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Our Abbot was born in Manchuria as the first son of Kyozo Yamada (later Kō’un Roshi) and Kazue Yamada. At age 16, he became a student of Yasutani Roshi. In 1978, he finished koan study under Kō’un Roshi. In 1985, dharma was transmitted from Kō’un Roshi and he was appointed Authentic Zen Teacher. In Oct 2004, Ryō’un Yamada Roshi was appointed as the Abbot of the International Order.
For the practice of Zen there are no prerequisites. All aspirations are welcome — Be it “mindfulness” or “serenity” or “fearlessness” or “loving-kindness” or “creativity” or “spirituality”… even simple curiosity.
The surprising thing: We can’t know our real aspirations until we learn something of our real character. For 2500 years the ancient Zen Masters have spoken of our “True Nature.” This is revealed both gradually and suddenly in the practice of zazen — silent meditation.
The gifts of Zen practice are many. The work itself is neither difficult nor easy, the method childishly simple.
Our desire for a happiness dependent upon conditions falls away. In its place we discover a greater “self” whose domain is joy. This is not to say we turn away from the everyday world… far from it. Zen practice becomes the foundation of balanced and appropriate action in our complex world.
Ultimately, the aim of Zen is quite primitive: Life’s enjoyment.
Born and raised in Northern California, Bruce Harris is a painter and wood-block artist. Throughout the 1970s he practiced Rinzai Zen, first in London, then at Daishu-in in Kyoto under the direction of Morinaga Sôkô Rôshi , who gave him guidance by correspondence on his return to live in France.
In the early 1980’s Bruce turned to the Sanbo zen lineage, studying with Yamada Kôun Rôshi in Kamakura, until the Roshi ‘s death in 1989, then with his successor Yamada Ryôun in Tokyo. Over the years, he has returned to Japan as frequently as possible, receiving Ryōun Roshi ‘s vividly clear, kind, and uncompromising dokusan guidance. He received the Dharma from Ryôun Rôshi in August 2020 and was appointed Zen Master [Shôshike] of Sanbo zen.
Residing in Montpellier, in the South of France, he shares his practice in a simple, non-monastic style, both in France and in the United States (California, West Virginia).
“We are all seekers.
“Zen is an ongoing journey to discover through meditation your true self and your true self nature, freeing you to be able to live fully and appropriately in the moment under whatever circumstances that arise.
“My initial Zen teacher Sister Elaine MacInnes Roshi stated: “The practice of Zen offers something simple, direct and accessible to anyone seeking stillness and peace of mind in this busy, frantic world.
“When we seek and find this peace for ourselves, we then have what it takes to offer it to those around us. The whole of Zen discipline is to make us come alive to the present.
“When we are sitting, we concentrate on our breathing. Away from our cushion, we are one with our activity.”
Our Mountains and Waters community bows, with gratitude, to a great master in our Sanbōzen lineage.
Sr. Elaine, our teacher’s teacher, was – is – light sitting in light. Her life Way is an illumination of no-barriers: between East and West, Buddhism and Christianity, cushion and prison, stillness and action. Her practice was – is – an expression of Total Identification.
Copyright 2023 | Penticton Zen Centre
