Wubong

Zen Master Wu Bong Sunim, born Jacob Perl, was a Zen master and monk in the Kwan Um School of Zen. Wu Bong Sunim was the head teacher of the European Kwan Um School of Zen until his death in April 2013.

Early years
Zen Master Wu Bong was born in Wroclaw, Poland, on June 22, 1950, into a Jewish family that suffered greatly under the German occupation during World War II. In 1964, the family decided to leave Europe and emigrated to the United States. Jacob Perl, as he was known by his birth name, continued to go to school and graduated from high school in 1968. In 1970, at the age of 20, he began practicing Zen with the famous Sōtō Zen teacher Shunryū Suzuki Roshi at the San Francisco Zen Center. The questions of life and death became very urgent for him. Continuing his search for a teacher, he went to Tarthang Tulku for a year to practice Tibetan Buddhism.

Meeting his teacher, Zen Master Seung Sahn
While a student at Brown University in Providence, he trained in Shim Gum Do (similar to Kendo) and became a master in this martial art. In 1972, while still a student at Brown, he met Zen Master Seung Sahn and became one of his first students. He completed his first 100-day solo retreat that same year at the age of 22. He also took five precepts and received his Buddhist name, Peop Mu, which means the Empty Dharma. In 1973 he graduated in mathematics from Brown University with a Bachelor of Pure Arts. In 1978, together with Zen Master Seung Sahn, he returned for the first time to Europe, to Poland, his native country, where from that time on a sangha developed and grew, eventually becoming the largest sangha in the European Kwan Um School of Zen. In 1978 he made his second solo retreat in America. At that time, his health suffered because of a very strict diet and strong practice.

Teaching years
In 1984 he received Inka from Zen Master Seung Sahn and, although still living in the USA, became the official supporter of the Polish sangha. From then on, he traveled frequently to Poland. In 1988 he married Grazyna, and their son Matthew was born in 1989. In 1992 he was officially appointed European Head Teacher by the founding teacher of the Kwan Um School of Zen, Zen Master Seung Sahn. In 1993 he received transmission from Zen Master Seung Sahn and was given the Dharma name Wu Bong, which means Universal Peak. At that time he lived at Providence Zen Center, where he was abbot for many years. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Paris with his family and founded the Paris Zen Center. Between his Inka and transmission he was very active, teaching in Europe, Asia, South Africa, and America.

His dharma heirs
In 2000 he gave his first Inka, to Dr. Roland Wöhrle-Chon from Germany (now Zen Master Ji Kwang). In 2006 he gave his first transmission to Alexandra Porter (Zen Master Bon Shim) from Poland. In 2012, he gave his second transmission to Ji Kwang. In total, he has given two transmissions and eight Inkas: Andrzej Piotrowski (Poland), Namhee Chon (Germany), Alma Potter (Austria), Bogumila Malinowska (England), Oleg Suk (Slovakia), Arne Schaefer (Germany), Koen Vermeulen (Belgium).

Monkhood and later years
In 2008, he moved to Korea to prepare to become a monk. In order to keep a place in Europe, he moved to the Berlin Zen Center, which became his home in Europe. In 2009, he was ordained a Buddhist monk in Korea. He continued to lead and teach his European sangha until the end of his life, while also concentrating on teaching in Korea. He led Kyol Che (100-day Zen retreats) at Mu Sang Sa, Hyang Chung Sa, Hwa Gye Sa, and Boep-hwa Doryang (all in Korea). Wu Bong Sunim left his body after a cardiac arrest on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 1 p.m. while leading a Yong Maeng Jong Jin (Zen retreat) at the Paris Zen Center.

Don't know mind
"Keeping a 'don't know' mind means cutting off all thinking. Cutting off all discursive thoughts takes us to the wellspring of our true nature, and brings us to the present moment. What are you doing just now? Paying attention to this very moment is what Zen practice is all about." - Zen Master Wu Bong

Perseverance and direction of our Zen practice
Zen Master Wu Bong's teaching style was clear and simple, but at the same time very sharp. He would always point out the importance of Zen practice, which gives us the attainment of truth and a clear direction.

What is truly important is why we do things. One of Zen Master Wu Bong’s often heard teachings is on decision making. He used to advise throwing up a coin in the air. He would go on saying that by the time it fell, we would usually know which outcome we wish for. After this, according to the technique he would jokingly call ‘a secret technique’, even looking at the outcome (head or tails) would be unnecessary. “From a vantage point of distance, most decisions are not so important, either way is OK. Why we do what we do is most important. ‘Is it for me or is it for others?’ If our direction is clear, then our choice is also clear.”

As Zen practitioners, we do not have to believe in anything – not in Buddha, not in famous Zen masters, and especially not on our teaching style or tradition. Instead, we need a great deal of trust and belief in what we are doing – just now – in our practice, whatever it consists of.

Zen Master Wu Bong always pointed out that we need keep on with our Zen practice and its given forms, be they bowing or chanting or silent sitting or mantra or kongan or counting the breath. Most important is not to change all the time, because Zen is not about checking and preferences. That doesn't work. Zen Master Wu Bong always emphasized approaching and reflecting each situation without hindrance, known as 'trying mind', which is often invoked with the admonition: 'just do it!' Which means to practice and to save all beings. We have to decide and commit to this course, and then try, try, try, until one day we completely attain it.

Wake up
"Nobody guarantees our life. So if there is anything that you think may be useful, just now is the time to use it. In our life, past mind and future mind cannot be attained. Present mind also cannot be attained. Because if you say "present", it is already not present, already gone. If you lose this moment, you can never regain it. We follow Buddha's example. Buddha means awakened. If you are not going to awake, tomorrow is too late. One hour from now is also too late. Even one second from now is too late. Just this moment, wake up. I hope each of you will make correct practice in your life and attain wake-up. Then one more step is important: use this wake-up to help all beings." - Zen Master Wu Bong

Video

 * Don't Know - A tribute to Zen Master Wu Bong, by Fabio Dondero and Chiara Somajni, 2016 (Video on demand, Documentary webpage)