The Way of Clear Mind, Clear Thinking and Clear Action
On December 17, 2014 in Seoul, South Korea Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim was awarded the 2014 International PEN Korean Center’s Special Literature Award for his book: Great Nature: Poems for All of Nature.
Memorial Ceremony for Sa Bu Nim Video
The video of the Memorial Ceremony for Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim has been uploaded and is now available. He will forever be in our hearts and minds.
Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim passed away peacefully at Shim Gwang Sa on Friday March 12, 2021.
Known as “Sa Bu Nim” (father teacher) he was the creator of Shim Gum Do (Mind Sword Path), an integrated practice of Zen martial arts and meditation. With branches in Italy and Korea, Shim Gum Do’s world headquarters, Shim Gwang Sa (Mind Light Temple), is in the historic 1894 First Parish in Brighton stone church on Chestnut Hill Avenue in Brighton, Massachusetts.
Sa Bu Nim was born in a small farming village in Korea in 1944. When he was 13 he entered the Hwa Gye Sa temple of the Jogye Order of Zen Buddhism and began his formal Zen training under Zen Master Seung Sahn Lee, Dae Seon Sa Nim. Dae Seon Sa Nim gave him the precept’s name “Won Gwang” (Universal Light).
When he was 21, Sa Bu Nim underwent a 100-day meditation retreat and during that time attained Mind Sword enlightenment. Following his retreat he began teaching his path, emphasizing compassion and meditation through the practice of his martial arts. He always said that Shim Gum Do training was about developing a clear mind, clear thinking and clear action. He came to America in 1974 and became a United States citizen in 1985.
In addition to his teaching, Sa Bu Nim was an accomplished calligraphy artist and poet. He has written more than 83,000 poems, some of which are published in his 18 poetry books beginning with The Pillow Head Collects Your Dreams in 1996. His work has been translated into Korean, French, Spanish, Persian and Japanese. In 2014 he was awarded the International PEN Korean Center’s Special Literature Award for his book Great Nature: Poems for All of Nature. He has also written two books about Shim Gum Do.
He is survived by his wife, Shim Gum Do Head Master Mary Jeanette Stackhouse, a large extended family, and by the worldwide Shim Gum Do Family of Heroes.
Due to the COVID Pandemic, no public gathering is scheduled at this time. All are invited to join virtually in a ceremony to honor Sa Bu Nim on Saturday March 20th @ 11 AM EST via a live feed through Facebook and Instagram
In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be made to the American Buddhist Shim Gum Do Association:
February Shim Gwang Sa COVID Update
It is Winter here in Boston and Shim Gwang Sa continues to be closed. It is hard to believe that it has been more than a year of living in the COVID Pandemic. We are more hopeful now that the COVID vaccination program is moving forward in Massachusetts. It is still too early to know when we will be able to resume any of our activities. We will keep posting updates about how things are progressing. If you would like to receive email updates, please contact us here: CONTACT US
83,000 Poems!
Though 2020 was a challenging year, remarkable things still happened. On December 29th, Sa Bu Nim wrote his 83,000th poem.
Sa Bu Nim teaches us through his actions the importance for all of us to keep focused on our goals.
As 2021 begins during the ongoing COVID pandemic and civil discord in our country, it is important to continue to take time to focus on why we train Shim Gum Do:
For a clear mind, clear thinking and clear action.
Today, December 27, 2020 Sa Bu Nim reached the milestone of training Shim Gum Do every day for 28 years:
You are the great bright star.
Your Mind Sword Enlightenment brought Shim Gum Do to our planet.
Your energy is so clear and straight, you point the way
with a bright lantern for us today and for those in the future.
You are a great teacher.
You demonstrate to us clear mind, clear thinking and clear action,
which are the most important in the sky and earth.
Congratulations on completing
28 years of your retreat of training Shim Gum Do every day.
Shim Gum Do Classes are Temporarily Cancelled Again
As the COVID cases continue to rise in Boston and across the United States, Shim Gum Do classes and other end of the year temple activities are cancelled. Keeping the temple safe and healthy is our main concern during this time.
We are planning a virtual New Year Ceremony. Stay tuned for updates here and on our social media platforms.
Dae Seon Sa Nim
Sa Bu Nim’s teacher, Great Zen Master Seung Sahn Lee – passed away on November 30, 2004.
Today we remember Dae Seon Sa Nim on the 16th anniversary of his funeral.
Sa Bu Nim wrote a memorial to his teacher on hearing of his passing:
Memorial to Great Zen Master Seung Sahn
December 4th and January 1st Dharma Talk Cancellations
Given the continued increasing numbers of COVID cases and deaths we are cancelling our free Friday Meditation and Dharma talks sessions scheduled for December 4th and January 1st. The health and safety of our Temple continues to be our priority. We encourage all of our followers to continue to follow the health and safety guidelines during these difficult times.
Happy Thanksgiving
We are thankful to have all of you in our Shim Gum Do community. This has been an incredibly challenging year that has tested all of us in many ways. We urge everyone to persevere, with extra vigilance, to following the recommended practices for safety and health during Thanksgiving and throughout the upcoming holiday season.
Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim and Chong Kwan Jang Nim
November 6th Dharma Talk Cancelled
Health and safety continues to be our priority at Shim Gwang Sa Temple. With Covid cases on the rise here in Boston, the US and other parts of the world, we are continuing to keep health and safety our priority for all of our Shim Gum Do members, residents and guests.
Our first Friday free monthly meditation and Dharma Talk sessions continue to be cancelled at this time. We thank everyone for your patience and support during these very tough times.
Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim and Chong Kwan Jang Nim
First Friday Mediation and Dharma Talk Still Cancelled
We have members who are at high risk to serious complications if exposed to COVID so safety and health continue to be our number one focus for all of our Shim Gum Do members and residents.
Our first Friday free monthly meditation and Dharma Talk sessions continue to be cancelled at this time. We thank everyone for your support during these difficult times.
Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim and Chong Kwan Jang Nim
Shim Gum Do classes have resumed at Shim Gwang Sa. We have members who are at high risk to serious complications if exposed to COVID so safety and health continue to be our
number one focus for all of our Shim Gum Do members and residents.
It has been a tough year for all of us within our community, in our country and throughout the world. It is time for all of us to practice together again. In order to continue to be able to keep having classes we have to be careful to preserve the temple’s safety and peace. We ask all Shim Gum Do members returning to class to follow our COVID restriction guidelines. We require masks to be worn at all times and social distancing to be observed. Guidelines for modifications to support safety during class are posted throughout the temple. We need to work together, unified in protecting each other and our sanctuary.
We are accepting new students at this time by appointment only: MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
We thank everyone for supporting this mission during this time.
Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim and Chong Kwan Jang Nim
On July 20th, Sa Bu Nim wrote his 80,000th poem. It is encouraging to hear that milestones can still be reached during difficult times. Sa Bu Nim’s message has always been to: “believe in yourself, cut thinking and only go straight.” Sa Bu Nim’s accomplishment is a testimony to what can be achieved, even during the current struggle of living during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Although new cases of COVID-19 have been declining over the past weeks in Massachusetts, Shim Gwang Sa will continue to be closed for the month of July. Our main concern at this time is to keep Shim Gwang Sa and our members safe and healthy.
If new cases of Coronavirus continue to decline, we hope to be able to resume Shim Gum Do classes – with restrictions – in the beginning of August. We urge everyone to be vigilant with wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing.