Visit Rev. Kusala's - YouTube - channel to view some old and new videos.
Visit Rev. Kusala's - Calendar - for times and places of his upcoming Dharma talks and meditation.
Rev. Kusala is teaching an extension class at LMU from Oct. 9 - Nov. 6, 2008 on - "Integrating Buddhist Practices Into Everyday Life."
Rev. Kusala is speaking on religion, life and politics Oct. 30, 2008 as part of a panel discussion - The Bellarmine Forum at LMU
Ven.
Kusala Bhikshu (Thich Tam-Thien) is an American born Bhikshu
(monk) ordained in the Zen Tradition of Vietnam.
In 1979 Kusala became interested
in Meditation, and found his way to the International Buddhist Meditation
Center. In 1981 he took refuge, and accepted the five precepts of a lay
Buddhist, and was given the name Kusala (skillful). In 1983 with a growing
interest in Early
Buddhism he
began his studies with the Ven. Dr. H. Ratanasara at the College of Buddhist
Studies, Los
Angeles.
In 1994 Kusala took novice vows, and was given the Dharma name Kusala
Ratana Karuna (skillful jewel of compassion). In 1996 he received full
ordination as a Bhikshu, and was given the name Thich Tam-Thien (heavenly
heart mind) with the Ven.
Dr. H. Ratanasara,
and the Ven. Karuna Dharma as two of his ordaining masters. Along with
Kusala's Bhikshu ordination
he received a B.A. in Buddhist Studies, from the College of Buddhist
Studies in Los Angeles.
Rev. Kusala lives and works at the International Buddhist Meditation
Center in the Korea town section
of Los Angeles. He cares for the grounds with the Vice Abbot Ven. Shanti,
and facilitates meditation, and discussion
groups. He continues to give presentations at local high schools, colleges,
and local churches on
Buddhism and social action. Kusala is the web-master for International
Buddhist Meditation Center, as well as his own site
UrbanDharma.org
Kusala is a member of the Buddhist- Roman Catholic Dialogue of Los Angeles,
the Wilshire Center Interfatih Council of Los Angeles, and the Interfaith
Council of Garden Grove, Stanton, and Westminster. Kusala is Buddhist
Chaplain for the University Religious Conference at U.C.L.A and director
of the University Buddhist Association at UCLA. In 2000 Kusala was invited
to join the UCLA Medical Center Spiritual Care Committee, and the Juvenile
Justice Committee of
Faith Communities for Families and Children.
In November of 1998 Kusala was a delegate to the World Fellowship of
Buddhists conference in Sydney Australia. In June of 1999 he assisted
the Ven. Tenzin Kacho, and Rev. Meido with the 5th Annual Western Buddhist
Monastic Gathering held at Shasta Abbey. August of 2000 Kusala, and Dr.
Michael Kerze gave presentations detailing the Los Angeles Buddhist-
Catholic Dialogue, at the international conference of The Society of
Buddhist-Christian Studies in Tacoma Washington.
Kusala has been featured in several Los Angeles Times articles: "Zen,
USA" (2/18/1997), "Soul Searching" (6/2/1998), "Biding our Time" (11/15/2001), and "Monks Get
the Joke Too" (4/29/2003). In December of 1997 Kusala and his motorcycle
were on the cover of the U.C.L.A. publication, Pacific Ties. In June
of 1998 he appeared on the television show "Vibe" with Sinbad
(UPN network), and spoke about his work in Juvenile Hall. In 1999, 2001,
and May 2002 he was a guest on the show "Life and Times" (KCET...
public television). In April of 2000 Kusala was featured in a report
on "The News Hour with Jim Lehrer" (KCET...
public television) entitled... "Teaching Religion in Schools." The UCLA Bruin in Jauuary,
2003 featured Kusala in "Students Resurrect Campus Buddhism."
In addition to his other duties Kusala Bhikshu gave presentations in
the Los Angeles County Central Juvenile Hall
on Buddhism and meditation for four years, and for a year taught blues
harmonica at a juvenile probation camp in Malibu, CA. Before his work in juvenile hall and the probation
camp, he spent one year as a volunteer at the Los Angeles County State
Prison for men. In December of 1998 Kusala was given the "Good Samaritan
of the Year" award for his work in juvenile hall by the Los Angeles
County Probation Department.
In March of 2000 Kusala ended his volunteer work at Central Juvenile
Hall, and accepted an invitation from the Garden Grove Police Department
to become a police chaplain. Meditation, and yoga are still being taught
at Central Juvenile hall thanks to the dedicated effort of various Buddhist
volunteers and yoga teachers.
November of 2000 marked the beginning of his new position as the first
Buddhist ride-along volunteer police chaplain in Garden Grove. On November
16, 2001 Kusala received a certificate of recognition from the California
State Assembly, and a certificate of special congressional recognition
from the United States Congress for his work with the Garden Grove Police Department.
March of 2003 found Kusala in Los Angeles as a guest speaker at; "A
Spirituality and End-of-Life Care Conference," sponsored by Santa
Monica-UCLA Medical Center's Palliative Care and Spiritual Care Departments,
and in Indianapolis, Indiana as a guest presenter at the "Spirituality & Healing
in Medicine: A Multi-Cultural Approach" conference, sponsored by
Harvard Medical School and the "Mind/Body
Medical Institute" and The George Washington University and the "The
George Washington University Institute for Spirituality and Health".
In April Sr. Mary Margaret Funk OSB, executive director of MID (Monastic
Interreligious Dialogue) joined with Rev. Kusala in historic New Harmony,
Indiana to lead 40 participants through a week-long Benedictine Experience "Benedict's
Dharma 2" based on the book "Benedict's Dharma".
October brought Kusala together with other clergy on an interreligious
panel to discuss "Pain & Suffering at the End of Life," at
the '5th Annual Pain Management & Palliative
Care Conference' sponsored by the City of Hope and held in Huntington
Beach, California.
In November of 2003 Kusala gave a presentation and workshop on 'Forgiveness
in Buddhism' at the "Spirituality & Healing in Medicine: The
Importance of Forgiveness" conference in
Boston, sponsored by Harvard Medical School and The George Washington
University.
October of 2004 found Rev. Kusala at the first 'Monks in the West' gathering
of Buddhist and Catholic monastic men. In December of 2004 Kusala gave
a presentation and workshop on 'A Buddhist Approach to Patient Health Care' at the "Spirituality & Healing in Medicine: "The
Integration of Mind/Body Practices and Prayer" conference in Boston, sponsored by Harvard Medical School and The George Washington
University.
In January of 2005 Kusala Bhikshu was awarded the Mayor's Certificate
of Appreciation for his work with the Wilshire Center Interfaith Council
of Los Angeles.
Kusala was in Santa Fe, New Mexico in April of 2005 giving a workshop
and participating on a religious panel for the "Spirituality & Healing
in Medicine: "The Integration
of Mind/Body Practices and Prayer" conference. May found Rev. Kusala
at the 'City of Hope' speaking to seminary students on "Buddhism
and Patient Health Care."
In June Kusala Bhikshu was invited to
speak as part of a religious panel to the UCLA Department of Social Welfare
Field Instructors on "The Interface of Spirituality and Social Justice." In
December of 2005 Kusala was again part of the "Spirituality & Healing
in Medicine: "The Integration
of Mind/Body Practices and Prayer" conference, this time in Boston.
In 2005 Kusala's Podcast "Urban Dharma" became
available on iTunes and his web site Urban Dharma at: www.DharmaTalks.info.
In March of 2006 Kusala did a two part video interview with Bukkyo
Dendo Kyokai and Magic Bell Productions for their weekly TV program "The
Buddhist Way of Life," available for free download at: Urban
Dharma Video.
April of 2006 Rev. Kusala was featured in a 'History Channel' documentary
titled "Heaven,
Beyond the Grave," Kusala
spoke on Buddhist heaven and nirvana. Also In April... He Preformed a
wedding in Big Sur, California and was part of a religious panel speaking
on Buddhism
in
America
at the
Higashi
Honganji
Buddhist Temple in downtown Los Angeles, California.
In September Kusala was invited to teach an extension
class at Loyola Marymount University on "Integrating Buddhist Practices Into Everyday
Life." October 2006 found Kusala in Collegeville, Minnesota at "Monks
in the West II" speaking on, "Why
Buddhist Monks are Celibate."
In December Kusala was invited to be on a religious panel at the 'Celebration
of Oneness Gathering' held in the
Pasadena Convention Center discussing, "Oneness
Across Religious Barriers".
January 2007 found Kusala back at Loyola Marymount University teaching
a five week extension class on the "Buddhist Eightfold Path."
In March Kusala added a Video
Page to Urban Dharma. On March 30, Dharma
Grass made it's debut
at the One Spirit Peace Concert... Dharma Grass is a folk
group made up of Kusala, Michelle and Mark.
In July of 2007 Rev. Kusala was invited to St. John's Abbey in Minnesota
to present at the 2007 Monastic
Institute Conference on "What it means to be a Buddhist." Kusala's
presentation at St. John's Abbey in MP3 - Part
1 / Part 2.
November found Kusala at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, one of the oldest
Jewish Temples in Los Angeles, speaking on basic Buddhism - Web
Page.
In December of 2007, with ever increasing commitments, travel and weekly Dharma talks, Rev. Kusala
stepped down as volunteer ride-along Buddhist
Chaplain for the Garden Grove Police Department after seven years of
service.
May of 2008 found Rev. Kusala at Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky, home of the late Thomas Merton. He was attending the Gethsemani III: Monasticism and the Environment conference with Buddhist/Catholic monks and nuns from around the world... A statement was produced adding a monastic voice to the global dialogue.
Click > To Watch Video
Rev. Kusala and Lissa Coffey on Meditation / Coffey Talk
Flash Video / 4 Min. / 12-2007
Kusala Bhikshu
International Buddhist Meditation Center
928 S. New Hampshire Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90006
