The Center for Pragmatic Buddhism is a public organization which promotes the practice and study of Pragmatic Buddhism as governed by the Order of Pragmatic Buddhists. Our current focus is on developing a Western Buddhist tradition that reaches and resonates with Westerners and their unique cultural background.
The Order of Pragmatic Buddhists (OPB) is a school of contemporary Buddhism that embraces a historical appreciation of Buddhism and its pragmatic value. Our approach incorporates Western worldviews — particularly American Pragmatism (and its successor, Neopragmatism), Western naturalism, and science. CPB’s teachers are members of OPB and receive extensive formal training in Pragmatic Buddhist thought and practice.
The education of monastics in OPB takes place in a training format similar to Western education, with emphasis placed on a social educational experience in addition to the traditional teacher-student relationship. While we recognize and study the importance of Buddhist history and traditional methods, we understand that contemporary efficacy is determined by contemporary applicability.
A feature of our practice is our approach to Dharma discussion. In addition to traditional Dharma talks given by OPB monks, our group discussions are facilitated by the Socratic method, encompassing an engaged “open-forum” atmosphere. Though directed by OPB teachers, these discussions cultivate intersubjective agreement among the group while allowing students to synthesize creative solutions to today’s problems.
Lineage of OPB
CPB is comprised of the original St. Louis sangha of Dragon Flower Chan Temple under the direction of Ryugen Fisher (Ven. Shi Shen Long) until his passing. Ryugen ensured the continuation of his late vision of Pragmatic Buddhism by teaching Jim Eubanks (Shi Yong Xiang) as his formal student from September 2003 until his untimely death in October 2006. In December 2006, the American Chan Buddhist Center (ACBC) was founded by Ryugen’s St. Louis sangha and Jim was appointed Monastic Director. In February 2008, ACBC was renamed the Center for Pragmatic Buddhism (CPB).
Ryugen Fisher (Shi Shen Long)
The lineage of our Order stems from both Chinese Chan and Japanese Zen roots. The Reverend Soyu Matsuoka was a Japanese Soto Zen Master who studied at Sojiji Monastery in Japan before being assigned to temples in the United States. Matsuoka was Ryugen Fisher’s root teacher who first gave him the precepts.
Holmes Welch (Shi Mo Hua), a widely respected professor of Chinese Buddhism and Daoism, conducted extensive research in China during the early 20th century, learning intimately the details of Chinese Chan thought and practice. While living in China at the Chin Shan Monastery, Professor Welch received dharma transmission from the then abbot, Tai-Ts’ang Hsin-Jan. Ryugen became his personal student.
The highest motive is to be like water. Water is necessary to all living beings, yet asks nothing in return; rather it flows humbly to the lowest level. Nothing is weaker than water, yet against those things that are strong and hard, nothing can surpass it nor stand in its way. May we all learn the Way of Water.
David E. Shaner, Ph.D (Shaner Sensei)
After the passing of Ryugen Sensei, Shaner Sensei became Jim Eubanks’ primary teacher. He is integral to the development of Pragmatic Buddhism through this relationship. Shaner Sensei’s own lineage includes extensive study as a personal student (uchi deshi) of Koichi Tohei Sensei. Dr. Shaner has studied as an expert in Buddhism and comparative philosophy with leading Western authorities, including David J. Kalupahana and Thomas P. Kasulis.