Primary VolumeP 30 • Number 2 • int Summer 2013 2] residential training CO-GUIDING TEACHERS: ZEN MASTER BON HAENG (MARK HOUGHTON), NANCY HEDGPETH JDPSN 99 pound road cumberland ri 02864 • 401-658/1464 • director@ providencezen.org • www.providencezen.org
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PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Primary Point IN THIS ISSUE 99 Pound Road, Cumberland RI 02864-2726 U.S.A. Editor’s Note ...... 4 Telephone 401/658-1476 Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim www.kwanumzen.org Zen Master Ji Kwang ...... 4 [email protected] online archives: Pure Love www.kwanumzen.org/teachers-and-teaching/ Zen Master Bon Shim...... 6 primary-point Still Helping You Published by the Kwan Um School of Zen, a nonpro t reli- Zen Master Dae Bong ...... 7 gious corporation. e founder, Zen Master Seung Sahn, 78th Patriarch in the Korean Chogye order, was the rst Korean Zen By Deok Hyeon Sunim: Master to live and teach in the West. In 1972, after teaching e Chants at the Funeral Ceremony ...... 8 in Korea and Japan for many years, he founded the Kwan Um sangha, which today has a liated groups around the world. He Tathagata ...... 9 gave transmission to Zen Masters, and inka (teaching author- Poem in Tribute to Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim ...... 10 ity) to senior students called Ji Do Poep Sas (dharma masters). e Kwan Um School of Zen supports the worldwide teaching By Zen Master Wu Bong: schedule of the Zen Masters and Ji Do Poep Sas, assists the If We Stay Awake ...... 11 member Zen centers and groups in their growth, issues publi- cations on contemporary Zen practice, and supports dialogue Tomorrow Is Too Late ...... 12 among religions. If you would like to become a member of the Master and Dog ...... 13 School and receive Primary Point, see page 31. e circulation is 2,800 copies. is Kind of Vow ...... 14 e views expressed in Primary Point are not necessarily those Bodhisattva Bird ...... 18 of this journal or the Kwan Um School of Zen. e Attendant © 2013 Kwan Um School of Zen Sasha Rymar / Dorota Drążczyk ...... 18 Founding Teacher Crazy Zen Master [3 Zen Master Seung Sahn Sasha Rymar ...... 19 School Zen Master Zen Master Soeng Hyang Always in Front of You ...... 19 Editor-in-Chief Zen Master Seung Sahn Ken Kessel JDPSN Caring for Us ...... 20 Guest Editor, Zen Master Wu Bong Memorial Issue Peter Voke Last Meeting Arne Schaefer JDPSN ...... 22 Editor for Europe Zen Master Ji Kwang Gratitude Editor for Asia Soo Hyang Lee ...... 22 Kathy Park Mind Cures ...... 23 Managing Editor Tamarind Jordan Poetry ...... 25 Managing Editor for Europe Kwan Um School of Zen Centers ...... 28, 29, 30 Eduardo del Valle Pérez Membership in the Kwan Um School of Zen–America ...... 31 Book Review Editor Judy Roitman JDPSN Layout and Design James Gouijn-Stook Content Editor Ben Gleason Proofreader Seon Joon Sunim Manufacturing Manager Eugene Lim Publishing Manager Paul Majchrzyk JDPSN Photography Elisabeth Illgen, Lubor Kosut, Peter Kosut, Arne Schaefer JDPSN, the family of Zen Master Wu Bong
Cover: Elisabeth Illgen PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Editor’s Note n April 17 of this year, Zen Master Wu Bong suddenly died while leading a retreat in Paris. In the tradition of our founding teacher, Zen Master Seung Sahn, he spent his life as a teacher traveling and teaching, not set- tlingO permanently in any one place, and dedicating his activities to spreading the dharma. As the head teacher for the Kwan Um School of Zen in Europe, he shep- herded the growth of the school. His e orts persist in the owering of our school in Europe and the teaching activities of the Zen masters and Ji Do Poep Sas, who were so close to him and continue his works to guide the practice, made now more poignant by his death. We o er this issue as a tribute, compiled from around the world by the European sangha. It contains excerpts of his teachings and o erings by students and colleagues. In the Korean tradition, Zen masters who have died, as well as those over 60, are referred to by the title Dae Soen Sa Nim, which means "Great Zen Master." In recognition of the title conferred on him, we refer to him here as Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim. May his example sharpen our own apprecia- tion of Zen practice as the great work of life and death.
Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim 4] Zen Master Ji Kwang search for a teacher, he went to a Tibetan lama, Tarthang Tulku, for one year to practice Tibetan Buddhism. While he was a student at Brown University in Provi- dence, he trained in Shim Gum Do and became a mas- ter in this martial art. In 1972, during his time at the university, he met Zen Master Sueng Sahn and became one of his rst students. In the same year he did his rst hundred-day solo retreat. He was 22 years old. Also he took ve precepts and received his Buddhist name, Poep Mu, which means Empty Dharma or No Dharma. In 1973 he graduated from Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Afterward he did more retreats, and in 1978, together with Zen Master Seung Sahn, he returned for the rst time to Europe—to Poland, his motherland—where from that time onward a sangha developed that grew and became the largest sangha in our ur dear Zen master, Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim, European school. was born on June 22, 1950, in Wroclaw, Poland, In 1978 he did his second solo retreat in America. He into a Jewish family who su ered through the su ered poor health during that time because of the re- GermanO occupation during the Second World War. In stricted diet and very strong practice. 1964 the family decided to leave Europe and they emigrat- In 1984 he received inka from Zen Master Seung Sahn ed to the United States. and, despite still living in the United States, he became Jacob Perl, as he then was called, nished high school the principal supporter for the Polish sangha. From that in 1968. When he was 20 years old, in 1970, he started time onward he traveled frequently to Poland. practicing Zen with the famous Soto Zen teacher Suzuki In 1988 he married Grazyna, and soon afterward ad- Roshi at the San Francisco Zen Center. e questions of opted his son Nicholas, who was about 10 years old at the life and death were very urgent to him. Continuing his time. e next year his son Matthew was born. In 1992
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 he was o cially named the Euro- he gave transmission to two students pean head teacher by our founding and inka to seven students. teacher, Zen Master Seung Sahn. In 2008 he moved to Korea to In 1993 he received transmis- prepare himself to become a monk. sion from Zen Master Seung Sahn, In order to keep a place in Europe and was given the dharma name Wu he also maintained a residence at Bong, which means Universal Peak. the Berlin Zen Center, which from At that time he lived at Providence that time onward became his home Zen Center with his family, where in Europe. In 2009 he was ordained he was abbot for many years. Shortly as a Buddhist monk in Korea. afterward he moved to Paris with his Until the end of his life he con- family and established the Paris Zen tinued to guide and teach the Eu- Center, but still he had business in ropean sangha while also focusing the United States, so he travelled of- on teaching in Korea. He led several ten between the continents. Kyol Ches in Korea at Mu Sang Sa Between his inka and transmis- Temple, Hyang Choen Sa Temple, sion he was active teaching in Asia, Hwa Gye Sa Temple and Boep Hwa South Africa and America, but most Do Ryang. is last temple is that of his teaching work was in Europe. of his Korean student and friend In 2000 he gave his rst inka, to Deok Hyeon Sunim, and is where Mukyong (Roland W hrle-Chon). he lived since 2011. In 2006 he gave his rst transmis- Wu Bong Sunim left his body sion, to Zen Master Bon Shim (Alek- after a cardiac arrest on Wednesday, sandra Porter). In 2012 he gave his second transmission, April 17, 2013 at 1 p.m. while leading a Yong Maeng Jong to Zen Master Ji Kwang (Roland W hrle-Chon). In total Jin at the Paris Zen Center. ◆ [5
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Pure Love Zen Master Bon Shim Speech given at the funeral ceremony, Paris, April 23, 2013.
6] t’s so hard to accept that our teacher is gone, while not On behalf of the European sangha—the whole sang- Iso long ago we were sitting, chanting, eating and laugh- ha—I really would like to thank our teacher so much for ing together. all those years, for this straightforward, straight-to-the- But to tell you the truth, I am not really worried about point teaching, for his wisdom and compassion. him, because he has already entered nirvana. I am con- On one side, this last teaching that he gave us is very, cerned about our sangha, about our staying together, very sad. But on the other side, the fact of being here keeping together, helping one another, loving one an- together in this profound moment is an uplifting experi- other. at is exactly what our beloved teacher did for ence. In this kind of moment there is no life; there is no so many years: he took care of us—in the spirit of being death; there is no coming; there is no going; there is just very tolerant and very open, not rejecting anybody. And I pure love. really hope we will continue this way. ank you. ◆
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Still Helping You Zen Master Dae Bong Speech given at the funeral ceremony, Paris, April 23, 2013.
e are all gathered here in great sadness. Wu people! [Laughter.] So if we all do our job correctly moment Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim’s death was sudden and to moment, being undercover just makes our minds wider. shocking, even though most of us knew that he But Zen Master Wu Bong understood this life is not hadW serious health problems for many years, and especially simply about getting happiness. Our great grandteacher, because in the last few years—and recently in particular— Man Gong Sunim, was once asked, “Why don’t more he was looking brighter and stronger and better. people practice Zen?” He said, “Everybody wants a good Zen Master Wu Bong was a strong person, and his thing, but most people don’t understand that when you teaching was strong, his action was strong, so his death get a good thing you also get a bad thing. If they under- was strong. He just did it. He has given us all a very great stood that, then they would practice Zen.” So our life is and powerful and important and di cult teaching. Big not about getting good things and avoiding bad things. It medicine takes time to digest. Even though we talk about is about attaining how to correctly use each thing that ap- impermanence and we all know that, when we experience pears. Good things come, we use them to go the correct it with someone who is so close to us, it becomes real. way; bad things come, we use them to go the correct way. Zen Master Wu Bong has no problem. He is ne, and is was Zen Master Wu Bong’s life. It is why we met I have no doubt about that. And I’m sure none of you him, and why we all feel sad that he seems to be gone. We doubt that at all. Maybe we have a problem. If we have a have an obligation now to deeply digest his teaching and problem, then it just means that we were attached to his his e orts for us; it is our own true nature. en his most body, his voice and his form, and we didn’t completely recent teaching to us will help us greatly. We are not going digest his teaching. But if your teacher has power, then to waste the shock that we have experienced. en he will [7 even after he dies, he is still helping you. be very happy. A great Zen master is like a sun shining. ey keep our e rst time I met Zen Master Seung Sahn, as soon mind warm, help wake us up. A great Zen master dying as he opened his mouth I thought, “ is is my teacher.” is like a supernova: all the material goes out. So all his en I sat a three-day retreat with him and had private dharma energy, all his dharma power is coming out to us interviews with him each day. At the end of the interview even more now than when he was alive. on the last day, he looked at me for a moment and asked, So cry when you are sad, and grieve and feel bad, but “Do you have any more questions?” I’m sure if you continue practicing as he taught us, you I was 26, but I felt 3 years old. I said, “When will I see will more and more feel his great dharma energy lling you again?” you, even more than you felt when he was alive. is is He immediately took his stick and hit me strongly completely my experience with Zen Master Seung Sahn, across the thigh. It was 36 years ago but I still feel it to- and I’m sure it will be yours with our dharma brother, our day! [Laughter.] I was shocked. en he leaned forward and great teacher and our great friend, Zen Master Wu Bong. looked at me deeply in the eyes and said, “When you keep Gary Snyder is a famous American poet and Zen stu- don’t know mind, you and I are never separate.” dent who was a monk in Japan. He tells a story about So if you want to be with Zen Master Wu Bong now, just working in the monastery garden with one of his brother keep don’t know mind. Don’t know where he is; don’t know monks, a Japanese monk. One time his brother monk who you are; don’t know where you are; don’t know what you leaned over and said, “Our teacher passed away ve years are doing; then you’ll suddenly be together with him, and that ago. Remember how during his dharma speeches he used moment’s direction and action will become very clear. to speak so softly that you could barely hear him? Well, I am sure his teaching will continue to be even more I’m just beginning to hear him now.” powerful for us than before. We are lucky because your So the interactions you have had with Zen Master Wu teacher and my dharma brother had power, so he will con- Bong and the things he said to you, none of that’s gone. His tinue to help us even though his form has changed. energy, which continues to come to us, will be more strongly Everyone, everything, returns to the original point. inside you and more bene cial. I have no doubt about that. at is the universal rule. Wu Bong Sunim lived a great deal of his life as a lay- Clouds are always coming and going. person. I think he and his wife were sunims on the inside. e high sky is always blue. I call them undercover sunims. Undercover people are im- portant—we have some sunims who are undercover lay- ank you, Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim. ◆
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 The Chants at the Funeral Ceremony Translated and chanted by Deok Hyeon Sunim
Ceremony to Move the Co n Now listen to me, Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim’s enlightened spirit: Wonderful enlightenment is in front of you, the light of samadhi is feeding you. South, North, East, West, Everywhere you go you are so happy. Even though everything is like this, I dare to ask everyone gathered: Where is the starting point of the way to nirvana of Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim’s enlightened spirit? To Start the Fire Every green willow tree Now listen to me, Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim’s is good to tie the reins of the horse to. enlightened spirit! Every road from every house leads to the capital city. 8] When the three causes get together, Mantra to Clear the Way (all together) e body comes into existence for a moment. Om Soshitji Najaritara Najaritara Moradaye Jarajara en the four elements are scattered Manda Manda Hana Hana Hum Patak And it abruptly goes back to emptiness. Boep Soeng Gye—Song of Dharma Nature How many years have you oated in the (all together) sea of delusions? is morning you are out of it. To Prepare the Fire It is joyful and blissful, but it is not yet completed. Now listen to me Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim’s You who gathered here—answer me: enlightened spirit! Where is Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim’s enlightened is re is not of three poisons, spirit going to? But it is the re of the Buddha’s samadhi, He is riding the wooden horse but facing its tail. e re of the supreme samadhi. He ipped over once. Its light is so brilliant that it re ects the past, At that time from the huge red ame the present and the future, Comes out a cold wind. Its ame is so alive that it pierces through ten directions. To Say Good Bye If you attain the light, Sincerely You become like all Buddhas in one moment. We do dabi (cremation) following the dharma If you lose the light, As Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim’s enlightened spirit You will follow the stream of life and death goes into nirvana For ten thousand kalpas. According to the causes. Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim’s enlightened spirit! We committed to the re the body that wandered Turn toward the light and re ect yourself, around for a hundred years, And then you will abruptly realize that there is And he is getting to the gate of nirvana nothing to be born, without hesitation. And then you will leave all delusions and su erings, I wish Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim’s enlightened And you will attain the happiness of Buddha when spirit will be assisted by our help ◆ he went into parinirvana on the way to nirvana.
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Tathagata— Waiting for Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim Deok Hyeon Sunim
What is it to live as a human being? even though countless waves appear to be billowing in is is a question I have striven to forget, yet one that the ocean, in fact nothing has risen. It is merely the move- always returns like a chronic disease in the face of some- ment of the boundless seawater. When we look at the one’s death. waves, they appear to be rising and falling, but when we When we are alive, the fact that we are alive seems so look at the entire ocean, it is and has always been only natural, a reality without a single doubt. And yet all this water. can come to an abrupt end at any moment. Water by nature has no xed form and therefore In particular, the death of a person that has come so changes inde nitely. Change, moment to moment, gives close to completeness is all the more unacceptable and birth to transient waves, and now in the course of hetu- absurd, something that seems preposterously unbeliev- pratyaya (direct cause), merely takes them away. Even able. More so when that person is someone that you have though it appears to us that the wave that seemed to become one with in all genuineness, one whom you have have appeared is now disappearing before our eyes, in come to love and respect with all of your heart, from truth, that disappearance itself is nonexistent. ose that whom there is no distance. en, the death of that per- have opened their true eyes, have they not said, “No life. son cannot be easily accepted or condoled. Even though No death”? [9 that death is not our own, it shakes the very root of our Tathagata (one who has thus gone, or one who has existence. thus come), one who has come from tathata (thusness) And it is only after days and days of deep retrospec- with maha-pranidhana, the resolution to save all sentient tion, taking to heart the meaning of this painful parting, beings from the su ering of life and death, and one who that it all becomes clear again. returns to tathata by the course of hetu-pratyaya, is the Regardless of you or me, death, like the reverse side Buddha who is beyond all coming and going. When seen of a sheet of paper, has always been one with life. Rather, through the world of tathata, all sentient beings are no life is like a fragment of a transient wave rising above the di erent than the Buddha, with innate Buddha nature, ocean of death. whereby being born is not being born, and dying is not What wave can be free from its destiny to subside from dying. And there is no Buddha apart from sentient beings. its rise and return to its origin, the water? e fact that a As the boundless expanse of water is in itself just water, it wave rises rea rms the truth that it never existed in the is nonsense to search for water apart from the waves. rst place. When we calmly face up to this truth, then we “Life is correct. Death is correct.” are able to slowly accept the fact that all deaths are predes- It is when the eyes that pierce the truth are blinded by tined, natural, and nothing to be taken aback about. We ignorance and o enses that life and death become a prob- are able to let go of our tenacious attachment to life. Our lem and lead to great su ering. For an enlightened one, mind becomes free from all things and at last rests. all things living and dying are the manifestation of truth, In fact, life and death are not separate. Life and death the profound mind of nirvana. are one. When alive, live to the fullest. And when you die, leave e two sides of a sheet of paper cannot be separated, with no regrets or attachments. Live beautifully and leave just as the two poles of a magnet coexist in dependency: light-footedly. is is Buddha’s great trans guration and no matter how many times it is divided, two new poles great passing, the endless paramita of the bodhisattva appear every time. As such, even if we were to separate the path, and the essence of us living and dying as human two faces of a sheet of paper, we can never attain a paper beings. missing its reverse side. Wu Bong Sunim thus lived and thus departed. e When we look deeply right through into the whole, nal curtain has come down on one beautiful life.
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Poem in Tribute to Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim Presented at the Funeral Deok Hyeon Sunim
Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim! All Buddhas of previous worlds have passed away like this. Shakyamuni Buddha also passed away like this. And only a week ago, you too have passed away like this. Life is like a cloud appearing in the sky. Death is like that cloud disappearing without a trace. But every buddha and patriarch has said that there is one thing that doesn’t belong to life or death.
Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim, What is that? Everyone is missing you in great sadness. Where are you now? Don’t try to hit the oor. If you do that, people will be very surprised.
Don’t try to drag your feet out of the co n. 10] en they won’t be able to go on with the funeral. Don’t try to get back to the East with only your right shoe on your shoulder. en the left shoe would be useless.
Where are you, Sunim? Let me answer this for you.
(Ringing the hand bell three times)
Listen to the listener. is is the Zen of Wu Bong (Cosmos Peak) and that of Kwan Um (Avalokitesvara).
In Zen, there’s no coming and going, no life and death, no right and left, no east and west, no good and bad, no su ering and salvation.
Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim! You said we cannot rest on our way to nirvana as we have vowed to save all sentient beings, even though they are numberless.
So, take a brief breeze around the Pure Land and return to this impure land as soon as you can.
I plead you to walk with us again in the path to saving all sentient beings.
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 If We Stay Awake Zen Master Wu Bong
One time when I was small child, both Michael and me on the oor in I thought I would drown because I the dharma room, and right then and physically started to drown. At that there he explained the Zen circle to time, I remember, I was intensely cu- us. And it was great. It was wonder- rious. What is it like? Well, I will die. ful teaching. I said, wow, that is great. What is it going to be like? I wasn’t is guy is really good. in a panic. I was actually feeling Yes, I wanted to be a teacher. But quite peaceful. And I had no inkling at some point this wanting to be a of practicing then at all. But to me teacher disappeared. And then I be- it was like when I was a child read- came a teacher. By the time he gave ing about some exotic places, and I me inka I really didn’t care. He asked wanted to see them. It’s like that. me. I didn’t push for it. I didn’t ask When I was a young man, always at that time I was for it. It didn’t seem to be important. chasing after happiness. But no matter how fast I ran after I have great con dence in my students’ true self. at’s happiness, always it was ahead of me—I could never reach correct. But mostly, I think what it means is that I try not to it. en I met my teacher, and my life changed. As part treat people like children. I don’t look at them as children. of my training, as part of my practice, since that time I ey are adults. Adults are responsible for their own lives. have always been running away from happiness. But the And even when they make mistakes, when they do some- problem is, no matter how fast I run, it is always catching [11 thing wrong, that’s their life, that’s their practice, that’s their up to me! experience. I looked at books: philosophy books, also religion books I love my brother, but he made many mistakes in his life and psychology books, and among these books I found and he also got much su ering, and somebody once said to some books about Buddha’s teaching. And Buddha’s teach- me, “Oh, your brother has so much su ering!” And I said, ing made a big impression on me, because his teaching was “Not enough. More necessary.” is person was really an- not asking anybody to believe in anything special; in fact, I gry at me: “Why did you say this? He is a nice man! Don’t remember speci cally one quotation where he was admon- you like your brother?” I said, “No, quite the opposite: I ishing people not to believe something only because some said that because I love my brother. For him more su ering great person said it, not to believe something only because is necessary. So far the su ering he got is not enough: he some great book said it, not to believe something only be- still hasn’t woken up.” cause most people in society believe it, but he asked people to take anything—any of this stated or written or believed I really believe in the power of practice. If you do it, that truth—and test it in their life. And only when one tests it means someday you can really do it. And if you really do in one’s life, to one’s own experience, only then if it really it, that is what the practice is about. It comes from experi- works, if one nds it to be really true, then one can believe ence. I have seen how it works, in working with people. it, accept it and say that it is the truth. I’m not so old, but you have to understand that I’ve been teaching in a formal way since 1984, so it’s already 27 years, My friend Michael also told me, “You know? Just a a nice chunk of experience! So that’s where this con dence couple of days ago I was in a supermarket and I met this in practice comes from. I have seen how it changes people. Korean Buddhist monk.” So he asked me, “Well, I have his address, do you want to go visit him tonight?” I said, “Not At university I came to the conclusion (this was my tonight, I cannot, but let’s go tomorrow.” e next day we great “intellectual enlightenment”) that we live in order got together and we went over to this address, which was to die properly. In a way, our life is a preparation for our in a ghetto area of Providence. at’s how I met my Zen death. I still think this is not a bad conclusion. ere will teacher with whom I have stayed since. come a culmination of this vehicle when we have to put it ere was nothing special. He just looked like a nice aside. If we want something or are attached to something, monk, a nice man, very friendly, smiling, a little fat. He had this process can be very painful. If we can stay awake, this these round glasses. But then, the rst time we met, he sat process can be very wonderful. ◆
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Tomorrow Is Too Late Zen Master Wu Bong
Nobody guarantees our life. So if there is Everybody wants peace, but every- anything that you think may be useful, just body wants my idea of peace. en you now is the time to use it. In our life, past cannot have peace. But when I take away mind cannot be attained. Present mind my idea, then already the whole world cannot be attained. If you say “present,” it is at peace. is already not present, already gone. If you You look at this wall, then you and lose this moment, you can never regain it. the wall become one. You look at the We follow Buddha’s example. Bud- sky, then the sky and you become one. dha means awakened. If you are going to at means: nothing in between. No I, awaken, tomorrow is too late. One hour my, me in between. at is very impor- from now is also too late. Even one second tant, because in this world we have many from now is too late. Just this moment, problems. If we look at these problems, wake up. I hope each of you will make what causes them? If you go deeper and correct practice in your life and attain this deeper, then nally you nd three things that are causing these wake-up. en one more step is most important: use this wake-up problems: I, my, me. to help all beings. I wish for you to make correct practicing in your life. en e only thing, the only true thing, that we ever have is this mo- moment by moment become more clear, and nally one day be- ment. e past we cannot touch. e future we cannot grasp. And come completely clear, attain enlightenment and save all beings if we try to catch the present, it’s already gone. from su ering. And do it quickly! We do not need something special, some great teaching from 12] Keeping a don’t know mind means cutting o all thinking. someone. What we need to do is cultivate the question, the re, Cutting o all discursive thoughts takes us to the wellspring of that we all have within, and not let it go out. All the wisdom is our true nature and brings us to the present moment. What are already there. you doing just now? Paying attention to this moment is what Try, try, try. Do not check your feelings. Do not check your Zen practice is all about. understanding. Can you swim? Yes, that is good. Could you swim You take anything that you cannot do, then you try, try, try, the rst time you entered water? So what happened in between not and then you can do it. So today you cannot do this moment- being able to swim and swimming? at’s right: practice. It is the to-moment, then you try, try, try, then you can do it. Actually same with saving all beings. Decide this, then try, try, try, and one already you can do it! Because you can do it for a few seconds, day you will completely attain it. right? Can you do it for a few seconds? Just try. ere you go. Each time you are faced with this kong-an situation, it’s new. It’s But even two seconds is not necessary. Even one second is too just now. So it doesn’t matter if you answered before, or didn’t an- long. It is enough to keep clear just for one moment. Every- swer before. Even if you start thinking, “How did I answer before?” body can. One moment and then again one moment and then that’s already a mistake. It’s this moment. It’s new. Even if you had again one moment. en many moments, then a whole day. this question a hundred times, and you answered a hundred times, is practice is very easy. and you remember the answer, answer this moment. is moment While there are many approaches to practicing, practicing is very important. with a sangha—together action—is the most powerful. It forces What is important is not small don’t know, what is important is us to confront our limitations, which in turn helps us to over- big don’t know. If you have this great question, then this big don’t come our limitations. In the Heart Sutra it says, “ e Bodhisat- know will appear. is big don’t know means your mind becomes tva depends on Prajna Paramita and the mind is no hindrance; more clear, and when this mind becomes clear then everything be- without any hindrance no fears exist.” is no fear is our human comes clear. en correct action, correct speech, all can appear. heritage. If you like this, then throw away all thinking; throw away all liking and disliking; throw away even the most pro- If you continue to return to this don’t know, then this don’t found understanding. know will start to grow up. en slowly, slowly your desire, anger and ignorance will become less and less and less. en continue to ese words are just expedient means to help our life, to help practice, which means to continue to return to this don’t know, then our practice. e next step is to leave these words behind, and one day—boom—in nite in time and in nite in space! en you simply to do it. can say “Aha!” Everybody is getting older every moment; maybe soon this body will die. Before this body dies, one time this “Aha!” is necessary.
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Master and Dog From a question and answer session at Berlin Zen Center, April 2011.
Question: One thing is very clear to all beings on this planet: they will disappear in the next 150 years, at most. e question is: What is important, keeping in mind we all die? When I am angry or sad or something, inside me it is very strong, and then a little later this knowledge ap- pears: I am dying. en everything looks unimportant. And this question remains: What is really important to do? But this question disappears when I feel easy and re- laxed. en it is OK, nothing is too much and nothing is missing. But when I start thinking, I always ask myself: What is really important in this life? So my question is: What is important? Zen Master Wu Bong: at is up to you. What do you want? Q: I want to know: Who am I? And I ask this question all the time, and still I don’t know, and maybe I will die before nding the answer. ZMWB: So if that is really the most important thing, [13 then do everything for that. Our life—we decide. e name for that is vow. You decide: make a vow. If this vow is deep and strong, then naturally everything in your life will start to support this So don’t ask me what is important. is is your job. vow. You know this shepherd dog: this dog likes to run all And if somebody does not know, that is no problem. over the place. is is like our mind also running here and en that is your job to nd out. there. But the master is going straight. en the dog still runs here, there, here, there, but always also going straight. Question: If this master has no clear direction, then So, you make a strong vow, then no matter how crazy your it is not the master walking the dog but the dog walk- life is, everything will go with that, in that direction. ing the master. So, how to become the master and not the dog? ZMWB: Be the dog, no problem! Become dog, OK? If you think “I want to be the master,” then you make “I,” you make “master,” also you make “dog.” All this talk, master, dog, and so on, this is all teaching speech; it is all thinking. If you heed this thinking, then you will have more headache. All this talk is just pointing to something. So don’t catch the words; catch the point. Otherwise, you become like a dog chasing after a bone. ank you for your questions. I just want to say, even if Buddha came here and gave you the most perfect an- swers, it is really useless unless you apply these in your life. So the most perfect medicine is just garbage unless you take it. All these answers had one point, and that point was to return to your practice. Always returning to great question. So I hope you use this answer in your life, every- body. ank you very much. ◆
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 This Kind of Vow A dharma talk given in answer to questions on December 4, 2004, at the Paris Zen Center, less than a week after the death of Zen Master Seung Sahn.
I want to welcome everybody, and also at this point I wel- last one? come any questions you have . . . No questions? ZMWB: Actually, a teacher’s responsibility is not to be Student: You feel sad about the passing away of your the last to die. A teacher’s responsibility is to give correct master. Can you speak about how you feel about it? teaching. So, living-teaching is correct, dying-teaching is also Zen Master Wu Bong: In the past couple of years, every correct. time I saw my teacher, it was very sad after each visit. Of In China long ago, Zen Master Ma Jo was sick. At that course I was happy to see him and talk to him, though talk- time the housemaster came to visit him and asked, “How is ing was one-sided because he just kept silence. Sometimes your venerable health lately?” en Ma Jo replied “Sunface he did respond, which was unusual because normally he Buddha, Moonface Buddha.” couldn’t respond to anybody. So as happy as I was to see him, Now this housemaster’s question is not a casual question. every time I left I was very sad, because he used to be a very is housemaster had some idea: this is a great Zen master, energetic, very active person. Master Ma Jo, very famous, very big master. Great Zen Mas- I’m not so sad for Zen Master Seung Sahn. I’m sad for us, ter means great energy, so this person is supposed to have all because even though he was pretty much retired and didn’t this great energy, great enlightenment. So why is he just lying really participate so much in our helpless, sick? Maybe the housemas- school for the last few years, still, if ter’s question was a little similar to there was something that needed to your question: maybe the Zen mas- be asked then at least we had the il- ter should be the last to get sick, in 14] lusion that well, maybe he can help order to be helping everybody. us. But now no such illusion. Ma Jo said, “Sunface Buddha, So our great teacher is gone, but Moonface Buddha.” If you attain as I said today at our retreat closing this Sunface Buddha, Moonface talk, his dharma is not gone. I’ve Buddha, then also you understand known him since 1972, but what Zen Master Seung Sahn’s death, his really struck me during all these death teaching. years is this great vow that he fol- Now I know many people were lowed of helping others. I believe expecting his death to be something that this vow of his will continue to special. Not long ago, for example, function. His death doesn’t stop this kind of vow. So again there was a monk in Korea who announced his death. He he will practice with us in the future and again one day will was healthy, then he told everybody, “One week later I will teach us. And I only can wish him a better rental car than he die.” en one week later he sat down for meditation and he had this time. died just exactly how he predicted. ere were reports in all Any other question? the newspapers saying, “Wow, wow . . .” Student: Once I asked Zen Master Su Bong, before he So maybe people were expecting Zen Master Seung Sahn had a heart attack in 1994, about how he thinks about his also to make some special show. He will maybe tell every- relationship to his body and keeping his body healthy. He body, then when the day comes he will sit down and maybe talked like this: the body is just a rented car. recite a poem and then die. But he died in a very ordinary ZMWB: Yes, so you take care of your body. If you lose way; that’s his teaching style. Always, his whole life, that was your body then you cannot practice, cannot get enlighten- his teaching way. Is special? No good. ment, and cannot help others. But if you attach to your body, We were visiting a monk in hospital in New York, a monk also you cannot get enlightenment, cannot help anybody. So who had had a stroke and was very sick. Half his body was take care of the body: no problem. Attach to the body: that’s paralyzed, so only half was working. When we were in his a problem. hospital room, Zen Master Seung Sahn was talking Ko- Student: e great masters have this vow to help others. rean to him, but I could understand he was asking, “How e bodhisattva vow I like is, “I will be the last one who are you?” And then this monk was answering very strongly, enters nirvana.” So is it true that masters have extra respon- “Yeah! Great! Fine!” But of course he was saying this “great” sibility to keep their body alive? To help, should you be the with half his body. When we left the room, Zen Master
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Seung Sahn said, “Oh, stupid man . . . if you are sick, then ere are these four kinds of teaching from Zen Master hundred per cent just sick. Why say ‘I’m great, I’m ne’?” Seung Sahn, the four don’ts. He said don’t make, don’t at- So these last years, every time I telephoned him from Paris tach, don’t check and don’t want. If you follow these four and got him on the phone, I would ask, “How are you, sir?” teachings very well, your practice can grow up, because our He never said “I’m ne.” He would just say, “Not dead yet.” usual habit is to always make something, then we attach to [Laughs.] what we make, then we keep on checking that and then of OK, any other questions? course desire appears, so we want, then because of this desire Student 1: I think you touched on a di cult subject for we continue to make and attach and check and make more people who grow up in a Western, Christian environment, desire. at’s the usual human habit. and that’s the point of reincarnation. So I would be interested So our practicing is to get rid of this kind of habit. If ev- if you could say some words about that. erybody has this great question, “What am I?” very sincerely, ZMWB: OK, I will explain reincarnation for you. soon this don’t know appears. is don’t know cuts o all [Laughs.] It’s not so mystical, it’s not complicated, and if you thinking. “Cuts o all thinking” means before thinking. If think about it you can see how correct it is. For example, you keep your mind before thinking then you don’t make, your body is changing moment by moment. If only one cell then also there’s nothing to attach to, nothing to check, then falls o , then already that’s a di erent body, right? Correct! of course this desire will not arise, so nothing to want. So So, moment by moment, a di erent body. Not only your actually four teachings are not necessary; you nd them all in body, but also your thinking is changing. Your feelings are this great question, “What am I?” also all the time changing, changing, changing. So, moment e last time I heard a dharma talk from Zen Master by moment that is a di erent you. You think “I,” but this I in Seung Sahn was a year ago. I went to Korea to sit one month this moment—that’s not the same I as a moment ago. of Kyol Che, the last month of the winter Kyol Che. When at’s reincarnation. OK? So, you already experienced Kyol Che is nished all the students come to Hwa Gye Sa this. [Laughs.] Temple, and the tradition was that Zen Master Seung Sahn [Long silence.] would meet everybody, everybody can bow to him, and then Student 2: Wait a minute! [Laughs.] What about actually he always gave a talk. changing from one body into another body? So we were all brought to a big room. Once we were all ZMWB: I already explained! at’s changing, one body seated, people brought him—they had to carry him—into [15 Student 2: No, but . . . the room. en we bowed to him and he gave just a short Student 1: Can I add a comment to that? I understand talk and he asked for questions. It was very interesting be- what you are saying, but even though the cells are being re- cause the way he taught was really the way he was teaching generated, it’s the same thing looked at perhaps from di er- in America when he rst came: almost every question that ent sides. somebody raised he would say: “Who is asking?” His whole ZMWB: No, what I’m saying is it’s not the same. You say teaching was basically “What are you?” It didn’t matter what same but it is not the same! I cut a piece o this stick. Is it kind of question—“What are you?” Actually, it was a great the same stick? talk. Student 1: Hmmm. Yes and no. So, keep this “What am I?” and then all of his teachings ZMWB: Yes and no. OK, I will wait. If you say yes, I’ll will be with you. ey are all inside. hit you thirty times, but if you say no I’ll also hit you thirty It seems that because of the death of Zen Master Seung times. [Laughs.] If you say both, yes and no, that’s sixty times! Sahn, for us and our students this is a big thing. It is basically [Laughs.] the end of an era. Actually not only for our school; because of Student 1: Same answer. his relationships and the openness of his teaching, he has had ZMWB: But if you really understand that point I just a very profound e ect on the Zen world in general. made with the stick, then you can understand this idea of But now we are on our own. It’s our responsibility, so to reincarnation. You think “I,” but look deeply: what is this I? speak, to carry the torch. In spite of all his e ort, the world I ask you, what are you? still has much su ering. As much as he tried, he did not n- Student 1: Based on your answer I’m a moment in ish that job, and it is up to us to complete it. time— e core of his teaching was helping others. He never ZMWB: at’s only understanding. I’m not asking about talked about technique. He always talked about direction, your understanding. What are you? about the practice. So, direction always means for others, for Student 1: en I don’t know. others, for others. ZMWB: Don’t know. Correct! at’s good idea. Keep I hope everybody will practice hard, attain your true self, this don’t know, then one day, from this don’t know this an- and then you can really be of service to this world. swer can come. en all these things can become clear for ank you for your attention tonight, and I hope we you. Not just somebody’s idea, OK? So, for Zen students this meet sometime, and not just to talk about dharma but to idea of reincarnation is not important. It is just some idea. practice together. Have a good night, everybody. ◆
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 A fresh approach to Zen
e Teachings of Zen Master Man Gong. Translated and edited by Zen Master Dae Kwang, Hye Tong Sunim, and Kathy Park. Zen Master Man Gong (1872-1946) received transmission from Zen Master Kyong Ho, and is one of the truly towering gures in modern Korean Zen. He and his students played a central role in re-establishing the Buddhist tradition in Korea after centuries of suppression during the Chosan dynasty. Zen Master Man Gong was the grand teacher of Zen Master Seung Sahn. 56 pages. Kwan Um School of Zen. ISBN 962861015-5. $10.00 Don’t-Know Mind: e Spirit of Korean Zen. Zen Master Wu Kwang uses stories about Korean Zen Masters from Ma-tsu to Seung Sahn to present Zen teaching applicable to anyone’s life. 128 pages. Shambhala. ISBN 1-59030-110-2. $14.95 One Hundred Days of Solitude. e story of Zen Master Bon Yeon’s solo retreat is threaded through with Zen teaching and striking insights into the human mind when left to its own devices. 144 pages. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86-171538-1. $14.95 Dropping Ashes on the Buddha: e Teaching of Zen Master Seung Sahn. Compiled and edited by Stephen Mitchell. A delightful, irreverent, and often hilarious record of interactions with Western students. 244 pages. Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-3052-6. $14.00 Wanting Enlightenment is a Big Mistake: Teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn. Compiled and edited by Hyon Gak Sunim JDPS. Foreword by Jon Kabat-Zinn. 199 pages. Shambhala, 2006. ISBN 1-59030-340-7. $15.95 Only Don’t Know: Teaching Letters of Zen Master Seung Sahn. Issues of work, relationships, and su ering are discussed as they relate to meditation practice. 230 pages. Shambhala, 1999. ISBN 1-57062-432-1. $16.95 A Gathering of Spirit: Women Teaching in American Buddhism. Edited by Ellen Sidor. Talks and discussions from three landmark conferences at Providence Zen Center. 156 pages. Primary Point Press, ird Edition 1992. ISBN 0-942795-05-9. $11.95 Elegant Failure: A Guide to Zen Koans. Drawing on over 30 years of practice and teaching, Zen Master Wu Kwang has selected 22 cases from e Blue Cli Record and Wu-men-kuan that he nds deeply meaningful and helpful for medita- tion practice. In Elegant Failure, he provides a wealth of background information and personal anecdotes for each koan 16] that help illuminate its meaning without detracting from its paradoxical nature. 256 pages. Rodmell Press, 2010. ISBN 1-93048-525-5. $16.95. Compass of Zen. Zen Master Seung Sahn. Compiled and edited by Hyon Gak Sunim JDPS. Simple, clear, and often hilarious presentation of the essential teachings of the main Buddhist traditions—culminating in Zen—by one of the most beloved Zen Masters of our time. 394 pages. Shambhala, 1997. ISBN 1-57062-329-5. $24.95 Ten Gates: e Kong-an Teaching of Zen Master Seung Sahn. Zen Master Seung Sahn. Presents kong-an practice in action, through real interactions between the beloved Korean Zen Master and his students as they work via letters. 152 pages. Shambhala, 2007. ISBN 978-1-59030-417-4. $14.95 Open Mouth Already a Mistake: Talks by Zen Master Wu Kwang. Teaching of a Zen Master who is also a husband, father, practicing Gestalt therapist and musician. 238 pages. Primary Point Press, 1997. ISBN 0-942795-08-3. $18.95 e Whole World is a Single Flower: 365 Kong-ans for Everyday Life. Zen Master Seung Sahn. e rst kong-an collection to appear in many years; Christian, Taoist, and Buddhist sources. 267 pages. Tuttle, 1993. ISBN 0-8048-1782-0. $22.95 Wake Up! On the Road with a Zen Master. An entertaining documentary that captures Zen Master Seung Sahn’s energy and presents the core of his teaching. 54 minutes. Primary Point Press, 1992. VHS: ISBN 0-942795-07-5. $30.00 DVD: ISBN 0-942795-14-8. $30.00 Chanting Instructional CD. e morning and evening bell chants, daily chants, plus special chanting. If you’re order- ing this CD to learn the chants, we suggest that you also order a copy of the chanting book if you don’t already have one. Primary Point Press ISBN 0-942795-13-X. $10.00. Chanting book: $12.00. e Whole World is a Single Flower: 365 Kong-ans for Everyday Life. Zen Master Seung Sahn. CD-ROM version for Mac and PC. Audio recordings of Zen Master Seung Sahn’s commentaries together with the full text of the kong-an collection. 2 discs. Primary Point Press, 2006. ISBN 0-942795-15-6. $30.00 Zen Buddhist Chanting CD. Chanting by Korean monk Hye Tong Sunim. Includes ousand Eyes and Hands Sutra, Kwan Seum Bosal chanting, Sashi Maji chanting, Homage to the ree Jewels, e Four Mantras, and an extended version of Kwan Seum Bosal chanting. Primary Point Press ISBN 0-942795-16-4. $15.00 Perceive World Sound CD. Historic recording with Zen Master Seung Sahn of the morning and evening bell chants and the daily chants done at Kwan Um School Zen Centers. Primary Point Press ISBN 0-942795-12-1. $15.00
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PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 PRIMARY POINT Fall 2011 ZEN CENTER OF LAS VEGAS
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Zen Master Seung Sahn
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PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Bodhisa va Bird Zen Master Wu Bong
n one of the dharma talks during the winter Kyol Che 2012– bird couldn’t just y away. She felt so compassionate for the other 2013, Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim told a story: animals that she decided to help. She ew to the lake—quite far away—took some water into her beak, ew back to the forest and Once I read in the Jataka tales the story of one of the I poured it down on the re. And then she ew again to the lake and Buddha’s previous lives. He was a little bird then, and one day the brought some more water, and then again, and again. And so she forest where the bird lived caught on re. For the bird, in fact, it continued until she got completely exhausted. When she couldn’t wasn’t such a big problem, because she could just y away. But y anymore, she fell down into the burning forest and died. looking down on the forest while ying above, she saw all the other animals caught in the re and struggling to get out. And the Once I read this story, I could never get it out of my head. ◆
Another time he said, “I’m sorry. It’s really dif cult for me to think of something that you could do for me. There are really no The Attendant particular needs.” How Can I Do Nothing? Together they checked if he had some laundry, or if there was Sasha Rymar maybe some trash. Finally, he gave the attendant some sweets. The attendant entered the master’s room and asked, “Can I do some- “Here! Here is something to do—eat this!” thing for you?” “Mmm . . . I guess, today—nothing,” said Wu Bong Dae Soen You Are Making Something Sa Nim. Dorota Drążczyk “How can I do nothing?” In our sangha many of us had a good and long relationship with Wu 18] “Ah! That is a very good question!” Zen Master Wu Bong replied. Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim; many were his friends. We have hundreds The next day, coming into his room: “Can I do something?” of memories of different situations, and gained a lot of wonderful “Do something!” teaching. The stories are fascinating. The attendant took out his trash and came back. “Something else?” I knew Zen Master Wu Bong for a signi cantly shorter period. “Yes, you can do something else,” with a big smile. Twice I had the honor to be his attendant during Yong Maeng Jong The attendant picked up a dirty plate from his table, looking Jin in Falenica (in Warsaw), and so I had the opportunity to experi- around to see if there was anything else that needed to be done. ence some moments of his full attention for me. Every one of these “Maybe something else?” encounters contained teaching. “Aren’t you tired?” Zen Master Wu Bong was a dif cult person to attend to—there “No, why would I be?” was nothing that he needed except for morning tea and the tea for “You did something and something. You could be tired.” the personal interviews: no fruits, juices or sweets. I haunted him Big smile. sometimes and tormented him with my questions, asking whether he needed something after all. Another time he asked “Do you know how to iron?” Not a thing. I was disappointed. But I risked myself once. With “Of course,” the attendant replied. the next tea, I brought a piece of cheesecake. It was eaten! So I “I washed my robe,” he said. “But it’s all rumpled, as you can brought a piece with the following tea, and the subsequent one. The see. Could you iron it for me, please? I can do almost everything for next day I again entered Zen Master Wu Bong’s room with tea and myself. I know how to wash clothes, and I can cook. But I don’t know cake. He glanced at me with his penetrating gaze and said, “You are how to iron.” making something!” “Have you ever tried?” the attendant laughed. I was frightened, because you know what that means as a teach- “Yes, I did. But somehow it doesn’t work out for me,” said Zen ing. “But, Soen Sa Nim, I said nothing . . .” I managed to mutter. Master Wu Bong apologetically. Then he laughed and said, “Easy—you are making cheesecake, Another time: “Hmm . . . What can you do? What can you do?” Dorota! A lot of tasty cheesecakes!” asked Zen Master Wu Bong. “I guess, there is nothing to do. What With tea I had also a problem. No matter what kind of tea I do you think?” served in the teapot, it always diminished by only a small amount. I “Maybe I can do some dusting? It’s been a long time . . .” tried all possible sorts but it was always the same. One day before “You think so? Is it necessary? Do you see any dust?” asked Zen a round of personal interviews, I again brought a full teapot. I put it Master Wu Bong. down and took the previous one. I took a look in it—it was full. In And so both of them started to look for dust, but on his table desperation I asked, “Soen Sa Nim, I bring you different types of tea. there didn’t seem to be any, probably because he would wipe it off Which of them do you really like?” with his sleeves. “This one you fetched just now!” he said without hesitation. I “Well,” he said nally, “for sure there is some dust, but as long really took this teaching to heart. ◆ as we cannot see it, it’s all right. There is nothing to do.”
PRIMARYPRIMARY POINT POINT Summer Summer 2013 2013 Crazy Zen Master Sasha Rymar
he last full Kyol Che with Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim was at Bonghwa, Boep Hwa Do Ryang, No- But at this Kyol Che there was some talking and some laugh- vember 2012 – February 2013. ing, and Zen Master Wu Bong didn’t try to stop it. TOn the rst day of Kyol Che, Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim e work period was taking place outside in the grounds gave a dharma talk in which he spoke about the importance of the Zen center, so people working in the Zen center of- of silence. ce could see and hear what was going on. After some time But actually there was not so much silence, and Zen Mas- they sent a note to Zen Master Wu Bong asking him to ter Wu Bong himself would often start some conversation. bring back Kyol Che discipline and stop people talking. But Besides, there was an hour-long teatime in our schedule, Zen Master Wu Bong didn’t do anything. Some time later which was o cially free for communication. he got a second note, but also ignored it. In the third note Originally during this time, Zen Master Wu Bong was that came, it was said that if he didn’t change the situation, supposed to give a short dharma talk, and we could ask him the o ce would complain to Zen Master Seung Sahn about questions and also discuss some organizational matters. But it. Again, Zen Master Wu Bong didn’t react. So soon he got on the second day, when asked by our head monk to give a note that Zen Master Seung Sahn was waiting for him in a dharma talk, Zen Master Wu Bong said, “What dharma his apartment. talk? I already gave one yesterday. No, better let’s get to know “ is time,” Zen Master Wu Bong said, “I got a little wor- each other.” And so, with Zen Master Wu Bong’s initiative, ried. But I went and as soon as I entered Seung Sahn Sunim’s this tea break turned into the time for telling jokes and stories room he came out and hugged me and said, ‘Wonderful Kyol and having fun. Che! Great job!’ Seung Sahn Sunim hated it,” Zen Master Very soon one sunim stood up to protest. He demanded Wu Bong said, “when everybody was walking around, sad, silence and the cancellation of teatime. After his long speech looking down, never smiling. He su ered; he really didn’t like [19 in support of silence, Zen Master Wu Bong smiled and said, this strict style.” “Well, actually, when I was speaking about the importance of I guess this last Kyol Che at Bonghwa was also very dif- silence, rst of all I meant inside silence.” ferent from the regular Kyol Che in the Kwan Um school. It en he told us a story. Once he was head dharma teacher was very joyful, relaxed, with a lot of fun and much freedom. during Kyol Che at the Providence Zen Center. e person One sunim who was used to practicing in a more strict style leading this Kyol Che was very sick, so in fact he—the head came to Zen Master Wu Bong and said, “ is is crazy! What dharma teacher—was the actual leader of the Kyol Che. At kind of Kyol Che is this?” that time, the rule during Kyol Che was to observe complete And Zen Master Wu Bong answered him, laughing, “Yes, ◆ silence—not even looking each other in the eyes. Very strict. this is crazy! Because I’m a crazy Zen master!”
Always in Front of You Dear T Ong, Many students, colleagues and monks around the Thank you for your le er, how are world mourn the passing of Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim. This situation has occurred once before, you? in 1994, when Zen Master Su Bong passed away If you clear mind, always Su Bong in similar circumstances while leading a retreat in Sunim in front of you. Don’t check, Hong Kong. One student, TK Ong, wrote a letter don’t holding your emotions. Complete to Zen Master Seung Sahn at that time, lamenting put it down. Moment to moment, that he was sad about Su Bong Sunim’s passing. when you’re doing something just do Zen Master Seung Sahn replied (in his exact words): it. That will help your direction, your practice, & get enlightenment. O ? S
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Caring for Us Students and successors of Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim
I was staying at New York Zen Center during one dharma talk by him, “How by myself. en Wu Bong appeared. can we at the same time get enlighten- He brought his lunch with him from ment?” a Chinese restaurant. He said, “Hi!” Zen Master Wu Bong immediately to me and started eating. I was starv- asked me, “What color is this oor?” I ing, trying to hide that, but he did not told him that it is brown. At that he said, pay attention anyway, he was just eating “Yes, for me the oor is brown too.” I with a huge appetite. I thought, what was overwhelmed by his simple and kind of man is this? He should share his plain answer. For me the oor is brown lunch with me! He nished his lunch and for him the oor is brown too. What and then he asked me, “Are you hungry? If you are hun- a wonderful enlightenment together at gry, you can buy Chinese lunch at the corner, it’s delicious.” the same time! His teaching was always like this: simple —Zen Master Bon Shim and sharp like a knife blade. With not many words he was pointing to the essence. —Muchak JDPSN (Namhee Chon) I nally was able to arrange my life in order to attend the entire three months of the intensive Zen retreat called During an interview, Zen Master Wu Bong told me Kyol Che, which took place in a temple called Mu Sang something which radically changed my direction and Sa in Korea. e day came to board the plane to Korea. eventually my life. He said, “If you have a bad teacher One hour before boarding, I got cold feet and murmured and you are a bad student then this is a bad situation. If 20] to him: “I don’t think I should go . . .” At that very moment you have a good teacher but you are a bad student then Zen Master Wu Bong took my hand and said “ en don’t,” this is also a bad situation. But if you have a bad teacher and pulled me in the direction of the exit. Such a simple and you are a good student, then this is a good situation. tool, but it caused me to react with a strong “No! I have to!” In your case, Jo, you might have had bad teaching, but and push through to the boarding gate. I turned back to see you were a good student.” —Jo Potter JDPSN his beaming face and we laughed with each other across the It was a very interesting feeling, when I rst saw gate. —Zen Master Bon Yo Zen Master Wu Bong. It seemed as if I had known him One day I mentioned to him that I wanted to start for a long time. He is such a relaxed person! He was painting again, to which he only said, “Uhmm.” But sitting there, smiling, and with his big eyes he looked shortly thereafter, he came home from work with water- inside of me, as it seemed. I just felt good with him. color paper and paints for me. No need to talk about it, —Muchak JDPSN (Namhee Chon) just do it! —Zen Master Bon Yo With his constant teaching, numberless Zen events, One time, after my dharma talk I felt sad. I was not so and mostly with his clear mind, integrity and cred- happy with my talk. Zen Master Wu Bong noticed that ibility, he has reached many, many people and has en- and he said, “Don’t worry. After one hour nobody will couraged them to practice Zen. A lot of them stayed, remember your talk. It doesn’t matter if it’s good or not.” practiced with his guidance, and handed on their ex- —Zen Master Bon Shim perience to others. Zen Master Wu Bong had a good talent for organizing the Kwan Um school of Zen in Our rst meeting happened during summer Kyol Che, Europe—this is one main reason why the organiza- 1990, in Warsaw. I had an interview with him that left a tion has developed so well and has constantly grown. strong impression on me. I am still able to visualize Zen Mas- But probably most important was that he has always ter Wu Bong in front of me, shaking his head and saying, granted his students space so that they can grow. “No-o-o-o! Just keep don’t know!” But it didn’t feel bad not —Zen Master Ji Kwang to know the answer to the kong-an. It was more like he cared about me; he wanted to help me experience don’t know and I told Zen Master Wu Bong, “While I was sit- digest my understanding. —Zen Master Ji Kwang ting in the dharma room during Yong Maeng Jong Jin, I saw a big spider. I was sitting and thinking, I For a long time I could not understand how it is pos- really want that spider to go out!” Zen Master Wu sible that we all at the same instant got enlightenment, as Bong said, “You kept sitting. You didn’t run away.” is told in many sutras. So I asked Zen Master Wu Bong —Ja An JDPSN (Bogumila Malinowska)
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Last Meeting Arne Schaefer JDPSN
y last interview with Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim occurred during the one-week Yong Maeng Jong otherwise the noodles stick to each other. We both worked Jin in Berlin in April 2013. I wanted to check together: he loaded the press and I took care of the noodles in myM answer to a kong-an about moving mind and he agreed the hot water. It was fun! with what I presented. “Yeah, that is the style how we handle After the dinner we kept talking until midnight. He was that.” en after a little pause he asked, “But what is wrong so relaxed, sharing memories of the early seventies when he with moving mind?” I was surprised and asked, “Isn’t it that was beginning to practice and had not met Zen Master Seung we say if you have a strong center, your mind is not moving?” Sahn yet. “Yeah,” he answered, “but sometime strong center means We enjoyed the time and it felt so much like just being moving mind is no problem.” good friends. “Wow, that is a good teaching!” I heard myself saying and Early in the morning I brought him to the airport to y to just loved Zen Master Wu Bong for his simple and so very Paris. On my way back I saw the sun rising like a big red bal- helpful re ection on this question, which is also a part of my loon and I was very grateful and happy about this wonderful personal struggle in life when I am not just accepting what is. time we had together. I felt a new quality in my relationship I am sure I will remember this teaching all my life. to Zen Master Wu Bong. Just three days later he was gone. After the one-week Yong Maeng Jong Jin, Zen Mas- ank you, Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim, for everything. ter Wu Bong was our guest in my home for the rst time. Your simplicity of just following the situation was always in- Knowing how much he liked Korean food, I had invited spiring. Your sincerity in practice, your devotion to the dhar- him the week before for dinner in a Korean restaurant. After ma, also your calm but sharp mind, your wonderful sense of the visit I asked him if he liked it. He said it was OK, but humor and your kindness were always and still are an inspira- 22] the next time he would like to have German cooking. So I tion for me. Somebody once called you the “Nothing-Special suggested he come and taste traditional homemade noodles Master” and I think that was true: you never made something called spätzle, a southern German speciality, made by boiling special out of you or your life. You were just yourself—what- small lumps of dough. ever that is. (Ouch! I can feel your stick hitting me as I write I picked him up in the afternoon. We just sat in the living these words.) room, had some tea and talked about anything that came ere is so much I am grateful for and I feel a big loss. You to mind. en my wife and I started to prepare dinner and gave us so much and left a big heritage. Now it is our turn to asked Zen Master Wu Bong to have a rest. He went to his honor you by continuing with trying to give our best and do room but shortly afterward he came to the kitchen and asked the job we all share: to help this world of su ering. how he could help. He cleaned the salad, and after that I I am also very grateful for having our sangha family which asked him if he would want to try to do the spätzle. He tried is also a merit of your life’s work! to ll the spätzlepresse, a kitchen utensil to press the sticky ank you for everything, my dear teacher and friend, dough through into the cooking water. You have to be fast, Arne
Gratitude Dearest Soen Sa Nim, I thank you so much for your teachings and encouragement. Was looking forward to seeing you in May, and just cannot imagine not being able to see you again. I feel that I had taken your teaching and presence for granted as you have guided me from the very beginning, and so somehow thought you would always be there to help. I am sorry. There is just much gratitude and sadness . . . Be in peace, Sunim. With much, much love, your student, Soo
PRIMARYPRIMARY POINT POINT Summer Summer 2013 2013 Mind Cures Question: Can my Buddhist name be picked by my Question: How many precepts do you have? guiding teacher instead of just going by the list? Zen Master Wu Bong: One. Zen Master Wu Bong: In Zen we don’t like special that much. Question: How can I know what is the best thing to do? Zen Master Wu Bong: What are you doing right now? Question: What is beyond all doubt? Zen Master Wu Bong: What color is the oor? Question: What is the meaning of your Zen stick? e same student asked, ten years later: Zen Master Wu Bong: Come closer . . . If you want to Q: What is “every perverted view,” in the Heart Sutra? nd out, you have to come closer! ZMWB: What color is the mat? Question: How can one take refuge in Buddha, Dharma Q: Gray. and Sangha? ZMWB: So that xes every perverted view. Zen Master Wu Bong: What are you doing just now? Question: I would like to be more sure of myself. Can [Student hits the oor.] Is that all? you tell me what I can do? Q: I am sitting on this cushion, talking to you. Zen Master Wu Bong: at means ZMWB: Wonderful. at is taking your center is not strong enough. So do a refuge. thousand bows a day. Question: What is your advice to Q: A thousand bows? How can I do someone like me who thinks about it? I have a child and no time to do this! watching a movie when eating, and when ZMWB: It is only two hours a day. watching a movie thinks about the girls? Question: What do you do while sit- Zen Master Wu Bong: Don’t waste ting in the dharma hall? your time. Zen Master Wu Bong: Just sitting. Question: Have you ever been in love? [23 Q: But do you also have a kong-an to Zen Master Wu Bong: I still am. resolve? Question: One of our oldest ZMWB: Yeah, I have a kong-an. members decided to stop practicing [Staring at some paper.] and coming to the Zen Center . . . Q: How to ll out this application Zen Master Wu Bong: And if this form? man dies tomorrow, then what? ZMWB: Yeah. Question: I don’t like kong-ans. Question: When I am meditating at is why I come so rarely to inter- and something appears, should I try to views. look deeper into it? Zen Master Wu Bong: If you Zen Master Wu Bong: No, that is don’t like kong-ans, then you must not the correct way. You should look drop dead. deeper into don’t know. What is it that is Q: I don’t understand. experiencing this? ZMWB: A kong-an is not special. Any of your everyday Question: How can we go beyond life and death? life situations is already a kong-an. If you don’t like kong- Zen Master Wu Bong: We are life and death. ans, you don’t like life. Question: What do you think about euthanasia? Question: Aaaaaahhhhhhhhgggggggg! [Student grabs his Zen Master Wu Bong: People always want something. neck, shouting.] Give me the money! Question: Sometimes I come to practice regularly but Zen Master Wu Bong: How much do you need? other times I don’t come. Why is that? Question: Why did the Buddha give many more pre- Zen Master Wu Bong: Ignorance. cepts to nuns than to monks? Question: When can we call a human being a Zen Master Wu Bong: Women are much more high bodhisattva? class than men and they are able to keep more precepts Zen Master Wu Bong: Any time you like. than us. Question: A lot of terrible things happen in the world. Question: I am unhappy with my American teacher, but Who is responsible? I am not sure if I should break o with him. What do you Zen Master Wu Bong: You are.
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 advise? If I end the relationship with him, will you be my Question: When a Zen master gives transmission, teacher? what is it? Zen Master Wu Bong: Don’t attach to the teacher. Zen Master Wu Bong: Transmission is a tale for fools! Question: I have trouble deciding things. Q: [Stares incredulously.] Zen Master Wu Bong: I have a secret technique ZMWB: But when you become 100 percent fool, I’ll which I’ve been teaching for several years now. Take a give you transmission. coin and throw it up in the air. By the time you catch Question: You said once that a woman cannot be a it, you usually know what way you want it to come up. Zen master. You don’t even have to look. Just do it! Zen Master Wu Bong: [Silent.] Question: How can one be Buddha and not be Bud- Q: Why? Why can’t a woman be a Zen Master? dha? ZMWB: A man cannot either. Zen Master Wu Bong: What is Buddha? Question: It seems like, on the whole, good people Q: I have no idea. practice Zen. ZMWB: at’s correct. at’s Buddha. Zen Master Wu Bong: Only bad people practice Question: How do we stop thinking? Zen. And the worst of the worst become Zen masters! Zen Master Wu Bong: Don’t try to stop thinking. Question: Please teach me how to sit. inking is never a problem. Only if you are attached Zen Master Wu Bong: You are sitting already. to your thinking it becomes a problem. So, simply don’t Q: No! Please teach me to sit correctly. attach to thinking—then your thinking becomes truth. ZMWB: e body is not important. It’s important Question: Is Zen simple or is it complicated? how you keep your mind when you sit. Zen Master Wu Bong: What is Zen? [Student claps Question: What is Buddha? loudly.] Only that? Zen Master Wu Bong: Who is asking? Q: Sitting here listening to you. e student said nothing. e next day, the same stu- ZMWB: Is that simple or complicated? dent asked: 24] Question: How can we all together at the same time Q: What is Buddha? get enlightenment? ZMWB: You already understand. Zen Master Wu Bong: What color is this oor? Question: Can a person who is dead practice? Q: Brown. Zen Master Wu Bong: No body, not possible to ZMWB: Yes, for me the oor is brown too. practice. Question: You have this wonderful, clear don’t know Question: How can we get rid of our expectations? mind, but what use is it? Zen Master Wu Bong: Just don’t do it. Zen Master Wu Bong: How can I help you? Question: What is fear? Q: Good question. How can you help me? Zen Master Wu Bong: When you want something. ZMWB: What do you need? Q: Huh! I need a clear don’t know mind like you. Question: What is the cure for lazy mind? Can you help me with that? Zen Master Wu Bong: Su ering. ZMWB: What are you? Question: How can I know if I have got direction? Question: I try to keep my don’t know mind always, Zen Master Wu Bong: You can decide. en do it. but I fail a lot. I try to come back to it again and again, Question: What is the function of a bodhisattva but it’s not easy. So, how can I keep myself full of that teacher in the Kwan Um School of Zen? don’t know mind only? Zen Master Wu Bong: It is up to you. You decide. Zen Master Wu Bong: You want to keep don’t know Question: I don’t understand how Zen and compas- mind. at’s the mistake. Don’t keep anything. Just use sion—helping others—go together. your great question and you will naturally return to Zen Master Wu Bong: Without compassion there is don’t know. no Zen. Compassion is what it is all about. Question: I read somewhere that great enlightened Zen Master Wu Bong: When the Buddha was dy- masters are reborn 49 days after their death in order to ing, his student Ananda was upset and worried what continue their job of bodhisattvas helping all beings. would happen to all the students when the teacher was Is this true? How long does it take to be reborn after gone. e Buddha told him that already the students death? What is the rule for great masters? had dharma and, very importantly, they had each other. Zen Master Wu Bong: 1+1 = 2 [And he ended our retreat with a smile.] ◆
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Poetry ree Kong-ans Morning mist settles down on Su Dok Sa. Tears silently streak down the face. In memory and gratitude for my teacher, Wu Bong Why are you so sad? Dae Soen Sa Nim. Universal Peak pierces through the fog After walking meditation at Paris Zen Center you And basks in the sunlight, folded your robe properly and left your body. To Standing witness which urgent business have you gone? To the in nite blue sky I couldn’t say goodbye to you as I wanted to do. Now On receiving the news of Wu Bong Dae Soen Sa Nim how can I pay you my respects? entering Nirvana We haven’t nished our chess tournament. When will Doksung Mountain, Su Dok Sa Temple, April 16, 2013 we continue? —Chon Mun Sunim JDPS —Zen Master Ji Kwang
[25
e great keen-eyed dragon is seated smiling on the Universal Peak. “Don’t kill time! Don’t kill space! Just save all beings from su ering!” he says. His KATZ! terri es saints and demons, His dharma eyes penetrate esh and bones, time and space; His sword tongue gives life and death without hindrance. In heaven buddhas and bodhisattvas are laughing with joy: Ha! Ha! Ha! On earth all beings are crying with sadness: Aigo! Aigo! Aigo! —Eduardo del Valle
What You Left for Zen Master Wu Bong —Ken Kessel JDPSN
We can’t know From Universal Peak Why Our tears fall Today We could only do You didn’t Something with you Say you had Now we have Somewhere else To do something To be Without you Or Namu Amita Bul We didn’t listen
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Deep Meaning Poem for the inka ceremony of Mukyong JDPSN, 2000 In all Sutras there is only one meaning But behind this meaning, a deeper meaning; Behind this meaning, an even deeper meaning. Cracking thunder, bright lightning, And all meaning disappears. What are you? Swallow the red hot iron. Auuu!!! If you nd a tree without shadow In a valley with no echo, en it will be clear: Today is Sunday, 6th of February; In the Dharma room, a new bright light. —Zen Master Wu Bong
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PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013
e Kwan Um School of Zen 99 Pound Road, Cumberland, Rhode Island 02864-2726 USA • [email protected] • www.kwanumzen.org For the most current list of centers and web addresses, please visit www.kwanumzen.org/centers Empty Gate Zen Center Myung Wol Zen Center South Florida Zen Center Americas Gong Mun Sa Merrie Fraser JDPSN Zen Master Wu Kwang Buenos Aires Kwan Um Group Zen Master Bon Soeng P.O. Box 11084 7110 SW 182nd Way Zen Master Bon Yo 2200 Parker Street Scottsdale, AZ 85271-1084 Southwest Ranches, FL c/o Dorota Maldrzykowska Berkeley, CA 94704 480/947-6101 33331 & Tomas Rautenstrauch 510/845-8565 New Haven Zen Center 954-263-4653 Av. 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Box 82109 Nam Pung Sa Orlando, FL 32803 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Fairbanks, AK 99708 Zen Master Bon Hae 407/897-3685 412/491-9185 907/479-8109 1423 New York Street [email protected] [email protected] Lawrence, KS 66044 Prairyerth Zen Center [email protected] Cypress Tree Zen Center Lincoln Rhodes JDPSN Korea Buddhism Jogei Temple of Zen Master Bon Haeng c/o Rebecca Otte Asia America Gye Ryong San International 647 McDonnell Dr. 8000 SW 23rd Street Do Am Sunim JDPS Topeka, KS 66614 Zen Center Tallahassee, FL 32310 Mu Sang Sa 42 West 96th Street 785/224-4678 [email protected] Head Temple, Asia New York, NY 10025 Delaware Valley Zen Center Providence Zen Center Zen Master Dae Bong 212/665-3641 Hong Poep Won José Ramírez JDPSN Zen Master Dae Jin [email protected] Head Temple, North America P.O. Box 7837 Chungnam, Gyeryong City Little Rock Zen Group Newark, DE 19714-7837 Zen Master Bon Haeng Eomsa-myon, Zen Master Hae Kwang 302/533-8819 Nancy Hedgpeth JDPSN Hyangjeoksankil 129 4201 Kenyon [email protected] 99 Pound Road South Korea (321-935) Little Rock, AR 72205-2010 Cumberland, RI 02864 Deming Zen Center O ce +82 42 841 6084 501/661-1669 401/658-1464 Fax +82 42 841 1202 Zen Master Bon Hae [email protected] [email protected] 214 S. Copper St. [email protected] Mexico City Zen Centre Red Earth Zen Center Deming, NM 88030 Hoeh Beng Zen Center Jo Potter JDPSN 575/545-4665 Zen Master Bon Hae Zen Master Dae Bong Tajín #617-1 [email protected] Windsong Innerspace 18-A Jalan Raja Bot Colonia Narvarte 2201 NW I-44 Service Road Dharma Flower Zen Center 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Mexico Distrito Federal Oklahoma City, OK 73112 Malaysia Zen Master Hae Kwang C.P. 03300, Mexico 405/628-8891 861 Clay Streeet +60 3292 9839 (52)-555-6051489 [email protected] Fax +60 3292 9925 Woodstock, IL 60098 [email protected] 815/236-2511 [email protected] Morning Star Zen Center dharma [email protected] Zen Master Hae Kwang Dharma Zen Center 1599 Halsell Road Paul Park JDPSN Fayetteville, AR 72701-3902 1025 South Cloverdale 479/530-1098 Avenue [email protected] Los Angeles, CA 90019 323/934-0330 [email protected] PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Pengerang International Vrážné Zen Center Hamburg Zen Group Zen Center Europe & Israel Zen Master Bon Shim Jo Potter JDPSN Kwan Yin Chan Lin Austria c/o Vrážné Zen Center c/o Shambhala Gye Mun Sunim JDPS Vienna Zen Group Vrážné 3 Meditationszentrum Lot 109 Telok Ramunia Head Temple, Austria Jevíčko 569 43, Hansastrasse 19 81620 Pengerang Johor, Zen Master Ji Kwang Czech Republic 20149 Hamburg, Germany Malaysia c/o Meditationszentrum +420 608 169 042 +49 (0) 179 466 2706 +60 7 826 4848 “der mittlere weg” (Jiři Hazlbauer) (Sung -Yon Lee) [email protected] Biberstraße 9/2 [email protected] [email protected] 1010 Wien, Austria Singapore Zen Center Zlín Zen Group +43 680 55 396 11 Great Britain Kwan Yin Chan Lin Meditation (Knud Rosenmayr) Oleg Suk JDPSN London Zen Center Center [email protected] Zen group Kwan Um Ja An Sa Gye Mun Sunim JDPS ve Zlíně Head Temple, Great Britain No. 21, Lorong 25 Geylang Belgium Lhotka 44 Ja An JDPSN Singapore 388299 Brussels Zen Center 763 02 Zlín (Bogumila Malinowska) +65 6392 0265 Head Temple, Belgium Czech Republic Ilex House, Crouch Hill Fax +65 6392 4256 Zen Master Ji Kwang + 420 608 441 791 (Martin) Holly Park [email protected] Rue de I’Oiselet. 16A +420 739 672 032 (Kamila) London N4 4BY, Su Bong Zen Monastery 1080 Molenbeek [email protected] Great Britain Brussels, Belgium Gak Su Temple International Zen +44 207 502 6786 +32 497 596 659 France Center +44 774 297 9050 (Koen Vermeulen) Paris Zen Center Zen Master Dae Kwan Saja Hoo Soen Won [email protected] [email protected] 32 Leighton Road Head Temple, France e Peak Zen Group “Kubong-Sa” 5/F Starlight Hse Czech Republic Zen Master Bon Yo Zen Master Ji Kwang Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, Brno Zen Center Centre Parisien de c/o Kubong-Sa China Dae Gak Sa Zen Kwan Um Matlock Bath, +852 2891 9315 Oleg Šuk JDPSN 35 Rue de Lyon e Peak District Fax +852 2575 0093 Zenové centrum školy Kwan 75012 Paris, France Great Britain info@subong.org.hk Um v Brně + 33 613 798 328 +44 1629 580392 Výletní 7 (Eanjo Kim) (Peter Voke) Australia 62300 Brno, Czech Republic [email protected] kubongsa@kwanumzen. Brisbane +420 775 988 882 Won Mun Sangha Zen Group org.uk Zen Master Dae Jin (Ondráš Přibyla) Zen Master Bon Yo 27 Bredden Street [email protected] Hungary Chapel Hill 19 Grande Rue Baja KUSZ Group České Budějovice Zen Group 45360 Pierrette-ès-bois, Brisbane QLD 4069, Jo Potter JDPSN [29 Zen Master Bon Shim France Australia +36 30 4670677 c/o Vít Erban + 33 601-762-384 +61 407 821 081 (Major Tamás) Krajinská 384/40a (Philippe Potyralla) (Hae Kwang–Frank Storey) 370 01 České Budějovice [email protected] [email protected] won-mun-sangha.blog4ever. Czech Republic com Budapest KUSZ Zen Group Gold Coast 1 +420 774 123 974 Jo Potter JDPSN Zen Master Dae Jin (Vít Erban) Germany +36 70 457 0486 23 Sundance Way ceskebudejovice@ Bad Bramstedt Zen Group (Tamás Mészáros) Runaway Bay QLD 4216, kwanumzen.cz Jo Potter JDPSN [email protected] Warnemünde-Ring 19 Australia Liberec Zen Group Szeged KUSZ Zen Group 245767 Bad Bramstedt, +61 402 289 923 Tovaryšský vrch 258/1 Jo Potter JDPSN Germany (Julie–Bup Wol) Liberec 46001, +36 30 5864090 +49 419 2306 8360 goldcoastzengroup@hotmail. Czech Republic (Kasza Péter) (Uwe Schmidt) com +420602 636 386 [email protected] [email protected] Gold Coast 2 (Zdeněk Juračka) Berlin Zen Center Israel Zen Master Dae Jin [email protected] Chong Hye Sa Haifa Zen Group (Retreat Centre) Olomouc Zen Group European Head Temple c/o Ofer Cohn 102 Bonogin Road Oleg Šuk JDPSN Muchak JDPSN Sderot Moriah st. 47, ap. 4 Mudgeeraba QLD 4213, Zen group školy Gottschedstraße 4 Haifa, Israel Gold Coast, Australia Kwan Um v Olomouci 13357 Berlin, Germany +972 527 460 544 +61 402 289 923 c/o Petr Klásek +49 304 660 5090 (Ofer Cohn) (Julie–Bup Wol) P. Bezruče 4 [email protected] [email protected] +61 437 070 897 (Kathy 783 35 Horka nad Moravou Cologne (Köln) Zen Group Brackenridge–Bup Hwa) Hod Hasharon Zen Center Czech Republic Zen Master Ji Kwang [email protected] c/o Rowena Gill +420 603 449 959 c/o Gisla Blankenburg 16a Ha Tchelet Street South Africa (Petr Klásek) Am Alten Bahnhof 5 45264 Hod Hasharon, Israel Jung Shim Zen Group [email protected] 50354 Hürth, Germany +972 54 4831122 Zen Master Dae Bong Prague Zen Center +49 02233-7130080 (Rowena Gill) P.O. Box 690 Soeng Kwang Sa [email protected] [email protected] Head Temple, Czech Republic Wilderness 6560 Dresden Zen Center Pardes-Hanna-Karkur Zen Group Zen Master Bon Shim Republic of South Africa Oh Sahn Sa c/o Boaz Franklin Zen centrum školy +27 823 773 280 (Gerry) Arne Schaefer JDPSN 15 Beit El St. Kwan Um Praha [email protected] Louisenstraße 15 Pardes Hanna 33087, Israel Kwan Um (Dobeš) 010 99 Dresden, Germany +972 54 6522812 Podolská 112 +49 176 7008 2636 (Boaz Franklin) 147 00 Praha 4, (Ronny Herzog) [email protected] Czech Republic [email protected] +420 604 390 505 www.kwanumzen.de/dresden (Jirka Motl) [email protected]
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013 Ramat Gan Zen Group Katowice Zen Center Wałbrzych Zen Group Košice Zen Center c/o Alex Lurye Zen Master Bon Shim Zen Master Bon Shim Sin Dzong Sa Tzanhanim st. 6/6 c/o Waldemar Pawlik c/o Marek Elżbieciak Oleg Suk JDPSN Givataim, Israel ul. 3 maja 38/22 ul. T. Chałubińskiego 17/2 c/o Dušan Silváši +972524464949 (Alex Lurye) 40-097 Katowice, Poland 58-301 Wałbrzych, Poland Letná 43 [email protected] +48 501 430 062 [email protected] 040 01 Košice, Slovakia Latvia (Waldemar Pawlik) (Marek Elżbieciak) +421 903 134 137 [email protected] (Dušan Silváši) Jurmala Zen Group Warsaw Zen Center [email protected] Kwan Ji Sa Kraków Zen Center Do Am Sa Oleg Šuk JDPSN Do Miong Sa Head Temple, Poland Spain c/o Tatjana Tračevska Zen Master Bon Shim Zen Master Bon Shim Barcelona Zen Center Raina street, 83 ul. Mostowa 14 m. 17 ul. Małowiejska 22/24 Zen Master Bon Shim LV-2016, Jurmala, Latvia 31-061 Kraków, Poland 04-962 Warszawa–Falenica, Bori Centro Zen +371 29191137 +48 530 677 081 Poland c/o Bárbara Pardo (Tatjana Tračevska) (Slawek Golanski) +48 609 566 986 c/Beates 8, 3º, 2ª [email protected] [email protected] (Malgosia Gabryel) 08003 Barcelona, Spain Riga Zen Group Lódz Zen Center [email protected] +34 655033018 Oleg Šuk JDPSN Andrzej Piotrowski JDPSN Warsaw Zen Group (Bárbara Pardo) c/o Inga Konosonoka ul. Zielona 30/6 Zen Master Bon Shim [email protected] Nīcgales iela 19-15 90-604 Łódź, Poland ul. Dąbrowskiego 1/2 Palma Zen Center LV-1035, Rīga, Latvia +48 509 241 097 Warszawa Mokotow, Poland Head Temple, Spain +37192733256 (Igor Piniński) +48 691 256 668 Jo Potter JDPSN (Inga Konosonoka) [email protected] (Piots Giers) Centro Zen Palma [email protected] Opole Zen Center zen_na_brackiej@ Plaza Bisbe Berenguer Lithuania Dae Won Sah poczta.onet.pl de Palou nº 1, 1º, 2ª Kaunas Zen Center Zen Master Bon Shim Wrocław Zen Group 07003 Palma de Mallorca Kam No Sa c/o Henryk Kulik Zen Master Bon Shim Illes Balears, Spain Andrzej Piotrowski JDPSN ul Zlota 46/7 Poland +34 686 382 210 c/o Tomas Stonis 45-656 Opole, Poland +48 726 624 411 (Tolo Cantarellas) Verkiu 25c +48 502 327 686 (Karol Bazgier) [email protected] LT-44466 Kaunas, Lithuania (Henryk Kulik) el@op.pl 30] +370 601 56350 [email protected] Russia +370 698 29299 Płock Zen Group Rostov Zen Group [email protected] Zen Master Bon Shim Oleg Suk JDPSN Klaipeda Zen Group ul. Antoninów 1 c/o Leonid Kosmynin Andrzej Piotrowski JDPSN 09-520 Łąck, Poland Bashkirskaya Ulitsa, c/o Linas Svirinas +48 607 317 084 d.4A, kv.20 Klaipeda, Lithuania (Alicja Pełkowska) 344068 Rostov-on-Don, +370 600 00370 [email protected] Russia (Linas Svirinas) Rzeszów Zen Group +7 904 504 2111 Prison Groups [email protected] Zen Master Bon Shim (Leonid Kosmynin) Adult Correctional Institution, Rhode Island Šakiai Zen Center c/o Artur Sikora [email protected] Baker Correctional Institution, Son Kwang Sa ul. Plac Wolności 2/205 Saint Petersburg Zen Center Rzeszów, Poland Florida Andrzej Piotrowski JDPSN Dae Hwa Soen Won Bay State Correctional Center, +48 797 019 351 Šakių KC, Head Temple, Russia Norfolk, Mass (Artur Sikora) Nepriklausomybės 7/7 Oleg Suk JDPSN Coleman Federal Corrections LT-71122 Šakiai, Lithuania [email protected] e Buddhistic Temple in Complex, Florida +370 686 56392 Szczecin Zen Group Saint Petersburg Florida State Prison (Vytautas Smirnovas) Zen Master Bon Shim Kwan Um School of Zen Indiana State Prison, Michigan [email protected] c/o Dariusz Pozusiński Datsan Gunzechoinei City Vilnius Zen Center ul. Bazarowa 5/12 Primorsky pr. 91 Lowell Correctional Institution, Florida Ko Bong Sa 71-614 Szczecin, Poland 197374 Saint Petersburg, +48 508 431 216 Russia Lowtey Correctional Institution, Head Temple, Lithuania Florida Andrzej Piotrowski JDPSN (Dariusz Pozusiński) [email protected] [email protected] Marion Correctional Institution, Mokyklos 21A Slovakia Florida LT-08413 Vilnius, Lithuania Toruń Zen Group Bratislava Zen Center Massachusetts Treatment Center, +370 675 16008 Andrzej Piotrowski JDPSN Myo San Sa Bridgewater (Modestas Kazlauskas) c/o Piotr Iwanicki Head Temple, Slovakia MCI Norfolk, Massachusetts [email protected] ul. Rybaki 40/6 Oleg Šuk JDPSN Nellis Federal Prison Camp, 87-100 Toruń, Poland c/o Peter Košút, Nevada Poland Putnamville State Correctional Gdańsk Zen Center +48 609 696 060 Hanulova 5 torunskagrupazen Facility, Indiana Zen Master Bon Shim 841 01 Bratislava, Slovakia @gmail.com Union Correctional Institution, Lipowa 9 +421 905 368 368 (Ľubor Košút) Florida 81-702 Sopot, Poland Westville Correctional Center, [email protected] +48 698458603 Indiana (Jacek Wachulewicz) [email protected]
PRIMARY POINT Summer 2013
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The Kwan Um School of Zen
The heart of the Kwan Um School of Zen is our practice. Zen Master Seung Sahn very simply taught “Don’t Know”. This means in each moment we open unconditionally to all that presents itself to us. By doing this, our innate wisdom and compassion will naturally breathe and flow into our lives.
The Zen centers of the Kwan Um School of Zen around the world offer training in Zen meditation through instruction, daily morning and evening meditation practice, public talks, teaching interviews, retreats, workshops, and community living. Our programs are open to anyone regardless of previous experience.
The School’s purpose is to make this practice of Zen as accessible as possible. It is our wish to help human beings find their true direction and we vow and to save all beings from suffering.
Becoming a Member in North America
Your membership in a participating center or group makes you a part of the Kwan Um School of Zen sangha (Buddhist Community). Your dues help support teaching activities on local, national, and international levels. Membership benefits include discounted rates at all retreats and workshops at KUSZ member Zen centers and a subscription to Primary Point Magazine. (In other parts of the world, contact your local affiliated Zen center or regional head temple.)
------To set up a monthly membership with your credit card, visit kwanumzen.org and select “Donations & Membership”
1. Please choose a North American Zen Center (see preceding pages). If you are not located near a Zen Center, you may become a member of the head temple, Providence Zen Center. ______
2. Please indicate a membership level and choose payment schedule a. Family _____ $420 yearly ______$105 quarterly b. Individual _____ $300 yearly ______$75 quarterly c. Student/Senior (65+) _____ $180 yearly ______$45 quarterly
3. Please print your contact information Name ______Address ______City ______State ______Zip______Phone ______Email______For Family Memberships, please give up to 5 names to include in your membership. ______
Send to: Membership: Kwan Um School of Zen, 99 Pound Road, Cumberland, RI 02864 If you have any questions, contact the office at 401-658-1476 or email us at [email protected] Dh armaCraf t s THE CATALOG OF MEDITATION SUPPLIES
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