Dae Gak (born 1947), born Robert Genthner, is a Zen master and the guiding teacher of Furnace Mountain in Clay City, Kentucky, a Korean Buddhist temple and retreat center co-founded in 1986 with Seung Sahn. He received Dharma transmission from Seung Sahn in 1994, and now teaches independently of Seung Sahn's Kwan Um School of Zen. In addition to Furnace Mountain he serves as guiding teacher for other Zen groups in North America, Germany and England. He also holds a Ph.D. in psychology and is currently a licensed psychologist in the state of Kentucky.
Biography
Robert Genthner (Buddhist name Dae Gak, "great enlightenment") was born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1947. He went to graduate school in Psychology at Kent State University. Genthner graduated from Kent State in 1973 with his Ph.D. in clinical psychology, later that year teaching psychology at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. He stopped teaching in 1979, afterward practicing as a licensed psychologist.
In 1979, Genthner met Korean monk and Zen teacher Seung Sahn during a retreat at the Providence Zen Center. In the early 1980s, he and several other individuals founded the Lexington Zen Center in his home, with retreats sometimes taking place at the homes of other practitioners. The group became affiliated with Seung Sahn's Kwan Um School of Zen, founded in July 1983. In 1986, he co-founded a Zen temple at Furnace Mountain with Seung Sahn. The temple, Kwan Se Um San Ji Sah (which means "Perceive World Sound High Ground Temple"), was completed in 1994. Also that year, Genthner/Dae Gak received Dharma transmission from Seung Sahn, and founded the Cincinnati Zen Center.
In 2000, Genthner was subject to disciplinary action following allegations by two patients of sexual misconduct and violations of patient confidentiality; while denying wrongdoing, he agreed to a suspension of one year, a fine, and one year of supervised probation after his license was reinstated.Lexington Herald Leader, 7/25/2000, Psychologist's License Suspended, B3Fall 2000 Psychology Board News, State of Kentucky Board of Psychological Examiners, Volume 3, Issue 2, "Robert W. Genthner, Ph.D. June 2000 Settlement Agreement", "The Board alleged that Dr. Genthner, a Kentucky licensed psychologist, exploited two of his clients by sexual touching, had sexual contact with these, failed to create and maintain written psychological records of the therapy of the two clients, and divulged confidential information about one of his patients. Genthner denied these charges. The Board and Dr. Genthner agreed: 1) to a one year active suspension of his license to practice psychology as of June 2000 2) to have his license placed on probation with weekly supervision of his entire practice of psychology for a period of two(2) years after the one(1) year suspension; and 3) to pay the amount of $2,742.50 for investigative costs to the Board." Also in 2000, he left the Kwan Um School of Zen and began his own. He has since established groups in North America, Germany and England.Galveston County News Genther, and the Furnace Mountain Zen Retreat Center was featured in the 2010 documentary film Zen Furnace produced by Kentucky filmmaker Steven Middleton.
Gallery
Groups Lexington Zen Center (Lexington, KY) Cincinnati Zen Center (Cincinnati, OH) Hamilton Zen Center (Hamilton, OH) Dae Do Sah Zen Group (Rockville, MD) South West Son Academy (Houston, TX) Zen Island Fellowship (Galveston, TX) Bristol Zen Centre (Bristol, UK) Wilmington Zen (Wilmington, OH)
Affiliates Mansfield Zen Center (Mansfield, OH) Queensland Zen Centre (Queensland, AU) Zen Society of Wooster (Wooster, OH)
Dharmic Lineage The following list documents Dae Gak's transmission lineage, starting with the Buddha and the First Patriarch.These charts expand from the basic list in "Zen Master Seung Sahn's Lineage" in: Seung-Sahn, 1997, The Compass of Zen, edited by Hyon Gak Sunim, Boston: Shambhala Dragon Editions, Shambhala Publications, pages 393–394. The same basic list is online in English at Kwan Um School of Zen and in Hangŭl (down to the 76th generation) at 조사 (불교).For comparison, see Jinje Seon Sa's lineage chart which is nearly identical with Seung-Sahn's list in The Compass of Zen down to the 75th master, after which the two lineages split up (to 만공월면 / Man-Gong Weol-Myeon in Seung-Sahn's and to 혜월혜명 / Hyewol Hyemyeong in Jinje's). There are five variations between the Seung-Sahn and Jinje lists: the renderings of the 40th, 43rd, 56th, 65th Masters' names, and the Latin spelling of the 58th's.
India
China CHINESE NAMEcharacters and Wade-Giles RomanizationLIFE DATESVIỆT NAMESee Thiền Sư Trung Quốc for a list of Chinese Zen Masters in Vietnamese.JAPANESE NAMERomajiKOREAN NAMEHangeul and South Korean Revised Romanization28 / 1達磨 / Ta-mo?Đạt-MaDaruma달마 / Dal-Ma29 / 2慧可 / Hui-k'o487–593Huệ-KhảEka혜가 / Hye-Ga30 / 3僧璨 / Seng-ts'an?–606Tăng-XánSōsan승찬 / Seung-Chan31 / 4道信 / Tao-hsin580–651Đạo-TínDōshin도신 / Do-Shim32 / 5弘忍 / Hung-jen601/2–674/5Hoằng-NhẫnKōnin홍인 / Hong-Ihn33 / 6慧能 / Hui-neng638–713Huệ-NăngEnō혜능 / Hye-Neung34 / 7南嶽懷讓 / Nan-yüeh Huai-jang677–744Nam-Nhạc Hoài-NhượngNangaku Ejō남악회양 / Nam-Ak Hwe-Yang35 / 8馬祖道一 / Ma-tsu Tao-iextensive article in Mazu Daoyi709–788Mã-Tổ Đạo-NhấtBaso Dōitsu마조도일 / Ma-Jo To-Il36 / 9百丈懷海 / Pai-chang Huai-hai720?/749?–814Bách-Trượng Hoài-HảiHyakujō Ekai백장회해 / Paek-Chang Hwe-Hae37 / 10黃蘗希運 / Huang-po Hsi-yün?–850Hoàng-Bá Hy-VậnŌbaku Kiun황벽희운 / Hwang-Byeok Heu-Iun38 / 11臨濟義玄 / Lin-chi I-hsüan?–866/7Lâm-Tế Nghĩa-HuyềnRinzai Gigen임제의현 / Im-Je Eui-Hyeon39 / 12興化存奬 / Hsing-hua Tzun-chiang:pl:Xinghua Cunjiang830–888Hưng-Hóa Tồn-TươngKōke Sonshō흥화존장 / Heung-Hwa Chon-Jang40 / 13南院道癰 / Nan-yüan Hui-yung"Nan-yüan Hui-yü" in The Compass of Zen, and "Nanyuan Daoyong" in Jinje's lineage chart ("Dao" being the third character in the Chinese name).d 930?/952?Nam-Viện Huệ-NgungNanin Egyō남원도옹 / Nam-Weon To-Ong41 / 14風穴延沼 / Feng-hsüeh Yen-chao896–973Phong-Huyệt Diên-ChiểuFūketsu Enshō풍혈연소 / Peung-Hyeol Yeon-So42 / 15首山省念 / Shou-shan Shen-nienThe Wade-Giles "Shou-shan Hsing-nien" in The Compass of Zen, consistent with the Pīnyīn "Shoushan Xingnian" in Jinje's lineage chart.925/6–992/3Thủ-Sơn Tỉnh-NiệmShūzan Shōnen수산성념 / Su-San Seong-Nyeom43 / 16汾陽善昭 / Fen-yang Shan-chaoRendered as "T'ai-tzu Yüan-shan" in The Compass of Zen.:pl:Fenyang Shanzhao947–1024Phần-Dương Thiện-ChiêuFunyō Zenshō분양선소 / Pun-Yang Seon-Jo44 / 17慈明楚圓 / Tz'u-ming Ch'u-yüan:pl:Shishuang Chuyuan986–1039Thạch-Sương Sở-ViênJimyō Soen자명초원 / Cham-Yeong Cho-Weon45 / 18楊岐方會 / Yang-ch'i Fang-hui:pl:Yangqi Fanghui992–1049Dương-Kỳ Phương-HộiYōgi Hōe양기방회 / Yang-Gi Pang-Hwe46 / 19白雲守端 / Pai-yün Shou-tuan1025–1072Bạch-Vân Thủ-ĐoanHakuun Shutan백운수단 / Pae-Gun Su-Dan47 / 20五祖法演 / Wu-tsu Fa-yen:pl:Wuzu Fayan1024–1104Ngũ-Tổ Pháp-DiễnGoso Hōen오조법연 / O-Jo Peob-Yeon48 / 21圓悟克勤 / Yuan-wu K'o-ch'in1063–1135Viên-Ngộ Khắc-CầnEngo Kokugon원오극근 / Hwe-O Keuk-Keun49 / 22虎丘紹隆 / Hsü-ch’iu Shao-lung1077–1136Hổ-Khâu Thiệu-LongKukyū Jōryū호구소융 / Ho-Gu Sor-Yung50 / 23應庵曇華 / Ying-an T'an-hua1103–1163Ứng Am Đàm HoaOan Donge응암담화 / Eung-Am Tam-Hwa51 / 24密庵咸傑 / Mi-an Hsi-chieh1118?/1138?–1186Mật Am Hàm KiệtMittan Kanketsu밀암함걸 / Mir-Am Ham-Keol52 / 25破庵祖先 / P'o-an Tsu-hsien1136–1211Phá Am Tổ TiênHoan Sosen파암조선 / Pa-Am Cho-Seon53 / 26無準圓照 / Wu-chun Yuan-chao (無準師範 / Wu-chun Shih-fan)1174/8–1249. (Vô Chuẩn Sư Phạm). (Mujun Shiban)무준원조 / Mujun Wenjo (무준사범 / Mujun Sabeom)54 / 27雪巖惠朗 / Hsüeh-yen Hui-lang Tuyết Nham Tổ Khâm Setsugan설암혜랑 / Seon-Am Hye-Rang55 / 28及庵宗信 / Chi-an Tsung-hsin Cật Yêm Tông Hâm급암종신 / Keu-Bam Chong-Sil56 / 29石屋淸珙 / Shih-wu Ch'ing-kungRendered as "Shih-shih Ch'ing-kung" in The Compass of Zen.1272–1352Thạch Ốc Thanh CủngSekioku Seikyō석옥청공 / Seo-Gok Cheong-Gong
Korea CHINESE NAMEcharacters and Pīnyīn RomanizationKOREAN NAMEHangeul and South Korean Revised RomanizationLIFE DATES57 / 30 / 1太古普愚 (Tàigǔ Pǔyú)태고보우 / Tae-Go Bo-Wu1301–138258 / 31 / 2幻庵混修 (Huànān Hùnxiū)환암혼수 / Hwan-Am Hon-Suspelled as "Whan-Am Hon-Su" in The Compass of Zen.1320–139259 / 32 / 3龜谷覺雲 (Guīgǔ Juéyún)구곡각운 / Gu-Gok Gak-Un60 / 33 / 4碧溪淨心 (Bìxī Jìngxīn)벽계정심 / Byeok-Ge Jeong-Shim61 / 34 / 5碧松智嚴 (Bìsōng Zhìyán)벽송지엄 / Byeok-Song Ji-Eom:pl:Pyŏksong Chiŏm1464–153462 / 35 / 6芙蓉靈觀 (Fúróng Língguān)부용영관 / Bu-Yong Yeong-Gwan1485–1567/157163 / 36 / 7淸虛休靜 (Qīngxū Xiūjìng)청허휴정 / Cheong-Heo Hyu-Jeong (서산대사 / Seo-San Dae-Sa)1520–160464 / 37 / 8鞭羊彦機 (Biānyáng Yànjī)편양언기 / Pyeon-Yang Eon-Gi1581–164465 / 38 / 9楓潭義諶 (Fēngtán Yìchén)풍담의심 / Pung-Dam Eui-SimRendered as "Pung-Joung Heon-Shim" in The Compass of Zen.?–166566 / 39 / 10月潭雪霽 (Yuètán Xuějì)월담설제 / Wol-Dam Seol-Je?–170467 / 40 / 11喚惺志安 (Huànxīng Zhìān)환성지안 / Hwan-Seong Ji-An?–172968 / 41 / 12虎巖體淨 (Hǔyán Tǐjìng)호암체정 / Ho-Am Che-Jeong?–174869 / 42 / 13靑峰巨岸 (Qīngfēng Jùàn)청봉거안 / Cheong-Bong Geo-An70 / 43 / 14栗峰靑古 (Lìfēng Qīnggǔ)율봉청고 / Yul-Bong Cheong-Kwa?–182371 / 44 / 15錦虛法沾 (Jǐnxū Fǎzhān)금허법첨 / Geum-Heo Beop-Cheom72 / 45 / 16龍岩慧彦 (Lóngyán Huìyàn)용암혜언 / Yong-Am Hye-Eon73 / 46 / 17永月奉律 (Yǒngyuè Fènglù)영월봉율 / Yeong-Wol Bong-Yul74 / 47 / 18萬化普善 (Wànhuà Pǔshàn)만화보선 / Man-Hwa Bo-Seon?–187975 / 48 / 19鏡虛惺牛 (Jìngxū Xīngniú)경허성우 / Gyeong-Heo Seong-Wu1849–191276 / 49 / 20滿空月面 (Mǎnkòng Yuèmiàn)만공월면 / Man-Gong Weol-Myeon1871–194677 / 50 / 21高峯景昱 (Gāofēng Jǐngyù)고봉경욱 / Ko-Bong Gyeong-Uk1890–1961/278 / 51 / 22崇山行願 (Chóngshān Xíngyuàn)숭산행원 / Seung-Sahn Haeng-Won1927–2004
America KOREAN NAMEHangeul and South Korean Revised RomanizationENGLISH NAMELIFE DATES79 / 52 / 23/ 1대각 / Dae Gak Robert Genthner 1947-
Bibliography
See also Furnace Mountain Timeline of Zen Buddhism in the United States Zen Master Seung Sahn
References
External links Official site for Furnace Mountain Kwan Um transmission speech