Fabio Dondero about Zen Master Wu Bong

The first time I met Zen Master Wu Bong was almost 20 years ago, in Berlin. I was attending a presentation at the Freie Universität by the Kwan Um School – with, among others, Roland (Zen Master Ji Kwang), Namhee (Muchak JDPSN) and Arne (Schaefer JDPSN). At that time I was interested in Buddhism already, in Zen in particular: I had read many books trying to get as much information as possible on this fascinating philosophy. So as soon as I had seen the flyer announcing this Zen Master’s visit to the college, I had decided to go, also because, despite all my theoretical studies, I personally had never met a Zen Master before. The only thing which bothered me a bit was the fact that Zen Master Wu Bong was representing a Korean School, not a Japanese one, which used to be and still is much more famous here in Europe. Like many others, I even didn’t know that Korean Zen actually existed.

That evening Zen Master Wu Bong (who was from Poland, as I eventually understood!) gave me the impression of a warm and hearty person. He didn’t appear as a charismatic or a distant guru, what he said was simple and reasonable. A women from the audience asked him if he had any super power. He answered yes, and said: I can fly, in my dreams, while I am sleeping.The evening went well and brought me years later to the school and its teachings. I then increased my practice and started to participate to retreats of the Kwan Um School of Zen in Germany, Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic, step by step meeting new teachers, especially during Kongan practice, and getting involved more intensively. Zen Master Wu Bong was among them: with him I experienced some particularly nice and less nice moments trying to find the right answer.

In 2010 I decided to produce a documentary movie about religions in Berlin. The idea was to take representatives from different traditions, all living and practicing in one city, confront them with similar philosophical questions and put all material in a cinematographic context. From the very beginning there was the intention to work on the imagery of each religion too, that is its rituals and music. We therefore collected, during a timeframe of over three years, more than 150 hours footage, capturing spiritual practices, rituals and more, going e.g. for differences and similarities. These were the participating protagonists: a Rabbi, a Hindu Master, a Thai Monk from the Forest tradition, a Catholic Nun, a Russian-Orthodox Monk, an Imam, the Provost of the Berlin’s Protestant Church, a Candomblé Master and Zen Master Wu Bong, representing the Kwan Um School of Zen. The movie was finished in 2014, it’s currently going through the audio and colour correction, and will be released in 2015. You can see detailed information at www.9meister.de, unfortunately for now only in German.

The shooting process during the interviews isn’t always and all the time a pure enjoyment. Technical issues, correct light settings and proper functioning of the recording systems require concentration and a sort of productive tension. Working with Zen Master Wu Bong on the set was easy and didn’t have any complications. Everything we asked him, if waiting, posing, repeating, reacting, again waiting, no problem, he did it with kindness, humbleness and full comprehension for our difficulties.

The interview that came out is marvellous in sharpness, authenticity and intelligence. Zen Master Wu Bong answered to a high number of questions dealing with life and death, Zen and its practice, his own biography and his teachers. I was overwhelmed, and immediately realized that it would have been sad to use just a small part of it – “9 Masters” has 8 further protagonists and a complete different focus.

In April 2013 I was in the cutting process, dealing with 150 hours footage related to 9 different religions. I was informed that Zen Master Wu Bong was in Berlin leading a Yong Maeng Jong Jin, so I invited him at my place for a dinner and to show him an early version of “9 Masters”. He accepted and I was honoured to have had him as a guest in my home.

A week later he died.

This was unexpected, unreal, terribly sad. I went to Paris and attended to his funeral ceremony, saw his body, great suffering, a lot of tears and at the same time the calming presence of many Zen teachers.

As soon as I left Paris the decision was made: I would honour my teacher with a film. Now that “9 Masters” is closed, the time has come.

Zen Master Ji Kwang about Zen Master Wu Bong

Ji Kwang SSN (Zen Master Roland Wöhrle-Chon) was born in 1960 in Germany.  He studied Philosophy and Psychology in Bonn, Berlin and Madurai, India, where he had his first contact with yoga and meditation. Together with his wife, Muchak JDPSN, he established the Zen Center in Berlin and the Kwan Um School of Zen of Germany in 1990.  He received inka in February 2000 and Dharma Transmission in April 2012 from Zen Master Wu Bong.  Ji Kwang SSN has a Ph.D. in Psychology.  After living in Korea for seven years, he now works as a social scientist in Berlin and is the guiding teacher of Kwan Um Zen groups in Germany, Israel, Belgium and Great Britain.  He is married and has two children.

Arne Schaefer JDPSN on Zen Master Wu Bong

Sharp and clear: Wu Bong SSN as my teacher, father and friend

Arne Schaefer JDPSN began practicing in the Tibetan Kagyu Tradition — Diamond Way — in 1990.  His first Zen retreat, a Yong Maeng Jong Jin, was with Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1992 and he has been practicing with the Kwan Um School of Zen since then. Since 1992 he attended many Zen retreats in Europe, USA and in Korea. In 1996/1997 he built the Berlin Zen Center and was active as chairman in the board of directors of Kwan Um School of Zen Germany for over 15 years. He received Inka in April 2010 from Zen Master Wu Bong and is the Guiding Teacher of the Dresden Zen Center and the Zen groups in Hamburg and Bad Bramstedt.

He was awarded a Master’s degree in religious studies in 1996 from the Free University of Berlin, studying anthropology and philosophy.  He received a Master’s degree in psychology in 2002 from the Free University of Berlin.  Additionally he has furthered his studies in solution-focused consulting and co-acting coaching and works as an independent coach. In 2010 he founded mindsweets, a company selling vegan fruit gummy bears (Buddha Bears).

Arne and his wife, Irmi Jeuther, decided to integrate their shared Buddhist background with their work by establishing Lotus Consult.  Irmi has been practicing for over 20 years in the Kagyu Tradition and has a daughter.  They celebrated their marriage in 2005 in the Berlin Zen Center.  When Arne finds extra time, he participates in Impro-theater, plays the piano, loves to go inline skating and play badminton.  Whenever possible, he and his wife leave Berlin behind traveling in their old VW camping bus into unknown valleys and peaks.

A testimony on Zen Master Wu Bong by Muchak JDPSN

Muchak JDPSN (Dharma Master Namhee Chon) was born in 1960 in South Korea. She holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy and Sinology from the Free University of Berlin. Before she met the teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1989 in Warsaw, she learned Yoga and meditation in India. Together with her husband she established the Zen Center in Berlin in 1990 and later the Kwan Um School of Zen of Germany. She received Inka in May 2008 from Zen Master Wu Bong and is the Abbess of the Kwan Um School of Zen, Germany. Muchak JDPSN now works as a lecturer at the Free University of Berlin, and lives with her family near Berlin.