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Upasaka Kuo Jung |
Upasaka Kuo Jung, known as Ron Epstein, long
ago realized that it would be nearly impossible for him to attain an
understanding of the deep principles of existence on his own, and
consequently decided to search out and study with the erudite and
controversial thinkers of the time. His view was limited to the
West, and during the next six years the men with whom he studied
included Christian existentialist Paul Tillich, Professor Paul Lee,
psychologists Jerome Bruner, Richard Alpert, and Timothy Leary. His
wide travels in Europe and North Africa included a period of independent study at the University
of Paris. In 1965 he received a degree with honors from the
psychology branch of the Social Relations Department at Harvard, and
received high honors on a thesis entitled "I
Am Here–ness: Speculations on the Origins of Schizophrenia". During this period he also served on a committee concerned
with the welfare of patients in mental hospitals, served as a
research assistant at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
held a National Science Foundation Stipend for psychological
research, and served on numerous other research staffs.
In the midst of this heavy schedule of study
and research he came to realize that the Western attitude toward
mind is inexact and superficial in the literal sense of this word,
and that he had exhausted the potential of the West in his search
for a teacher. His research and experimentation at Harvard had
evolved into an interest in the study of certain consciousness
realms wherever they might be found. Discouraged in his search for a
teacher, he decided to learn Chinese as fast as possible in order to
understand first hand the philosophical and religious writings of
China. He took up studies as a graduate student in the Department of
Chinese, San Francisco State College, and at this time began his
cultivation, meditating at the Zen Center in San Francisco.
Not much later he met Tripitika Master Hsuan
Hua and began meditating occasionally at the Master’s place
listening to Dharma although he could not, as yet, understand Chinese. One day as Kuo Jung
sat meditating with the Master, he became aware of a bright light
radiating from his center, a dazzling light which grew until its
brightness obliterated everything.
When Kuo Jung reappeared, he realized that the
Master had caused this experience, and knew that he had found his teacher.
The Master advised him to improve his
understanding of Chinese, and shortly thereafter Upasaka Kuo Jung
left this country for the Far East. For more than a year he
traveled, studied, and interviewed Bhiksus
and laymen in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and spent an important part of
his time in mountain monasteries and retreats. His efforts caused
him to recognize that the Master had encouraged his travels not only
so that he could study Chinese, but also so that he might recognize
the right Buddhadharma.
Upasaka Kuo Jung returned to San Francisco and
took refuge with the Master in December 1967. Advised to continue
his studies, he accepted a large National Defense Fellowship from
the government and enrolled at the University of Washington, working
under Professors Hellmut Wilhelm, Edward Conze, and Leon Hurvitz. He
received his Masters degree in Chinese Language and Literature in
August 1969.
In spite of his numerous undertakings, Upasaka
Kuo Jung has fixed his attention on the accomplishment of a complete
understanding of Buddhism. His devotion to this end is manifest in
effective "skill in means" by which he has successfully opened the
path for a great many people to study and cultivate Buddhism. Under
the guidance of the Master Hsuan Hua at the Buddhist Lecture Hall in
San Francisco, Upasaka Kuo Jung has completed new translations of
The Amitabha Sutra, The Heart Sutra, as well as a
commentary on The Heart Sutrawritten by the Master Hsuan Hua. The latter is nearly ready for
publication. He is presently working on The Leng Yen Sutra and an explanation of this Sutra by the
Master.
He assists the Sino–American Buddhist
Association in translating other works, such as The Sixth Patriarch's Sutra, The
Lotus Sutra, The Great Compassionate Heart Dharani Sutra, and others, all with
commentaries. During the last year he has aided the Assembly by
making spot oral translations of the Master’s explications of the
Sutras, often translating five times each week. In addition, Upasaka Kuo Jung has delivered lectures on
The Heart Sutra, and is presently speaking The Leng Yen Sutra for
Buddhists in the San Francisco Bay area. Over the past few years he
has attended four Ch’an Weeks, and two meditation and Sutra study
sessions, one 96 days, and the second 84 days in length.
Upasaka Kuo Jung is married to Upasika Kuo Han
born Yau–sen Liu, also a disciple of the Master Hsuan Hua, and a
native of Hunan, China. Kuo Han grew up in Taipei, Taiwan and
received a B.A. from National Cheng– Chih
University. She has engaged in post-graduate studies at Golden Gate
College in San Francisco.
Upasaka Kuo Jung is currently enrolled in the
Ph.D. program, Department of Chinese Language and Literature, at
Berkeley, studying with Professor Lewis Lancaster, a well–known
Buddhist scholar and Sinologist.
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