Buddhist Leaders

H.H. the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, India

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is the spiritual and political leader the Tibetan people. As such, he carries on a tradition that stretches unbroken to the 13th century. His Holiness has traveled to more than 52 countries and met with presidents, prime ministers and crowned rulers of major nations. He has held dialogues with the heads of different religions and many well-known scientists. He has waged a peaceful campaign to free Tibet from Chinese rule, a struggle that won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. As The Dalai Lama lives in Dharamsala, and heads the Tibetan government in exile.

Jan Chozen Bays, USA

Jan Chozen Bays, MD, has studied and practiced Zen Buddhism since 1973.  She is an ordained Soto Zen priest and teaches at the Great Vow Zen Monastery, a residential center for intensive Zen training in Clatskanie, Oregon.  She is the author of "Jizo Bodhisattva", "Modern Healing" and "Traditional Buddhist Practice". 

Ven. Norman Fischer, USA

Zoketsu Norman Fischer is a poet, Zen priest and teacher in the Soto Zen lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. He served as co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center, the oldest and largest Zen organization in the Western world, from 1995-2000, and is now founder and teacher of the Everyday Zen Foundation, an organization devoted to sharing Zen teaching and practice widely with the world.

Blanche Zenkei Hartman, USA

Zenkei Blanche Hartman began sitting in 1969 at the Berkeley Zen Center with Sojun Mel Weitsman and in San Francisco with Suzuki-roshi. She was priest ordained in 1977 by Zentatsu Baker-roshi and received dharma transmission with Sojun Mel Weitsman in 1988. Zenkei became abbess of San Francisco Zen Center in February of 1996.

Dharma Master Hsin-Tao, Taiwan
 
Dharma Master Hsin Tao is the founder of the Museum of World Religions, the President of The Global Family for Love and Peace, and the founder of the Ling Jiou Mountain Wu-Sheng Monastery on Taiwan's northeastern coast, which now houses nearly 100 nuns and monks. Master Hsin Tao also leads the Ling Jiou Mountain Prajna Cultural Education Foundation, the Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Foundation, the Social Welfare and Charity Foundation of Taipei County, and related projects in New York, Vancouver, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong.

Ven. Bhikkhuni Kusuma, Sri Lanka

The Ven Bhikkhuni Kusuma pioneered the re-establishment of the female Buddhist order and became the first fully ordained nun in 1996, 1000 years after the Order had died out. She is member of the executive committee of the International Buddhist women's organization Sakyaditha and permanent member of the World Sangha Council. She is building the Ayya Khema International Buddhist Mandir in Sri Lanka, a study and retreat center that will offer studies of Pali and Buddhism.

Ven. Jinwol Lee, Korea

The Ven. Jinwol Lee is the President of United Religions Initiative of Korea, Dean of Gwangmyeong Buddhist College in Cheongju, Korea, an Executive Council Member of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, and Professor of Buddhist Studies at the Seoul Graduate School of Buddhism.  He received his Doctorate in Buddhist Studies from the University of California at Berkeley and is widely published in both English and Korean.

Ven. Sayadaw Ashin Nyanissara, Myanmar

The Venerable Ashin Nyanissara is a teacher of Buddhism and a humanitarian. He is the founder of BBM College in Lower Myanmar and was responsible for the construction of a water supply system that now provides clean drinking water to over eight thousand residents of Sagaing Hills, Myanmar as well as a fully modernized hospital in Burma that serves over 250 people a day. The Venerable Ashin Nyanissara is the founder of the Theravada Dhamma Society of America.

Ven. Khandro Rinpoche

Venerable Khandro Rinpoche, the daughter of His Holiness Mindrolling Tichen, was born in Kalimpong, India in 1967.  At the age of two, Rinpoche was recognized by His Holiness the 16th Karmapa as the re-incarnation of the Great Dakini of Tsurphu, Khandro Ugyen Tsomo, who was one of the most well known female masters of her time.  The Venerable Khandro Rinpoche is a teacher in both the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.  She speaks fluent English, Tibetan and Hindi dialects and has completed a western education at St. Joseph's Convent, Wynberg Allen and St. Mary's Convent, all in India.  Rinpoche has been teaching in Europe, North America and Southeast Asia since 1987.

Ven. Phra Thepsophon, Thailand

The Venerable Phra Thepsophon is Rector of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU), Regional Ecclesiastical Governor, and Assistant Abbot of Wat Prayoonrawongsawas, Bangkok. He has formerly been Dean of MCU's Graduate School and Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the World Council of Religious Leaders.

Ven. Karma Lekshe Tsomo, USA

Karma Lekshe Tsomo is an Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Diego.  She is president of Sakyadhita: International Association of Buddhist Women and director of Jamyang Foundation, an initiative to provide educational opportunities for women in developing countries, especially in the Indian Himalayas and Bangladesh.