Katherine Sobun Thanas, Abbot of the Santa Cruz Zen Center, dies at 84

Buddhadharma News has received word that Katherine Sobun Thanas of the Santa Cruz Zen Center passed away at 9:45 this morning at the age of 84. Thanas started her Zen practice with Shunryu Suzuki roshi and Dainin Katagiri roshi at the San Francisco Zen Center and Tassajara beginning in 1967, and was also a manager at Tassajara Bakery. She established the Monterey Bay Zen Center shortly after receiving dharma transmission from Tenshin Reb Anderson before starting to teach at the Santa Cruz Zen Center (where she came to be installed as Abbess). She transmitted the dharma to four others in her lifetime: Fugan Eugene Bush, D.D., Robert Reese, Onryu Patrick Teverbaugh, and Kathy Whilden.

Zen teacher Enji Angie Boissevain, a friend, had this to say: "Her continual questioning, continual study, continual opening herself to new truths…her presence…was an immense and precious teaching for me. Katherine was famous for her strict practice, and for her great great warmth and generosity. Her dedicated life was a gift."

As we reported earlier in the week, Thanas suffered a serious head injury and was found in her home by a friend on Monday. She slipped in to a coma and was soon after taken off life support, returning to her home with hospice care, where she was surrounded by friends and sangha members.

For remembrances by those who knew her and a biographical sketch, please see the Sweeping Zen article published today.

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Tibet - Le Message Des Tibetains (Part I - Le Bouddhisme -)

Un film classique sur les Tibetains en exile dans les années soixantes. Original d' Arnaud Desjardins jampasmandala.wordpress.com

Video Rating: 4 / 5



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