New face of Buddhism
I might be a little late on posting this but here it is anyway.
The Buddhist temple mention here is next to my wife parent’s house in Port Arthur, TX.
I think it is a good idea to have a monk that can relate or talk to the new generation of kids.
Most of them don’t speak Vietnamese properly and have difficult understanding the Vietnamese monks.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5247235.html
Oct. 26, 2007, 5:42PM
Port Arthur monk puts new face on Buddhism
Texan believed to be first white American to become senior monk in Vietnamese Buddhism
New face of Buddhism
PORT ARTHUR — Bhante Kassapa is the new, blue-eyed face of Vietnamese Buddhism.
The U.S. Air Force veteran, one-time Franciscan monk and former airport communications trainer will this weekend become what is thought to be the first white American to don the robes of a senior monk in the Vietnamese Buddhist tradition.
And he already has big plans to parlay his uniqueness.
“There’s been some discussion about setting up the first (culturally) American Buddhist temple,” said Kassapa, who was born Michael Schlosser. “I have my own ideas about it.”
Kassapa’s ascent within the Vietnamese Theravada lineage is unusual not only for his race and ethnicity, but also for its speed. High ordination, which will be celebrated Sunday, usually takes monks up to five years to achieve, but Kassapa, 55, has gotten there in one.
He doesn’t doubt the sangha, or governing body of more than 30 other venerable monks from more than a dozen traditionalist Vietnamese Theravada temples across North America, took his heritage into account in accelerating his promotion.
“I don’t know if it’s a calculated move on the part of the sangha, but they see me as a bridge between the children and the old people, which is fine,” said Kassapa, (pronounced KAH-sa-pa) who has spent the past year at the Buu Mon Buddhist Temple in Port Arthur. “I have a genuine like of people anyway.”
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