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The 2008 Crazy Wisdom Interview with Haju Sunim ~ Zen Teacher and Resident Priest at the Zen Buddhist Temple

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The 2008 Crazy Wisdom Interview with Haju Sunim ~ Zen Teacher and Resident Priest at the Zen Buddhist Temple The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal • May - August 2008 • Page 12 The 2008 Crazy Wisdom Interview with Haju Sunim ~ Zen Teacher and Resident Priest at the Zen Buddhist Temple Interviewed by Bill Zirinsky Photographs by Charles Boyer BZ: I know that you opened a very spacious new Hall last Haju Sunim has been the guiding year, and that many community light and Resident Priest for the Zen organizations, such as the Kirtan Buddhist Temple on Packard since the Yoga group, are enjoying using it early 1980’s. During these years, the very much. Can you tell us about Zen Temple has grown and thrived. the building of the new hall, and She is an important spiritual teacher whether it is working out nicely and leader in Ann Arbor, and she lives for the Temple? into her role with grace, intelligence, and kindness. Certainly she also Haju Sunim: Renovating our possesses great spirit, resilience and Sangha Hall doubled our size steadfastness to have shepherded her building-wise and was an exhila- flock for more than a quarter century! rating effort. Those men, women, and children who participated will The Crazy Wisdom Community Jour- always remember digging two 40 nal previously interviewed Haju Sunim ft long trenches in our crawlspace, back in 1997, when she still went by with rigged up lights, bucket by the name “Sukha Murray”. Because bucket, almost filling two huge of her special role in this community dumpsters. This was to provide as Ann Arbor’s only Zen teacher and space to install two long steel Priest, we wanted to bring our readers beams required to support the up-to-date on life at the Zen Temple, floor. and her life at the Zen Temple. We employed tradespersons to do the skilled work and we cleaned Asked what the name Haju Sunim is up the construction site over and about, she answered, “Haju is a word over again, hauled bricks, made that comes from the Diamond Sutra trips to the landfill, had weekly meaning “how to dwell” and Sunim is meetings to brainstorm & trouble- a Korean word that is an honorific for shoot and fundraised. At one all Buddhist monks, male or female, point it didn’t smell like the old an egalitarian title.” bike shop anymore and I always remember that Margaret Mead Born and raised in Vancouver, British said, something like, “It’s amazing Columbia, Haju is very much an Ann what a small group of dedicated Arborite at this point, and she raised people can do!”. her two daughters here. Her daughter, So far we have been using the Karima, is 29, and her daughter, Kom- Sangha Hall for Sunday morning ani, is 23. What follows is our recent public services, our children’s interview with her. This interview will services, yoga classes, for special also be available online at www.cra- speakers, several concerts, our zywisdom.net starting May 8th. (The Zenefit (benefit auction), and for 1997 interview, which was somewhat some community use. more in-depth, and covered some dif- BZ: Please tell us, also, about the ferent terrain, will also be available on Buddhist Peace Camp which the our website starting May 8th.) Temple has been sponsoring for many years? Haju Sunim: Ven. Maha Gho- Bill Zirinsky: Thank you, Haju, for sananda, a Cambodian monk, letting me ask you some questions. It always said, “A peaceful person has now been eleven years since I first makes a peaceful family, a peace- came to the Zen Temple to interview ful family makes a peaceful neigh- you, and I know that our reader- borhood, a peaceful neighborhood ship is interested in you, and in the makes a peaceful city, a peaceful Zen Temple. Rereading the original “The challenge over the years is how to adapt our Korean Son (Zen) city makes a peaceful state, a peaceful state makes a peaceful interview with you, I remain grateful Buddhist tradition for this American soil. This ultimately comes down for your kindness back then, because country, a peaceful country makes it was the first interview I had done for to how do I effectively deepen and cultivate myself and thus others so a peaceful hemisphere, a peace- the Crazy Wisdom Community Journal Buddhist teachings and practices will be relevant to people in our very ful hemisphere makes a peaceful with someone I did not already know outward looking society.” world, a peaceful world makes well, and our interview went swim- a peaceful solar system…” This mingly, and was quite interesting. inspiring concept and variations That encouraged me to keep doing on it have become a central focus taking and when it rains, I remember Vancouver, where I interviews for the Journal. So, you helped me to get started for Peace Camp. grew up and I am in regular touch with our Temple folks in doing interviews, and I appreciate you for that! Toronto, which is where I first began my Buddhist journey. It all started as half days for a week in the summer with It has now been more than 25 years since your arrival in two moms and 10 or 12 young children, a couple in dia- Bill Zirinsky: The Zen Temple has grown so much over Ann Arbor in 1982. You are a Canadian transplanted to pers, in the backyard of the Temple in 1985. I remember a the years. Tell our readers, how are things at the Zen Ann Arbor. It would appear that you have set down deep huge downpour and all of us running joyously in the rain Temple? roots here, would you say that? and also dousing each other with buckets of water from a tiny kiddies wading pool. We did beginning meditation, Haju Sunim: Vibrant. It’s quite wonderful how people Haju Sunim: Ahh yes, Ann Arbor and the Temple are my yoga, arts & crafts, had snacks and lunch on tables covered of all ages and persuasions have become interested in home, the center of my universe these days. I feel an inti- with red and white plastic tablecloths and sometimes went Buddhist teachings and practice, how many have stepped mate connection in particular with the plants and trees and to Buhr Park Pool or a nearby lake in the afternoon or to forward to provide support in a myriad of ways, even to be their seasons, even the buildings on our Temple property pick blueberries in Dexter. trained to be Buddhist teachers, and more. We are learning with all of their idiosyncrasies. I am touched by friends I fell in love with Long Lake and Friends Lake Community how to support our growing children & family program, in many parts of the city and beyond and feel we form a just past Chelsea after camping there with my friend, Bar- how to better provide Buddhist education and practice for vibrant network, sometimes invisible but nonetheless there. bara Brodsky, and her boys in the early 90’s and thought, our members, how to care for our four buildings… given Now and then when the wind blows fresh & almost breath “It would be quite a leap to pull off a full day weeklong modest people and financial resources? The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal • May - August 2008 • Page 13 overnight camp but why not give it a try?” this year our children recently planted some seeds which munity: senior citizens, caretakers for the mentally ill, and And we did, schlepping almost all of the Temple kitchen will eventually be planted out in the garden. disabled and low-income folks. out to Friends Lake picnic shelter, setting up our yard sale On a pilgrimage to Korea in the early 1980’s I collected Our Temple is open to residents, people who would like to canopies and sleeping in tents. cosmos seeds from the gardens of monasteries and from undertake a time of regular practice in a Buddhist commu- Camp has flourished at Friends Lake with attendance at the roadsides and these have been reseeding themselves nity, following the morning and evening schedule, helping 75-100 children, parents, counselors, resource people, and in various parts of the garden each year…beautiful white, other interested folks. Now there are programs for both pinks, and mauves, very hardy. children and adults as well as times together for all ages. A few years ago, Temple Residents initiated the planting of a native plant area, which is beginning to flourish, and in I often tell the story of how my We share the cooking of our meals and all the upkeep de- younger daughter learned a long chant tails of camping together. Activities include arts and crafts, one corner a group of members established a small medita- swimming, boating, campfires, skitnight, “in the woods tion/memorial garden. Pathways are made from chips in a fifth century Indian language activities”, an overnight across the lake, morning circle from our oak and ash trees that have come down over the through the floor. The girls and I lived years and serve for walking meditation. – meditation, stories, singing, dancing, peace hour after in two rooms under the meditation lunch, and more. We still go blueberry picking together! Working in the garden is part of our practice. Originally Counselors, staff members, and families regularly join us our main garden was a gravel parking lot and over the hall and they always heard what was from our Temples in Chicago and Toronto and from other years the parking lot has been transformed into a very going on upstairs and sponged it up! fertile vegetable plot, where worms abound and members parts of the country including Montana, Nebraska, Mas- That is the way that I have found that sachusetts, and New York, and within a few days of being clear, dig, compost, plant, weed, and harvest.
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