Bernie Glassman

Bernie Glassman (January 18, 1939 – November 4, 2018) was an American Zen Buddhist roshi and founder of the Zen Peacemakers (previously the Zen Community of New York), an organization established in 1980. In 1996, he co-founded the Zen Peacemaker Order with his late wife Sandra Jishu Holmes. Glassman was a Dharma successor of the late Taizan Maezumi-roshi, and gave inka and Dharma transmission to several people.
Glassman was known as a pioneer of social enterprise, socially engaged Buddhism and "Bearing Witness Retreats" at Auschwitz and on the streets with homeless people.
According to author James Ishmael Ford, in 2006 he
Biography
Bernie Glassman was born to Jewish immigrants in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York in 1939. He attended university at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and received a degree in engineering. Following graduation he moved to California to work as an aeronautical engineer at McDonnell-Douglas. He then received his Ph.D. in applied mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Glassman first encountered Zen when he was assigned Huston Smith's The Religions of Man for an English class in 1958. From there, he continued reading including books by Alan Watts, Christmas Humphreys, and D.T. Suzuki. In the early 1960s, Glassman began meditating and soon after sought a local Zen teacher. He found Taizan Maezumi in Los Angeles, California and Glassman became one of the original founding members of the Zen Center of Los Angeles. He received Dharma transmission in 1976 from Maezumi, who intended to create an inka shomei ceremony for him in 1995, shortly before Maezumi's death, conferring the influences of his own main teachers to Glassman.
In 1980, he founded the Zen Community of New York. In 1982 Glassman opened Greyston Bakery in Yonkers, New York, which initially provided jobs for the Zen students and evolved into an effort to help alleviate the widespread homelessness in the area. The bakery provided jobs for inner city residents who lacked education and skills. Greyston employed low-skilled workers from the neighborhood, many of whom were homeless themselves, and sold baked goods to shops and restaurants in Manhattan. In 1989 Glassman entered an agreement with Ben & Jerry's, and Greyston Bakery has become the supplier of brownies for several lines of ice cream.
Through the success of his bakery–which in 2016 was earning $12 million in revenues–Glassman founded the Greyston Foundation (sometimes called Greyston Mandala) with his wife Sandra Jishu Holmes in 1989. He retired from the Greyston Foundation in 1996 to pursue socially engaged Buddhist projects through the Zen Peacemakers. As of 2004 the Foundation had developed $35 million worth in real estate development projects in Westchester County, New York. The Foundation offers HIV/AIDS programs, provides job training and housing, child care services, educational opportunities, and other endeavors. In 2003 the bakery moved to a new building, which allows for higher output and more employment opportunities.
In 1996 Glassman, with his wife Sandra Jishu Holmes, founded the Zen Peacemaker Order. According to professor Christopher S. Queen, "The order is based on three principles: plunging into the unknown, bearing witness to the pain and joy of the world, and a commitment to heal oneself and the world." Richard Hughes Seager writes, "The Zen Peacemaker Order...has the potential to rival Thich Nhat Hanh's groups and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship as a force in American activism."
In 2012, Bernie Glassman founded The Stone Soup Cafe in Greenfield, MA (originally the "Let All Eat Cafe" in Montague, MA) together with Academy-Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges, his Zen student. Bernie and Jeff were really into making people feel welcome and providing access to dignified treatment and making their meal experience one where they felt cared for, not rushed, and fed body, mind, and soul. The Stone Soup Cafe is inspired by the Zen Peacemakers' three tenets, which are to start with a mind of not knowing, letting go of fixed ideas so that you can bear witness to the joy and suffering around you, and then to do the actions that come out of that bearing witness. The Stone Soup Café still operates today as a Pay-What-You-Can Café - a mixed-income restaurant experience that brings people together, bridging across differences.
Glassman died on November 4, 2018, from complications of a stroke in Springfield, Massachusetts at the age of 79.
Teachings
Glassman taught about what his teacher, the late Taizan Maezumi, called the "unknowing." Not-knowing is the first tenet of the Zen Peacemakers, and Glassman said of it, "In Zen the words source and essence are the equivalent of Unknowing, and they come up again and again. We have the absolute and the relative perspectives about life, and Unknowing is the one source of both of these." Also, Glassman was known for his many "street retreats." Author James Ishmael Ford writes, "...'street retreats,' for instance, moves sesshin into the streets: participants eat in soup kitchens, and, if they know they're not displacing homeless people, sleep in homeless shelters or, otherwise, sleep in public places. Zazen takes place in parks." In the 2000s, Glassman developed an experiment in sociocratic consensus-based zen training and interfaith facilitation, known initially as Peacemaker Circle International , and later Zen Peacemaker Circles. Interconnected projects were established globally, replacing the role of 'Zen teacher' with participants learning from each other and sharing ideas between Circles. Starting in 2001, Glassman taught "Clowning Your Zen" workshops with Moshe Cohen, and founded a "clown order" called the Order of Disorder within the Zen Peacemaker Order. In his last years, having disrobed from the priesthood, Glassman together with his third wife Eve Marko continued the work of his teacher Koryu Osaka Roshi in developing lay forms of Zen practice.
Lineage
Bernie Glassman appointed several "senseis" and "roshis" in traditional zen, and established the non-hierarchical roles of 'Steward' and 'Circle Dharmaholder' as coordinators and visionholders to continue the Zen Peacemaker Circles model. A number of his successors have also given dharma transmission to some of their own students:
Ancheta, Alfred Jitsudo Roshi
Arbiter, Eric Kishin Sensei
Bruce-Fritz, Carol Myoshin Sensei
Elkin, Rick Issan Sensei
Fritz, Ralph Kendo Sensei
Helzer, Douglas Red Heart Sensei
Walter, Sydney Musai Roshi
Whalen, Thomas Zenho Sensei
Baker, Nancy Mujo Roshi
Barragato, Stefano Mui Sensei (b. 1930)
Barragato, Margaret Ne-Eka
Wohl, Peter Seishin Sensei
Peter Joryu Harris
Jaime Heiku McLeod
Todd Hotai Watson
Paquin, Linda-Lee Abhaya
Bastien, James Daikan Sensei
Byalin, Kenneth (Ken) Tetsuji Sensei
Ciepielewski, Jakub Bokkuren Roshi
Collande, Cornelius v. Roshi
Dubois, Michel Roshi
Gauntt, Grover Genro Sensei
Gyger, Pia Jinji Roshi
Halifax, Joan Jiko Roshi
Bakker, Irene Kaigetsu Sensei
Byrnes, Brian Joshin Sensei
Kazniak, Al Genkai Sensei
Stolte, Beate Sensei
Palma, José Shinzan Sensei
Quennell, Genzan Sensei
Krajewski, Andrzej Getsugen Roshi
Harkaspi, Helen Kobai Yuho
Hixon, Lex Nur Jikai (1941-1995)
Hixon, Sheila Jinen Sensei
Holmes, Sandra Jishu Angyo Roshi (1941-1998)
Kahn, Paul Kuzan Genki Roshi
Ackerman, Joan Noge
Brown, Tucker Sansui
Bruce, Susan Kijin
Bruner, David Moksui
Dowd, Cathleen Kanno
DuFrene Troy Kyokai
Duncan, Shoko Sings-Alone
Greenberg, Bill Jikai
Kahn, Jacks Jocelyn Myoen
Kahn, Monika Seiryo Genmitsu Roshi
Johnson, Trish Kojindo
Mancuso, John Mitsudo
Kolman, Phil Sengetsu
Koopalethes, Wally Toryu
Noble, Greg Tensho
Peterman, John Reizan
Sato Gerpheide, Karen C. (KC) Zero Kyozen Sensei
Schmachtenberg, Wolfgang Okami
Stern, Paul Kisho Roshi
Hansen, Eileen Toshin
Tirch, Dennis Doshini
Vardi, Eran Kyoka Junryu Roshi
Wagner, Ann Ankai Roshi
Senegeto, Thomas Kian Sensei
Kennedy, Robert E. Jinsen S.J. Roshi (b. 1933-)
Abels, Gregory Hosho Sensei
Abels, Janet Jiryu Roshi
Bachman, Carl Genjo Sensei
Birx, Charles Shinkai Sensei (b. 1944)
Pumphrey, Ben Mui Sensei
Thompson, Scott H. (b. 1948) Dharma Holder (Assistant teacher)
Birx, Ellen Jikai Roshi (b. 1950)
Butler, Tim Tomei Sensei
Cicetti, Raymond Ryuzan Roshi (b. 1950)
Daniels, Michele Keido Sensei
Eastman, Patrick Kundo Roshi
Averbeck, Marcus Hozan Sensei
Collingwood, Chris Ryushin Sensei
Woodcock, Jeremy Ryokan Sensei
Efird, Susan KoDo Sensei
Healy, Miriam Yukan Roshi
Holleran, Michael Koryu Sensei
Hunt, Kevin Jiun Roshi (b. 1933-), O.C.S.O (Order of Cistercians of the Strict Order)
Taberner, Cynthia Kin Ryu Sensei
Tacy, Madeleine Seikai Sensei
Onge, Timothy Mangetsu Sensei
Seul, Jeff Kōgen Sensei
Laheen, Mary Soshin Sensei
Maher, Carl Chimon Sensei
Montecel, Maria "Cuca" Kosen Roblwedo Sensei
Richardson, Janet Jinne, CSJP Roshi
Blackman, Bruce Seiryu Sensei (b. 1942)
Craig, Barbara Shoshin, RSM Sensei [Religious Sisters of Mercy] (b. 1932)
Falcone, Anthony Hoetsu Sensei
Hebb, John Joho Sensei
Sullivan, Edward Sangetsu Sensei
Dougherty, Rose Mary Myoan Sensei
Dietrich, William (Bill) Ji An Sensei
Ertman, Robert Jin Gen Sensei
Palmiter, Martine Taikai Sensei
McQuaide, Rosalie Jishin, CSJP Sensei
Schubert, Paul Seiko Sensei
Yee, Amy Enhai Sensei
Viggiani, Carl Chimon Sensei
von Wobeser-Hopfner, Inge Eigen
Lee, Robert Sokan Roshi
Lugovina, Francisco Genkoji "Paco" Roshi
williams, angel Kyodo Sensei
Nelson, Craig Daiken Sensei
Salazar, Joaquin Ryusho Sensei
Marko, Eve Myonen
Matthiessen, Peter Muryo Roshi (May 22, 1927 – April 5, 2014)
Bastis, Madeline Ko-i Sensei
Cantor, Mitchell Doshin Sensei
May, Wilbur Mushin Sensei
Dobbs, Michel Engu Sensei
Friedman, Dorothy Dai-en (Daien) Sensei
Campbell, Chodo Sensei
Paley Ellison, Koshin Sensei
Maull, Fleet Shinryu Roshi
Merzel, Dennis Genpo Roshi
Nakao, Wendy Lou Egyoku Roshi
Berge, Raul Ensho, Dharma Holder (2006)
Boyd, Merle Kodo Plum Dragon Sensei
Hawley, Kipp Ryodo Sensei
Janka, Gary Myogen Koan Sensei
Nordstrom, Louis Mitsunen Roshi (b. 1943)
Denton, Timothy Issai Sensei
Hawkins, Roger Shikan Sensei
Thompson, Phil Zenkai Sensei
Rubin, Jeffrey Jiko Sensei
Gallagher, Jim Genjo Sensei
Hicks, Greg ShinShyou Roshi
Olmos, Mico Ryutaku Roshi
Boyles, Sarah Nanshin Sensei
O'Hara, Pat Enkyo Roshi
Eiger, Randall Ryotan
Harris, Jules Shuzen
Rapaport, Al Tendo Fusho
Linda Myoki Lehrhaupt
Hondorp, Catherine Anraku Eishun Sensei
O'Hara, Barbara Joshin Sensei
Terestman, Julie Myoko Kirin Sensei
Thomson, Sinclair Shinryu Sensei
Saunders, Anne Seisen
Deer, Herb Eko
Wild, Sara Kokyo
Singer, Don Ani Shalom Rabbi Sensei
Richardson, Janet Jinne Roshi
Waele, Frank de Roshi
Wegmueller, Barbara Salaam Roshi
Wegmueller, Roland Yakushi Roshi
Circle Zen Dharmaholders:
Margueritte Gregory
Jeana Moore
Barbara Wegmueller
Gabriele Blankertz
Chris Starbuck
Geoff Taylor and the Western Massachusetts Circle
Frances Collins
Steve Hart
Franziska Schneider
Kathleen Battke
Roland Wegmueller
Ohad Pele Ezrahi (Rabbi)
Bibliography
Other media
Audio
Video
Selected honors
1991 Best of America Award for Social Action, U.S. News & World Report
Ethics in Action Award, Ethical Culture Society of Westchester
E-chievement Award, E-Town, Tom's of Maine
Man of the Year, Westchester Coalition of Food Pantries
2016 Babson College Lewis Institute Social Innovator Award
Selected board participation
The Temple of Understanding
White Plum Asanga
AIDS Interfaith National Network
Social Venture Network
Westchester Interfaith Housing Corp.
See also
List of peace activists
References
External links
Zen Peacemakers
www.greyston.org/
www.greystonbakery.com/
Peacemaker Circles International
Shambhala Sun interview with Roshi Bernie
Zen Center of Los Angeles
White Plum Asanga
Videos about Zen Peacemakers and Bernie Glassman
Audio Interview Series on Buddhist Geeks
1939 births
2018 deaths
Zen Buddhism writers
Engaged Buddhists
Soto Zen Buddhists
White Plum Asanga
Rōshi
20th-century American Jews
American Zen Buddhists
Converts to Buddhism
People from Brighton Beach
Polytechnic Institute of New York University alumni
Writers from Brooklyn