Zen Master Wu Bong Sunim, born Jacob Perl, was a
Zen master
Zen master is a somewhat vague English term that arose in the first half of the 20th century, sometimes used to refer to an individual who teaches Zen Buddhist meditation and practices, usually implying longtime study and subsequent authorizat ...
and monk in the
Kwan Um School of Zen
The Kwan Um School of Zen (관음선종회) (KUSZ) is an international school of zen centers and groups founded in 1983 by Zen Master Seung Sahn. The school's international head temple is located at the Providence Zen Center in Cumberland, Rhode I ...
. Wu Bong Sunim was the head teacher of the European Kwan Um School of Zen until his death in April 2013.
Early years
Zen Master Wu Bong was born in Wroclaw,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, on June 22, 1950, into a Jewish family that suffered greatly under the German occupation during World War II. In 1964, the family decided to leave Europe and emigrated to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
Jacob Perl, as he was known by his birth name, continued to go to school and graduated from high school in 1968. In 1970, at the age of 20, he began practicing
Zen
Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...
with the famous
Sōtō
Sōtō Zen or is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (the others being Rinzai and Ōbaku). It is the Japanese line of the Chinese Cáodòng school, which was founded during the Tang dynasty by Dòngshān L ...
Zen teacher
Shunryū Suzuki
Shunryu Suzuki (鈴木 俊隆 ''Suzuki Shunryū'', dharma name ''Shōgaku Shunryū'' 祥岳俊隆, often called Suzuki Roshi; May 18, 1904 – December 4, 1971) was a Sōtō Zen monk and teacher who helped popularize Zen Buddhism in the Unite ...
Roshi at the
San Francisco Zen Center
San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC), is a network of affiliated Sōtō Zen practice and retreat centers in the San Francisco Bay area, comprising City Center or Beginner's Mind Temple, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, and Green Gulch Farm Zen Center. Th ...
. The questions of life and death became very urgent for him. Continuing his search for a teacher, he went to
Tarthang Tulku
Tarthang Tulku () (born 1934) is a Tibetan teacher ( lama) who introduced the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism into the United States, where he works to preserve the art and culture of Tibet. He oversees various projects including Dharma P ...
for a year to practice
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
.
Meeting his teacher, Zen Master Seung Sahn
While a student at Brown University in Providence, he trained in
Shim Gum Do
Shim Gum Do, translated as the "mind sword path", is a Korean Martial Art and style of Korean Swordsmanship of recent invention, originating in Korea.
History
Shim Gum Do emerged from the enlightenment of the monk Won Gwang, born as Chang Sik ...
(similar to Kendo) and became a master in this martial art. In 1972, while still a student at Brown, he met
Zen Master Seung Sahn and became one of his first students. He completed his first 100-day solo retreat that same year at the age of 22. He also took five precepts and received his Buddhist name, Peop Mu, which means the Empty Dharma.
In 1973 he graduated in mathematics from Brown University with a Bachelor of Pure Arts. In 1978, together with Zen Master Seung Sahn, he returned for the first time to Europe, to Poland, his native country, where from that time on a sangha developed and grew, eventually becoming the largest sangha in the European Kwan Um School of Zen.
In 1978 he made his second solo retreat in America. At that time, his health suffered because of a very strict diet and strong practice.
Teaching years
In 1984 he received Inka from
Zen Master Seung Sahn and, although still living in the USA, became the official supporter of the Polish sangha. From then on, he traveled frequently to Poland.
In 1988 he married Grazyna, and their son Matthew was born in 1989. In 1992 he was officially appointed European Head Teacher by the founding teacher of the Kwan Um School of Zen, Zen Master Seung Sahn.
In 1993 he received transmission from Zen Master Seung Sahn and was given the Dharma name Wu Bong, which means Universal Peak. At that time he lived at
Providence Zen Center
Providence Zen Center (PZC) is the Head Temple of the Americas for the Kwan Um School of Zen (KUSZ) and the first Zen center established by Seungsahn in the United States in October 1972. The PZC offers residential training where students and teach ...
, where he was abbot for many years. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Paris with his family and founded the Paris Zen Center. Between his Inka and transmission he was very active, teaching in Europe, Asia, South Africa, and America.
His dharma heirs
In 2000 he gave his first Inka, to Dr. Roland Wöhrle-Chon from Germany (now Zen Master Ji Kwang). In 2006 he gave his first transmission to Alexandra Porter (Zen Master Bon Shim) from Poland. In 2012, he gave his second transmission to Ji Kwang. In total, he has given two transmissions and eight Inkas: Andrzej Piotrowski (Poland), Namhee Chon (Germany), Alma Potter (Austria), Bogumila Malinowska (England), Oleg Suk (Slovakia), Arne Schaefer (Germany), Koen Vermeulen (Belgium).
Monkhood and later years
In 2008, he moved to Korea to prepare to become a monk. In order to keep a place in Europe, he moved to the Berlin Zen Center, which became his home in Europe.
In 2009, he was ordained a
Buddhist monk in Korea.
He continued to lead and teach his European sangha until the end of his life, while also concentrating on teaching in Korea. He led Kyol Che (100-day Zen retreats) at
Mu Sang Sa, Hyang Chung Sa, Hwa Gye Sa, and Boep-hwa Doryang (all in Korea).
Wu Bong Sunim left his body after a cardiac arrest on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 1 p.m. while leading a Yong Maeng Jong Jin (Zen retreat) at the Paris Zen Center.
Teaching
Don't know mind
"Keeping a 'don't know' mind means cutting off all thinking. Cutting off all discursive thoughts takes us to the wellspring of our true nature, and brings us to the present moment. What are you doing just now? Paying attention to this very moment is what Zen practice is all about." - Zen Master Wu Bong
Perseverance and direction of our Zen practice
Zen Master Wu Bong's teaching style was clear and simple, but at the same time very sharp. He would always point out the importance of Zen practice, which gives us the attainment of truth and a clear direction.
As Zen practitioners, we do not have to believe in anything – not in Buddha, not in famous Zen masters, and especially not on our teaching style or tradition. Instead, we need a great deal of trust and belief in what we are doing – just now – in our practice, whatever it consists of.
Zen Master Wu Bong always pointed out that we need keep on with our Zen practice and its given forms, be they bowing or chanting or silent sitting or mantra or kongan or counting the breath. Most important is not to change all the time, because Zen is not about checking and preferences. That doesn't work. Zen Master Wu Bong always emphasized approaching and reflecting each situation without hindrance, known as 'trying mind', which is often invoked with the admonition: 'just do it!' Which means to practice and to save all beings. We have to decide and commit to this course, and then try, try, try, until one day we completely attain it.
Wake up
"Nobody guarantees our life. So if there is anything that you think may be useful, just now is the time to use it. In our life, past mind and future mind cannot be attained. Present mind also cannot be attained. Because if you say "present", it is already not present, already gone. If you lose this moment, you can never regain it.
We follow Buddha's example. Buddha means awakened. If you are not going to awake, tomorrow is too late. One hour from now is also too late. Even one second from now is too late. Just this moment, wake up.
I hope each of you will make correct practice in your life and attain wake-up. Then one more step is important: use this wake-up to help all beings." - Zen Master Wu Bong
Video
* ''Don't Know - A tribute to Zen Master Wu Bong'', by Fabio Dondero and Chiara Somajni, 2016
Video on demandDocumentary webpage
See also
*
Buddhism in Europe
Although there was regular contact between practising Buddhists and Europeans in antiquity the former had little direct impact. In the latter half of the 19th century, Buddhism came to the attention of Western intellectuals and during the cours ...
*
Buddhism in the United States
The term American Buddhism can be used to describe all Buddhist groups within the United States, including Asian Americans, Asian-American Buddhists born into the faith, who comprise the largest percentage of Buddhists in the country.
American Budd ...
*
Timeline of Zen Buddhism in the United States
Below is a timeline of important events regarding Zen Buddhism in the United States. Dates with "?" are approximate.
Events
Early history
* 1893: Soyen Shaku comes to the United States to lecture at the World Parliament of Religions held in C ...
References
Sources
*
*
External links
http://www.kwanumzen.org/http://zen.kwanumeurope.org/
20th-century Buddhist monks
21st-century Buddhist monks
Seon Buddhist monks
Kwan Um School of Zen
Brown University alumni
San Francisco Zen Center
Buddhism in France
American expatriates in France
American Zen Buddhists
Polish Zen Buddhists
Converts to Buddhism from Judaism
2013 deaths
1950 births
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