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Richard Baker (Zen teacher)

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419: 45: 370: 410:, 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. 506:. 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 272:(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 442:
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.
336:. 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 1325: 525:
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."
1275: 17: 1320: 292:, on March 30, 1936, the son of Harold Baker and Elisabeth Dudley. Because his family moved around frequently, he lived in 482:
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
859: 475: 385: 373: 293: 269: 925: 1285: 1305: 1134: 639: 455:(Dharma Transmission) from Richard Baker. Anderson succeeded him as abbot, and later co-abbot. 855: 1300: 479: 448: 8: 1127: 649: 487: 381: 1033: 507: 309: 245: 168: 1250: 1240: 1217: 1210: 1185: 1178: 1153: 1138: 1113: 1103: 1078: 1068: 1061: 1045: 1038: 1012: 1002: 985: 975: 956: 949: 621: 611: 587: 577: 554: 515: 462:, whom he had ordained as a priest in 1975. Dorsey went on to serve as abbot of the 403: 1330: 654: 395: 285: 87: 1092: 526: 499: 44: 1212:
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. 911: 872: 830: 781: 779: 777: 775: 773: 764: 718: 716: 714: 755: 733: 731: 417: 368: 1207: 1172: 1089: 969: 785: 749: 722: 14: 1293: 1058: 1023: 999:Follies of the Wise: Dissenting Essays 923: 770: 737: 711: 701: 699: 697: 695: 693: 691: 682: 996: 946: 842: 818: 728: 610:. Münsterschwarzach Vier-Türme-Verl. 236:(born March 30, 1936) is an American 1032: 1001:. Shoemaker & Hoard Publishers. 705: 688: 398:in southern Marin county, in 1972. 24: 1216:. Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint. 1200: 926:"Jason Kibbey and Elizabeth Baker" 645:Index of Buddhism-related articles 560: 25: 1367: 1286:Richard Baker section on cuke.com 1263: 1239:. Albuquerque: La Alameda Press. 1152:Schneider, Sugata (Winter 1994). 474:Following his departure from the 268:, Baker assumed abbotship of the 27:American writer and Buddhist monk 1067:. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press. 551:Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 532: 469: 970:Coleman, James William (2002). 924:Pogash, Carol (July 31, 2005). 917: 892: 878: 848: 1100:University of California Press 939: 413: 328:in 1961. Baker was ordained a 324:in 1960—beginning to sit with 13: 1: 1159:Tricycle: The Buddhist Review 665: 543:Maximilian, Margrave of Baden 428:Tassajara Zen Mountain Center 344:monasteries there, including 334:Tassajara Zen Mountain Center 250:Buddhistisches Studienzentrum 1321:People from Biddeford, Maine 997:Crews, Frederick C. (2006). 670: 478:in 1984, Baker relocated to 304:growing up. A descendant of 183:Crestone Mountain Zen Center 7: 1090:Prebish, Charles S (1999). 1024:Eilers, Marlene A. (2004). 974:. Oxford University Press. 633: 340:to practice at the primary 10: 1372: 553:. They have a daughter in 537:On September 25, 1999, in 492:Hartford Street Zen Center 464:Hartford Street Zen Center 284:Richard Baker was born in 1316:Harvard University alumni 1208:Downing, Michael (2001). 1125:Schneider, David (1993). 875:, pp. 113, 162, 170. 494:(following the tenure of 391:Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind 359: 322:San Francisco, California 217: 199: 189: 179: 174: 164: 156: 146: 132: 122: 112: 102: 66: 61: 51: 42: 32: 1336:San Francisco Zen Center 947:Azara, Nancy J. (2002). 860:San Francisco Zen Center 599: 565: 476:San Francisco Zen Center 386:San Francisco Zen Center 374:San Francisco Zen Center 365:San Francisco Zen Center 294:Cambridge, Massachusetts 280:Early life and education 270:San Francisco Zen Center 1063:Engaged Buddhist Reader 1059:Kotler, Arnold (1996). 1044:. Wisdom Publications. 640:Householder in Buddhism 606:Baker, Richard (1999). 572:Baker, Richard (1999). 1311:American Zen Buddhists 1135:Shambhala Publications 445: 430: 377: 18:Zentatsu Richard Baker 1184:. North Point Press. 888:. Boulder Zen Center. 802:"Richard Baker-roshi" 440: 421: 372: 320:. He then arrived in 213:Ryuten Paul Rosenblum 1346:Zen Buddhism writers 886:"2008 Seminar Dates" 576:. London: Thorsons. 545:, and grandniece of 480:Santa Fe, New Mexico 449:Tenshin Reb Anderson 376:'s Page St. location 234:Richard Dudley Baker 226:www.dharmasangha.org 222:www.dharma-sangha.de 1356:21st-century abbots 1351:Zen Buddhist abbots 1034:Ford, James Ishmael 914:, pp. 145–146. 845:, pp. 283–284. 833:, pp. 138–140. 725:, pp. 167–168. 708:, pp. 124–128. 650:Schools of Buddhism 488:Dharma transmission 382:Dharma transmission 312:, where he studied 1341:Soto Zen Buddhists 1272:, European website 930:The New York Times 508:Crestone, Colorado 431: 378: 310:Harvard University 260:. As the American 246:Crestone, Colorado 169:Harvard University 900:Turning the Wheel 788:, pp. 14–15. 516:Boulder, Colorado 404:Greens Restaurant 252:(Johanneshof) in 231: 230: 16:(Redirected from 1363: 1258: 1231:Winson, Robert; 1227: 1215: 1195: 1183: 1169: 1167: 1166: 1148: 1132: 1121: 1097: 1086: 1066: 1055: 1043: 1029: 1020: 993: 966: 954: 934: 933: 921: 915: 912:Schneider (1993) 909: 903: 898:Boucher, Sandy. 896: 890: 889: 882: 876: 873:Schneider (1993) 870: 864: 863: 852: 846: 840: 834: 831:Schneider (1993) 828: 822: 816: 810: 809: 798: 789: 783: 768: 765:Schneider (1994) 762: 753: 747: 741: 735: 726: 720: 709: 703: 686: 680: 655:Secular Buddhism 629: 595: 396:Green Gulch Farm 136:Elizabeth Kibbey 84: 80: 78: 47: 30: 29: 21: 1371: 1370: 1366: 1365: 1364: 1362: 1361: 1360: 1291: 1290: 1266: 1261: 1247: 1224: 1203: 1201:Further reading 1198: 1192: 1164: 1162: 1145: 1110: 1075: 1052: 1009: 982: 963: 942: 937: 922: 918: 910: 906: 897: 893: 884: 883: 879: 871: 867: 854: 853: 849: 841: 837: 829: 825: 817: 813: 800: 799: 792: 784: 771: 763: 756: 748: 744: 736: 729: 721: 712: 704: 689: 681: 677: 673: 668: 636: 618: 605: 602: 584: 571: 568: 563: 561:Collected works 535: 527:Thich Nhat Hanh 500:Castro district 472: 416: 380:Baker received 367: 362: 282: 224: 212: 210: 206: 184: 140: 137: 127: 98: 85: 82: 76: 74: 73: 72: 38: 35: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1369: 1359: 1358: 1353: 1348: 1343: 1338: 1333: 1328: 1323: 1318: 1313: 1308: 1303: 1289: 1288: 1283: 1278: 1273: 1265: 1264:External links 1262: 1260: 1259: 1245: 1228: 1222: 1204: 1202: 1199: 1197: 1196: 1190: 1174:Tworkov, Helen 1170: 1149: 1143: 1122: 1108: 1087: 1073: 1056: 1050: 1030: 1021: 1007: 994: 980: 967: 961: 943: 941: 938: 936: 935: 916: 904: 891: 877: 865: 847: 835: 823: 811: 808:on 2008-03-05. 790: 786:Prebish (1999) 769: 754: 752:, p. 208. 750:Tworkov (1989) 742: 727: 723:Coleman (2002) 710: 687: 685:, p. 254. 674: 672: 669: 667: 664: 663: 662: 657: 652: 647: 642: 635: 632: 631: 630: 616: 601: 598: 597: 596: 582: 567: 564: 562: 559: 534: 531: 471: 468: 415: 412: 366: 363: 361: 358: 326:Shunryu Suzuki 281: 278: 266:Shunryu Suzuki 229: 228: 219: 215: 214: 201: 197: 196: 194:Shunryu Suzuki 191: 187: 186: 181: 177: 176: 175:Senior posting 172: 171: 166: 162: 161: 160:Shunryu Suzuki 158: 154: 153: 148: 144: 143: 134: 130: 129: 126:Virginia Baker 124: 120: 119: 114: 110: 109: 104: 100: 99: 86: 81:March 30, 1936 70: 68: 64: 63: 59: 58: 53: 49: 48: 40: 39: 36: 33: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1368: 1357: 1354: 1352: 1349: 1347: 1344: 1342: 1339: 1337: 1334: 1332: 1329: 1327: 1324: 1322: 1319: 1317: 1314: 1312: 1309: 1307: 1306:Living people 1304: 1302: 1299: 1298: 1296: 1287: 1284: 1282: 1279: 1277: 1274: 1271: 1270:Dharma Sangha 1268: 1267: 1256: 1252: 1248: 1246:1-888809-02-7 1242: 1238: 1234: 1229: 1225: 1223:1-58243-113-2 1219: 1214: 1213: 1206: 1205: 1193: 1191:0-86547-354-4 1187: 1182: 1181: 1175: 1171: 1161: 1160: 1155: 1150: 1146: 1144:0-87773-914-5 1140: 1136: 1131: 1130: 1123: 1119: 1115: 1111: 1109:0-520-21697-0 1105: 1101: 1096: 1095: 1088: 1084: 1080: 1076: 1074:0-938077-98-8 1070: 1065: 1064: 1057: 1053: 1051:0-86171-509-8 1047: 1042: 1041: 1035: 1031: 1027: 1022: 1018: 1014: 1010: 1008:1-59376-101-5 1004: 1000: 995: 991: 987: 983: 981:0-19-515241-7 977: 973: 968: 964: 962:1-59003-016-8 958: 955:. 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Index

Zentatsu Richard Baker

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

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