caption website religion birth_place color nationality article_title background birth_date image school
claude anshin thomas -lsb- http://www.zaltho.org/ zaltho foundation -rsb- zen buddhism pennsylvania black american claude anshin thomas
 #ffd 068 1947 claude anshin thomas by paul turgeon.jpg sōtō
claude anshin thomas

claude anshin thomas -lrb- born 1947 -rrb- is an american zen buddhist monk and vietnam war veteran .
he is an international speaker , teacher and writer , and an advocate of non-violence .
thomas was brought to buddhism by vietnamese zen buddhist teacher thich nhat hanh , and was ordained in 1995 by tetsugen bernard glassman of the zen peacemaker order .
thomas teaches buddhist meditation practice and dharma to the public through social projects , talks , and retreats .
since 1994 , thomas has walked on peace pilgrimages throughout europe , asia , the middle east , and the united states .
while walking , thomas carries no money , and begs for food and shelter in the mendicant monk tradition .
he is the author of `` at hell 's gate : a soldier 's journey from war to peace '' -lrb- 2004 -rrb- and founder of the zaltho foundation , a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending violence .
