Zen Master Seung Sahn, Founding Teacher
Zen Master Soeng Hyang (Barbara Rhodes), School Zen Master
Zen Master Dae Kwang, Abbot
International Head Temple Providence Zen Center
Zen Master Seung Sahn
Zen Master Seung Sahn, founder of the international Kwan Um School of Zen, died on November 30, 2004, at Hwa Gye Sah temple in Seoul, Korea. He died peacefully, surrounded by his students. He was 77.
In June 2004, he had received the title “Great Master” from the Chogye Order of Korean Buddhism, in appreciation for his lifetime of teaching. This is the highest honor the order confers.
In November 2007, Zen Master Seung Sahn’s students marked the third anniversary of his death with a memorial trip to Korea and an exhibition presented at the headquarters of the Chogye Order. You can view this exhibition, and photos from the trip, at www.dssn2007.com.
Full biography of Zen Master Seung Sahn
The Human Route
Coming empty-handed, going empty-handed -- that is human.
When you are born, where do you come from?
When you die, where do you go?
Life is like a floating cloud which appears.
Death is like a floating cloud which disappears.
The floating cloud itself originally does not exist.
Life and death, coming and going, are also like that.
But there is one thing which always remains clear.
It is pure and clear, not depending on life and death.
Then what is the one pure and clear thing?
The Kwan Um School
The Kwan Um School of Zen is an international organization of more than a hundred centers and groups founded by Zen Master Seung Sahn, the first Korean Zen Master to live and teach in the West. The School's purpose is to make this practice of Zen Buddhism available to an ever-growing number of students throughout the world.
The heart of the Kwan Um School of Zen is the daily practice which goes on in its Zen centers and groups. Students and visitors eat together, work together, and meditate together -- gradually attaining a clear compassionate mind which moment to moment is able to help all beings.
We offer training in Zen meditation through meditation instruction, daily morning and evening practice, public talks, teaching interviews, sittings, retreats and workshops. Our programs are open to anyone regardless of previous experience and are often offered at no cost.
- Our listing of Zen Centers and groups can help you locate the one nearest you.
Our School's Teachers
The founding teacher of our School is Zen Master Seung Sahn, the 78th Patriarch in his line of transmission in the Chogye order of Korean Buddhism. In 1972 he came to the United States and started the Providence Zen Center, the first center in what is now the Kwan Um School. He and his students have founded over a hundred temples, centers, and groups around the world. His books include Ten Gates, The Compass of Zen, Dropping Ashes on the Buddha, only Don't Know and The Whole World is a Single Flower -- 365 Kong-ans for Everyday Life.
Zen Master Seung Sahn has given transmission to Zen Masters and "inka" -- teaching authority -- to senior students called Ji Do Poep Sa Nims (Dharma Masters).
- More on Zen Master Seung Sahn
- Biographies of our Zen Masters and Ji Do Poep Sa Nims
Teaching Archives
- Complete article archive arranged by teacher name
- Zen Master Seung Sahn's "What is Zen?", "Zen is Understanding Yourself", and "Why We Chant"
- Audio archive (MP3) arranged by teacher name
- Primary Point magazine article archive
- Primary Point magazine complete pdfs
- Glossary of Zen Names and Terms Used By the Kwan Um School
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Primary Point Press |
Our Primary Point Press offers books, videos, and audio on the teaching of Zen Master Seung Sahn and the Kwan Um School of Zen.
About Membership
Membership entitles one to reduced rates for retreats and other Zen Center events, as well as subscriptions to our newsletters and Primary Point, the journal of the Kwan Um School. Dues help support your Center, the School and the transmission of Zen teaching.
- Individual Full Membership - $300/year
- Family Full Membership - $420/year
- Student Full Membership - $144/year
- Associate Membership - $96/year
If you live in North America, you can become a member or pay your dues online.
Donations to the School are also welcome, including in the form of securities.
Kwan Um School of Zen Links
Other international sites
- Kwan Um Zen School of Europe
- Providence Zen Center, our international head temple
Major links on this site
- Home page of the Kwan Um Zen School
- Centers & Groups of the Kwan Um Zen School
- Teachers of the Kwan Um Zen School
- Teaching archive indexed by teacher name
- Primary Point Press Catalog
National sites
- Kwan Um Zen School - Europe
- Kwan Um Zen School - Czech Republic
- Kwan Um Zen School - Germany
- Kwan Um Zen School - Hungary
- Kwan Um Zen School - Poland
Zen Center sites
- Berlin Zen Center
- Bratislava Zen Center
- Brno Zen Center
- Brussels Zen Center
- Ceské Budejovice Zen Center in the Czech Republic
- Cambridge Zen Center outside Boston
- Cape Cod Zen Center
- Chogye International Zen Center in New York City
- Cold Mountain Zen Center in Fairbanks Alaska
- Cypress Tree Zen Group in Tallahassee Florida
- Decin Zen Center in the Czech Republic
- Delaware Valley Zen Center
- Dharma Zen Center in Los Angeles
- Empty Gate Zen Center in Berkeley
- Gateless Gate Zen Center in Gainesville Florida
- Gdansk Zen Center
- Great Brightness Zen Center in Las Vegas
- Great Lake Zen Center in Milwaukee
- Hasharon Zen Center in Israel
- Indianapolis Zen Center
- Isthmus Zen Community in Madison Wisconsin
- Kansas Zen Center in Lawrence
- Katowice Zen Group (in Polish)
- Kosice Zen Center
- Kraków Zen Center
- Little Rock Zen Group in Arkansas
- London Zen Center
- Mexico City Zen Group
- Mu Sang Sa in Korea
- New Haven Zen Center
- Northern Light Zen Center in Maine
- Ocean Light Zen Center in Seattle
- Open Meadow Zen Group in Massachusetts
- Opole Zen Center
- Olomouc Zen Center
- Oslo Zen Center
- Palma Zen Center in Spain (in Spanish)
- Paris Zen Center
- Penobscot Area Zen Center in Maine
- Pengerang International Zen Center
- Zen Group of Pittsburgh
- Prague Zen Centre
- Prairyerth Zen Center in Topeka, Kansas
- Providence Zen Center, our international head temple
- Ramat Gan Zen Group in Israel
- Red Earth Zen Center in Oklahoma
- Riga Zen Center in Latvia
- Saint Petersburg Zen Center
- Seoul International Zen Center and its Sunday Zen Class at Hwa Gye Sa temple
- Singapore Zen Center
- Single Flower Zen Group in California
- Su Bong Zen Monastery in Hong Kong
- Tel Aviv Zen Center
- Ten Directions Zen Community in Chicago
- Three Treasures Zen Center of oneonta
- Vancouver Zen Center
- Vienna Zen Center in Austria
- Vilnius Zen Center in Lithuania
- Won Kwang Sah temple under construction in Hungary
- Zlin Zen Center in the Czech Republic
Developing Groups
- Tall Grass Zen Group in Manhattan, Kansas
Other Buddhist sites
- Sonoma Mountain Zen Center --Jakusho Kwong-roshi is a long-time friend
- Dharmacrafts--Meditation supplies, Buddhist books, etc.
- Shambhala Publications
Resources for Members
Zen Master Seung Sahn
- Zen Master Seung Sahn's Temple Rules
- Zen Master Seung Sahn's 12 Gates
- Teaching Letters of Zen Master Seung Sahn
- RealAudio of Zen Master Seung Sahn chanting the Morning Bell Chant
- RealAudio of Zen Master Seung Sahn chanting the Evening Bell Chant
- Sayings of Zen Master Kyong Ho, Zen Master Seung Sahn's great-grandteacher
- Zen lineages and Zen Master Seung Sahn's lineage
Practice forms guides
Chanting
- Complete Chanting Book as used in North America (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- The Four Great Vows
- Morning Bell Chant transliteration | bell hitting diagram PDF | MP3 (version 1) | MP3 (version 2)
- Evening Bell Chant transliteration | bell hitting diagram PDF | MP3 (version 1) | MP3 (version 2)
- Homage to the Three Jewels transliteration | MP3 (version 1) | MP3 (version 2)
- Heart Sutra in Korean transliteration | hangul | hangul and Chinese | MP3 (version 1) | MP3 (version 2)
- Heart Sutra in English text | MP3 (version 1) | MP3 (version 2)
- Great Dharani transliteration | MP3 (version 1) | MP3 (version 2)
- Thousand Eyes and Hands Sutra MP3 (introduction) | MP3 (body)
- Kwan Seum Bosal Chanting MP3
- Namu Amita Bul Chanting MP3
- Sogamuni Bul Chanting MP3
Sangha organization and gatherings
- Statement of Ethics for the Entire Sangha
- Five year calendar of sangha gatherings
- Precepts Information and Application booklet for the Americas (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Precepts Ceremony (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Dharma Teacher Training Guidelines booklet (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Wedding Ceremony (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- 100-day Ceremony booklet (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Memorial Ceremony booklet (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Sewing instructions for bowing robe (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Sewing instructions for meditation pants (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Sewing instructions for meditation cushions and mats (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Sewing instructions for small (five precepts) kasa (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Sewing instructions for dharma teacher robe (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Sewing instructions for ceremony kasa for senior dharma teachers and bodhisattva teachers (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Sewing instructions for Korean monks' pants (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- Sewing instructions for monks' vest (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
Publications
- The most recent issue of the School Newsletter including a worldwide retreat schedule (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- The most recent issue of Primary Point (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
- A suggested reading list
Contact us at:
The Kwan Um School of Zen
99 Pound Road
Cumberland, RI 02864-2726
Telephone 401/658-1464
Fax: 401/658-1188
info@kwanumzen.org
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