Knowledge (XXG)

Richard Baker (Zen teacher)

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408: 399:, a bakery, and a grocery store. In the midst of the growth, Baker became a popular public figure. Although his salary was reportedly modest, he lived a lifestyle which many perceived as extravagant. With so many students and so much public attention, some felt Baker became less available to the members of the community. All of this discontent emerged when it was made public that Baker had allegedly been having an affair with the wife of an influential sangha member. 34: 495:. After the founding of Dharma Sangha in New Mexico, Baker met with William Irwin Thompson, the founder of the Lindisfarne Association. At a meeting of the Board of Directors of Lindisfarne at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, Thompson convinced the board to donate the campus that he had established—with its passive solar Lindisfarne Fellows House, Founder's House, and Lindisfarne Chapel—to Baker-roshi's Dharma Sangha. Baker then moved to 359: 261:(SFZC) shortly before Suzuki's death in 1971. He remained abbot there until 1984, the year he resigned his position after it was disclosed in the previous year that he and the wife of one of SFZC's benefactors had been having an affair. Despite the controversy connected with his resignation, Baker was instrumental in helping the San Francisco Zen Center to become one of the most successful Zen institutions in the 431:
I don't think that the gossipy or official versions of what happened are right, but I feel definitely that if I were back in the situation again as the person I am now, it wouldn't have happened. Which means it's basically my fault. I had a kind of insecurity and self-importance, which I didn't see
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These revelations led to community-wide pandemonium, and in 1984 Baker was forced to resign as abbot. However, San Francisco Zen Center's website now comments: "Although the circumstances leading to his resignation as abbot in 1984 were difficult and complex, in recent years, there has been increased
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Although Baker claimed that his relationship with the woman was a love-affair which had not yet been consummated, the outcry surrounding the incident led to a series of accusations of impropriety on Baker's part, including the admissions by several female members of the community that they had had
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San Francisco Zen Center expanded quickly with Baker at the helm. In fifteen years, the center's annual budget increased from $ 6,000, to $ 4 million. It acquired property worth around $ 20 million and built up a network of affiliated businesses staffed by Zen Center students, which included the
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A once controversial figure, Richard Baker was publicly criticized for his behavior at San Francisco Zen Center. Former students have said that he was addicted to power, abusive of his position, extravagant in his personal spending, and inappropriate in his love life.
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affairs with Baker before or during his tenure as abbot. The community's sense of crisis sharpened when the woman's husband, one of SFZC's primary benefactors, threatened to hold the organization legally responsible for its abbot's apparent misconduct.
1314: 325:. Baker was instrumental in orchestrating the acquisition of Tassajara, raising $ 150,000 for the purchase in a short period of time. From 1968 to 1971, he traveled to 648: 514:
In the twenty-five years since leaving San Francisco Zen Center, Baker has continued his career as a Zen teacher, founding and developing two practice centers.
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contact; a renewal of friendship and dharma relations." And Baker, for his part, is quoted as having said in a 1994 interview with Sugata Schneider:
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wrote of Baker, "To me, he embodies very much the future of Buddhism in the West with his creative intelligence and his aliveness."
1264: 407: 539: 1299: 1088: 281:, on March 30, 1936, the son of Harold Baker and Elisabeth Dudley. Because his family moved around frequently, he lived in 1334: 1147: 531: 471:
where he founded a new community known as Dharma Sangha. One student who followed him to his new community was the priest
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Zen in America: Profiles of Five Teachers: Robert Aitken, Jakusho Kwong, Bernard Glassman, Maurine Stuart, Richard Baker
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during the "Mountain Seat Ceremony" on November 21, 1971. Baker also penned the introduction to Suzuki's famous book,
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to found other practice sites for Dharma Sangha. Baker also gives seminars at Boulder Zen Center in
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Shoes Outside the Door: Desire, Devotion, and Excess at San Francisco Zen Center
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in San Francisco, where he worked to develop hospice care for AIDS patients.
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Zentatsu Richard Baker page on the Crestone Mountain Zen Center website
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twice each year, typically on the last weekends of January and April.
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The New Buddhism: The Western Transformation of an Ancient Tradition
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Luminous Passage: The Practice and Study of Buddhism in America
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Spirit Taking Form: Making a Spiritual Practice of Making Art
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for a long time, that was a bad dynamic in the community.
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Zen Master Who?: A Guide to the People and Stories of Zen
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from Suzuki in 1970, and then was installed as abbot of
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priest by Suzuki in 1966 just before the opening of
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Zen Buddhistisches Zentrum Schwarzwald (Johanneshof)
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Falköping, Sweden: Rosvall Royal Books. 900: 861: 819: 770: 768: 766: 764: 762: 753: 707: 705: 703: 722: 720: 774: 738: 711: 664: 988:Follies of the Wise: Dissenting Essays 726: 690: 688: 686: 684: 682: 680: 671: 831: 807: 599:. Münsterschwarzach Vier-Türme-Verl. 225:(born March 30, 1936) is an American 7: 990:. Shoemaker & Hoard Publishers. 694: 387:in southern Marin county, in 1972. 1205:. Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint. 915:"Jason Kibbey and Elizabeth Baker" 634:Index of Buddhism-related articles 14: 1275:Richard Baker section on cuke.com 1228:. Albuquerque: La Alameda Press. 1141:Schneider, Sugata (Winter 1994). 463:Following his departure from the 257:, Baker assumed abbotship of the 16:American writer and Buddhist monk 1056:. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press. 540:Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 959:Coleman, James William (2002). 913:Pogash, Carol (July 31, 2005). 1089:University of California Press 317:in 1961. Baker was ordained a 313:in 1960—beginning to sit with 1: 1148:Tricycle: The Buddhist Review 532:Maximilian, Margrave of Baden 417:Tassajara Zen Mountain Center 333:monasteries there, including 323:Tassajara Zen Mountain Center 239:Buddhistisches Studienzentrum 1310:People from Biddeford, Maine 986:Crews, Frederick C. (2006). 467:in 1984, Baker relocated to 293:growing up. A descendant of 172:Crestone Mountain Zen Center 1079:Prebish, Charles S (1999). 1013:Eilers, Marlene A. (2004). 963:. Oxford University Press. 329:to practice at the primary 1361: 542:. They have a daughter in 526:On September 25, 1999, in 481:Hartford Street Zen Center 453:Hartford Street Zen Center 273:Richard Baker was born in 1305:Harvard University alumni 1197:Downing, Michael (2001). 1114:Schneider, David (1993). 864:, pp. 113, 162, 170. 483:(following the tenure of 380:Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind 311:San Francisco, California 31: 1325:San Francisco Zen Center 936:Azara, Nancy J. (2002). 849:San Francisco Zen Center 465:San Francisco Zen Center 375:San Francisco Zen Center 363:San Francisco Zen Center 354:San Francisco Zen Center 283:Cambridge, Massachusetts 269:Early life and education 259:San Francisco Zen Center 1052:Engaged Buddhist Reader 1048:Kotler, Arnold (1996). 1033:. Wisdom Publications. 629:Householder in Buddhism 595:Baker, Richard (1999). 561:Baker, Richard (1999). 1300:American Zen Buddhists 1124:Shambhala Publications 434: 419: 366: 1173:. North Point Press. 877:. Boulder Zen Center. 791:"Richard Baker-roshi" 429: 410: 361: 309:. He then arrived in 202:Ryuten Paul Rosenblum 1335:Zen Buddhism writers 875:"2008 Seminar Dates" 565:. London: Thorsons. 534:, and grandniece of 469:Santa Fe, New Mexico 438:Tenshin Reb Anderson 365:'s Page St. location 223:Richard Dudley Baker 215:www.dharmasangha.org 211:www.dharma-sangha.de 1345:21st-century abbots 1340:Zen Buddhist abbots 1023:Ford, James Ishmael 903:, pp. 145–146. 834:, pp. 283–284. 822:, pp. 138–140. 714:, pp. 167–168. 697:, pp. 124–128. 639:Schools of Buddhism 477:Dharma transmission 371:Dharma transmission 301:, where he studied 1330:Soto Zen Buddhists 1261:, European website 919:The New York Times 497:Crestone, Colorado 420: 367: 299:Harvard University 249:. As the American 235:Crestone, Colorado 158:Harvard University 889:Turning the Wheel 777:, pp. 14–15. 505:Boulder, Colorado 393:Greens Restaurant 241:(Johanneshof) in 220: 219: 1352: 1247: 1220:Winson, Robert; 1216: 1204: 1184: 1172: 1158: 1156: 1155: 1137: 1121: 1110: 1086: 1075: 1055: 1044: 1032: 1018: 1009: 982: 955: 943: 923: 922: 910: 904: 901:Schneider (1993) 898: 892: 887:Boucher, Sandy. 885: 879: 878: 871: 865: 862:Schneider (1993) 859: 853: 852: 841: 835: 829: 823: 820:Schneider (1993) 817: 811: 805: 799: 798: 787: 778: 772: 757: 754:Schneider (1994) 751: 742: 736: 730: 724: 715: 709: 698: 692: 675: 669: 644:Secular Buddhism 618: 584: 385:Green Gulch Farm 125:Elizabeth Kibbey 73: 69: 67: 36: 19: 1360: 1359: 1355: 1354: 1353: 1351: 1350: 1349: 1280: 1279: 1255: 1250: 1236: 1219: 1213: 1196: 1192: 1190:Further reading 1187: 1181: 1161: 1153: 1151: 1140: 1134: 1113: 1099: 1078: 1064: 1047: 1041: 1021: 1012: 998: 985: 971: 958: 952: 935: 931: 926: 912: 911: 907: 899: 895: 886: 882: 873: 872: 868: 860: 856: 843: 842: 838: 830: 826: 818: 814: 806: 802: 789: 788: 781: 773: 760: 752: 745: 737: 733: 725: 718: 710: 701: 693: 678: 670: 666: 662: 657: 625: 607: 594: 591: 573: 560: 557: 552: 550:Collected works 524: 516:Thich Nhat Hanh 489:Castro district 461: 405: 369:Baker received 356: 351: 271: 213: 201: 199: 195: 173: 129: 126: 116: 87: 74: 71: 65: 63: 62: 61: 27: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1358: 1356: 1348: 1347: 1342: 1337: 1332: 1327: 1322: 1317: 1312: 1307: 1302: 1297: 1292: 1282: 1281: 1278: 1277: 1272: 1267: 1262: 1254: 1253:External links 1251: 1249: 1248: 1234: 1217: 1211: 1193: 1191: 1188: 1186: 1185: 1179: 1163:Tworkov, Helen 1159: 1138: 1132: 1111: 1097: 1076: 1062: 1045: 1039: 1019: 1010: 996: 983: 969: 956: 950: 932: 930: 927: 925: 924: 905: 893: 880: 866: 854: 836: 824: 812: 800: 797:on 2008-03-05. 779: 775:Prebish (1999) 758: 743: 741:, p. 208. 739:Tworkov (1989) 731: 716: 712:Coleman (2002) 699: 676: 674:, p. 254. 663: 661: 658: 656: 653: 652: 651: 646: 641: 636: 631: 624: 621: 620: 619: 605: 590: 587: 586: 585: 571: 556: 553: 551: 548: 523: 520: 460: 457: 404: 401: 355: 352: 350: 347: 315:Shunryu Suzuki 270: 267: 255:Shunryu Suzuki 218: 217: 208: 204: 203: 190: 186: 185: 183:Shunryu Suzuki 180: 176: 175: 170: 166: 165: 164:Senior posting 161: 160: 155: 151: 150: 149:Shunryu Suzuki 147: 143: 142: 137: 133: 132: 123: 119: 118: 115:Virginia Baker 113: 109: 108: 103: 99: 98: 93: 89: 88: 75: 70:March 30, 1936 59: 57: 53: 52: 48: 47: 42: 38: 37: 29: 28: 25: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1357: 1346: 1343: 1341: 1338: 1336: 1333: 1331: 1328: 1326: 1323: 1321: 1318: 1316: 1313: 1311: 1308: 1306: 1303: 1301: 1298: 1296: 1295:Living people 1293: 1291: 1288: 1287: 1285: 1276: 1273: 1271: 1268: 1266: 1263: 1260: 1259:Dharma Sangha 1257: 1256: 1252: 1245: 1241: 1237: 1235:1-888809-02-7 1231: 1227: 1223: 1218: 1214: 1212:1-58243-113-2 1208: 1203: 1202: 1195: 1194: 1189: 1182: 1180:0-86547-354-4 1176: 1171: 1170: 1164: 1160: 1150: 1149: 1144: 1139: 1135: 1133:0-87773-914-5 1129: 1125: 1120: 1119: 1112: 1108: 1104: 1100: 1098:0-520-21697-0 1094: 1090: 1085: 1084: 1077: 1073: 1069: 1065: 1063:0-938077-98-8 1059: 1054: 1053: 1046: 1042: 1040:0-86171-509-8 1036: 1031: 1030: 1024: 1020: 1016: 1011: 1007: 1003: 999: 997:1-59376-101-5 993: 989: 984: 980: 976: 972: 970:0-19-515241-7 966: 962: 957: 953: 951:1-59003-016-8 947: 944:. Red Wheel. 942: 941: 934: 933: 928: 920: 916: 909: 906: 902: 897: 894: 890: 884: 881: 876: 870: 867: 863: 858: 855: 850: 846: 840: 837: 833: 828: 825: 821: 816: 813: 810:, p. 33. 809: 804: 801: 796: 792: 786: 784: 780: 776: 771: 769: 767: 765: 763: 759: 755: 750: 748: 744: 740: 735: 732: 729:, p. 47. 728: 727:Eilers (2004) 723: 721: 717: 713: 708: 706: 704: 700: 696: 691: 689: 687: 685: 683: 681: 677: 673: 672:Kotler (1996) 668: 665: 659: 654: 650: 647: 645: 642: 640: 637: 635: 632: 630: 627: 626: 622: 616: 612: 608: 606:3-89680-221-6 602: 598: 593: 592: 588: 582: 578: 574: 572:1-85538-221-0 568: 564: 559: 558: 554: 549: 547: 545: 541: 537: 533: 529: 522:Personal life 521: 519: 517: 512: 508: 506: 502: 498: 494: 493:San Francisco 490: 486: 482: 478: 474: 473:Philip Whalen 470: 466: 459:Dharma Sangha 458: 456: 454: 450: 445: 443: 439: 433: 428: 424: 418: 414: 409: 402: 400: 398: 394: 388: 386: 382: 381: 376: 372: 364: 360: 353: 348: 346: 344: 340: 336: 332: 328: 324: 320: 316: 312: 308: 304: 300: 296: 295:Thomas Dudley 292: 288: 284: 280: 276: 268: 266: 264: 263:United States 260: 256: 252: 248: 244: 240: 236: 232: 228: 224: 216: 212: 209: 205: 198: 197:Philip Whalen 194: 191: 187: 184: 181: 177: 171: 169:Based in 167: 162: 159: 156: 152: 148: 144: 141: 138: 134: 130: 124: 120: 114: 110: 107: 104: 100: 97: 94: 90: 86: 85:United States 82: 78: 72:(age 88) 60:Richard Baker 58: 54: 49: 46: 43: 39: 35: 30: 26:Richard Baker 20: 1225: 1222:Miriam Sagan 1200: 1168: 1152:. Retrieved 1146: 1117: 1082: 1051: 1028: 1014: 987: 960: 939: 918: 908: 896: 888: 883: 869: 857: 839: 832:Crews (2006) 827: 815: 808:Azara (2002) 803: 795:the original 734: 667: 596: 562: 536:Elizabeth II 525: 513: 509: 485:Issan Dorsey 462: 449:Issan Dorsey 446: 435: 430: 425: 421: 389: 378: 368: 303:architecture 272: 247:Black Forest 238: 222: 221: 193:Reb Anderson 127: 1290:1936 births 929:Works cited 695:Ford (2006) 403:Resignation 391:vegetarian 251:Dharma heir 229:master (or 179:Predecessor 131:Sofia Baker 128:Sally Baker 102:Nationality 1284:Categories 1154:2024-08-22 655:References 397:Fort Mason 291:Pittsburgh 200:Koyo Welch 66:1936-03-30 45:Zen Master 891:. p. 250. 845:"Lineage" 660:Citations 615:165882450 487:) in the 440:received 343:Daitokuji 275:Biddeford 189:Successor 154:Education 77:Biddeford 1244:38125048 1224:(1997). 1165:(1989). 1107:39299808 1072:35587022 1025:(2006). 1006:62782163 979:48932003 623:See also 581:60190068 436:In 1983 237:and the 227:Soto Zen 122:Children 106:American 96:Buddhism 92:Religion 51:Personal 23:Zentatsu 544:Alamosa 501:Germany 339:Eiheiji 335:Antaiji 307:history 287:Indiana 243:Germany 207:Website 146:Lineage 1242:  1232:  1209:  1177:  1130:  1105:  1095:  1070:  1060:  1037:  1004:  994:  977:  967:  948:  613:  603:  579:  569:  349:Career 341:, and 289:, and 136:School 112:Spouse 1320:Rōshi 589:Audio 555:Books 528:Salem 442:shiho 413:zendo 327:Japan 279:Maine 231:roshi 81:Maine 41:Title 1240:OCLC 1230:ISBN 1207:ISBN 1175:ISBN 1128:ISBN 1103:OCLC 1093:ISBN 1068:OCLC 1058:ISBN 1035:ISBN 1002:OCLC 992:ISBN 975:OCLC 965:ISBN 946:ISBN 611:OCLC 601:ISBN 577:OCLC 567:ISBN 538:and 499:and 411:The 331:Sōtō 319:Sōtō 305:and 140:Sōtō 56:Born 491:of 415:at 395:in 253:to 245:'s 1286:: 1238:. 1145:. 1126:. 1122:. 1101:. 1091:. 1087:. 1066:. 1000:. 973:. 917:. 847:. 782:^ 761:^ 746:^ 719:^ 702:^ 679:^ 609:. 575:. 345:. 337:, 285:, 277:, 265:. 83:, 79:, 68:) 1246:. 1215:. 1183:. 1157:. 1136:. 1109:. 1074:. 1043:. 1008:. 981:. 954:. 921:. 851:. 756:. 617:. 583:. 64:(

Index


Zen Master
Biddeford
Maine
United States
Buddhism
American
Sōtō
Harvard University
Shunryu Suzuki
Reb Anderson
Philip Whalen
www.dharma-sangha.de
www.dharmasangha.org
Soto Zen
roshi
Crestone, Colorado
Germany
Black Forest
Dharma heir
Shunryu Suzuki
San Francisco Zen Center
United States
Biddeford
Maine
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Indiana
Pittsburgh
Thomas Dudley
Harvard University

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