Our Teachers

Our Guiding Teacher

Rev. Dochong Lynch, JDPSN

Rev. Paul Dochong Lynch, JDPSN, the Guiding Teacher of the Five Mountain Sangha, received Inka from Zen Master Robert Jibong Moore on April 9, 2006.

Pŏpsanim (Dochong's title) has been practicing Buddhist meditation for more than twenty five years, and is a poet and author.

The author of many books, including Cold Heart Thawing, a collection of his earlier poetry, and Peering Through the Cloud, a collection of his latter poetry, Pŏpsanim has also written The Ocean of Zen - a Practice Guide to Sŏn Buddhism; Zen Liturgy - Korean Sŏn Practice Forms; and Buddhist Precepts - a Guide for Western Buddhist Lay Practitioners -  along with translations of The Barrier That Has No Gate, Wú Mén Guān  and The Blue Cliff Record.

If you'd like to read some of Pŏpsanim's work visit his blog sites at:
Zen Mirror and Chán Poetry.

Read an interview with Pŏpsanim at "Sweeping Zen."

Other FMO Teachers

Rev. Jiun Foster, SDPS

Along with being the director of the Five Mountain Buddhist Seminary, Rev. Jiun Foster is the Five Mountain Sangha Abbot, and abbot and teacher for the Great Cloud Zen Center of Cincinnati.

A former fully ordained Bhikshu, Rev. Jiun has been a practicing Buddhist for over twenty years, and brings nearly a decade of experience as an ordained teacher to our activities.

You may read more of Jiun's bio on "Sweeping Zen"

Rev. Greg LeBlanc, SDPS

Greg’s Korean Buddhist name is Daebo, which means Great Treasure. The Great Treasure referred to is this present moment; Buddhist practice is always about coming back to the present moment. Greg is a Sandok Popsa (SDPS) and a Ven. Bosal Popsa (Bodhisattva priest) in the Five Mountain Sangha. He began his Zen training 24 years ago, studying under Taizan Maezumi Roshi; he received Jukai (precepts) with Maezumi Roshi and was given the Japanese Buddhist name of Sokan. Greg continued his formal Zen training under Zen Master Robert Jibong Moore, becoming a founding board member and executive director of the Golden Wind Zen Center. In 2008 Greg became a student of Zen Master Jibongs Dharma heir Paul Dochong Lynch, JDPSN. Greg is abbot of Mountain Gate Zen Center (Sanmŭn Sŏnwon), www.mountaingatezen.org.

You may read more of Daebo's bio on "Sweeping Zen"