The great teacher who founded the San Francisco Zen Center and played a historic role in the establishment of Buddhist practice in the West was born on this day in 1904. Lewis Richmond remembers him. Shunryu Suzuki Roshi has had an enormous influence on the growth of buddhadharma in the West. Yet when he came to San Francisco in 1959, he had no plans, no grand strategy—only a [...]
Impossible Happiness: An Elegy for Peter Orlovsky (Featuring never-before-seen photos)
Steve Silberman reflects on the life of poet Peter Orlovsky. Photos by Cliff Fyman, used with permission. Saxifrage is my flower that splits the rocks -- William Carlos Williams The night I met Allen Ginsberg in 1976, his lifelong companion Peter Orlovsky raised a handkerchief to Allen's nose a fraction of a second before he sneezed. We were in a basement club in [...]
Remembering Peter Orlovsky (1933-2010)
Peter Orlovsky, poet, dharma-maverick, and longtime companion of Allen Ginsberg, has died. Friend Chuck Lief reports: "Peter died this morning at 11:30 am. We are working on the funeral arrangements now, which will take place at the Karme Choling Meditation Center in Barnet, Vermont." Born in 1933, Orlovsky's New York life would take a turn towards fame in 1954 when he met [...]
His Eminence Kensur Kyabje Lati Rinpoche, Spiritual Advisor to the Dalai Lama (1922 – 2010)
Dharamsala, India -- His Eminence Kensur Kyabje Lati Rinpoche, passed away at 5:45am April 12th, India time, in Dharamsala, India. Lati Rinpoche was 88 years old. The renowned Rinpoche, passed away peacefully in his residence unexpectedly with only slight stomach trouble as a symptom. He was not hospitalized. It was reported that he had circumambulated His Holiness the [...]
Penor Rinpoche Passes Away
We are sad to report the death of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, a senior Tibetan teacher and former head of the Nyingma lineage. It was announced earlier today that he had been admitted to the intensive care unit at Columbia Asia Hospital in Bangalore, India. His death has just been reported by Andrew Rose, a member of the board of directors of ODD. Penor Rinpoche was head of [...]
The passing of Venerable Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen
We note the death of the Venerable Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen, founder and spritual director of Thubten Dhargye Ling (Center for the Study of Buddhism and Tibetan Culture). Writes Annie McCormack from the TDL Center: Dear Friends, We have very sad news. Our great and dear teacher Ven. Geshe Gyeltsen passed from our world today, Friday February 13th at around 12:20 p.m. Ven. [...]
New Buddhist Obituary Column
Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly is introducing a new obituary column featuring short, personal essays remembering the life and death of individuals who had a strong connection to the dharma. We invite you to send an essay about a friend, family member, sangha member, teacher or student who recently passed away (2008 or 2009). Tell us about their life, their [...]
Remembering Crooked Cuke
Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, the founder of the San Francisco Zen Center, was nicknamed "crooked cucumber" by his strict teacher, So-on. Referring to twisted fruit at the curling end of cucumber vines, So-on continued to refer to Suzuki by this name as he grew up, and would say that he felt sorry for him because he would never have any good disciples. A huge number of such stories [...]
Profile: Death of a Pioneer
The famous Buddhist scholar Herbert Guenther passed away on March 11, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, at the age of 88. He was a pioneer in the English translation of the rich traditions of Vajrayana Buddhism, and particularly Mahamudra and Dzogchen. He was also a man who lived life to the fullest: "Engagement with what matters" was his motto. Born in the seaport town of Bremen, [...]
Spring Comes, the Grass Grows by Itself: Remembering Zen Master Seung Sahn (1927-2004)
Stanley Lombardo remembers Zen Master Seung Sahn, founder of the Kwan Um School of Zen, who died in November. Zen Master Seung Sahn died of heart failure at Hwa Gye Sa temple in Korea on November 30. Known to his students as Dae Soen Sa Nim (Great Honored Zen Teacher), he was the first Korean Zen master to live and teach in the West and was the founding teacher of the Kwan [...]