Tenshin Reb Anderson (b. 1943) is a noted American Zen Buddhist priest and teacher in the Soto school. He was abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center from 1986 to 1995 and remains a major figure in American Zen.
Anderson was born in Mississippi and raised in Minnesota. He became a buddhist during college and left graduate school in 1967 to study with Shunryu Suzuki at the San Francisco Zen Center. He was ordained as a priest in 1970, receiving th...
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Tenshin Reb Anderson (b. 1943) is a noted American Zen Buddhist priest and teacher in the Soto school. He was abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center from 1986 to 1995 and remains a major figure in American Zen.
Anderson was born in Mississippi and raised in Minnesota. He became a buddhist during college and left graduate school in 1967 to study with Shunryu Suzuki at the San Francisco Zen Center. He was ordained as a priest in 1970, receiving the name Tenshin Zenki (Japanese for "naturally real, whole activity" or the play on words: "the whole works"). After Suzuki's death in 1971, Anderson served as attendant to Suzuki's successor, Richard Baker, and occupied various positions including head of practice. In 1983, Anderson received dharma transmission from Richard Baker.
Anderson served as abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center, individually from 1986 to 1988 and with a co-abbot from 1988 to 1995. He was installed as abbot after the controversial departure of his predecessor,...
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