NEW YORK (Kyodo) As a master who spent 38 years dedicated to Zen, a branch of Buddhism that emphasizes meditation in the pursuit of enlightenment, Bernie Glassman has devoted his life to fusing traditional with modern concepts and dreams of attracting Japanese students to his new institute.
Glassman, also known as Roshi Glassman after attaining his final approval or "inka" about 10 years ago, is fulfilling his vision of creating a "house of one people" where individuals from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds can come together to study and practically apply Zen in their lives.
The Brooklyn-born 66-year-old has traveled an unusual path. Despite having acquired a Ph.D in applied mathematics and starting a promising career in the 1960s as an aeronautical engineer for McDonnell Douglas, he gave it all up after a flash of insight.