Thien-An
Encyclopedia
Dr.
Thich Thiên Ân (釋天恩) (September 1926 - November 1980) was an influential teacher of Vietnamese Zen Buddhism
who was active in the United States
.
Dr. Thich Thiên Ân came to the United States from Vietnam
in the summer of 1966 as an exchange professor. He taught philosophy at the University of California, Los Angeles
. His students discovering that he was not only a renowned scholar, but a Zen Buddhist monk, as well, convinced him to teach the practices of Zen meditation and to start a Buddhist study group on the campus.
Several years later, his enthusiastic followers encouraged Dr. Thiên Ân to apply for permanent residence and open a meditation center that included a place for practitioners to live. He founded the International Buddhist Meditation Center in the Koreatown
section of Los Angeles, California
.
Once established, Thiên Ân taught the traditions of Buddhism at his center. In addition, he taught Eastern Philosophy
and Asian Studies
at Los Angeles City College
. He retired from teaching at the college when he was dignosed with liver cancer in 1979. He continued teaching at his center until he died in 1980, at the age of fifty-four, from cancer
which had spread rapidly throughout his body, from his liver to his brain.
The International Buddhist Meditation Center he founded, continues to thrive.
Thich Thiên Ân was the author of the book Zen Philosophy, Zen Practice (ISBN 0-913546-33-X).
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
Thich Thiên Ân (釋天恩) (September 1926 - November 1980) was an influential teacher of Vietnamese Zen Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
who was active in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Dr. Thich Thiên Ân came to the United States from Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
in the summer of 1966 as an exchange professor. He taught philosophy at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
. His students discovering that he was not only a renowned scholar, but a Zen Buddhist monk, as well, convinced him to teach the practices of Zen meditation and to start a Buddhist study group on the campus.
Several years later, his enthusiastic followers encouraged Dr. Thiên Ân to apply for permanent residence and open a meditation center that included a place for practitioners to live. He founded the International Buddhist Meditation Center in the Koreatown
Koreatown
Koreatown is a term to describe a Korean ethnic enclave within a city or metropolitan area. Similar terms may include Little Seoul or Little Korea.-Beijing:There are more than 150,000 Koreans living in Beijing...
section of Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Once established, Thiên Ân taught the traditions of Buddhism at his center. In addition, he taught Eastern Philosophy
Eastern philosophy
Eastern philosophy includes the various philosophies of Asia, including Chinese philosophy, Iranian philosophy, Japanese philosophy, Indian philosophy and Korean philosophy...
and Asian Studies
Asian studies
Asian studies, a term used usually in the United States for Oriental studies and is concerned with the Asian peoples, their cultures, languages, history and politics...
at Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College, known as LACC, is a public community college in the East Hollywood section of Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard...
. He retired from teaching at the college when he was dignosed with liver cancer in 1979. He continued teaching at his center until he died in 1980, at the age of fifty-four, from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
which had spread rapidly throughout his body, from his liver to his brain.
The International Buddhist Meditation Center he founded, continues to thrive.
Thich Thiên Ân was the author of the book Zen Philosophy, Zen Practice (ISBN 0-913546-33-X).