About Us
Ven. Lawrence Dōan Grecco (Do'an Dharma)
Guiding Teacher
Ven. Lawrence Do’an Grecco is an authorized Zen teacher and Buddhist monk. He was ordained in the Korean Zen tradition as represented by the Five Mountain Zen Order as well as the Vietnamese lineage of Ven. Dr. Thich Thien-An. In 2012 he received inka from Wonji Dharma, his teacher and the founder of Five Mountain Zen. In addition, Lawrence received authorization as a dharma teacher from the Interdependence Project where he now serves as a senior teacher, and holds a certificate in Foundations in Buddhist Chaplaincy from the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. As part of his chaplaincy training he offered spiritual care and support to terminally ill patients in a hospice residence.
He was a counselor with the Long Island Crisis Center for close to a decade. In conjunction with the Lineage Project, he taught meditation to at-risk and incarcerated teenagers. He is the founder and guiding teacher of Open Sky Zen.
Ven. Lawrence writes for The Interdependence Project, and Open Sky Zen, and works with individuals and couples as a life coach and wedding officiant.
If you would like to make a donation to Lawrence and help support him in his work, you can do so below:
Guiding Teacher
Ven. Lawrence Do’an Grecco is an authorized Zen teacher and Buddhist monk. He was ordained in the Korean Zen tradition as represented by the Five Mountain Zen Order as well as the Vietnamese lineage of Ven. Dr. Thich Thien-An. In 2012 he received inka from Wonji Dharma, his teacher and the founder of Five Mountain Zen. In addition, Lawrence received authorization as a dharma teacher from the Interdependence Project where he now serves as a senior teacher, and holds a certificate in Foundations in Buddhist Chaplaincy from the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. As part of his chaplaincy training he offered spiritual care and support to terminally ill patients in a hospice residence.
He was a counselor with the Long Island Crisis Center for close to a decade. In conjunction with the Lineage Project, he taught meditation to at-risk and incarcerated teenagers. He is the founder and guiding teacher of Open Sky Zen.
Ven. Lawrence writes for The Interdependence Project, and Open Sky Zen, and works with individuals and couples as a life coach and wedding officiant.
If you would like to make a donation to Lawrence and help support him in his work, you can do so below:
Rev. Sergio Hyeonmin Prajna
Abbot
Rev. Sergio Hyeonmin Prajna is an authorized Zen teacher and Buddhist monk ordained in the Zen tradition as represented by the Five Mountain Zen Order. A native of San Jose, Costa Rica he began practicing mindfulness meditation in 2003 while living in Savannah, GA. His involvement with Buddhism started in 2010 after moving to New York City, where he lives at the present time.
He is currently studying Zen with Archbishop Wonji Dharma, the Founder and Guiding Teacher of Five Mountain Zen Order, with whom he engages in weekly koan practice. He also serves as Abbot at Open Sky Zen Meditation & Buddhist Studies Group in New York City.
Rev. Sergio Hyeonmin Prajna is presently working on plans to start offering the dharma en Español to the Spanish-speaking immigrant community of the Big Apple (most likely the biggest social group still largely untouched by the dharma.)
Abbot
Rev. Sergio Hyeonmin Prajna is an authorized Zen teacher and Buddhist monk ordained in the Zen tradition as represented by the Five Mountain Zen Order. A native of San Jose, Costa Rica he began practicing mindfulness meditation in 2003 while living in Savannah, GA. His involvement with Buddhism started in 2010 after moving to New York City, where he lives at the present time.
He is currently studying Zen with Archbishop Wonji Dharma, the Founder and Guiding Teacher of Five Mountain Zen Order, with whom he engages in weekly koan practice. He also serves as Abbot at Open Sky Zen Meditation & Buddhist Studies Group in New York City.
Rev. Sergio Hyeonmin Prajna is presently working on plans to start offering the dharma en Español to the Spanish-speaking immigrant community of the Big Apple (most likely the biggest social group still largely untouched by the dharma.)
Archbishop Wonji Dharma, D.Dh
Founder and Guiding Teacher of the Five Mountain Zen Order.
Archbishop Wonji Dharma, D.Dh. is a Buddhist Monk, a Zen Teacher and the Founder and Guiding Teacher of the Five Mountain Zen Order and President of Buddha Dharma University.
Abp. Wonji began practicing Advaita Vedānta as well as Vipassana Meditation in 1985 with Swami Chaitanya Siraj and took refuge vows with his teacher that same year. Swami Chaitanya Siraj had studied with Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho) in his Indian Ashram for many years and was designated as a teacher in Osho's lineage; additionally Siraj's path of teaching was wide and open to all of the Wisdom Traditions. Abp. Wonji's direction has been informed by Zen since his College days of studying Psychology. Wanting to experience the direct experience of koan study he eventually discovered Zen Master Seung Sahn and the Kwan Um School of Zen in 1989 and began practicing regularly at Dharma Zen Center in Los Angeles. After practicing and training at Dharma Zen Center for five years he received sanction and encouragement from Zen Master Seung Sahn to open the Huntington Beach Zen Center on August 14, 1993, where Abp. Wonji was installed as Abbot by Zen Master Seung Sahn during the Opening Ceremony.
The Huntington Beach Zen Center was renamed one year later at the first anniversary ceremony by Zen Master Seung Sahn to Ocean Eyes Zen Center (Hae An Soen Won). The center was originally founded as a residential Zen Center where up to six students lived and practiced together every morning and every evening. The Zen Center eventually moved to Stanton and later to the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach where it remained until the center was forced to close and relocate to a non-residential Center in 2000 due to zoning Issues with the City of Long Beach.
Abp. Wonji was ordained by Zen Master Seung Sahn as a Dharma teacher in 1995, as a Senior Dharma Teacher in 2001 and as a Bodhisattva Monk in 2002. He received teaching authorization from Zen Master Ji Bong, in the Golden Wind Zen Order in April, 2006. Abp. Wonji additionally received the 250 Dharmagupta vows on November 1, 2012 with Ven. Dr. Suhita Dharma, who is the first Dharma Heir of the Ven. Dr. Thien-An. This means that the Five Mountain Zen Order has a dual Zen Lineage, one from Korean through Zen Master Seung Sahn and the other from Vietnam through the lineage of Ven. Dr. Thich Thien-An.
He has practiced with more than thirty different Zen Buddhist masters, as well as several Transmitted Catholic Zen masters during his studies and consequently maintains an eclectic approach to spirituality. Abp. Wonji earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Cal State Long Beach, he also hold a Master of Dharma Degree in Buddhist Psychology and a Doctor of Dharma in Buddhist Psychology from the Buddhist Studies Institute of Los Angeles. When the outgoing President and Abbot of both the Buddhist Studies Institute of Los Angeles and the International Buddhist Meditation Center of Los Angeles stepped down and retired Ven. Karuna Dharma, the previous President of the College, turned over control to the Five Mountain Zen Order.
Founder and Guiding Teacher of the Five Mountain Zen Order.
Archbishop Wonji Dharma, D.Dh. is a Buddhist Monk, a Zen Teacher and the Founder and Guiding Teacher of the Five Mountain Zen Order and President of Buddha Dharma University.
Abp. Wonji began practicing Advaita Vedānta as well as Vipassana Meditation in 1985 with Swami Chaitanya Siraj and took refuge vows with his teacher that same year. Swami Chaitanya Siraj had studied with Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho) in his Indian Ashram for many years and was designated as a teacher in Osho's lineage; additionally Siraj's path of teaching was wide and open to all of the Wisdom Traditions. Abp. Wonji's direction has been informed by Zen since his College days of studying Psychology. Wanting to experience the direct experience of koan study he eventually discovered Zen Master Seung Sahn and the Kwan Um School of Zen in 1989 and began practicing regularly at Dharma Zen Center in Los Angeles. After practicing and training at Dharma Zen Center for five years he received sanction and encouragement from Zen Master Seung Sahn to open the Huntington Beach Zen Center on August 14, 1993, where Abp. Wonji was installed as Abbot by Zen Master Seung Sahn during the Opening Ceremony.
The Huntington Beach Zen Center was renamed one year later at the first anniversary ceremony by Zen Master Seung Sahn to Ocean Eyes Zen Center (Hae An Soen Won). The center was originally founded as a residential Zen Center where up to six students lived and practiced together every morning and every evening. The Zen Center eventually moved to Stanton and later to the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach where it remained until the center was forced to close and relocate to a non-residential Center in 2000 due to zoning Issues with the City of Long Beach.
Abp. Wonji was ordained by Zen Master Seung Sahn as a Dharma teacher in 1995, as a Senior Dharma Teacher in 2001 and as a Bodhisattva Monk in 2002. He received teaching authorization from Zen Master Ji Bong, in the Golden Wind Zen Order in April, 2006. Abp. Wonji additionally received the 250 Dharmagupta vows on November 1, 2012 with Ven. Dr. Suhita Dharma, who is the first Dharma Heir of the Ven. Dr. Thien-An. This means that the Five Mountain Zen Order has a dual Zen Lineage, one from Korean through Zen Master Seung Sahn and the other from Vietnam through the lineage of Ven. Dr. Thich Thien-An.
He has practiced with more than thirty different Zen Buddhist masters, as well as several Transmitted Catholic Zen masters during his studies and consequently maintains an eclectic approach to spirituality. Abp. Wonji earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Cal State Long Beach, he also hold a Master of Dharma Degree in Buddhist Psychology and a Doctor of Dharma in Buddhist Psychology from the Buddhist Studies Institute of Los Angeles. When the outgoing President and Abbot of both the Buddhist Studies Institute of Los Angeles and the International Buddhist Meditation Center of Los Angeles stepped down and retired Ven. Karuna Dharma, the previous President of the College, turned over control to the Five Mountain Zen Order.
