Meet The Faculty of Buddha Dharma University
Ven. Dr. Wonji Dharma (President and Chancellor)
Ven. Dr. Wonji Dharma is the Founder and Guiding Teacher of the Five Mountain Zen Order and the Chancellor of Buddha Dharma University. He is also a fully ordained Bhiksu, having taken the Dharmagupta Vinaya precepts with H.T. Thich An Duc (Ven. Dr. Suhita Dharma).
Soensanim began practicing Advaita Vedānta as well as Vipassana Meditation in 1986 with Swami Chaitanya Siraj and took refuge vows with his teacher that same year. Swami Chaitanya Siraj had studied in an Indian Ashram for many years and his path of teaching was wide and open to all of the Wisdom Traditions. Soensanim's direction has been informed by Zen since his College days of studying Psychology. Wanting to experience the direct experience of koan study he eventually discovered Zen Master Seung Sahn and the Kwan Um School of Zen in 1989 and began practicing regularly at Dharma Zen Center in Los Angeles.
Throwing himself headlong into Zen practice for five years he received sanction and encouragement from Zen Master Seung Sahn to open the Huntington Beach Zen Center on August 14, 1993, where Soensanim was installed as Abbot by Zen Master Seung Sahn during the Opening Ceremony.
The Huntington Beach Zen Center was renamed one year later at the first anniversary ceremony by Zen Master Seung Sahn to (Hae An Soen Won) Ocean Eyes Zen Center. The center was originally founded as a residential Zen Center where up to eight students lived and practiced together every day. The Zen Center eventually moved to Stanton and later to the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach where it remained until the center was forced to close and relocate to a non-residential Center in 2000 due to zoning Issues with the City of Long Beach.
Soensanim was ordained by Zen Master Seung Sahn as a Dharma teacher in 1995 and received teaching authorization from Zen Master Ji Bong, (an independent heir of Zen Master Seung Sahn), in the Golden Wind Zen Order in April, 2006.
He has practiced with more than thirty different Zen Buddhist masters during his time and maintains an eclectic approach to spirituality. Having founded the Five Mountain Zen Order, he no longer participates with the Golden Wind Order.
Having obtained a BA in Psychology from California State University, he earned his Masters (M.Dh) and Doctorate (D.Dh) degrees from BSI-LA before becoming a primary staff member. Ven. Dr. Wonji has practiced with more than thirty different Zen Buddhist masters during his time and maintains an eclectic approach to spirituality.
If you have a question regarding your classes, please e-mail Ven. Wonji Dharma. If you can best be served by e-mailing Student Affairs, please consider that method of contact first. Thank you!
Soensanim began practicing Advaita Vedānta as well as Vipassana Meditation in 1986 with Swami Chaitanya Siraj and took refuge vows with his teacher that same year. Swami Chaitanya Siraj had studied in an Indian Ashram for many years and his path of teaching was wide and open to all of the Wisdom Traditions. Soensanim's direction has been informed by Zen since his College days of studying Psychology. Wanting to experience the direct experience of koan study he eventually discovered Zen Master Seung Sahn and the Kwan Um School of Zen in 1989 and began practicing regularly at Dharma Zen Center in Los Angeles.
Throwing himself headlong into Zen practice for five years he received sanction and encouragement from Zen Master Seung Sahn to open the Huntington Beach Zen Center on August 14, 1993, where Soensanim was installed as Abbot by Zen Master Seung Sahn during the Opening Ceremony.
The Huntington Beach Zen Center was renamed one year later at the first anniversary ceremony by Zen Master Seung Sahn to (Hae An Soen Won) Ocean Eyes Zen Center. The center was originally founded as a residential Zen Center where up to eight students lived and practiced together every day. The Zen Center eventually moved to Stanton and later to the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach where it remained until the center was forced to close and relocate to a non-residential Center in 2000 due to zoning Issues with the City of Long Beach.
Soensanim was ordained by Zen Master Seung Sahn as a Dharma teacher in 1995 and received teaching authorization from Zen Master Ji Bong, (an independent heir of Zen Master Seung Sahn), in the Golden Wind Zen Order in April, 2006.
He has practiced with more than thirty different Zen Buddhist masters during his time and maintains an eclectic approach to spirituality. Having founded the Five Mountain Zen Order, he no longer participates with the Golden Wind Order.
Having obtained a BA in Psychology from California State University, he earned his Masters (M.Dh) and Doctorate (D.Dh) degrees from BSI-LA before becoming a primary staff member. Ven. Dr. Wonji has practiced with more than thirty different Zen Buddhist masters during his time and maintains an eclectic approach to spirituality.
If you have a question regarding your classes, please e-mail Ven. Wonji Dharma. If you can best be served by e-mailing Student Affairs, please consider that method of contact first. Thank you!
Ven. Dr. Sunyananda Dharma (Provost and Dean of Students)
Most Venerable Sunyananda Dharma is a multi-yana trained, fully authorized Buddhist Master. Initially ordained in the Korean Seon tradition of Zen Master Seung Sahn, Sunyananda later incardinated into the tradition of Zen Master Il Bung receiving the name Dok Sim (Sunim) from Zen Master Son Hae, as his only disciple. He has further trained extensively in the Lâm Tế Thiền lineage of Hòa Thượng Thích Thiên-Ân (the first Vietnamese Patriarch to the West), under his first western disciple Hòa Thượng Thích Ân Đức (Suhitananda Dharma Mahathero), receiving the transmission name of Thích Đức Tâm.
Having been first exposed to contemplative practice over twenty years ago, Sunyananda has experienced a wide range of religious traditions since his childhood (having spent ten years in Christian ministry school, and having trained as a Swami in the Bhakti yoga tradition), and has thus adopted a very pluralistic approach to engaging the dharma, and strives to foster an atmosphere where truly all are welcome to explore and integrate Buddhist teachings.
Sunyananda has studied and taught Buddhism and Buddhist Martial Arts throughout the world, lectured at numerous colleges and universities, in addition to appearing in and writing for various media outlets, and even representing his tradition at the White House.
Studying under the guidance of Ni Trưởng Thích Nữ Ân Từ (Dr. Karuna Dharma), Sunyananda earned his monastic ministerial Masters and Doctorate degrees at the Buddhist Studies Institute - Los Angeles, before being named head of the Institute (which was first founded in 1973 by Most Venerable Dr. Thích Thiên-Ân) in 2012.
In November of 2012 Most Ven. Sunyananda received the mind-seal of Inka (independent teaching authorization) from Master Wonji Dochong, as a Master of the Kong An (Jp. koan) tradition. Master Sunyananda has further trained in the Tibetan Vajrayana tradition, and received the Bodhisattva vows directly from Dzogchen Master Lama Kunzang Tenzin (Surya Das), and in 2014 Master Đức Tâm received transmission of the Patriarchal hats and robes (Truyền Y Mão) from the President of the Vietnamese United Buddhist Churches, Hòa Thượng Thích Như Minh.
In April of 2015 Sunyananda was transmitted as 78th Generation Master, and the 4th Supreme Patriarch (宗正) of the Il Bung Zen tradition in the West, with the title “Most Venerable”. He further, in June of 2015 received the final "transmission" authorization of completion of study in the Kong An (Jp. koan) tradition.
Sunyananda has studied traditional life protection (martial) arts for slightly longer than Buddhism (having received his first introduction to the Dharma via that involvement), and has attained the title of Master in several of these arts, to include Bulkyo Mu Sool, Ryukyu Kempo, Hapkido, Tukkong Mu Sool and Taekwondo. He has taught seminars throughout the United States, and actively instructs Buddhist Life Protection Arts through programs in Kansas City, as the third Grandmaster of the Korean Buddhist Martial Arts Association, which was founded in 1968 at Jogyesa temple in Seoul, South Korea.
Outside of his day-to-day temple duties, Most Venerable Sunyananda serves as board President of the Kansas City Coalition for Welcoming Ministries and maintains an interesting blog at Errant Abbot.
Having been first exposed to contemplative practice over twenty years ago, Sunyananda has experienced a wide range of religious traditions since his childhood (having spent ten years in Christian ministry school, and having trained as a Swami in the Bhakti yoga tradition), and has thus adopted a very pluralistic approach to engaging the dharma, and strives to foster an atmosphere where truly all are welcome to explore and integrate Buddhist teachings.
Sunyananda has studied and taught Buddhism and Buddhist Martial Arts throughout the world, lectured at numerous colleges and universities, in addition to appearing in and writing for various media outlets, and even representing his tradition at the White House.
Studying under the guidance of Ni Trưởng Thích Nữ Ân Từ (Dr. Karuna Dharma), Sunyananda earned his monastic ministerial Masters and Doctorate degrees at the Buddhist Studies Institute - Los Angeles, before being named head of the Institute (which was first founded in 1973 by Most Venerable Dr. Thích Thiên-Ân) in 2012.
In November of 2012 Most Ven. Sunyananda received the mind-seal of Inka (independent teaching authorization) from Master Wonji Dochong, as a Master of the Kong An (Jp. koan) tradition. Master Sunyananda has further trained in the Tibetan Vajrayana tradition, and received the Bodhisattva vows directly from Dzogchen Master Lama Kunzang Tenzin (Surya Das), and in 2014 Master Đức Tâm received transmission of the Patriarchal hats and robes (Truyền Y Mão) from the President of the Vietnamese United Buddhist Churches, Hòa Thượng Thích Như Minh.
In April of 2015 Sunyananda was transmitted as 78th Generation Master, and the 4th Supreme Patriarch (宗正) of the Il Bung Zen tradition in the West, with the title “Most Venerable”. He further, in June of 2015 received the final "transmission" authorization of completion of study in the Kong An (Jp. koan) tradition.
Sunyananda has studied traditional life protection (martial) arts for slightly longer than Buddhism (having received his first introduction to the Dharma via that involvement), and has attained the title of Master in several of these arts, to include Bulkyo Mu Sool, Ryukyu Kempo, Hapkido, Tukkong Mu Sool and Taekwondo. He has taught seminars throughout the United States, and actively instructs Buddhist Life Protection Arts through programs in Kansas City, as the third Grandmaster of the Korean Buddhist Martial Arts Association, which was founded in 1968 at Jogyesa temple in Seoul, South Korea.
Outside of his day-to-day temple duties, Most Venerable Sunyananda serves as board President of the Kansas City Coalition for Welcoming Ministries and maintains an interesting blog at Errant Abbot.
Ven. Domun Gaffaney, MDiv (Professor of Buddhist Studies)
Ven. Domun Gaffaney is a Zen Teacher and a Bodhisattva Monk in the Five Mountain Zen Order. He began training with Ven. Wonji Dharma in early 2004 at the Ocean Eyes Zen Center in Long Beach.
Ven. Domun was interested in the Buddha and meditation from an early age. Interest turned into meditation practice in the early '90s, starting 5 thought-filled minutes at a time. He briefly visited a few different meditation centers. However, a life Koan became “If the Buddha was able to attain enlightenment without belonging to a Sangha, why can't I?”
He continued his personal practice of sitting along with reading the books of Seung Sahn. In 2004, he met Ven. Wonji Dharma at the Golden Wind Zen Center. Not yet ready to join a Sangha, he worked on and off with Ven. Wonji Dharma. In 2010, he added to his meditation practice intensive Koan practice with Ven. Wonji Dharmaì. This Koan practice turned out to be the missing ingredient, and his personal Koan was answered in January of 2012 when Domun was made a Dharma holder in the Five Mountain Zen Order.
He now wishes to share the benefits of Zen and Koan practice with others.
If you have a question regarding your classes, please e-mail Ven. Domun Dharma. If you can best be served by e-mailing Student Affairs, please consider that method of contact first. Thank you!
Ven. Domun was interested in the Buddha and meditation from an early age. Interest turned into meditation practice in the early '90s, starting 5 thought-filled minutes at a time. He briefly visited a few different meditation centers. However, a life Koan became “If the Buddha was able to attain enlightenment without belonging to a Sangha, why can't I?”
He continued his personal practice of sitting along with reading the books of Seung Sahn. In 2004, he met Ven. Wonji Dharma at the Golden Wind Zen Center. Not yet ready to join a Sangha, he worked on and off with Ven. Wonji Dharma. In 2010, he added to his meditation practice intensive Koan practice with Ven. Wonji Dharmaì. This Koan practice turned out to be the missing ingredient, and his personal Koan was answered in January of 2012 when Domun was made a Dharma holder in the Five Mountain Zen Order.
He now wishes to share the benefits of Zen and Koan practice with others.
If you have a question regarding your classes, please e-mail Ven. Domun Dharma. If you can best be served by e-mailing Student Affairs, please consider that method of contact first. Thank you!
Ven. Doshim Dharma, MDiv (Professor of Buddhist Studies)
Ven. Dōshim Dharma is the Founder, Abbot, and guiding teacher of the Original Mind Zen Sangha.
Dōshim Dharma is a Bodhisattva Monk and Zen Teacher in the Five Mountain Zen Order. He teaches high school English and online courses at Buddha Dharma University, where he is also completing his doctoral degree in Buddhist Studies. He practiced for several years in the Japanese Harada-Yasutani and Soto lineages before finding his home in the Korean Five Mountain Zen Order. Dōshim's guiding teacher is Ven. Wonji Dharma.
You can visit Dōshim at his Zen blog, Original Mind.
If you have a question regarding your classes, please e-mail Ven. Dōshim Dharma. If you can best be served by e-mailing Student Affairs, please consider that method of contact first. Thank you!
Dōshim Dharma is a Bodhisattva Monk and Zen Teacher in the Five Mountain Zen Order. He teaches high school English and online courses at Buddha Dharma University, where he is also completing his doctoral degree in Buddhist Studies. He practiced for several years in the Japanese Harada-Yasutani and Soto lineages before finding his home in the Korean Five Mountain Zen Order. Dōshim's guiding teacher is Ven. Wonji Dharma.
You can visit Dōshim at his Zen blog, Original Mind.
If you have a question regarding your classes, please e-mail Ven. Dōshim Dharma. If you can best be served by e-mailing Student Affairs, please consider that method of contact first. Thank you!
Rev. Do'an Prajna, M.Div. (Professor of Buddhist Studies)
Rev. Do'an Prajna is the Chief Abbot of Five Mountain Zen and the Head Teacher and Abbot of Lotus Heart Zen in Oneida, NY. In 2002 he took five precepts at the Providence Zen Center, part of the Kwan Um School of Zen in the lineage of Zen Master Seung Sahn. Do’an then practiced under the instruction of the late Myo Ji Sunim, JDPS, Abbot of the Chogyesa Zen Temple of New York in New York City. He assisted her with various temple related activities, such as teaching "Sunday" school to the temple youth, participating in Buddhist ceremonies, performing as Moktak Master and acting as temple office assistant. In 2003 he traveled to South Korea with Myo Ji Sunim visiting temples throughout Korea and attending the World is a Single Flower conference. One of the highlights of his trip was having the opportunity to sit with Zen Master Seung Sahn.
