Ven. Wonji Dharma is a Mahāsthavira in the Lam Te Thíen tradition and a Brahmajala Monk in the Kwan Um Jong tradition; additionally, he is a Zen Teacher and the Founder - Guiding Teacher of the Five Mountain Zen Order as well as the Chancellor of Buddha Dharma University.
Ven. Wonji was ordained by Zen Master Seung Sahn as a Dharma teacher in 1995, as a Senior Dharma Teacher in 2001 and as a Brahmajala Monk in 2002. He received teaching authorization from Zen Master Ji Bong, in the Golden Wind Zen Order in April, 2006. Wonji additionally received the 250 Bhikṣu vows on November 1, 2012 with Bhante Suhita Dharma (Hòa Thượng Thích Ân Đức), who was the first Dharma Heir of the Hòa Thượng Dr. Thiên Ân. Unfortunately Bhante died suddenly on Dec. 28, 2013 in Los Angeles at Chùa Diệu Pháp Temple in San Gabriel, California, where he resided. He was 73. Following the agreement made with Bhante Suhita Dharma to study for at least five years under a Thien Master, on July 15, 2014, Wonji was accepted as a student of Ven. Thích Ân Giáo Roshi who was Bhante Suhita's Dharma Brother and close friend. Wonji is studying the intricacies of monastic practice and life from Ven. Ân Giáo.
History
Ven. Wonji originally began practicing Advaita Vedānta as well as Vipassana Meditation in 1985 with Swami Chaitanya Siraj and took refuge vows with his teacher that same year. Swami Chaitanya Siraj had studied with Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho) in his Indian Ashram for many years and was designated as a teacher in Osho's lineage; additionally Siraj's path of teaching was wide and open to all of the Wisdom Traditions.
Ven. Wonji's direction has been informed by Zen since his College days of studying Psychology. Wanting to experience the direct experience of koan study he eventually discovered Zen Master Seung Sahn and the Kwan Um School of Zen in 1989 and began practicing regularly at Dharma Zen Center in Los Angeles. After practicing and training at Dharma Zen Center for five years he received sanction and encouragement from Zen Master Seung Sahn to open the Huntington Beach Zen Center on August 14, 1993, where Wonji was installed as Abbot by Zen Master Seung Sahn during the Opening Ceremony.
The Huntington Beach Zen Center was renamed one year later at the first anniversary ceremony by Zen Master Seung Sahn to Ocean Eyes Zen Center (Hae An Soen Won). The center was originally founded as a residential Zen Center where up to six students lived and practiced together every morning and every evening. The Zen Center eventually moved to Stanton and later to the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach where it remained until the center was forced to close and relocate to a non-residential Center in 2000 due to zoning Issues with the City of Long Beach.
He has practiced with more than thirty different Zen Buddhist masters, as well as several Transmitted Catholic Zen masters during his studies and consequently maintains an eclectic approach to spirituality. Wonji earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Cal State Long Beach, he also hold a Master of Dharma Degree in Buddhist Psychology and a Doctor of Dharma in Buddhist Psychology from the Buddhist Studies Institute of Los Angeles. When the outgoing President and Abbot of both the Buddhist Studies Institute of Los Angeles and the International Buddhist Meditation Center of Los Angeles stepped down and retired Ven. Karuna Dharma, the previous President of the College, turned over control to the Five Mountain Zen Order. Ven. Wonji currently resides at Chùa Pháp Ấn (Dharma Seal Temple) which is located in Kansas City, Missouri.
Ven. Dr. Wonji Dharma has written 14 books:
- Beyond Conceptual Thought, – Buddha Dharma University Press
- Cold Heart Thawing, Poetry – Buddha Dharma University Press
- Peering Through the Clouds, – Buddha Dharma University Press
- Circling a Black Hole, Poetry – Buddha Dharma University Press
- The Barrier That Has No Gate, Wu Men Guan, – Buddha Dharma University Press
- Blue Cliff Record, Bìyán Lù, – Buddha Dharma University Press
- Wu Shan Lu, Five Mountain Record, a collection of Kōans, – Buddha Dharma University Press
- The Dharmaguptaka Bhikṣu Pratimoksha, – Buddha Dharma University Press
- Clear Instruction for the Five Mountains Volume One – Vinaya, – Buddha Dharma University Press
- Clear Instruction for the Five Mountains Volume Two – Chàn Liturgy, – Buddha Dharma University Press
- Clear Instruction for the Five Mountains Volume Three – Chàn Forms – Buddha Dharma University Press
- Clear Instruction for the Five Mountains Volume Three – Chàn Ceremonies, – Buddha Dharma University Press
- The Bodhidharma Lectures, – Buddha Dharma University Press
- It’s All Good! the Zen Teachings of Wonji Dharma, – Buddha Dharma University Press