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Kwan Um Zen
Anyone have any experience with Kwan Um Zen? There is a teacher near to where I live and I've e-mailed him for an introductory class.
I tried sitting for thirty minutes using the Hwadu What is this? My mind hardly wandered at all compared to Theravadin Samatha where I use the mantra Buddho and I felt very calm when I had finished.
My Psychiatrist has been pushing for me to get out more apart from meeting my friends in the pub and I think a proper Sangha and teacher would be a step in the right direction.
Your thoughts as always are appreciated.
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Comments
Sounds like a great plan.
Yes, Kwan Um Zen is a remarkable school of Buddhism. The founder Master Seung Sahn came from Korea and I first encountered it while I was there (Korean Seon or Zen is older than the Japanese schools and Korean monks actually introduced Buddhism to Japan). Korean Zen Buddhists not only meditate, they traditionally have included prostrations (a type of bowing) and chanting together in their meetings along with silent meditation. However, those are all tools for the basic Zen quest for clear mind.
The founder, Master Seung Sahn, was a remarkable man and Teacher, and there are some compilations of his teachings such as "Dropping Ashes on the Buddha" that have become widely read.
Yes, I've been a Kwan Um zen student for about 20 years or so. All the teachers are very good. They have a lot of centers and hold retreats often. Koan practice is given to everyone also. Highly recommended!
Thanks folks, the class nearest to me isn't operating as only a couple of people turned up (not enough folks to pay for the room), but there is a class operating a short train ride away. I'll e-mail the teacher for further details.