Our History

The Providence Zen Center's history began when its founding teacher, Zen Master Seung Sahn (Dae Seon Sa Nim), immigrated from Korea to America in 1972. Having no money and no knowledge of English, he was hired as a washing machine repairman in Providence. There, then-Brown University buddhologist Professor Leo Pruden invited Seung Sahn to give some talks—after which several students asked him to teach them full-time from his apartment. Gathering more followers, the newly-formed Providence Zen Center (PZC) moved to its current site in Cumberland in 1979, with many of the students helping to build its new center. In 1985, Seung Sahn officially founded the Kwan Um School of Zen, from which time it began to spread nationally and internationally to its current scope of 34 centers in the United States and 57 centers worldwide, headquartered in Cumberland, RI. Zen Master Seung Sahn also authored several books.

The PZC and the Kwan Um School practice a unique form of Zen Buddhism interpreted by Seung Sahn that blends Korean and American aspects. In addition to its daily schedule, the center holds numerous one-, two-, and three-day retreats and intensive biyearly winter and summer retreats called Kyol Che. The PZC conducts a Public Night every Wednesday with dinner and meditation instruction, as well as talks and workshops, a children's program, and major ceremonies for Buddha's Birth and Enlightenment Days and its Founding Teacher's Birthday. When not in use by the center, the Diamond Hill Zen Monastery is available for use by outside groups.