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Service Privacy Privacy Policy Policy CA CA Notice Notice of of Collection Collection Do Do Not Not Sell Sell My My Personal Personal Information Information BUTTON BUTTON Sections Sections California California Entertainment Entertainment Sports Sports Food Food Climate Climate Image Image Opinion Opinion Bestcovery Bestcovery Coupons Coupons Crossword Crossword eNewspaper eNewspaper BUTTON BUTTON Show Show Search Search Search Search Query Query BUTTON BUTTON Submit Submit Search Search Advertisement Advertisement Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Show Show more more sharing sharing options options Share Share BUTTON BUTTON Close Close extra extra sharing sharing options options Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email Copy Copy Link Link URLCopied URLCopied Print Print California California At At a a Zen Zen master master blends blends East East with with a a bit bit of of L L A A to to help help guide guide his his Western Western students students By By Kate Kate Linthicum Linthicum Los Los Angeles Angeles Times Times Sept Sept AM AM PT PT Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Show Show more more sharing sharing options options Share Share BUTTON BUTTON Close Close extra extra sharing sharing options options Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email Copy Copy Link Link URLCopied URLCopied Print Print The The Zen Zen master master would would not not stop stop talking talking Several Several times times he he began began to to draw draw his his teachings teachings to to a a close close explaining explaining to to his his students students that that he he was was tired tired and and in in poor poor health health Then Then he he would would burst burst down down another another path path Advertisement Advertisement He He discussed discussed the the difficulties difficulties of of raising raising children children He He lingered lingered on on the the subject subject of of death death Eventually Eventually he he raised raised a a small small fist fist in in the the air air Everybody Everybody is is together together at at one one point point he he said said We We cry cry together together we we love love together together There There is is no no moment moment in in which which we we are are not not together together He He is is years years old old and and not not even even feet feet tall tall with with paper paper white white skin skin and and a a blocky blocky bald bald head head Enveloped Enveloped in in long long black black robes robes he he looks looks a a little little like like a a child child wrapped wrapped in in towels towels after after a a bath bath Denkyo Denkyo Kyozan Kyozan Joshu Joshu Sasaki Sasaki Roshi Roshi arrived arrived in in Los Los Angeles Angeles ago ago to to teach teach a a religion religion that that for for centuries centuries had had been been confined confined to to the the monasteries monasteries of of Japan Japan With With a a handful handful of of other other monks monks he he helped helped carve carve out out a a new new incarnation incarnation of of Zen Zen Buddhism Buddhism here here mixing mixing traditional traditional meditation meditation practice practice with with teachings teachings tailored tailored for for Western Western minds minds Most Most of of that that first first wave wave of of Japanese Japanese teachers teachers have have died died But But Roshi Roshi as as his his followers followers call call him him says says he he will will live live until until he he s s He He once once made made a a pledge pledge to to his his students students I I will will not not die die until until Zen Zen is is born born in in America America One One muggy muggy morning morning this this summer summer a a few few hundred hundred people people gathered gathered at at Rinzai Rinzai ji ji Roshi Roshi s s home home temple temple in in the the West West Adams Adams district district to to celebrate celebrate the the anniversary anniversary of of his his coming coming to to this this country country His His reach reach over over the the years years could could be be seen seen in in the the range range of of people people milling milling around around the the temple temple s s walled walled garden garden before before the the ceremony ceremony began began There There was was a a DJ DJ from from Montreal Montreal and and a a surgeon surgeon from from Taos Taos N N M M the the poet poet and and songwriter songwriter Leonard Leonard Cohen Cohen and and a a Brown Brown University University professor professor who who helped helped pioneer pioneer an an academic academic field field called called Contemplative Contemplative Studies Studies There There were were dancers dancers and and lawyers lawyers and and filmmakers filmmakers And And there there was was my my father father smiling smiling in in his his own own black black robes robes his his bald bald head head tanned tanned from from the the desert desert sun sun When When I I was was growing growing up up my my dad dad would would sometimes sometimes disappear disappear for for weeks weeks at at a a time time He He would would return return home home physically physically drained drained but but mentally mentally recharged recharged and and filled filled with with stories stories about about his his energetic energetic and and enigmatic enigmatic teacher teacher A A writer writer who who was was raised raised Catholic Catholic my my dad dad found found Buddhism Buddhism in in the the late late s s at at a a Zen Zen center center in in Albuquerque Albuquerque one one of of two two dozen dozen centers centers Roshi Roshi has has established established around around the the world world Like Like many many people people my my dad dad had had a a bad bad case case of of what what some some Buddhists Buddhists call call monkey monkey mind mind a a busy busy head head crowded crowded with with lots lots of of thoughts thoughts He He says says Zen Zen practice practice with with its its daily daily practice practice of of meditation meditation allowed allowed him him to to be be more more engaged engaged with with the the world world outside outside As As often often as as he he s s been been able able he he has has joined joined Roshi Roshi for for retreats retreats For For seven seven days days he he would would endure endure a a rigorous rigorous schedule schedule of of little little sleep sleep no no talking talking and and up up to to hours hours of of daily daily meditation meditation Health Health permitting permitting Roshi Roshi would would talk talk speaking speaking in in short short spurts spurts of of gravelly gravelly Japanese Japanese Maybe Maybe it it s s in in the the translation translation but but he he often often seems seems to to be be speaking speaking in in riddles riddles Consider Consider this this Roshi Roshi ism ism from from a a teaching teaching he he gave gave in in April April Where Where there there is is one one thing thing it it does does not not move move I I don don t t move move either either The The flower flower doesn doesn t t move move either either Then Then it it becomes becomes clear clear Roshi Roshi s s students students hang hang on on his his parables parables But But when when I I was was a a kid kid I I thought thought the the whole whole thing thing was was crazy crazy I I liked liked doing doing things things swimming swimming with with friends friends playing playing the the guitar guitar or or just just wandering wandering on on the the sandy sandy mesa mesa behind behind our our house house dreaming dreaming about about life life outside outside of of Albuquerque Albuquerque I I didn didn t t understand understand why why my my dad dad kept kept hitting hitting the the pause pause button button why why on on some some nights nights I I would would walk walk outside outside and and find find him him perched perched cross cross legged legged beneath beneath an an old old cottonwood cottonwood tree tree just just sitting sitting there there Roshi Roshi was was just just a a kid kid himself himself when when he he boarded boarded a a train train in in bound bound for for a a monastery monastery miles miles away away from from home home His His parents parents farm farm owners owners near near Sendai Sendai had had sent sent him him to to Sapporo Sapporo to to study study Zen Zen timing timing it it so so he he would would arrive arrive at at the the temple temple on on the the Buddha Buddha s s birthday birthday When When he he got got there there the the teacher teacher posed posed a a question question How How old old is is the the Buddha Buddha The The same same age age as as me me he he replied replied Roshi Roshi s s response response was was deemed deemed adequate adequate so so the the young young man man who who once once dreamed dreamed of of becoming becoming a a pilot pilot instead instead became became a a priest priest He He learned learned how how to to meditate meditate And And he he learned learned about about the the life life and and teachings teachings of of the the Buddha Buddha an an Indo Indo Nepalese Nepalese prince prince who who some some years years earlier earlier had had renounced renounced a a life life of of riches riches for for a a spiritual spiritual path path The The Buddha Buddha s s epiphany epiphany after after years years of of wandering wandering and and meditation meditation was was that that everyone everyone and and everything everything is is impermanent impermanent and and interconnected interconnected Those Those thoughts thoughts in in your your head head Those Those emotions emotions He He found found that that they they were were always always changing changing as as part part of of the the constant constant regeneration regeneration of of the the world world The The Buddha Buddha taught taught that that the the pain pain in in life life comes comes when when we we become become too too tied tied to to one one feeling feeling or or idea idea and and begin begin defining defining ourselves ourselves as as something something unchanging unchanging and and distinct distinct estranged estranged from from the the people people and and things things around around us us Our Our suffering suffering will will disappear disappear he he taught taught when when we we truly truly understand understand through through spiritual spiritual practice practice that that there there is is fundamentally fundamentally no no us us and and therefore therefore no no them them The The United United States States wouldn wouldn t t seem seem fertile fertile ground ground for for Buddhism Buddhism The The American American Dream Dream drives drives us us to to be be individuals individuals and and to to put put our our mark mark on on the the world world sometimes sometimes through through acquiring acquiring cars cars clothes clothes and and other other material material signs signs of of success success But But in in the the late late s s Eastern Eastern thought thought began began gaining gaining currency currency in in some some quarters quarters as as Beat Beat poets poets like like Jack Jack Kerouac Kerouac and and Allen Allen Ginsberg Ginsberg devoured devoured translations translations of of Buddhist Buddhist texts texts In In two two Zen Zen students students in in California California wrote wrote to to a a large large monastery monastery in in Japan Japan seeking seeking a a teacher teacher and and Roshi Roshi was was selected selected to to go go He He was was and and by by then then an an accomplished accomplished teacher teacher who who had had been been the the abbot abbot of of a a historic historic temple temple When When he he stepped stepped off off the the plane plane at at Los Los Angeles Angeles International International Airport Airport he he carried carried a a change change of of robes robes and and two two Japanese Japanese English English dictionaries dictionaries Soon Soon a a stream stream of of young young spiritual spiritual seekers seekers were were showing showing up up at at his his small small rented rented house house in in Gardena Gardena These These artists artists professors professors musicians musicians and and doctors doctors had had one one thing thing in in common common according according to to Steve Steve Sanfield Sanfield a a poet poet who who met met Roshi Roshi shortly shortly after after he he arrived arrived They They were were seeking seeking a a life life apart apart from from the the American American way way But But Roshi Roshi wanted wanted to to learn learn about about the the American American way way as as much much as as his his students students wanted wanted to to learn learn about about Japanese Japanese Zen Zen He He took took road road trips trips hiked hiked the the Grand Grand Canyon Canyon and and went went to to the the movies movies falling falling asleep asleep during during a a screening screening of of A A Space Space Odyssey Odyssey He He even even accompanied accompanied students students to to a a strip strip club club According According to to Sanfield Sanfield Roshi Roshi told told his his followers followers that that if if Zen Zen was was going going to to flourish flourish it it was was going going to to have have to to wear wear American American clothes clothes He He taught taught that that enlightenment enlightenment was was available available to to everyone everyone including including women women and and about about the the need need for for integrating integrating Buddhism Buddhism into into everyday everyday life life Once Once in in a a one one on on one one teaching teaching known known as as sanzen sanzen Roshi Roshi asked asked Sanfield Sanfield When When you you re re on on the the freeway freeway where where is is the the Buddha Buddha After After Roshi Roshi s s students students and and their their hippie hippie clothing clothing started started raising raising eyebrows eyebrows among among his his Japanese Japanese American American neighbors neighbors he he moved moved his his temple temple to to a a dilapidated dilapidated Spanish Spanish Colonial Colonial house house just just south south of of the the Freeway Freeway By By the the s s he he had had founded founded one one training training center center at at a a former former Boy Boy Scout Scout camp camp at at Mt Mt Baldy Baldy and and another another near near natural natural hot hot springs springs in in the the juniper juniper dotted dotted hills hills of of New New Mexico Mexico As As interest interest in in Eastern Eastern thought thought grew grew Roshi Roshi brought brought his his teachings teachings all all over over the the world world to to Germany Germany to to Puerto Puerto Rico Rico to to a a cooperative cooperative farmhouse farmhouse outside outside of of Princeton Princeton N N J J In In Los Los Angeles Angeles he he traveled traveled in in an an old old Studebaker Studebaker Sanfield Sanfield was was driving driving him him one one day day when when they they were were pulled pulled over over for for speeding speeding The The police police officer officer peered peered into into the the back back of of the the car car which which was was filled filled with with meditation meditation cushions cushions and and in in the the front front where where Roshi Roshi sat sat silently silently his his hands hands clasped clasped in in his his lap lap looking looking just just like like the the Buddha Buddha Unnerved Unnerved the the traffic traffic officer officer let let them them off off As As soon soon as as he he walked walked away away Roshi Roshi broke broke out out laughing laughing He He coughs coughs a a lot lot now now after after a a recent recent bout bout with with pneumonia pneumonia and and he he can can no no longer longer walk walk on on his his own own But But he he laughs laughs a a lot lot still still Before Before the the anniversary anniversary ceremony ceremony at at his his temple temple I I peered peered around around a a corner corner to to see see him him being being helped helped by by several several students students down down a a set set of of stairs stairs and and into into a a wheelchair wheelchair When When he he noticed noticed me me staring staring at at him him and and a a photojournalist photojournalist raising raising a a camera camera to to take take his his picture picture Roshi Roshi s s arched arched eyebrows eyebrows lifted lifted as as he he broke broke into into a a delighted delighted grin grin There There seemed seemed to to be be a a message message behind behind his his good good cheer cheer Don Don t t take take yourself yourself so so seriously seriously It It had had been been years years since since I I d d seen seen him him By By now now I I was was not not much much younger younger than than my my father father had had been been when when he he first first sought sought the the cushion cushion to to calm calm his his busy busy mind mind I I now now knew knew monkey monkey mind mind intimately intimately College College in in New New York York City City and and a a career career in in Los Los Angeles Angeles had had produced produced a a whirl whirl of of new new ideas ideas experiences experiences and and relationships relationships It It was was fun fun and and fast fast moving moving but but endless endless digital digital distractions distractions and and a a dose dose of of recession recession anxiety anxiety left left me me sometimes sometimes thirsting thirsting for for a a less less cluttered cluttered life life and and for for a a connection connection with with the the world world beyond beyond just just my my self self On On my my own own I I started started investigating investigating meditation meditation and and I I found found myself myself drawn drawn not not to to Buddhism Buddhism but but yoga yoga Spending Spending a a little little part part of of each each morning morning in in the the deep deep focus focus of of a a sun sun salutation salutation gave gave me me clarity clarity I I used used to to think think my my dad dad s s meditation meditation was was escapism escapism Now Now I I saw saw that that it it has has helped helped him him be be more more awake awake for for his his life life As As Roshi Roshi was was wheeled wheeled into into the the main main ceremony ceremony room room I I looked looked around around at at the the roomful roomful of of students students Some Some wore wore robes robes but but many many were were dressed dressed in in jeans jeans sneakers sneakers and and other other American American clothes clothes That That afternoon afternoon there there would would be be a a party party with with long long tables tables of of great great food food chilled chilled sake sake and and live live music music People People would would ditch ditch their their shoes shoes and and sprawl sprawl in in the the grass grass But But now now we we listened listened to to the the man man who who had had lived lived so so long long and and who who seemed seemed so so at at ease ease Teaching Teaching always always Roshi Roshi used used his his own own life life to to talk talk to to us us about about the the impermanence impermanence of of things things and and about about the the ways ways we we are are connected connected There There is is nothing nothing more more joyful joyful than than dying dying he he said said Together Together with with you you I I am am dying dying So So nothing nothing is is sad sad kate kate linthicum linthicum latimes latimes com com California California Kate Kate Linthicum Linthicum Follow Follow Us Us twitter twitter instagram instagram email email facebook facebook Kate Kate Linthicum Linthicum is is a a foreign foreign correspondent correspondent for for the the Los Los Angeles Angeles Times Times based based in in Mexico Mexico City City Subscribers Subscribers Are Are Reading Reading Best Best Restaurants Restaurants in in L L A A Food Food For For Subscribers Subscribers These These are are the the best best restaurants restaurants in in L L A A Huron Huron Mayor Mayor Rey Rey Leon Leon helped helped implement implement an an electric electric car car ride ride sharing sharing program program Politics Politics For For Subscribers Subscribers A A neglected neglected California California city city reinvents reinvents itself itself with with electric electric cars cars and and plots plots a a road road map map for for the the nation nation LAPD LAPD officer officer Fernando Fernando Arroyos Arroyos was was shot shot and and killed killed during during an an armed armed robbery robbery attempt attempt Monday Monday night night Jan Jan in in an an unincorporated unincorporated area area of of South South L L A A authorities authorities said said California California Off Off duty duty LAPD LAPD officer officer 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California L L A A County County urges urges residents residents to to postpone postpone nonessential nonessential gatherings gatherings activities activities as as Omicron Omicron surges surges Business Business Column Column Mocking Mocking anti anti vaxxers vaxxers COVID COVID deaths deaths is is ghoulish ghoulish yes yes but but may may be be necessary necessary Advertisement Advertisement Latest Latest California California California California California California was was supposed supposed to to clear clear cannabis cannabis convictions convictions Tens Tens of of thousands thousands are are still still languishing languishing California California Omicron Omicron brings brings fewer fewer serious serious illnesses illnesses but but California California hospitals hospitals are are overwhelmed overwhelmed as as cases cases soar soar California California California California single single payer payer healthcare healthcare proposal proposal has has even even some some Democrats Democrats skeptical skeptical of of its its survival survival California California Newsom Newsom s s latest latest housing housing fix fix More More Californians Californians living living downtown downtown California California For For Subscribers Subscribers I I really really thought thought I I was was gonna gonna die die Patrisse Patrisse Cullors Cullors is is healing healing after after quitting quitting BLM BLM Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BUTTON BUTTON Advertisement Advertisement Los Los Angeles Angeles Times Times A A California California Times Times publication publication Subscribe Subscribe for for unlimited unlimited access access Follow Follow Us Us twitter twitter instagram instagram youtube youtube facebook facebook eNewspaper eNewspaper Coupons Coupons Find Find Post Post Jobs 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