Merzel, Dennis Genpo 1944–

(Genpo Roshi)

PERSONAL: Born June 3, 1944, in New York, NY; son of Ben (a tool-and-die maker) and Lillian Merzel; married Brenda Liu, December 22, 1974 (divorced, 1990); married Stephanie Young (an administrator), July 4, 1995; children: Tai B., Nicole L. Education: California State University, Long Beach, B.A., 1966; University of Southern California, M.S., 1968.

ADDRESSES: Home—723 9th Ave., Salt Lake City, UT 84103. Office—Kanzeon Zen Center International, 1268 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84102. E-mail—genporoshi@aol.com.

CAREER: Writer and priest. Zen Buddhist priest, sometimes addressed as Genpo Roshi; Kanzeon Zen Center International, Salt Lake City, UT, president, Zen master, head teacher, and abbot, 1984–; White Plum Asanga, president and head teacher, 1996–.

WRITINGS:

The Eye Never Sleeps: Striking to the Heart of Zen, Shambhala Publications (Boston, MA), 1991.

Beyond Sanity and Madness: The Way of Zen Master Dogen, introduction and calligraphy by Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi, Charles E. Tuttle (Boston, MA), 1994.

24/7 Dharma: Impermanence, No-Self, Nirvana, Journey Editions (Boston, MA), 2001.

The Path of the Human Being: Zen Teachings on the Bodhisattva Way, Shambhala Publications (Boston, MA), 2003.

WORK IN PROGRESS: The Dharma Game; Big Mind-Great Heart, completion expected in 2007.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Library Journal, August, 2003, Mark Woodhouse, review of The Path of the Human Being: Zen Teachings on the Bodhisattva Way, p. 91.