About

Our History

In 1973, a group of students founded Cambridge Zen Center (大覺寺, Daegaksa, “Temple of Great Awakening”) under the direction of the Korean Buddhist monk and teacher, Zen Master Seung Sahn. Zen Master Seung Sahn was the 78th patriarch in his lineage of the Korean Chogye order of Seon Buddhism. Originally located across the river in Allston, the center moved to its current 20,000 square-foot location on Auburn Street in 1982. This group photo was taken at the opening of the Auburn Street center on August 19, 1984.

Black and white group photo of adults and children standing on the steps outside a building, some in traditional robes, smiling at the camera.

Today, Cambridge Zen Center is one of the largest residential Buddhist centers in North America, with more than thirty residents and an extended non-residential community. In addition to practice at the Zen center, we host meditation groups and clubs at nearby universities and at several prisons in Massachusetts.

Cambridge Zen Center is an affiliate of the Kwan Um School of Zen, a worldwide network of over 120 Zen centers in more than 30 countries.

“When walking, standing, sitting, lying down, speaking, being silent, moving, being still. At all times, in all places, without interruption - what is this? One mind is infinite kalpas.”

A man sitting on the floor using a smartphone next to a sitting dog on a blanket.

Meet

Our Teachers

  • Zen Master Bon Yeon

    Guiding Teacher

    Zen Master Bon Yeon (Jane McLaughlin-Dobisz) has been Co-Guiding Teacher of CZC since 1993. She received inka (authorization to teach) in 1991, and transmission from Zen Master Seung Sahn in 2000. Before training in the Kwan Um School of Zen, she spent several years in the Tibetan and the Vipassana traditions. Zen Master Bon Yeon has completed many Kyol Che 90 day retreats in the US, Europe, and Korea, and taught around the world. She is an editor of The Whole World Is A Single Flower, and the author of One Hundred Days of Solitude: Losing Myself and Finding Grace on a Zen Retreat, which chronicles a 100-day solo meditation retreat in the winter woods of New England.

  • Zen Master Bon Shim

    Guiding Teacher

    Zen Master Bon Shim (Aleksandra Porter) is Co-Guiding Teacher of CZC whenever she is in residence. She previously held the position of Regional Zen Master for the Kwan Um School of Zen in Europe, and she is currently the Guiding Teacher of Borisa in Barcelona, Spain. Zen Master Bon Shim continues to live at the Warsaw Zen Center, where she began training and served as Abbot for many years. She met Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1978, receiving Inka in 1992 and transmission in 2006. She has two adult sons and two grandchildren. Zen Master Bon Shim resides with us and teaches at CZC several months during the year.

  • Dyan Eagles JDPSN

    Guiding Teacher

    Dyan Eagles Jido Poepsanim (Dharma master) is a Co-Guiding Teacher of Cambridge Zen Center. She began studying with Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1974. She received Inka in December 2020. Dyan is one of the founding members of Cambridge Zen Center where she served on the staff. Prior to retiring in 2019, Dyan was the Founder and CEO of DharmaCrafts, Inc. She is a long-time member of the Board of Directors.

  • Colin Beavan JDPSN

    Teacher in Residence

    Colin Beavan Jido Poepsanim (Dharma master) is a teacher-in-residence for part of each year at Cambridge Zen Center. He began practicing Zen in the Kwan Um School in 1996. His home temple is the Chogye International Zen Center, and he received Inka in April, 2022. He is a father of a College-aged daughter, a trusted advisor and coach, and the author of several books, including How To Be Alive and No Impact Man.

  • Zen Master Soeng Hyang

    KUSZ Americas Guiding Teacher

    Zen Master Soeng Hyang (Barbara Rhodes) is the School Zen Master of the Kwan Um School of Zen. She was one of Zen Master Seung Sahn's first American students, beginning in 1972. She received inka in 1977, and Dharma transmission from Zen Master Seung Sahn on October 10, 1992. A registered nurse since 1969, she currently works in hospice care. She helped found Providence Zen Center, and lived there for seventeen years, serving in a number of administrative capacities. Zen Master Soeng Hyang has a daughter and lives with her partner, Mary, in California.

  • Zen Master Seung Sahn

    Founding Teacher

    Zen Master Seung Sahn was the 78th patriarch in his line of dharma transmission in the Korean order of Chogye Buddhism and was a regular visitor and teacher at CZC in the 1970s and 1980s. After a long illness, he died at his home at Hwagesa Temple in Seoul on November 30, 2004. Many videos of his talks are available on YouTube. His books include Dropping Ashes on the Buddha, The Compass of Zen, and The Whole World Is a Single Flower.

In addition to our guiding teachers, we are lucky to frequently receive visits of Zen Masters and Ji Do Poep Sa Nims from other Kwan Um temples, whose comings and goings can be found in the Dharma Talk and Kong-an interview schedule. We are also the home temple of a thriving community of Senior Dharma Teachers.

Our Staff

Meet

Abbot

John Kolwaite

John brings a great deal of experience to the role of Abbot which he began in January 2024. He is retired from his position as a licensed Special Educator, an administrator, and teacher of children on the autism spectrum at The Boston Higashi School for the past 29 years. He began meditating in 1990 and in 1993 met Zen Master Seung Sahn and began practicing at Providence and Cambridge Zen Centers. After his children were born, he practiced faithfully on his own until becoming a resident in 2021 with his wife and daughter. He served as our Head Dharma Teacher for two years previous to his becoming Abbot. He is a member of the Board of Trustees.

director

Barbara Feldman

Barbara is a Senior Dharma Teacher in the Kwan Um School of Zen. She served as Director of CZC 2007-2017, as Abbot 2017-2024, and is currently Director. Barbara is also a long-time member of the Center's Board of Trustees. She taught an accredited yoga program at Boston University for forty years and continues to lead the weekly Boston University Zen Community since 2003.

head dharma teacher (HDT)

Eric Johnson

Eric became our Head Dharma Teacher in the fall of 2024 and holds 10 precepts in the Kwan Um School of Zen. He is training to formally become a Dharma Teacher. He has been practicing with the CZC sangha since early 2022 and living at CZC since 2023. He earned his Master's in Social Work in 2024, and works as an outpatient therapist with adults, couples, and families. Outside of work and practice, he enjoys hiking, playing music, and sharing food and laughter with family and friends.

kitchenmaster

Bobby Yribarren

Bobby is a Dharma Teacher in Training in the Kwan Um School of Zen and has been a member and resident of CZC since 2019. He served as our Housemaster and Workmaster for the past two years. He is an avid runner and swimmer from Fresno, California. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in communication from Fresno Pacific in 2012. He also holds a Masters in Communication from the University of the Pacific in 2014.

housemaster

Anthony Jenkins

Anthony is a Dharma Teacher in the Kwan Um School of Zen, and began practising at CZC in 2010 while attending undergrad at Emerson College. A resident from 2013-2015, he moved to London for 8 years to work in theater and managed a residential warehouse arts community. After sitting a 100 day solo in 2025, he returned to take up the role of Housemaster and became a member of the board of trustees.

GUESTmaster

Bobby Abraham

Bobby is a Dharma Teacher and holds 10 precepts in the Kwan Um School of Zen. He has been practicing at CZC since 2018 and has been a resident on and off since 2021. During that time he has served as our Workmaster, Vice-Head Dharma teacher, and currently serves as Guestmaster. Professionally, he has had a long career in tech, and currently works as an Integration and Tech Engineer for a non-profit promoting Ranked Choice Voting.

Ethics Policy

As an affiliate of the Kwan Um School of Zen, the teachers, staff, and members of Cambridge Zen Center seek to provide a safe and supportive environment for self-discovery. As part of this effort, we follow the ethical guidelines established by the Kwan Um School of Zen. Download the Kwan Um School of Zen Ethics Policy here.

A black and white mandala design with floral and geometric patterns.

Photo Gallery

Life at czc

Clothes hanging on wooden hooks on a wall with labels for each. A door with a sign reading 'Private Room' and a window letting in natural light.
Group of people sitting on the floor with dishes in front of them, possibly participating in a meditation or cultural activity.
A group of people sitting on cushions in a circle on a wooden floor, participating in a meditation or discussion session in a well-lit room with white walls and large windows, some wearing traditional or casual clothing.
A pink blossoming tree next to a white house with stairs and a black iron fence.
Interior of a dining room with wooden table, potted plants, sliding glass door, window with curtains, and modern ceiling light fixture.
Group of people sitting in a room, some wearing traditional robes, with a burning incense and a colorful painting on the wall.
Group of seven people dressed in traditional attire standing in front of a Buddha statue holding certificates.
Group of people dressed in white coats walking in a line in a backyard garden with trees and bushes.
A man with glasses and a beard, sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, wearing monastic robes, in a room with other people sitting in similar postures.
A group of people sitting cross-legged on the grass in a circle, some on meditation cushions, in a backyard with trees, a wooden fence, and a small garden area.
Group of people dressed in traditional Asian robes outside a building with wooden accents
Group of people dressed in traditional robes, some holding certificates, posing on stairs outside building, smiling for a graduation photo.
A woman with short dark hair wearing traditional clothing, kneeling with her eyes closed, in front of a decorative altar with a large candle and ornate details, in black and white.