Kanzeon Zen Center was a
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 ...
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
center located in
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, t ...
. It was an affiliate of the
White Plum Asanga
White Plum Asanga, sometimes termed White Plum Sangha, is a Zen school in the Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi lineage, created by Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi. It consists of Maezumi's Dharma heirs and subsequent successors and students. A diverse organization ...
, an association of Zen centers stemming from the tradition of
Taizan Maezumi
Hakuyū Taizan Maezumi ( Maezumi Hakuyū, February 24, 1931 – May 15, 1995) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher and rōshi, and lineage holder in the Sōtō, Rinzai, and Sanbo Kyodan traditions of Zen. He combined the Rinzai use of '' kōan ...
. The founder and Abbot of Kanzeon Zen Center was
Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi, who resigned in 2011 amidst controversy. Kanzeon Zen Center was the home temple and the hub of Kanzeon Sangha International, founded by Genpo Roshi in 1984, with affiliate teachers, centers and groups in the US and seven European countries.
The center was housed at 1274 E. South Temple, a historic building listed as a
contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...
in the
South Temple Historic District
The South Temple Historic District is a historic district that was the first to be listed in the Salt Lake City Register in 1976, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
It includes 106 contributing buildings, includi ...
. It closed in the wake of the sex scandals involving Merzel. News reports stated that the center was deeply financially in debt to Merzel.
Gallery
Image:Dennis Genpo Merzel 5.jpg
Image:Dokusan room (Kanzeon Zen center).jpg
Image:Kanzeon Zen Center Zendo (Genpo Merzel).jpg
Image:Kanzeon teachers.jpg
Image:Kanzeon Zen Center zendo.jpg
Image:Kanzeon Zen Center teachers.jpg
Image:Zafus (Kanzeon Zen center).jpg
Image:Kanzeon Zen center exterior.jpg
Image:Kinhin.jpg, Kanzeon members during kinhin
Image:Kanzeon Zen Center Group Photo.jpg, Group photo of some Kanzeon Zen Center members.
See also
*
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 ...
References
External links
Kanzeon Zen Center
Buddhist temples in the United States
Religious buildings and structures in Salt Lake City
White Plum Asanga
Buddhism in Utah
Zen centers in the United States
Temples in Utah
Religious organizations established in 1984
1984 establishments in Utah
Asian-American culture in Utah
{{Utah-struct-stub