Introduction - David Brazier / Homyo / Dharmavidya

I was a disciple of Reverend Master Jiyu Kennett - whom, in the early days we simply called Roshi - from 1972 until 1985. In 1977 I was ordained as Hakuun Homyo. I now use the name Dharmavidya in Buddhist circles. I met Roshi at the first sesshin that she held in UK after returning from Japan at the Tathata Centre in Gloucestershire. It was a remarkable event at which more than one person had kensho experiences and almost everybody present was led to make substantial changes of life direction in the months following. We all felt that we had participated in something of great momment and I still think that this was the case. My Buddhist training with Roshi was of great importance for me. As a child I had had powerful spontaneous spiritual experiences and had spent much of my adolescence in a search for the meaning of these. At the Tathata sesshin I had significant spiritual experiences again and this made me realise that Roshi was the right spiritual teacher for me. I corresponded with her over the succeeding years and saw her whenever she came to UK. I was with Daiji Strathearn when he selected and purchased Throssel Hole Farm which has since become the Abbey. Daiji was prior at Throssel for ten years and I practised with him ardently. Then he visited Shasta and came back disillusioned and disrobed. This was a big shock. Many supporters left. A married couple who had practiced with me who had ordained as Hofuku and Kyosei Hughes found this period very difficult. Hofuku (Mike) left but Kyosei stayed for a time and then she also left. People did not know who to have faith in. I stayed. Those English disciples who remained all decided to go to Shasta Abbey to train with a view to putting the UK sangha onto a stronger footing. I, however, was unable to get a visa. This was in 1977. I was left in charge of Throssel as a holding arrangement until trained monks from Shasta could come. During that winter I had more visions and wrote to Roshi about them. She was very helpful in her response. In due course Ando Sacco and his wife arrived. This, however, proved not to be a very happy arrangement. I had a number of confrontations with Ando the worst of which resulted in him telling me to leave if I would not do as he told me, but as what he had told me to do seemed unethical I had to leave. A couple of years later I was able to visit Roshi in USA.

After leaving OBC, in due course I practised with Thich Nhat Hanh for a few years and became a member of the Order of Interbeing. A sub-group of us from that sangha wanted to develop a more socially engaged approach and this in due course led to the establishment of the Amida Trust. AT attracted many members who were not associated with OoI and most of the OoI members left so Amida gradually became an independent sangha which it has continued to be.

The emergence of these discussions about OBC has led me to start some reflections within the Amida network that you can read at
http://amidatrust.ning.com/group/criticalbuddhism/forum/topics/how-does-a-sangha-not-become-a

On the one hand, I have always had huge respect for Kennett Roshi and all she taught me. Through her I had a kensho experience and deepened my devotion for the Buddhist path. I also have great respect for Daishin Morgan. On the other hand, I did feel excluded and abandoned at the time of my leaving with nobody making any attempt to understand my side of the story or the plight I was put in by being instructed to carry out instructions that I thought unethical.

I hope that the OBC sangha can arrive at a happy and healthy resolution of some of the problems detailed on this site and also that the various different splinter groups can come to be on friendly terms. I would certainly welcome contact from such groups. The above is only a small fraction of the things that I have been through, but it will serve as an introduction here, I hope.

Warm wishes to you all - on all sides of the various discussions - David Brazier

Hi David -- thank you for coming here and for the background and links you've provided.

It's really interesting to me to see the depth we're acquiring, in terms of having access to people like yourself (and others on this forum) with personal knowledge of the OBC's early years and their own unique perspective as to how things evolved over time.

I hope you'll find the forum useful and will enjoy coming here. Once more, welcome --

cheers,
Lise

Hi David,

I really appreciate the information you've shared with us and am very interested in reading your reflections on the link you provided. I have never known much about what happened on the UK side of the world, and am really grateful for your willingness to share some of your insight about this.

One thing I would like to mention, just to alleviate any confusion that might result, is that Ando was actually the wife's name, and she has returned to the Abbey and is an active monk there at this very moment in time. Her husband's name was Isan Sacco. He left the OBC some years ago under very difficult circumstances, about which I don't have too much information. I think this would have been around 1983 or so. I didn't enter the monastery until 1996, so I'm sketchy on details. At any rate, I felt sure that both you and Rev. Ando would appreciate the clarification about the names.

I'm very glad that you have been able to find a more supportive environment in which to practice! Again, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance here.

~ Laura

Hello David,

Welcome to this forum. And thanks to Laura for clarifying the names of Isan and Ando. Isan, by the way, recently joined this forum. He may well have some interesting insights into things back in the day!

Cheers,

Kyogen

"I hope that the OBC sangha can arrive at a happy and healthy resolution
of some of the problems detailed on this site and also that the various
different splinter groups can come to be on friendly terms. I would
certainly welcome contact from such groups."

I heartily endorse David Brazier/Dharmavidya's above wish. I hope that the Conclave this Autumn (a once in ten years event, I believe) gives an opportunity for this. However, that is only part of the wider context of developing and evolving as open and compassionate an organisational culture as possible. A key issue will be managing change in a way that is acceptable to those brought up and formed in the existing historical OBC culture while meeting the needs that the events, feelings, and perspectives discussed on this forum point to and the aspirations of those inside the organisation who want to move faster.

For that reason I suggest a thread on the 2010 OBC Conclave to debate possible areas for change.

Kyogen wrote:

Hello David,

Welcome to this forum. And thanks to Laura for clarifying the names of Isan and Ando. Isan, by the way, recently joined this forum. He may well have some interesting insights into things back in the day!

Cheers,

Kyogen

Yes, I've already reached out to David. I expect apologies are in order, but also exploration and insight. I invite anyone who knew me or knew of me to ask me anything they wish and hold my feet to the fire as necessary.

Isan

Hi Isan,

Most excellent, oh son of noble family, most excellent! I believe this is how true nobility, arya, is expressed. May we all be willing to own our mistakes, and humbly acknowledge them to others.

With palms joined,

Kyogen

You are, of course, all quite correct that it was Isan not Ando. Thank you.

Ian wrote:

"I hope that the OBC sangha can arrive at a happy and healthy resolution
of some of the problems detailed on this site and also that the various
different splinter groups can come to be on friendly terms. I would
certainly welcome contact from such groups."

I heartily endorse David Brazier/Dharmavidya's above wish. I hope that the Conclave this Autumn (a once in ten years event, I believe) gives an opportunity for this. However, that is only part of the wider context of developing and evolving as open and compassionate an organisational culture as possible. A key issue will be managing change in a way that is acceptable to those brought up and formed in the existing historical OBC culture while meeting the needs that the events, feelings, and perspectives discussed on this forum point to and the aspirations of those inside the organisation who want to move faster.

For that reason I suggest a thread on the 2010 OBC Conclave to debate possible areas for change.

I am unaware of the Conclave, but if I can be of any assistance to the process of "evolving as open and compassionate an organisational culture as possible" I'll be keen to do what I can.

David -- it doesn't look like you have waded back into this forum since you posted a over two years ago. Many more people have joined this discussion since then, Shasta Abbey went through its own crisis, etc. I would recommend you look through how this forum has expanded and evolved and read many of the threads.

You have written a lot about some of the key issues in creating a more modern and newer form of Buddhism and some of the real dangers of authoritarian leadership, gurus, and traditional ways of thinking.

Zen in America is in severe crisis right now. You might check out the postings on Sasaki Roshi here on this site and look at the way this scandal is being covered by sweepingzen.com. We are not just dealing with yet another sexual scandal, but a further expression of blind obedience, traditional guru worship, group-think and systemic denial, and an "enlightenment" that seems to be devoid of ethical and compassionate action. What kind of Zen is is this? And we have seen this over and over again.

You wrote about some of these issues in your book, THE NEW BUDDHISM. Why not take a look at what is now going on and do an updated essay on where we are now? I think you make some great points in this book - and i would say we are not on the same page with regard to Kennett and her community. When I left in 1977, Shasta was highly authoritarian, it had become at best a personality cult, and I felt she was doing far more harm than good. And her shadows did not die with her. Regardless, if Buddhism is to be alive and well in the west, we need much more smart and critical thinking and new ways to relate to "masters" and traditions and a far more open and honest communication and accountability. Otherwise, these groups all become highly toxic, self-delusional / grandiose, and ethically challenged -- at best.