” filled with laughter, high spirits and gratitude toward our teachers. But, perhaps most importantly, it felt like a door we were all walking through together, stepping into a new commitment to ourselves, symbolized by our new names. Being in the presence of so many other Buddhist practitioners from North America was very moving, a beautiful reminder of how we’re working together to establish Zen in the West. —Noil Allison Felus I resolve to abstain from partaking in the production and trading of firearms and chemical poisons or of drugs and liquors that confuse or weaken the mind. I resolve to abstain from wasting, but to conserve energy and natural resources. I resolve to abstain from harboring enmity against the wrongs of others, but to promote peace and justice through non-violent means. I resolve to abstain from clinging to things that belong to me, but to practice generosity and the joy of sharing. Spring Wind Fall 2009 9 Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom News The No Dharma Family TORONTO Rae Ellen Bodie–Nocheon–The Open Air, Buddhism Open Lauren MacKinnon–Noin–Pilgrim Rachael Frankford–Nopasim–Excessive Care & Kindness Joseph Gleeson–Nobangcho–Grasses Growing on the Roadside Christine Kim–Noroak–Volcano on Top of Halla Mountain in Jeju Island Jamie Penic–Nogodan–Mountaintop Shrine for Goddess Nogo David Rendall–Nodeok–Old Virtue John Renwick–Nosim–Exertion of Mind Kelly Wray–Nobak–Steady, Reliable ANN ARBOR Peter Arts–Nosuk–Sleeping Outdoors/Wayfarer Nicole Bishop–Nobul–Buddha Outdoors, Buddha in the Marketplace Joslyn DeVinney–Noji–Bare Ground; In the Wilderness Kevin Dole, Jr.–Nonara–Onomatopoeia Mark Harvey–Nojang–The Old and the Young, No Difference Debra Moss–Nosana–Locana, Sambhogakaya (Enjoyment Body of Vairochana Buddha) Elizabeth Purdy–Noam–Exposed Rock Jessica Rivait–Nook–Dewdrops Robert Schoof–Nogochu–An Old Gimlet (An Experienced Teacher, Nickname for Master Mazu) Karla Snyder-Barker–Nomok–An Old Tree William Solomonson–Nojak–Hard Work Kimberly Wehrmeister–Nomyeong–Life Fleeting Like Morning Dew Launda Wheatley–Nopo–Spread (Dharma) Scott Williams–Nohaengja–Huineng When He Was a Novice MEXICO CITY María Angélica Acevedo Murillo–Nori–Life as Play Alfonso Montaño González–Nohan–Arahant or Arhat Juan Carlos Rivera Huerta–Norim–An Opportunity in Waiting CHICAGO Allison Felus–Noil–Work & Rest Ellen McClure–Noara–Let Go Peggy Neuzil–Nogol–Candor, Openness Lourdes Ortega–Nodangdang–Completely Revealed, Clear Jennifer Shin–Noju–A Bare Pillar Standing by Itself Elizabeth Walton–Nochul–Exposure NEW YORK Carmen Casado–Norang–Yellow, Wisdom & Color of Mahayana Sutra Lawrence Grecco–Nosan–An Old Mountain Carolyn Kessler–Nosang–On the Road 10 Spring Wind Fall 2009 “Make the precepts your own. When you do that, you discover your true nature....The precepts are not about being perfect. You cannot disappoint anyone, including yourself. Let yourself discover, learn, enjoy, be enthusiastic.” —Kunaka Pearl Ratunil Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom News Dharma Training Opportunities Maitreya Buddhist Seminary Dharma Guardian Program This program is designed to train Dharma students enrolled in the Seminary to become Buddhist priests or lay Dharma Teachers. The three-year period of study and cultivation encompasses the Five Gates of Liberation and can be shortened or lengthened depending upon the qualifications and progress of each student. One can train residentially or non-residentially. It is available both for married or unmarried persons. Please inquire for more details by calling your local temple or visiting our website. This program intends to help Buddhists become ethically and socially responsible in their professional and personal lives. The purpose is to transform their work and home environment into the ground of Dharma cultivation and turn their daily life into an opportunity for lay bodhisattva training by applying the Buddhist precepts, Right Livelihood Guidelines and Six Perfections (Paramita). It is a yearand-a-half or two-year program. A lay bodhisattva is one who brings Buddhist wisdom to the center of his or her life and learns to practice ethical accountability and compassion with a wisdom eye for the happiness of all beings. Dharma Students 2009 Ann Arbor Maum Gloria Cox, 3rd year Senior Jimyo Lisa Ferworn, 2nd year Junior Sukha Ryan Doran-Fisher, 2nd yr. Junior Sanjang Mike Nowik, 1st year Chicago Bopkyong Lisa Galicia, 3rd year Senior Who Can Apply? People who have completed the Introductory Meditation Course and have taken precepts or are willing to take precepts. Requirements Full morning practice for 30 minutes Monday through Friday Keeping a practice journal Monday through Friday Weekly or biweekly attendance at local temple for meditation and chanting Monthly consultation (always on Saturday) with temple priest or Dharma Teacher for instruction and seminar Retreats & Study Program Participation in two- or three-day retreats per term recommended Required reading of Buddhist texts; essay writing optional interested in becoming a Dharma Student may receive six months to one year of credit towards seminary training. Dharma Guardians 2009 Ann Arbor Tilman Borgers Sudo Matthew Lecki Konggi Frank Anderson Najimak Lee Saborio Kowang Lila Kadaj Sophie Machicoane Suyong Elizabeth Hendriks Chakumant Paul Najur Chicago Tarang Delamie Thompson Nochul Elizabeth Walton Mexico Bopkong Juanita Ochoa Toronto Pulsim Joseph Digregorio g Mexico Mexico City Kongyi Elena Centeno García, 3rd year Senior Tosa Blanca Reyes, 2nd year Junior Arezki Hernández, 1st year Bopsan Juan Antonio Sánchez, 1st year Novice g g g g Morelia, Michoacán Beatriz Huerta, 1st year Novice María Estela Castro, 1st year Novice Roxana Arias, 1st year Novice Gabriel Arciniega, 1st year Novice Cuernavaca, Morelos Konggan Petra Meyer, 1st year Novice g g Individuals who successfully complete the Dharma Guardian program and are “Meeting monthly, reflecting on everyday things in the context of my practice, allowed me to reframe my perceptions of daily life in an effort to ‘see things as they really are.’ The inner strength I am developing has benefited me, my family and others with whom I work. ... I look forward to sharing this path with others.” —Tarang Delamie Thompson Spring Wind Fall 2009 11 Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom News Visitor’s Program The temples of the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom offer the opportunity for short or long-term residential stay, combining spiritual cultivation and community living. Residents participate fully in temple practice while maintaining their jobs or studies, integrating right livelihood in an atmosphere of Dharma friendship. The Visitor’s Program provides a quiet and contemplative environment for people to pursue Buddhist practice more seriously, to seek peace of mind and solitude or for those who need a quiet place for personal and spiritual reasons. For more information and an application, contact your local temple. It’s a rich and fulfilling experience to live at the temple. I came because of my interest in Zen, but found a continuously flowing community of like-minded people. When everyone is trying to be considerate, interactions and daily routines become joyful. My own practice has become strong from their support, and by consistently practicing myself, I’ve supported them too. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s the most important thing I’ve done, both for myself and for everyone I interrelate with. —Kuhaeng Richard Gaeth I was looking for a lifestyle that would be more self-caring, that would be about my own well-being. In the morning, I awake from my night of sleep and awaken to my practice. It’s a beautiful way to start the day, to be reminded of awakening with the service. For example, the first use of my voice in the day is chanting Yebul, which sets the tone for the day. The evening service, too, can frame the day and give it a power that is a part of the rhythm of the day. I find that very nurturing, and I’m happy and grateful to Summer Yongmaeng Jeongjin 2009 All beings, one body, I vow to liberate. Thirty-seven practitioners from Canada, Mexico and the United States gathered at Zen Buddhist Temple in Toronto for the Summer 2009 Yongmaeng Jeongjin intensive retreat held June 28 through July 3. The five member temples of the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom were each represented with 28 participants completing the full five-day “fearless practice” retreat. As one body, retreatants awoke to the chanting of the Great Compassion Dharani, greeted the day, sat with unknowing mind, ate in mindfulness, worked with silent attention and retired after the night bell. Simple routines, Sunim’s teachings and encouragement and the steadfast examples of our priests and teachers inspired strong, sincere practice as the seagulls called, the sunlight crept along the carpet, the bell pierced the silence and the Dharma rain fell, fearlessly. 12 Spring Wind Fall 2009 have that. My life here is luxurious in a spiritual sense. It’s disciplined by design, rather than by personality. It’s an incentive to keep my priorities in line with my means. I don’t have a typical domestic environment that might otherwise keep me away from things that support my well-being. I’m advocating designer homelessness in a way! I’m not tempted by other distractions. I would use the word luxurious again: I live in a luxurious way, but an unconventional way, which is very attractive to me. —Kupum John Becker As a Dharma student, I decided to take up residential training at the Chicago temple in May 2007 to better focus my energies and support our Spring Wind sangha. That desire ultimately led me to sell my house, resign my job and unload my high heels and business suits at the neighborhood consignment shop in order to complete training as full-time temple staff. Living at the temple is a daily learning and unlearning, a doing and undoing: simplifying and working with what I have; practicing despite my mood or whim, shedding layers of Lisa one by one. Deep silence and solitude are balanced by boisterous Dharma spirit and friendship. The sangha and other residents are an endless inspiration to my practice. Living here is a privilege and a discipline and a joy. —Bopkyong Lisa Galicia Sangha News Ann Arbor Sangha The Ann Arbor temple organized the 23rd annual Peace Camp that was held once again near Chelsea, Michigan, at the Friends Lake Community, a Quaker organization with a beautiful lake, forest and campground area. Members from the Ann Arbor and Chicago temples, as well as friends from Toledo and such far-flung locations as Montana and Nebraska, camped together for six days, enjoying the lake and its surroundings. All ages were represented in this six day long community—from babies and nursing mothers to seniors. Programs for adults and children ran concurrently during parts of each day, and both groups gathered together for delicious mealtimes, morning circles to share songs and teachings, daily after-lunch peace hour, skit night, Peace Lanterns on the Lake, campfires, amazing story telling and more. A special feature was early morning meditation on the dock as the sun rose and the whole lake reflected the sky and trees around it. Our camp coordinator Tabul Eva Leventer has been coming to Peace Camp since she was a small child, and we are grateful for her leadership with our committed and hardworking camp committee these past few years. With this committee Kurum Liz Ellis from Chicago will coordinate Peace Camp 2010. We thank everyone who helped this year and grin when we think of another joyful camp next summer. The Ann Arbor sangha also held its “Great Green Recycling Yard Sale” for the 23rd year—though Haju Sunim says she has lost count! Members and friends of the temple offer furniture, household items and more while many other items are gleaned from the streets by our yard sale bodhisattvas, coordinator Maitreya Lenny Bass and his assistant Tara Robert Hughes. Over the course of three weeks leading up to the sale, everything is organized, cleaned and displayed under large canopies in the temple yard. Just a few of our recycling and renewing efforts are sewing and vacuum-washing couch cushions; bike tune ups and repairs; checking and fixing electrical goods; and repairing broken furniture with beautiful attention to detail. The yard sale is often a way for people to experience the temple for the first time, as it’s a public event that’s well known throughout the community (and especially popular with incoming students at the university who need furnishings for their dorms and apartments). Bookbuyers come and scan ISBNs, and some women come specifically to scope out our jewelry. In these challenging times everyone is looking for a bargain. As cosmos bloomed and the tomatoes ripened in the garden, attendees perused the merchandise that otherwise might have gone to the landfill site. Deep gratitude goes to Maitreya, Tara and the dozens of sangha volunteers who turned up to help. Everyone’s effort counts and is appreciated. Chicago Sangha Ever the youngest sibling and a stranger to the gardening glory of her sisters, the Chicago sangha rebuilt its vegetable beds and reaped a respectable harvest of wax beans, one perfect jalapeño pepper, some zesty arugula and a bounty of delicious herbs this summer. The wild wisteria threatening to overtake the Sangha Hall was pruned for the promise of beautiful blooms by next year’s Buddha’s Birthday. Sangha Coordinator Kosa Joe Schuman presented a well-attended summer lecture series on Key Buddhist Teachings in July and August. Topics for the fiveweek series were: First Teachings; Faith Without Dogma: Buddha, Dharma & Sangha; Ethics without Evil: Sex, Drugs, Red Meat & Violence; Religion Without God: Buddhism & Other (?) Religions; and The Karma of Corporate Culture. Imbued with his characteristic insight and humor, the series inspired and educated sangha members old and new. Participants commented that the series was a “great introduction ” and that we should “put Kosa on YouTube!” In September, Chicago parent leaders debuted a “big kids’” service on the third Sunday of the month to complement weekly services for the little ones. A call for childcare volunteers was met with a robust response from Chicago sangha members eager to help parents have their own time for silent meditation and monthly meetings. In what has become an autumn tradition, bushels of fun and sun awaited all on the September 27 Sangha Outing to Lang’s Orchard for picnicking and apple picking. The aroma of apple pie and apple crisp is in the air. Mexico City Sangha Attendance on Sundays continues to be very good, always full or almost full to the 35-person maximum capacity. Kurum Liz & Hunter Ellis at Lang’s Orchard Photo: Nodangdang Lourdes Ortega Last year, a formal meditation group was reestablished in Morelia, Michoacan. Samu Sunim started the first one in 1986, when he first visited Morelia, giving a talk, Spring Wind Fall 2009 13 Peace Camp 2009 Peace Camp always reminds me that true community is possible, and I always leave looking forward to next year’s Peace Camp. —Sandong Kurt Iselt (Chicago sangha member and faithful parent leader) 1 3 2 Peace Camp is my favorite week of the year. When I am there, I have the feeling of belonging to a community of wonderful people. —Magamok Mike Umbriac (Ann Arbor sangha member and Peace Camp Planning Committee member) 4 6 7 8 5 Photos: Nochul Elizabeth Walton ( 1, 2, 4, 5, 7); Daniel Goldstein (3, 8, 9) 9 14 Spring Wind Fall 2009 Sangha News (continued) a workshop and a retreat. Afterwards, Toyun Edith LeBrely, a French woman who worked for the French Embassy in Mexico City and led the Mexico City Sangha, drove to Morelia regularly to conduct meditation and give talks. When she was assigned to work in Hong Kong, a senior member of the Morelia sangha, José Ramírez Guzman, convened the group for a number of years. When he left, the group dissolved. However, some of the old members regrouped on their own and continued to practice informally. Beatriz Huerta, who was among the participants, eventually founded an acupuncture and massage clinic called Yi-Shan. Upon Bety’s request, a formal group was reestablished last year and Toan Sunim began making regular visits there to hold workshops and retreats. The Morelia sangha now has regular sittings on Fridays from 6 pm to 8 pm at Yi-Shan. Bety and three others have subsequently become Dharma Students. On April 3rd, Mugae Miguel Angel Carrillo invited Toan Sunim to give a workshop in Veracruz at his school, Hwarang Taekwon-do. Ever since Mugae attended a retreat with Sunim and took precepts in 1997, he has been striving to incorporate meditation practice into his Taekwon-do teaching. Before he moved to Veracruz in 2005, he invited Sunim to his school in Mexico City several times to teach meditation to martial arts students. Konggan Petra Meyer started a meditation group in Cuernavaca, Morelos, two years ago. They sit on Fridays from 7 pm to 9 pm at a martial arts and yoga school, where she also studies. She took precepts years ago and became a Dharma Student in September 2009. New York City Sangha Samu Sunim taught the third Introduction to Meditation course at the Williamsburg, Brooklyn location (the fifth since the New York City project began) from September 29 to October 27. It was the first full five week course taught there as previous introductory meditation courses only ran four weeks. Nosan Lawrence Grecco intends to join seminary for the January 15 term, so to qualify he will begin the Dharma Worker program for the months of October, November and December 2009. Three members of the New York sangha took precepts in Toronto this summer: Norang Carmen Casado, Nosan Lawrence Grecco and Nosang Carolyn Kessler. Congratulations! The small and humble quality of the New York sangha and its meeting space reminds Sunim of his beginnings in the basement apartment in Toronto in 1972. In order to keep up with all the change and excitement, he says, “I have to get a lot younger!” When I first walked into the New York City Zen Buddhist Temple, it was immediately obvious that I’d finally found a place where I could practice. Despite its small size, it was somehow bigger than every other zendo and temple I had visited in Manhattan over the previous three years. The small converted apartment space managed to capture what many of the others could not despite their sincere attempts: a truly tranquil environment that could easily foster some serious sitting. Being part of a new sangha is a really unique experience. Not knowing when we’ll have a permanent temple makes me appreciate our current circumstances even more. And the intimacy with which we can all practice together as a small group is invaluable. —Nosan Lawrence Greco Toronto Sangha Toronto had a Rummage Sale and Recycling Day the weekend of September 12-13. It was a very successful event, with lots of energetic and cheerful volunteer effort by the sangha. The warm and sunny weather drew a large turnout, and Saturday was a very busy day, with a steady stream of visitors from start to finish. The boutique was an especially popular part of the sale. Art, jewelry and designer clothing were beautifully displayed by Kuson Anne Morin, who organized the boutique and attended it during the sale. The furniture outside in the parking lot sold very well, much better than in the past. Over the two days the temple raised $7,200. But with the help of all the sangha members, Sunim says it feels like they earned $72,000. This twice-a-year event is quite an undertaking. The hard work of the Advisory Council and all the volunteers was impressive and inspiring—Sunim says their help is invaluable. The three primary reasons why the rummage sale is important are to 1) raise funds for temple programs and supporting temple staff, 2) to promote reuse and recycling and 3) to work together as a community. Photo: Manora Katy Fischer Sanha calls it our city hermitage, and it’s true: New York recedes and becomes a deep and distant forest once you are inside its cozy rooms. The busy, gritty energy of the streets and subway and my own hurried thoughts deflate and fade until they drift off like clouds. Sitting by the river, just a few blocks away, we watch the big mountain of Manhattan as the water flows by. —Manora Katy Fischer Spring Wind Fall 2009 15 Teachers’ Corner Kosu Diane Snider departed from her duties as Acting Director of the Chicago temple in late June to serve as Acting Director for the Toronto temple. She is currently undergoing a one-year internship in preparation for priest ordination. Samu Sunim left Toronto for his stint in New York City on September 18 to continue his mission there. Koseya Blair Thomas, Taga Sheri Doyle and their twin sons Silas and Abraham have moved to a rustic farmhouse in the Wisconsin countryside. When in Chicago, Koseya attends morning practice at the temple and will be giving monthly Dharma talks at Sunday services in addition to leading the monthly Dharma Student and Dharma Guardian meetings. Kohye Jeffrey Boland has left New York to establish a new company in Los Angeles, California. Kohye has been practicing “working meditation” during long hours in front of the trading screens and on conference calls at his new three-person company. He finds opportunities every day to practice honesty, sincerity, integrity, humility and kindness with his business partners and clients. In his spare time he has been sitting alone in the mornings with the moon and palm trees and on the weekends with ocean waves and sandpipers. Sanha Jung Soon Park is visiting South Korea in September and October to be with her family for Chuseok (Harvest Moon Festival). This is her first family reunion in 12 years. While in Korea, Sanha is visiting numerous temples and volunteered for one week at Mihwangsa temple located at “land’s end” in the southeastern part of the country near the ocean. She is also participating in a weeklong retreat at Silsang-sa temple, one of nine Mountain Centers of Seon founded in the ninth century. Editorial board: Ven. Samu Sunim, Haju Sunim, Toan Sunim Editors: Noil Allison Felus, Bopkyong Lisa Galicia Layout and design: Kugong Brian Yates Spring Wind Newsletter is published quarterly by the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom, a North American Buddhist order. Vol. 1, No. 1, Fall 2009. Editorial Office 1710 W. Cornelia Avenue Chicago, IL 60657-1219, USA 773.528.8685 [email protected] www.zenbuddhisttemple.org © 2009 Spring Wind Newsletter. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. 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