Roshi Anne Seisen Saunders voted in as the new President of the White Plum Asanga

Roshi Anne Seisen Saunders has been voted in as the President of the White Plum Asanga during its annual meeting in May 2013. She replaces Roshi Gerry Shishin Wick, the 3rd President, who served in that role for 6 years.

Roshi Anne Seisen Saunders is the founder and head teacher of Sweetwater Zen Center. She has been practicing and teaching Zen Buddhism for over 30 years. Seisen was a student of the late Taizan Maezumi Roshi and is a Dharma successor of Roshi Bernie Glassman from whom she also received Inka (Roshi status.)

The White Plum Asanga is an affinity organization of peers in the lineage of Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi, Roshi. The Asanga provides opportunities for amicable association and for sharing common experiences, and a forum through which members can support each other. The Asanga is not a sanctioning or disciplinary organization.

Asanga membership is open to all Dharma Successors in the direct lineage of Maezumi Roshi who are approved by 2/3 of the existing members at the meeting where the proposal for membership is presented. Membership can be revoked upon a vote of a similar percentage of the members as provided in the bylaws.

The White Plum Asanga is a not-for-profit entity organized under the laws of the State of New York.

The White Plum Asanga affirms integrity, honesty, and humility as central to the practice of our Dharma teaching. We affirm non-harming in our relations with all those whom we encounter. We collectively vow to maintain our lineage as a vital branch of the Dharma tree, and to keep it as clear as possible from harmful actions.We also recognize that, from the very root of our lineage, we have experienced misconduct in the areas of sex and alcohol. And, there have been occasions of abuse of power, sex and money in succeeding generations. We express our sincere apology to all those who have been harmed in any way by these actions. We resolve to act affirmatively to transform our collective karma by censure, healing and restitution.