Our tradition

Zen master Seung Sahn, the first Korean Zen master to spread Zen Buddhism in the West:

„Deep in the mountains, the great temple bell is struck. You hear it echoing in the morning air and all thoughts disappear from your mind. There is nothing that is you; there is nothing that is not you. There is only the sound of the bell that fills the whole universe. That is Zen spirit.

„Spring is coming. You see the flowers blooming, the butterflies fluttering around; you hear the birds singing, you breathe in the warm weather. And your thoughts are just spring. It’s nothing at all.

„You visit Niagara Falls and take a boat to the foot of the falls. The water cascades down in front of you, around you and inside you, and suddenly you shout: YAAAAAAA!“

„In all these experiences, outside and inside have become one. That is Zen spirit. Your mind is as clear as outer space.“

„Clear as space means clear as a mirror. When white comes, white. When red comes, red“

„But there is one more step to take. How does your mind work in everyday life? If someone is hungry, it’s not enough to simply tell them they’re hungry. You have to feed them! This is called the right situation, the right relationship and the right function

„This means that you can react compassionately to any situation.“

Zen in Kwan Um School

We follow the practice and teachings of Zen master Seung Sahn, who founded the international Kwan Um School of Zen.

In 1949, Zen Master Seung Sahn received a transmission from Zen Master Ko Bong, one of the most brilliant Zen masters in Korea at the time. He was later responsible for several temples in Korea, Hong Kong and Japan. In 1972, he founded the Kwan Um School of Zen in the USA to teach Zen to lay people as well as monks and nuns in the West.

Today we are represented in numerous Zen centers and groups in Europe, the USA and Asia.

The Western form of Korean Zen is based on sitting meditation, walking, chanting, bowing and Kong-An training. Formal study of the sutras is not practiced.

During our daily practice, we follow a schedule that begins with bowing, then some traditional Buddhist chanting, followed by a formal sitting meditation.

Every few months we also have the opportunity to meet Zen teachers from our school in Europe, Asia or America in more formal intensive retreats. And every year our school offers three-month retreats in Europe, Korea and the United States.

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