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The First Zen Institute of America is a Rinzai institution for laypeople established by Sokei-an in New York, New York in 1930 as the Buddhist Society of America[1] (changing its name after World War II).[2] Originally located on West 70th Street[3], today it occupies a brownstone on East 30th Street[4] and the institute has no resident teacher. After Sokei-an died in 1945, the officers (George Fowler, president; Ruth Fuller Sasaki, vice president; and Mary Farkas, secretary) searched for a Japanese roshi who would go to New York to take up residence there. They particulary sought help from Goto Zuigan, Sokei-an's dharma brother.[5] Ruth Sasaki went to Japan, in part to find a roshi who would return to New York with her. But it was not until 1955 that she was able to bring Miura Isshu back with her.[6] Miura Roshi spent some time with the Institute, exploring the possibility of becoming resident roshi, but felt uncomfortable working with female leadership, and sent a letter of resignation in November 1963. He continued to reside in New York and teach selected students on an independent basis until his death in 1976.[7]
Because Sokei-an died before leaving behind a Dharma heir, they rely heavily upon the writings and transcriptions of their founder as a guide in their practice. Much of these teaching materials derive from Sokei-an's lectures, originally produced by the Sokei-an and his students[8] from 1940 to 1941 in their magazine, Cat's Yawn, and subsequently published as the Institute's first book, also titled Cat's Yawn.[9] Despite having no teacher in residence, the institute does invite teachers such as Kyozan Joshu Sasaki and Isshu Miura to provide them with instruction periodically.[1] According to Jeff Wilson, "The institute holds public meditation twice a week on Monday and Wednesday evenings, 7:30-9:30 p.m. and offers two-day meditation retreats on the second weekend of each month."[10] The poet Gary Snyders' studies of Zen Buddhism in Japan in 1956 were made possible by a grant given to him on behalf of the First Zen Institute.[11][12]
The Institute also had a branch in Kyoto, the First Zen Institute of America in Japan or Nichibei Daiichi Zen Kyokai, founded by Ruth Sasaki in 1957.[13]
[edit] See also
- ^ Harvey, 207
- ^ Lippy, 110
- ^ Belgrad, 296-297
- ^ Fields, 359
- ^ Stirling 2006, pp. 41-2
- ^ Stirling 2006, pg. 71
- ^ Stirling 2006, pp. 118-9
- ^ Stirling 2006, pg. 36
- ^ Sasaki 2006, pg. 41
- ^ Wilson, 61
- ^ Schelling, 297
- ^ Gioia, et al; 173
- ^ Stirling 2006, pg. 79
[edit] References
- Belgard, Daniel (1999). The Culture of Spontaneity: Improvisation and the Arts in Postwar America. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226041883.
- Fields, Rick (1986). How the Swans Came to the Lake. Random House. ISBN 0394744195.
- Gioia, Dana; Yost, Chryss;Hicks, Jack (2003). California Poetry: From the Gold Rush to the Present. Heydey Books. ISBN 1890771724.
- Harvey, Peter (1990). An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521313333.
- Lippy, Charles H. (2002). Pluralism Comes of Age: American Religious Culture in the Twentieth Century. M.E. Sharpe. ISBN 0765601516.
- Schelling, Andrew (2005). The Wisdom Anthology of North American Buddhist Poetry. Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0861713923.
- Stirling, Isabel. "Zen Pioneer: The Life & Works of Ruth Fuller Sasaki" (2006) Shoemaker & Hoard. ISBN 978-1-59376-110-3
- Wilson, Jeff (2000). The Buddhist Guide to New York. Macmillan. ISBN 0312267150.
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