The esteemed socially engaged Buddhist, American Soto Zen priest, Dharma teacher, and resident abbot of Berkeley Zen Center in California, Hozan Alan Senauke, died on Sunday afternoon at his home after an extended period of ill health. He was 77 years old. Hozan is survived by his wife Laurie and children Alexander and Silvie.
A long-time ally of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB) and member of INEB’s Advisory Committee, Hozan was a prominent Buddhist activist and a vocal advocate for social change and equality, founding numerous initiatives and developing impactful Buddhist-rooted resources for social change in Asia and the United States. He was also a regular editorial contributor to BDG through his column The Bodhisattva’s Embrace.
In a message shared on social media, the Berkeley Zen Center stated:
With great sadness, we are letting you know that our teacher, friend, and Dharma brother Hozan Kushiki Alan Senauke died this afternoon, December 22, 2024, at 4:15 p.m. We will toll the densho bell in the zendo 108 times.
After a preparatory ceremony his body will lie in the zendo for a day so that sangha members may sit zazen in the zendo with him, starting today at 7 p.m. It will likely conclude tomorrow at the end of the day (specific time to follow).
A rotation of priests and senior students will be in attendance in the zendo. Hot water for tea and light snacks will be in the courtyard/community room for those wishing to be together in that way.
For those who are unable to join in person, please enter the zendo via the Zoom link on BZC’s homepage.
May all beings be well. May all beings be at peace. May all beings be free from suffering.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1947, Hozan Alan Senauke was a disciple of Sojun Mel Weitsman Roshi, in the Soto Zen lineage of Shunryu Suzuki from 1968.
A peace and civil rights activist since the 1960s, Hozan served as executive director of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, a nonsectarian international network of engaged Buddhists participating in non-violent social activism and environmentalism, from 1991–2001. He was also a core faculty member of the Upaya Zen Center’s chaplaincy training program.
During the late 1990s, Hozan was a founder of Think Sangha, a group of intellectuals affiliated with INEB and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. He was also a board member of the Nevada Desert Experience, which organized retreats, protests, and conferences opposing the testing of nuclear weapons.
Hozan founded the Clear View Project, developing Buddhist-based resources for social relief and change in Asia and the US, in 2007, with a focus on fostering social harmony and equality in Myanmar and for members of the “untouchable” Dalit caste in India. Since 2021, Hozan served as the resident abbot of Berkeley Zen Center, which was founded in 1967 by Sojun Weitsman and Shunryu Suzuki and affiliated with the San Francisco Zen Center.
As a prolific writer, Hozan is the author of The Bodhisattva’s Embrace: Dispatches from Engaged Buddhism’s Front Lines, Heirs to Ambedkar: The Rebirth of Engaged Buddhism in India, and many other published articles and essays.
On learning the news of Hozan’s passing, his close associate and fellow scholar and Buddhist activist, INEB founder Ajahn Sulak Sivaraksa, said from Bangkok today: “I’m very sad to hear about the passing of Alan. He was one of my best friends—my kalyana-mitra. He dedicated his life to overcoming the suffering of others. His life has been an example to many of us. I shall miss him, but being Buddhist I understand anitya; everything changes. I’m confident that Alan will move from this world to that of Amitabha Buddha, and I’m sure he will be happy there.”
The Korean Seon (Zen) master and engaged Buddhist Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, founder of the international relief organization Join Together Society (JTS), guiding Dharma teacher of Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community, and patron of INEB, shared the following message:
With deep reverence, we pray for the departed.
We express our profound condolences upon hearing of the passing of Dharma Master Hozan Alan Senauke, who was a great teacher at the Berkeley Zen Center.
Throughout his life, Dharma Master Senauke dedicated himself to practicing and spreading the Buddha Dharma, while tirelessly working for social justice and peace. He made great contributions to the development of Zen Buddhism in America, and through his practice of socially engaged Buddhism, he brought inspiration and hope to many.
The teachings of Dharma Master Senauke will forever live in the hearts of not only the practitioners at Berkeley Zen Center but also Buddhists around the world. We will continue to practice diligently, carrying forward the teachings of compassion and wisdom that Dharma Master Senauke sought to embody throughout his life.
We pray for his peaceful journey to the Pure Land and offer our deepest condolences to his family and disciples.
Namu Shakyamuni Buddha
Namu Amita Buddha
INEB board member and founder and president of the Buddhist non-profit Foundation of His Sacred Majesty (FHSM) in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Rev. Gauthama Prabhu Nagappan, who also works closely with disadvantaged and vulnerable communities in India, shared:
Namo Buddhaya!
It is with profound sorrow to share the news of the passing of Hozan Alan Senauke, a compassionate teacher, tireless advocate for justice, and steadfast supporter of the Ambedkarite movement and South Indian Buddhist activism. To me, he was more than a brother—he was a bodhisattva to many of us. His unwavering commitment to equality and the Dhamma has touched countless lives, leaving behind a legacy of wisdom, kindness, and transformative action.
Hozan Alan Senauke’s solidarity with marginalized communities and his deep support for Ambedkarite Buddhists have strengthened our collective resolve to walk the path of liberation and justice. His work in spreading the teachings of the Buddha as a tool for social transformation will remain an enduring inspiration for generations. He was also a strong advocate for peace in Myanmar, standing firmly for justice and reconciliation.
Through his work with INEB, Alan embodied the essence of engaged Buddhism—bridging the realms of personal liberation and collective welfare. He stood by my side from the very beginning, supporting my plans for the Sukhavati eco-temple and the INEB Biennial Conference 2024.
Beyond his activism and teachings, Alan was also a gifted poet. His poetry reflected the depth of his spiritual practice, his engagement with social issues, and his boundless compassion for all beings.
In this time of his departure, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the global Buddhist community. Let us honor his memory by continuing the work he held so dear and believed in so passionately.
May he find peace in his onward journey, and may his spirit continue to guide and inspire us.
We at Buddhistdoor Global feel deeply honored to have known and worked with Hozan Alan Senauke. His unwavering dedication to the Buddhadharma and his legacy of compassion and transformative action as a bodhisattva of socially engaged Buddhism will continue to inspire us and countless others.
See more
Berkeley Zen Center
Buddhist Peace Fellowship
Clear View Project
International Network of Engaged Buddhists
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An extraordinary human being. Deeply grateful for Alan’s Dharma friendship and his endless contributions to the worlds of Buddhism and activism.