Dear Zen Studies Society Sangha,
As most of you know, I will be stepping down as abbot of the Zen Studies Society on October 1st of this year, the day before my 80th birthday. It is truly a bittersweet time. Of course there is no retirement from the Dharma! My life’s work — my life after lifetime’s work — can never end. But it is time for me to focus on a writing project that I have deferred during these 12 years.
It is also time for me to allow others to shine as leaders. I feel confident that my Dharma heirs, Chigan Roshi and Hokuto Osho, will do so, together with the senior ordained who are in our new Dharma teacher training program, and all of you who have been serving the Sangha in so many ways, on the board of directors and committees, as donors and volunteers. I know, too, that each one of you will continue supporting the practice at New York Zendo Shoboji and Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongoji, growing in compassion, insight, dedication and resolve.
What will this transition bring? I am not disappearing! You mean so much to me. I plan to join you in sesshin when I can. I will continue as abbot at the Zen Center of Syracuse Hoenji for as long as possible. I will be available to consult with Chigan Roshi as he takes on the yoke of being abbot of ZSS, and to encourage Hokuto Osho in his teaching role.
During the pandemic, we three teachers did our best to support the Sangha by setting up a Threefold Sangha approach in which we alternated giving talks and sharing students in dokusan online. Now that we are offering a full range of in-person practice, those of you who have been rotating among us for dokusan, whether online or in person, will be encouraged to commit to one primary teacher, in keeping with Rinzai tradition.
After my retirement, those whom I have ordained and lay practitioners with whom I have a close teacher-student relationship may request in writing to continue with me, seeing me for dokusan when I’m at DBZ for sesshin, signing up for online dokusan, and coming to Hoenji.
With bows of gratitude for our meeting in this lifetime,
Gassho,
