The Kwan Um School of Zen
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What is Zen?
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The Kwan Um School of Zen is an international organization of Zen centers and groups founded under the direction of the Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn.
Zen Master Seung Sahn first traveled to the West in 1972, and met his
first Western students in Providence Rhode Island, in the United States,
where he established the first Zen center, Providence Zen Center.
Soon, more Zen centers were created on both coasts and in the midwest.
In 1978, Zen Master Seung Sahn began traveling to Europe and new Zen centers quickly appeared in many countries including Spain, Poland and Germany. He also regularly visited Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, establishing new Zen centers in Asia outside of Korea. Zen Master Seung Sahn introduced many Western students to the traditional 90-day intensive Zen retreats known as “Kyol Che,” which has been a central aspect of Korean Zen practice for monks and nuns for over 1,000 years. Today, Kyol Ches are held each year in summer and winter at designated Zen centers in North America, Europe and Asia, where monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen can all practice Zen together. Over the years, more centers and groups were founded around the world, and in 1983, this growth led to the formal organization of the Kwan Um School of Zen, with the purpose of providing cohesion and administrative support to all of its centers. Kwan Um means “perceive world sound,” to hear the suffering sounds of the universe and offer help. Today, the international Kwan Um School of Zen has more than a hundred centers and groups and over 40 authorized Zen masters (Soen Sa’s) and Dharma masters (Ji Do Poep Sa’s) who teach in more than 12 languages. Kwan Um Zen centers provide scheduled meditation practice sessions, public talks and retreats that are open to all who wish to practice Zen. The School also provides Dharma Teacher training for lay practitioners, and residential training and monastic training at designated centers. There are three main administrative regions within the organization: the Americas, Europe, and Asia. |
Everybody
says, "I" - "I want this, I am like that..." But nobody understands
this "I." Before you were born, where did your I come from? When you
die, where will your I go? If you sincerely ask, "what am I?" sooner or
later you will run into a wall where all thinking is cut off. We call
this "don't know."
Zen is keeping this "don't know" mind always and everywhere. When walking, standing, sitting, lying down, speaking, being silent, moving, being still. At all times, in all places, without interruption - what is this? One mind is infinite kalpas.Meditation in Zen means keeping don't-know mind when bowing, chanting and sitting Zen. This is formal Zen practice. And when doing something, just do it. When driving, just drive; when eating, just eat; when working, just work. Finally, your don't-know mind will become clear. Then you can see the sky, only blue. You can see the tree, only green. Your mind is like a clear mirror. Red comes, the mirror is red; white comes the mirror is white. A hungry person comes, you can give him food; a thirsty person comes, you can give her something to drink. There is no desire for myself, only for all beings. That mind is already enlightenment, what we call Great Love, Great Compassion, the Great Bodhisattva Way. It's very simple, not difficult! So Buddha said that all beings have Buddha-nature (enlightenment nature). But Zen Master Joju said that a dog has no Buddha-nature. Which one is right? Which one is wrong? If you find that, you find the true way. |
Our Teachers
Zen Master Jok Um
(Ken Kessel)
Zen Master Jok Um (Ken Kessel), Guiding Teacher of the New Haven Zen Center, received inka in April 1996 and received Dharma transmission (became a Zen Master) in April, 2016. He has studied with Zen Master Seung Sahn since 1975. He has an MSW degree and has been practicing as a psychotherapist since 1983. He currently lives in New York City.
Paul Bloom, SDT
Paul Bloom, Abbot of the New Haven Zen Center, has practiced Buddhist meditation since 1975. He was authorized as a Senior Dharma Teacher by Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1994. He has an M Architecture degree and has practiced as a professional interior and furniture designer since 1970. He lives in New Haven with his wife Millie Grenough.
Keith Angilly, SDT
