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| Claude AnShin Thomas (1947 - ) |
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 Claude Anshin Thomas is a man of peace, who teaches that through the love of Buddha one can heal and transcend. It is said that his ability to teach is unparalleled. After serving in Vietnam, he returned to the US, haunted by the ghosts of the past. Then by a strange twist of fate he ended up at a retreat center in 1991, to hear Thich Nhat Hanh talk. Claude writes about this in his book , The Light at the Tip of the Candle. Excerpt: “The first night of the retreat, Thich Nhat Hanh talked to us. The moment he walked into the room and I looked into his face, I began to cry. I realized for the first time that I didn't know the Vietnamese in any other way than as my enemy, and this man wasn't my enemy. It wasn't a conscious thought; it was an awareness happening from somewhere deep inside me.” Claude AnShin Thomas is a disciple of Bernie Glassman and the Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. He is a martial arts master and teaches in the arts of Hop Ki Do and Shaolin Kung Fu. It was through the practice of Hop Ki Do that he found Zen. He has gone on many travels to give lectures around the world and is a social activist. On March 1, 1998, Claude began a cross-country walk with followers. It was called the American Zen Pilgrimage. The pilgrims practiced the ancient Buddhist tradition of takahatsu, or alms-begging, with the main focus of the journey being the Three Core Tenets of the Zen Peacemaker Order: penetrating the unknown, bearing witness, and healing.[1] The pilgrimage was completed on July 29, 1998. He is now an author and also founded the Zaltho Foundation. A non-profit organization that promotes peace and non-violence amongst individuals, families, societies, and counties. |
Date of Birth: 02 Jan, 1947
Location: United States
State: No State Provided
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Views: 95
Summary
Claude Anshin Thomas was born in November of 1947 in Northwestern Pennsylvania. He was an avid Hop Ki Do practitioner growing up. Through Hop Ki Do, he found the art of Zen in 1961. After graduating high school in 1965, he joined the US Army and served in Vietnam from September of 1966 to November of 1967. He was a helicopter crew chief and got shot down 5 times and was finally honorably discharged in August of 1968 after being injured. After returning from war, he was able to get his Bachelor of Science in English Education and his Masters of Fine Arts in English from Slippery Rock University. After going on a wandering expedition through Europe and the Far East, he returned to America and became a musician for 11 years, even releasing 4 albums. In addition to becoming a Hop Ki Do master, he also learned the martial art of Shaolin Kung Fu. He then earned another Master's degree in Management from Lesley college. In 1991, he met the Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh and decided to become a member of Nanh's monastery, the Plum Village in France. He was received as an ordained priest in August of 1995 by Roshie Bernie Glassman. On March 1, 1998, Claude began a New York to California cross-country journey, which was completed July 29, 1998. This Pilgrimage is known as the American Zen Pilgrimage.[2]
References:
1. Claude AnShin Thomas Biography http://www.zaltho.org/founder/bio.html
2. Claude AnShin Thomas Biography http://www.zaltho.org/founder/bio.html
Related Links:
www.zaltho.org/founder/bio.html
www.beliefnet.com/story/155/story_15588_1.html
www.paxchristimemphis.org/outreach.htm
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