Repentance

This is a post about repentance and - just so you know - it wanders a bit before it gets to the point. I hope you'll stick with it.

Several weeks ago, Dennis Merzel, a Zen master in the Maezumi Roshi tradition of Zen, announced that he had resigned his position as teacher at Kanzeon Zen Center in Salt Lake City. This was prompted by Merzel's acknowledgement that he had "caused a tremendous amount of pain, confusion, and controversy for my wife, family, and Sangha" by engaging in a sexual relationship with a student. (Merzel has a 20+ year history of sexual predation among his female students.)

Merzel's announcement produced a number of responses, including letters from teachers associated with the American Zen Teachers Association and responses from Kanzeon Zen Center. A number of American Zen teachers and bloggers also wrote letters and posts.

Merzel is (was?) a dharma heir of Taizan Maezumi Roshi, a teacher who also engaged in sexual relationships with his female students and who apparently declined to sanction Merzel.

The above provides context for a remarkable letter that appeared last week from Kirsten Mitsuyo Maezumi, the oldest daughter of Maezumi Roshi. While I cannot properly summarize her letter, two aspects caught my attention:

• Her support for Dennis Merzel. She writes, "Genpo Roshi is a wonderful teacher and humanitarian, and I feel that his contributions to Zen in America and the raising of consciousness now and in the future are of great importance to continue on my father’s work."

• Her anger at Jan Chozen Bays Roshi, who served as the Maezumi family physician and who betrayed her professional boundaries and responsibilities by having a sexual relationship with Maezumi Roshi. And yet, even with anger, Ms. Maezumi extends forgiveness to Bays Roshi.

(I hope I am not misrepresenting Ms. Maezumi's words or intent in the above summaries.)

Ms. Maezumi's letter prompted a response from Bays Roshi in which she summarizes the actions she took subsequent to the disclosure of her sexual relationship with Maezumi Roshi. She writes:

• I took my own role in the events at ZCLA very seriously.

• I did specifically focused therapy.

• I did specific repentance work.

• I realized that the best form of repentance was to change my behavior — for good.

• I educated myself about clergy misconduct.

• My husband and I emphasize the importance of the precepts in their literal form in our Zen teaching.

• We have helped other Buddhist groups that requested assistance with issues of ethics and misconduct by teachers.

• I have never had an inappropriate relationship with a student, nor has my husband.

• I have been in a faithful marriage for 27 years.

Bays Roshi follows this outline (taken verbatim) with a discussion of her responsibility for her actions and the role of genuine repentance in her life and teaching.

And this brings me to the point of this long post. I was deeply moved by Bays Roshi's detailed description of how she turned her life in a new direction.

As her example demonstrates, repentance requires more than words. Repentance is not merely the feeling of sorrow and remorse. Repentance does not end with a ceremony or an explanation.

True repentance requires life-changing action.

And this action can only arise from a profound change of intention - the intention to live in ways that nourish wisdom, compassion, kindness and joy.

This transformation is the point of Zen and all Buddhist training.

Note: Ms. Maezumi responded to Bays Roshi's letter with generosity and kindness. You can read that response here.

Comments

[Genju]

I was and still am blown away by Chozen Bays' response. Kristen Maezumi's willingness to talk to Bays and aspire to a level of reconciliation was also powerful. But it's Bays' authority over herself that really encourages me. Her protocol for self-healing should become something we all aspire to practice.

[Judy Roitman]

Just a clarification that AZTA didn't write a letter because it's not that kind of organization. A number of teachers in the AZTA used its e-list to organize a group letter, and to encourage people to write individual letters. But AZTA itself, situated outside any particular Zen/Chan/Soen/Thien tradition or lineage, has no standing to make an organizational statement, or to intervene in situations like this. Thanks for letting me clarify.

[Barry Briggs]

Thanks for your comment, Genju.

Thanks for the clarification, Judy. I've amended the text accordingly.

Barry

[David Clark]

James Ford once posted a fourteenth century Chinese text called "The Samadhi Treatise of the Treasure King" on his Monkeymind blog. I keep a printed copy on my refrigerator door and have given printouts to many friends. Item Ten says (in part);

"Progress in spiritual practice becomes possible when you are confronted by obstacles and hardships. Whereas no growth is possible where there are no obstacles. It was in the midst of hindrances that the Buddha realized supreme enlightenment.

Angulimalya committed terrible acts, and Devadatta and his followers rebelled against the Buddha, but nonetheless, the Buddha guaranteed that even they would one day be able to attain enlightenment. If even people like these are able to awaken, how can you claim that the things that offend and trouble you will prevent Liberation? Rather these will speed you on your way; through them you can make quicker progress. If you want to obtain the great treasure, you must face what confronts you and embrace it with wisdom."

Thank you Barry for posting this sort of material, this is just the sort of thoughtful discussion that can help us all grow a bit through this affair.

[Barry Briggs]

Thank you for sharing this passage, David; and for your support!

Barry