Beneath Belief An interview with Van. Hae Doh Gary Schwocho, abbot of Muddy Water Zen
http://www.tricycle.com/living-dharma/beneath-beliefMonday, June 10, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Happy Easter
Bis
hop
The significance of Holy Week is not for Christians alone. It's a time for all of us to test our own spiritual values, to determine how meaningful they are to us, and to pose the question, "Are we willing to die for them that others might live?" Daily we have the opportunity to die to the old and rise to the new.
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The significance of Holy Week is not for Christians alone. It's a time for all of us to test our own spiritual values, to determine how meaningful they are to us, and to pose the question, "Are we willing to die for them that others might live?" Daily we have the opportunity to die to the old and rise to the new.
~Ven. Hae Doh, Bishop - America-European Parish of Korean Buddhist Taego Order
Sunday, March 10, 2013
New Taego Order Sangha in Michigan
A new Taego Order sangha has been formed in the Clarkston - Waterford, Michigan area, Rising Lotus Zen (www.risinglotuszen.org.), established by Ven. Bup Hae Candace Palopoli and Ven. Bup Woo Tim Sheehy, formerly of Muddy Water Zen. The response to a sangha in that area has been phenomenal. Those living in the northern regions of Oakland County and above should consider giving RLZ a visit.Friday, February 22, 2013
Royal Oak man makes history as bishop of Taego Order of Korean Buddhism
Royal Oak man makes history as bishop of Taego Order of Korean Buddhism
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130203/METRO02/302030351#ixzz2Lf3VSWnO
Royal Oak — A Royal Oak man has been ordained bishop of the Taego Order of Korean Buddhism, becoming the first American to serve in that position.
Venerable Hae Doh Gary Schwocho was consecrated as the bishop of America-Europe Parish of the Zen order.
Schwocho, 65, founded the Muddy Water Zen Buddhist temple in Royal Oak. He is also a local veterinarian. Bishop Hae Doh Schwocho will oversee 45 clergy and monks and will preside over 26 Buddhist temples in the Taego Order of Korean Buddhism in the United States
, Canada and Europe.
, Canada and Europe.
"This is a very important day for the development of the Taego Order and Buddhism in America, Europe and Canada. Buddhism will need to be brought to these countries through the efforts of those born and raised here, those with an intimate understanding of our cultures and the needs of our Sangha members," Schwocho said Sunday. With the continued support of our Order in South Korea, we will have essentially built a bridge between 1,600 years of Korean Buddhism and Buddhism in the West."
, we will have essentially built a bridge between 1,600 years of Korean Buddhism and Buddhism in the West."
About 70 people attended the elaborate two-hour ceremony to install the bishop who will serve four years.
Venerable Bup Chon Eastman, who was ordained as a monk in South Korea, who serves at Muddy Water Zen and is the director of education for the Taego Order in the U.S., Europe and Canada, said Schwocho was a great selection for bishop.
, who serves at Muddy Water Zen and is the director of education for the Taego Order in the U.S., Europe and Canada, said Schwocho was a great selection for bishop.
"The choice of Bishop Hae Doh to take over this position is an important one for all of our Sangha members and for the development of Buddhism in America, Europe and Canada," said
"He brings not just the wisdom and experience of his Buddhist background, but due to his past in Christian ministry before moving into Buddhism, he is able to provide a depth of understanding with people of other religions and faiths," said Eastman.
Two reverends also were ordained Saturday.
(313) 222-2-2027
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130203/METRO02/302030351#ixzz2Lf3OZJca
Local veterinarian ordained as Buddhist bishop
Local veterinarian ordained as Buddhist bishop
Resident is first American-born bishop of American-Europe Parish
By Chris Jackett
C & G Staff Writer
» click to enlarge «
Venerable Jong Mae Park, left, conducts a Buddhist induction ceremony for, from left, Venerable Hae In Lissabet, Venerable Hae Kwang Gallop and Bishop Hae Doh Gary Schwocho Feb. 2 at Muddy Water Zen in Royal Oak. After eight years in the role, Park was turning over his bishop duties to Schwocho, a Royal Oak resident.
From left, Venerable Hae In Lissabet, Venerable Hae Kwang Gallop and Bishop Hae Doh Gary Schwocho reflect during a Feb. 2 Buddhist induction ceremony at Muddy Water Zen in Royal Oak.
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ROYAL OAK — Perhaps one of the city’s most well-kept secrets is that it hosts one of the nation’s largest Korean Buddhist Taego Order temples, which has produced the first-ever American-born bishop of the American-Europe Parish this past weekend.
Venerable Hae Doh Gary Schwocho, 66, was ordained for a four-year term as the Buddhist bishop Feb. 2 at Muddy Water Zen, 2421 Yale Ave. As the leader of the collective parishes outside of Korea, Schwocho will oversee the Taego Order clergy for the U.S., Europe and Canada while also managing the internal directions and growth of the group’s sangha (religious community) as their spiritual leader. He will establish policy, education and practice, and lead clergy retreats and ongoing training.
“I never would’ve guessed it,” Schwocho said. “This is the kind of work I’ve always wanted to do. I’m a product of the ’60s. I want to help animals and help people.”
Schwocho, who has run a veterinarian practice in Hazel Park since 1978, converted his house into an abbey and garage into a small temple for Muddy Water Zen in 2004, after it started in November 2003. Services originally took place Sunday evenings at a Unitarian church in Troy until August 2004, when Schwocho began hosting them and renovated his garage into a worship space.
“Muddy Water Zen is a house and a temple garage that started about nine years ago,” said Venerable Bup Chon Brent Eastman, a Troy resident. “The name of Muddy Water comes from the idea of a lotus flower that grows up through muddy water and blossoms when it hits the surface.”
One of the largest Korean Buddhist Taego Order temples in the U.S., Muddy Water Zen is located in the middle of a neighborhood southwest of Sixth and Stephenson. Eight of the 40 U.S. clergymen practice at Muddy Water Zen.
“This little garage temple has turned into a real productive location for the Taego Order,” Schwocho said.
Neither Schwocho nor Eastman fit the Buddhist monk mold that many may envision from the movies.
“We’re all born and raised in America and have just embraced the culture,” Eastman said. “I’ve been practicing for a long time. Most of my involvement was through martial arts, which I just retired from last year after about 30 years.”
Eastman, 44, said his family dabbled in Congregationalism before he broke away from the Protestant Christian practices with an interest in Daoism. As a martial arts instructor in Japan, he connected with Buddhism as an adult.
Schwocho’s route to Buddhism nearly included becoming both a Catholic and Presbyterian minister at different points.
“I was brought up in the Christian religion, Lutheran,” said Schwocho, noting he found Buddhism by taking an inaugural religion class about it at Albion College in the mid-1960s. “I took the Buddhism course and I loved it. Then I was on the path to ministry and medicine.”
After taking classes at both St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth and McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, as well as spending a year as a student pastor in a now-nonexistent Royal Oak church, Schwocho sparked his love for Buddhism during a retreat in February 1987.
“I was fascinated, because here was another approach. For a whole lot of years, I was on parallel tracks practicing (Christianity and Buddhism),” Schwocho said.
In 1997, Schwocho took a year off from the path to being ordained as a Presbyterian minister and never looked back.
“I realized my heart wasn’t jumping for joy,” Schwocho said. “I was much more drawn and found much more value in my Buddhist practices.”
Schwocho became a Dharma teacher through Still Point Zen Buddhist Temple in Detroit in May 2003 and a monk in the Taego Order in November 2007, leading up to last weekend’s ordainment as the bishop.
“He knew very early on that he wanted to get into this world,” Eastman said, noting that the religion has grown within the U.S. in the past five years, thanks to people like Schwocho and Venerable Jong Mae Kenneth Park, the outgoing Korean-born bishop from California. “Now we have a number of non-Korean people who have been ordained. We want to find ways to make the Buddha Dharma applicable to the American lifestyle. We try to make Buddhism really adaptable.”
For more information on the local temple, visit www.muddywaterzen.org.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Taego Zen Center support Buddhist Global Relief
Hae Jin Sunim and the Taego Zen Center recently supported the 2012 "Walk to Feed the Hungry", a Buddhist Global Relief project founded and chaired by Bhikkhu Bodhi, now in its 3rd year.
The walk took place in New York, NY at Riverside Park on October 13, 2012 and participants walked 3.6 miles, raising over $15,000 to alleivate hunger in Africa, Haiti, Asia, and the United States.
Taego Zen Center
Find more information and learn how to get involved with the Buddhist Global Relief.
Click on the thumbnail below to view more photos from the walk!
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| BGR Walk 2012 |
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
2012 Training and Ordination Slideshow
This slideshow highlights some of the memorable moments of the 2012 Taego Order Haengja Training and Ordination held at Seonam-sa in South Korea in September 2012.
Bup Hae (Candace Palopoli), Bup Woo (Timothy Sheehy), and Bup Woon (Jason Jay) all successfully completed their monastic training program and were ordained as novice monks in the Taego Order on September 26, 2012. After returning home, they were all installed as clergy members of Muddy Water Zen on September 30, 2012.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
3 New Monks!
Bup Hae Sunim (Candace Palopoli)
Bup Woon Sunim (Jason Jay)
Bup Woo Sunim (Tim Sheehy)
were all ordained as novice monks Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at Seonam-sa Monastery in South Korea.
Here is a short video of Ven. Bup Hae undergoing the Yeonbi ceremony (http://bit.ly/SR4phy) during the ordination.
More videos, pictures, and stories of all 3 new monks to follow shortly!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
New Podcast!
The Grand Rapids Zen Center & Buddhist Temple now has a Dharma Talk Podcast which is available for you to subscribe to for free in iTunes. Now you can get a double dose of Dharma teachings from both Muddy Water Zen and GRZen! Subscribe today!
Subscribe to GRZen Podcast in iTunes here!
Subscribe to MWZ Podcast in iTunes here!
Grand Rapids Zen Center & Buddhist Temple
At Bup Ryun Sa in Seoul
Bup Hae (Candace Palopoli) and Bup Woo (Tim Sheehy) have safely arrived in Korea and made it to the Taego Administrative HQ, Bup Ryun Sa, in Seoul, South Korea. They have now departed Seoul and should have arrived at Seonam-sa to begin their monastic Haengja training.
Only 13 more days until ordination!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
At the Airport!
Bup Hae (Candace Palopoli) and Bup Woo (Tim Sheehy) depart today to journey to Seonam-sa (the Taego Order training monastery) in South Korea to participate in intense monastic training as Buddhist monk postulants. They will join Bup Woon (Jason Jay) who arrived at Seonam-sa one week ago.
All 3 Haeng-ja (novitiates) will ordain as novice monks (sami and samini) on Wednesday, September 26 before returning home the following Friday.
We wish Bup Woo and Bup Hae a safe journey on their long flight to South Korea and safe travels as they make their way to Seonam-sa.
Please keep all 3 in your thoughts and good intentions and wish them the best!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
2012 Haeng-ja Opening Ceremonies
The 2012 Taego Order Haeng-ja (Postulant) training officially begun this past Wednesday at Seonam-sa Monastery near Suncheon, South Korea.
Muddy Water Zen Dharma Student Bup Woon (Jason Jay) arrived in Korea earlier this week to participate in the full training program.
This is one of the largest Haeng-ja groups with 131 total postulants (96 men, 35 women)
In the video above of the opening ceremonies, you can briefly catch a view of Bup Woon at about the 1:12 mark (don't blink!) The video also shows the President of the Taego Order, Ven. In Gong speaking, as well as Seonam-sa Abbot Seol Eun.
2 other MWZ Dharma Students (Bup Hae/Candace Palopoli & Bup Woo/Tim Sheehy) will depart home on Tuesday, to join Bup Woon in training at Seonam-sa and they all will ordain as novice monks (Sami and Samini) on Wednesday, September 26 after more than 20 days of monastic training.
More updates to follow as they become available!
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| Haeng-ja Class #37 |
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| Seonam-sa Abbot Seol Eun Sunim (Center) |
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| Taego President In Gong Sunim |
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| Opening Ceremonies |
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| Screen Grab from Video |
http://www.bzeronews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=27387 (in Korean)
http://www.nbn-news.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=20259 (Video/Picture Source)
Monday, September 3, 2012
Haengja Training at Seonam-sa in South Korea
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| Bup Woon, Bup Woo, Bup Hae |
The first of MWZ's 3 Haengja (postulant monks) Bup Woon Jay (Jason Jay), leaves for Seonam-sa in South Korea this morning for monastic training and ordination as a junior monk!
Bup Woo (Timothy Sheehy) and Bup Hae (Candace Palopoli) will join Bup Woon after next Tuesday for their 2 weeks of training and ordination.
This is a special time for the Overseas Parish of the Taego Order as Bup Hae will be the 1st non-Korean woman to undergo this Haengja training at Seonam-sa.
Bup Chon Sunim and Bup Mee Sunim both completed their training and ordination at Seonam-sa in 2010 and 2011.
They will all undergo intensive monastic training which includes a very demanding schedule and hard physical and mental challenges!
Their training will be held at the historic and traditional Seonam-sa temple, the main training temple of the Taego Order. They will be joined by over 100 other Korean postulants.
Muddy Water Zen Abbot, Hae Doh Sunim, as well as several other family and friends will also fly out to South Korea at the completion of their training to witness and support their ordination.
The entire MWZ contingent will return home on Friday, September 28th. There will be a special installation service at Muddy Water Zen that Sunday, September 30th, where all 3 new monks will join the MWZ clergy and will celebrate with a pot-luck lunch.
Please keep all three of them in your thoughts and wish them well in their travels and training as they take this next step on their paths!
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Bishop Jongmae's New Buddhist Dictionary
Bishop Jongmae has recently published his 4th title "Modern Korean-Chinese-Sanskrit-English Buddhist Dictionary" in May 2012.
This new dictionary is a huge asset to all of us studying Korean Buddhism and the first time English speakers have had access to a such a comprehensive volume.
However, the dictionary is indexed according to the Korean entries so searching in English for terms is difficult if not impossible.
Therefore, it is my personal project to compile a supplemental digital English Index so that readers may easily and quickly search by known English terms to find the Korean/Sanskrit equivalent.
This ongoing blog label (dictionary) will track the progress of the English Indexing for all to follow and also highlight some new terms along the way.
The dictionary page count comes in at 641 pages with approx. 6-7 terms per page for an estimated total of over 4,000 individual entries.
So far 235 terms have been indexed that span over 50 pages. The English indexing is 8% complete.
Check back here at the blog often for regular updates on the Dictionary Indexing Project (DIP).
50 / 641 pages. 8% done!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
KBS Coverage of Dae Haeng Kunsunim
<iframe width="425" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1f-c_MtwBwA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
KBS coverage of the life, death, and funeral of Dae Haeng Kunsunim. While in Korean, words are not necessary to understand...
Friday, June 1, 2012
Korean monks dance at Bongwonsa on Buddha's Birthday
Bongwonsa is a Korean Taego Order temple famous for its annual Yeongsanjae (영산재/靈山齋) ceremony which is a reenactment of the Buddha's delivery of the Lotus Sutra. Cymbals Dance (barachum), Butterfly Dance (nabichum), and Dharma Drum Dance (beobgochum) on this video. Filmed on May 28, 2012. Seoul, Korea.
Monday, May 21, 2012
The Passing of Daehaeng Kun Sunim
From Wake Up and Laugh! :
(Seoul, Korea) Hanmaum Seon Center regrets to announce the passing of our beloved teacher, the venerable Daehaeng, on Monday, May 21, 2012. She was 85 years old, and was ordained as a Buddhist nun 63 years ago. The funeral will be held on Saturday, May 26th, with more details to follow as they become available.
Daehaeng Kun Sunim* was a rare teacher in Korea: a female seon(zen) master, a nun who also taught monks, and a teacher who helped revitalize Korean Buddhism by dramatically increasing the participation of young people and men.
She made laypeople a particular focus of her efforts, and broke out of traditional models of spiritual practice to teach in such a way that anyone could practice and awaken. At the same time, she was a major force for the advancement of Bhikkunis (nuns), heavily supporting traditional nuns’ colleges, as well as the modern Bhikkuni council of Korea.
She supported many social welfare projects, founded centers in 11 countries around the world (15 centers in Korea, and 10 in other countries), and her teachings have been translated from Korean into English, German, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, French, and Vietnamese.
This world is where the Buddha-dharma exists,
and where enlightenment is found.
Searching for great wisdom,
while ignoring what arises in this world,
is like looking for a rabbit with horns.
and where enlightenment is found.
Searching for great wisdom,
while ignoring what arises in this world,
is like looking for a rabbit with horns.
Take the idea
that transcending this world is the way,
or that involvement with the world is a deluded path,
and stomp both these ideas to pieces.
Then the great wisdom of your inherent nature
can freely flow forth.
that transcending this world is the way,
or that involvement with the world is a deluded path,
and stomp both these ideas to pieces.
Then the great wisdom of your inherent nature
can freely flow forth.
-Daehaeng Kun Sunim
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
2012 Protocol Retreat and Precept Ceremony
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| 2012 Precept Ceremony of the Taego Overseas Parish in Grand Rapids, MI |
The 2012 Spring Taego Protocol Retreat and Precept Ceremony was held over this past weekend at Muddy Water Zen in Royal Oak and also at the Grand Rapids Zen Center & Buddhist Temple from Thursday April 5, 2012 - Sunday April 8, 2012.
The protocol retreat was lead by the Overseas Bishop of the Taego Order of Korean Buddhism, Venerable Dr. Jongmae Park and the participants included the clergy staff of Muddy Water Zen, IBS USA students from Michigan, Indiana, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Friday evening, April 6, 2012, Heather Emerick (Bup Seong) was officially ordained a Dharma Teacher (Bup Sanim) in the Taego Order by Overseas Parish Bishop Ven. Dr. Jongmae Park, which was followed by a sangha celebration.
Sunday, April 8, 2012, retreat members joined the Grand Rapids sangha in a Dharmacari Precept Ordination Ceremony. The Precept Ceremony was held at the Marywood Dominican Center in Grand Rapids and was attended by over 100 people. 17 individuals from the Grand Rapids sangha took the Panca Sila (5 Precepts) under the Dharma family name 'Ahm' (Stony, Diamond). 6 individuals from MWZ also took the Panca Sila under the Dharma family name 'Geum' (Golden). 4 individuals took the 10 Bodhi-cari Precepts and also became Haengja (noviciate), and thereby received permission to travel to Seonam-sa in South Korea later this fall for novice monk training.
The Protocol Retreat and Precept Ceremony were both a great success and sangha fellowship was enjoyed by clergy, students, preceptors, family, and friends. The events held over this weekend mark a significant milestone in the development and growth of the Taego Overseas Parish, the 2nd largest Order of Korean Buddhism, an authentic tradition with a lineage going back over 1600 years.
Check out the Photo Album linked below for some memorable moments from all the recent events.
Link to Photo Album
Monday, March 19, 2012
ReligionMatters Show Interviews Bishop Jongmae Kunsunim
The Institute for Religious Tolerance's "ReligionMatters" Show interview Bishop Jongmae Kunsunim.
UPDATE: These videos are back online and available for viewing again. Enjoy! (3/19/12)
Part 1
Part 2
UPDATE: These videos are back online and available for viewing again. Enjoy! (3/19/12)
Part 1
Part 2
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