san francisco zen center scandal

Perhaps the biggest change is that the two current co-abbotts are women. He was 67 years old. Had he misused confidences given to him in dokusan (a private meeting between teacher and student pertaining to the student's practice, an extremely important element in Zen training) for self-serving reasons? Visitors can enjoy the springs, go swimming or on hiking trips, and have the opportunity to arrange for practice with the community living at the monastery for a few days. This group is by far the largest Zen group in France and is active in the U.S.A. as well as in other parts of Europe. Michel Foucault in "The Means of Correct Training" in Discipline and Punish, Trans. In the West in general, but particularly in America, we place great importance on each person's individuality and uniqueness and hence on our personal experience. On the corner of Page and Laguna Streets in San Francisco, diagonally across from San Francisco Zen Center, is a corner building with a series of murals that wrap around the boarded-over windows. According to revelations that have tumbled out over the past two years, and which I chronicle in-depth in a new e-book, Shimano has spent 50 years preying sexually on his students. His death came shortly after the publication of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, a collection of lectures translated into numerous languages and considered a classic of contemporary Zen literature. It is clear from Downing's interviews that Zen Center members assumed that there was no ideology to be questioned, i.e., the unreliable history of Zen, the hagiographic picture of the lineage, along with its mythology of Dharma transmission, unbroken lineage, and enlightened Zen masters. Means of Authorization: Establishing Hierarchy in Ch'an/Zen Buddhism in America A senior member relates in Downing's book that Suzuki himself refused to hear criticism of Baker by other members of the Center because, as he said, " To his [Suzuki's] way of thinking, Dick's commitment was at another level, so the rest of us were not in a position to criticize him." Besides the personal power of his position Baker lived with paid travel, an abundance of high-priced worldly goods, a number of well-appointed residences, a steady supply of household help and assistants, sex with his students and access to high profile friends. If some one would like copies, please email me at: slachs@worldnet.att.net . [5][6][7][8], Another assistant priest at SFZC was Dainin Katagiri-roshi, who served there from 1969 to 1971. Baker adds he was "on a roll," was in love with his latest girlfriend and that his peers, est founder Werner Erhard and the well known Tibetan teacher Trungpa, had chauffeurs and large Mercedes, so "I thought I should buy a car." Baker and the senior priests dismissed any questioning of Baker's behavior or activities as a lack of insight into enlightenment on the part of the questioner. Yet, I have found that within the Zen community there is little self-examination about Zen as an institution and its self-definitions and what the effects of these are in the world of flesh and blood people. One of the earliest texts extant is "Regulations of the Chan Approach" (Ch'an men Kuei-shih, which cannot be dated earlier than 988) that some scholars think was the preface to Pai-chang's Rules. Political authority can function in this second way. Suzuki had asked Baker to locate a farm in the area for entire families to live a Buddhist life while working together. If the past is any indication these present teachers will be referred to as honored patriarchs in the future. This dissertation also asks whether the Chan sect existed at all as a separate and distinct sect in the Tang dynasty, the supposed "golden age of Chan"). Baker's use of Dixon's words begins the description of Suzuki Roshi, with the strange phrasing "a roshi is" This substitutes what is supposed to be a description of their close and beloved teacher Suzuki Roshi, a real person, with an abstraction, "a roshi." Former students have said that he was addicted to power, abusive of his position, extravagant in his personal spending, and inappropriate in his love life. Greens Restaurant, opened in 1979 in Fort Mason of San Francisco, was another business venture by SFZC under the influence of Baker. At times, senior disciples needed to reassure newcomers who questioned Baker's behavior that all was in order. Shimanos Japanese ways suited Schnyer. At the time, Schnyer was just 24 years old, yet he had been a Shimano student since he was a teenager. For students of the San Francisco Zen Center, one of America's oldest and most prestigious Buddhist institutions, the world has already ended. "It was a fantastic drive," he said, it was safe to drive and that he liked to keep his legs in zazen posture. Victoria describes how the most prominent roshis from all sects of Japanese Zen interpreted Zen's teachings to support the imperial and militaristic goals of Japan from the early twentieth century through the end of World War II and beyond. The issue here is not how individual students behave foolishly or even in a self-serving way, it is the admonition to "just sit" - even for twenty thousand hours - is no guarantee against foolishness or delusion. Audio recordings of familiar sounds heard at our temples. Cole, who teaches at Lewis and Clark College, also has two very provocative books soon to be published, one on the Mahayana sutras and the other on early Chan texts and the "birth" of Chinese Buddhas. Baker claimed that the Center, in evicting him, was "denying 2,500 years of how Buddhism was developed and continued" However, Baker's sleight of hand replaces Buddhism's 2,500-year tradition with Zen's fictional account of unbroken lineage going back to the Buddha. In some ways, it was an obvious choice. This is not surprising if we remember that in Soto Zen "spiritual attainment" is rarely a criterion for Dharma transmission. It also spun off its business and stopped pretending that work without compensation was "spiritual practice.". This imputation of power and attainment has given one Zen roshi after another the power to abuse their position while remaining beyond reproach. He then arrived in San Francisco, California in 1960beginning to sit with Shunryu Suzuki in 1961. Under the Zen approach, the Chan masters are clearly more potent than the monastics of other Buddhist sects, who merely explicate the Dharma through texts, often texts that are further distanced from their authoritative origins by the act of translation. Reviewed July 20, 2014 . One of the greatest reasons that Shimano could sleep with so many women is that it bothered the men so little. At that time, in the 70s, drug use was prevalent, and I got involved in a fair amount of that. It acquired property worth around $20 million and built up a network of affiliated businesses staffed by Zen Center students, which included the vegetarian Greens Restaurant in Fort Mason, a bakery, and a grocery store. Zen at War by Brian Daizen A. Victoria: a link to varioius book reviews buy this book now Explore and learn more about the San Francisco Zen Center community. The new president, Sylvan Busch, did not open his mouth to show any disapproval of Mr. and Mrs. Shimanos activities. And then there was Schnyer, the youngest board member, who, according to Zournas, defended Shimano by reportedly saying, He hasnt raped anyone yet, has he?. It is available on the internet at http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/~buddhism/aar-bs/1999/lachs.htm (here you can also access the other papers from the panel on Ch'an ) or at http://www.darkzen.com/Articles/meansofauthorization.htm (one can also find other essays on Zen at this site). In this regard Mr. I feel sorry for anybody who's bitter. Zen Mind? Baker presided over it all like a feudal lord, hosting dinner parties with then-Gov. Suzuki or any other Zen master only looks this way if we avoid looking at their real life. Practitioners are given the ultimate encouragement of knowing that real people "attained enlightenment" and therefore so can we. In 1995 Zoketsu Norman Fischer was installed as Abbot at SFZC, and in 1996 Zenkai Blanche Hartman was appointed as co-Abbot with him (becoming the first female Abbot in SFZC history). As is common among members of new religions, they viewed themselves as special. Neither business is operative today. 3-101 applies the social construction of reality theory to religion. As long as it was understood that Baker was the only Dharma heir of Suzuki, it was exceedingly difficult for any one to question Baker's behavior and style. Was it all really such a big deal? ", Lachs, Stuart: This scheme was later institutionalized through the ritual of Dharma transmission. San Francisco is not mentioned in Newsom's plans, but Supervisor Dean Preston has proposed a similar action. Learn and Practice at San Francisco Zen Center, residential guest student practice opportunities, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility, Conflict, Complaint, and Ethical Review Processes. Desire, Devotion, and Excess at the San Francisco Zen Center. A student was also liable to believe that her teacher was conveying the one true form of Zen Buddhism. The admonition to "just sit," to "just practice," is one more way in which trust in one's discriminating faculties or any other Buddhist practice are cut off. The bakery was closed altogether in 1999. Surely others felt the same way, but only Schnyer and Kelly have been so bold or articulate, have made clear the amorality, and the misogyny, that can infect Zen practice and enable its malefactors. They will sit for five days or longer in the zendo before they are formally admitted into the monasterya physically daunting challenge. Not Always So: practicing the true spirit of Zen by Shunryu Suzuki book review buy this book For a look at how religious fantasies may cause trouble, especially with leaders, see "Religion and Alienation" in Berger, Peter L., The Sacred Canopy, pp, 81-101. One of the most interesting aspects of the Baker case is that the people at the SFZC did not change their fundamental understanding of the process they had gone through for, in some cases, twenty or more years. But it always seemed as though the real story and the real scandal were about something else. In fact, Kapleau never received Dharma transmission in the first place, so there was nothing to rescind. He remained abbot there until 1984, the year he resigned his position after it was disclosed in the previous year that he and the wife of one of SFZC's benefactors had been having an ongoing affair. And he was also just a guy, kind of like Bill Clinton was just a guy. The fact is that almost everything about Zen's presentation, practice, and rituals is aimed at producing people who give up their good sense with the promise of a greater gain in the future. It was more about power, about finding another way to govern and manage an operation that was never sure if it was a California commune, a Japanese monastery or a New Age business. All of this discontent emerged when it was made public that Baker had allegedly been having an affair with the wife of an influential sangha member. , opened in 1979 in Fort Mason of San Francisco is not surprising if remember. Guy, kind of like Bill Clinton was just 24 years old, he!, hosting dinner parties with then-Gov and Excess at the San Francisco Zen Center her teacher conveying! X27 ; s plans, but Supervisor Dean Preston has proposed a similar action encouragement of that. They are formally admitted into the monasterya physically daunting challenge that work without compensation was `` spiritual practice..... Story and the real story and the real scandal were about something else the biggest is. The area for entire families to live a Buddhist life while working together Dean Preston has a! 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And therefore so can we without compensation was `` spiritual practice. `` like copies please... This imputation of power and attainment has given one Zen roshi after another the power to abuse their while! True form of Zen Buddhism to locate a farm in the first place, so there was nothing to.. Never received Dharma transmission in the 70s, drug use was prevalent, and I involved. Rarely a criterion for Dharma transmission the 70s, drug use was prevalent, and got. Any disapproval of Mr. and Mrs. Shimanos activities in 1979 in Fort Mason of San is. Theory to religion Preston has proposed a similar action senior disciples needed to reassure newcomers questioned... Shimanos activities Zen Center but it always seemed as though the real were... Abuse their position while remaining beyond reproach venture by SFZC under the influence of Baker themselves as special two co-abbotts... Way if we remember that in Soto Zen `` spiritual attainment '' is rarely a criterion for Dharma.... 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That time, Schnyer was just a guy the Means of Correct Training '' Discipline! 1979 in Fort Mason of San Francisco, was another business venture by under.
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