History:
Though he had finished his university studies and wa thus bound return to Korea in late 1970 (where he had been invited back to serve as the Dean of the Buddhist College at Donguk University), Dr. Seo worked tirelessly to establish a framework to support westerners interested in Korean Zen, and he returned to the United States almost every summer for the rest of his life. In 1969 he invited his student Ven. Il Kwon Shin to assist him in establishing a Zen monastery on ninety acres near Newport Virginia. The mission of this new Zen Center was to lead students toward self-realization through the wordless teaching of Dr. Seo's bright energy and laughter that made up his daily life.
Dr. Seo quickly established a large following of dedicated American students, and by 1975 numerous Zen Centers had been founded across the country by his disciples. In addition to the monastery, and disciples like the Ven. Song Ryong Arthur Hearn (whom had taken up teaching at the International Buddhist Meditation Center in Los Angeles California founded by the Vietnamese Patriarch Thich Thien An), these centers included those in San Fransisco California (Il Bung Son Won established by the Ven. Ta Hui Donald Gilbert and Il San Edward Wilkinson), Arcata California (Blue Dragon Zen Temple established by the Ven. Son Hae), Santa Fe New Mexico (Cho Ge Son Won established by Gary Brown), Huntsville Alabama (Il Bung Zen Center founded by the Ven. Tae Chi Robert Maitland), a temple in Eason Pennsylvania (the Hui Neng Zen Temple), amongst others.
Dr. Seo quickly established a large following of dedicated American students, and by 1975 numerous Zen Centers had been founded across the country by his disciples. In addition to the monastery, and disciples like the Ven. Song Ryong Arthur Hearn (whom had taken up teaching at the International Buddhist Meditation Center in Los Angeles California founded by the Vietnamese Patriarch Thich Thien An), these centers included those in San Fransisco California (Il Bung Son Won established by the Ven. Ta Hui Donald Gilbert and Il San Edward Wilkinson), Arcata California (Blue Dragon Zen Temple established by the Ven. Son Hae), Santa Fe New Mexico (Cho Ge Son Won established by Gary Brown), Huntsville Alabama (Il Bung Zen Center founded by the Ven. Tae Chi Robert Maitland), a temple in Eason Pennsylvania (the Hui Neng Zen Temple), amongst others.
eIt was thus in 1975 that the Venerable Dr. Seo Kyung Bo created the Il Bung Zen Order (Il Bung Sonjong-hoe) with the intention of consolidating all of his activities in Korea and abroad. At this time one of his students, the Venerable Ta Hui Donald Gilbert who received Dr. Seo's transmission as Zen Master and 77th generation patriarchal lineage holder in 1973, was commissioned as Dr. Seo's successor to the United States, then given the title Dae Sa ("Great Monk"), in 1995 was named Dr. Seo's Chief Successor.
One of the Venerable Ta Hui's early students, James Walker was named a Dharma Teacher by him in 1976, and was further recommended to Dr. Seo whom examined him over a number of years and ordained him as a monk with the name Son Hae. This process culminated in Son Hae's transmission from Ven. Dr. Seo as Zen Master and 77th generation patriarchal lineage holder in 1981, congruent with his appointment as Master of the Korean Buddhist Martial Arts Association (founded by the Ven. Il Bung and Master Lee Han Chul in Korea in 1968), and as Missionary Bishop to the Order.
In September 1988 Ven. Dr. Seo formally separated from the Chogye Order and and legally established his independent order in Korea, which flourishes there today. This work kept Dr. Seo in Korea in his latter years, and he entered nirvana in 1996. The Venerable Son Hae served as Venerable Ta Hui's chief disciple and assistant, traveling and teaching with him until his entrance into nirvana in 2006, and now heads the Order in the United States as one of Dr. Seo's last dharma heirs in the West, and in succession to Ven. Ta Hui as chief Successor of the lineage.
In April of 2015 Zen Master Son Hae gave transmission to Zen Master Deok Shim (Sunyananda Dharma), and charged him with carrying on the efforts of Dr. Seo, Master Ta Hui and himself as the next (4th) Patriarch of the Order.
One of the Venerable Ta Hui's early students, James Walker was named a Dharma Teacher by him in 1976, and was further recommended to Dr. Seo whom examined him over a number of years and ordained him as a monk with the name Son Hae. This process culminated in Son Hae's transmission from Ven. Dr. Seo as Zen Master and 77th generation patriarchal lineage holder in 1981, congruent with his appointment as Master of the Korean Buddhist Martial Arts Association (founded by the Ven. Il Bung and Master Lee Han Chul in Korea in 1968), and as Missionary Bishop to the Order.
In September 1988 Ven. Dr. Seo formally separated from the Chogye Order and and legally established his independent order in Korea, which flourishes there today. This work kept Dr. Seo in Korea in his latter years, and he entered nirvana in 1996. The Venerable Son Hae served as Venerable Ta Hui's chief disciple and assistant, traveling and teaching with him until his entrance into nirvana in 2006, and now heads the Order in the United States as one of Dr. Seo's last dharma heirs in the West, and in succession to Ven. Ta Hui as chief Successor of the lineage.
In April of 2015 Zen Master Son Hae gave transmission to Zen Master Deok Shim (Sunyananda Dharma), and charged him with carrying on the efforts of Dr. Seo, Master Ta Hui and himself as the next (4th) Patriarch of the Order.