Philip Whalen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Philip Glenn Whalen |
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| Religion | Buddhism |
| School | Sōtō |
| Lineage | Shunryu Suzuki |
| Education | Reed College |
| Personal | |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | October 20, 1923 Portland, Oregon |
| Died | June 26, 2002 (aged 78) San Francisco |
| Senior posting | |
| Title | Poet Zen Buddhist Author |
Philip Glenn Whalen (born October 20, 1923 – died June 26, 2002) was an American poet. He was also a Zen Buddhist teacher. Philip Whalen was an important person in the San Francisco Renaissance and was close to the Beat Generation writers.
Contents
Philip Whalen's Life Story
Philip Whalen was born in Portland, Oregon. He grew up in a town called The Dalles until he was 18. During World War II, he served in the US Army Air Forces.
College and Early Career
After the war, Whalen went to Reed College. He was able to attend thanks to the GI Bill. At college, he met other writers like Gary Snyder and Lew Welch. He earned his degree in 1951.
In 1955, Whalen read his poems at a famous event. This event was called the Six Gallery reading. It helped make the "Beat" writers well-known to the public. Philip Whalen was even a character in books by his friend Jack Kerouac. In The Dharma Bums, he is called "Warren Coughlin." In Big Sur, he is called "Ben Fagan." His poems were also included in an important collection called The New American Poetry 1945-1960.
His Path to Zen Buddhism
Philip Whalen was interested in Eastern religions from a young age. After leaving the army, he visited a Vedanta Society. However, he found it too expensive to continue. He also thought Tibetan Buddhism was too complex.
In 1952, his friend Gary Snyder lent him books about Zen by D. T. Suzuki. Whalen and Snyder also joined a study group. This group met at the Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist Church in Berkeley. Eventually, Zen became the spiritual path he chose to follow.
In 1966 and 1967, Whalen lived in Kyoto, Japan. He received money from the American Academy of Arts and Letters to help him. He also taught English there. While in Japan, he practiced zazen (Zen meditation) every day. He also wrote many poems and another novel.
Becoming a Monk
In 1972, Philip Whalen moved into the San Francisco Zen Center. He became a student of Zentatsu Richard Baker. The next year, he became a Zen monk.
In 1984, he became the head monk of Dharma Sangha. This was a Zen center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 1987, he received special permission to teach from Baker. In 1991, he returned to San Francisco. He led the Hartford Street Zen Center until he retired due to poor health.
Philip Whalen's Writings
Philip Whalen wrote many books of poetry and some novels. His works are known for their unique style.
Poetry Books
- Memoirs of an Interglacial Age (1960)
- Like I Say (1960)
- On Bear's Head (1969)
- Heavy Breathing: Poems 1967-1980 (1983)
- Canoeing up Cabarga Creek: Buddhist Poems 1955-1986 (1996)
- Overtime: Selected Poems by Philip Whalen (1999)
- The Collected Poems of Philip Whalen (2007)
Prose Books
- You Didn't Even Try (novel, 1967)
- Imaginary Speeches for a Brazen Head (novel, 1972)
- Off the Wall: Interviews with Philip Whalen (1978)
- The Diamond Noodle (memoirs, 1980)
