Adyashanti
Encyclopedia
Adyashanti is an American spiritual teacher from the Bay Area who gives regular satsang
s in the United States and also teaches abroad. He is the author of several books, CDs and DVDs and is the founder of Open Gate Sangha, Inc. a nonprofit organization that supports, and makes available, his teachings.
for 14 years under the guidance of his Zen teacher Arvis Joen Justi. Justi was a student of Taizan Maezumi
Roshi
of the Zen Center of Los Angeles
. Gray (Adyashanti) was regularly sent by Arvis to Zen sesshin
s, where he also studied under Jakusho Kwong
Roshi of the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center
. At age 25 he began experiencing a series of transformative spiritual awakenings (see Bodhi
). In 1996, around eight years later, he was invited to teach by Arvis Joen Justi. However, because Justi never underwent the traditional Zen ceremony of Dharma transmission
—though still instructed to teach by Maezumi—Adyashanti is not an official Dharma heir of any particular Zen tradition. Rather, he is Arvis Justi's successor in a lay
lineage originally authorized by Taizan Maezumi.
is a term used in several Sanskrit–derived languages of India to refer to a spiritual "assembly" or community, traditionally a monastic one, but its usage varies. Adyashanti founded Open Gate Sangha, Inc. in 1996 when he began teaching. This Sangha refers to both the organization itself and his student community as a whole. The Organization runs on a small staff, as well as many volunteers, and helps coordinate Adya's (as he is called by his students) teaching and travel schedule. It also produces audio, visual and written material for publication.
Satsang
Satsang in Indian philosophy means the company of the "highest truth," the company of a guru, or company with an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the truth...
s in the United States and also teaches abroad. He is the author of several books, CDs and DVDs and is the founder of Open Gate Sangha, Inc. a nonprofit organization that supports, and makes available, his teachings.
Spiritual background
Born Steven Gray in 1962, Adyashanti studied ZenZen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
for 14 years under the guidance of his Zen teacher Arvis Joen Justi. Justi was a student of Taizan Maezumi
Taizan Maezumi
Hakuyū Taizan Maezumi was a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher and rōshi, and lineage holder in the Sōtō, Rinzai and Harada-Yasutani traditions of Zen. He combined the Rinzai use of koans and the Sōtō emphasis on shikantaza in his teachings, influenced by his years studying under Hakuun Yasutani in the...
Roshi
Roshi
is a Japanese honorific title used in Zen Buddhism that literally means "old teacher" or "elder master" and sometimes denotes a person who gives spiritual guidance to a Zen sangha or congregation...
of the Zen Center of Los Angeles
Zen Center of Los Angeles
The Zen Center of Los Angeles , temple name Buddha Essence Temple, is a Zen center founded by Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi in 1967 that practices in the White Plum lineage.ZCLA observes a daily schedule of zazen, Buddhist services, and work practice...
. Gray (Adyashanti) was regularly sent by Arvis to Zen sesshin
Sesshin
A sesshin , literally "touching the heart-mind" , is a period of intensive meditation in a Zen monastery....
s, where he also studied under Jakusho Kwong
Jakusho Kwong
Jakusho Kwong , born William Kwong, is a Chinese-American Zen Buddhist teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. He serves as head abbot of Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, of which he is founder...
Roshi of the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center
Sonoma Mountain Zen Center
Sonoma Mountain Zen Center is a Soto Zen practice center located on in the mountainous region of Sonoma County in California—near Santa Rosa—carrying on the tradition and lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. Founded by Jakusho Kwong and his wife Laura Kwong in 1973, Kwong-roshi is the current guiding...
. At age 25 he began experiencing a series of transformative spiritual awakenings (see Bodhi
Bodhi
Bodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
). In 1996, around eight years later, he was invited to teach by Arvis Joen Justi. However, because Justi never underwent the traditional Zen ceremony of Dharma transmission
Dharma transmission
Dharma transmission refers to "the manner in which the teaching, or Dharma, is passed from a Zen master to their disciple and heir...
—though still instructed to teach by Maezumi—Adyashanti is not an official Dharma heir of any particular Zen tradition. Rather, he is Arvis Justi's successor in a lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
lineage originally authorized by Taizan Maezumi.
Open Gate Sangha
SanghaSangha
Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose...
is a term used in several Sanskrit–derived languages of India to refer to a spiritual "assembly" or community, traditionally a monastic one, but its usage varies. Adyashanti founded Open Gate Sangha, Inc. in 1996 when he began teaching. This Sangha refers to both the organization itself and his student community as a whole. The Organization runs on a small staff, as well as many volunteers, and helps coordinate Adya's (as he is called by his students) teaching and travel schedule. It also produces audio, visual and written material for publication.