Photo by Alison Bank, in the Green Gulch Farm Zen Center zendo
David William Lueck / Daigan Tatsudo
Great Vow, Accomplished the Way
January 27, 1931 – April 26, 2015
Daigan began Zen practice in the late 1960s in San Francisco, where he sat occasionally with Suzuki Roshi. Eventually he became a resident of Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, where he was ordained a priest in 1990 by Sojun Weitsman. He received Shiho (dharma transmission) from Zoketsu Norman Fischer in 1999 at Tassajara Monastery, where he also trained for a number of years.
In 1996 he was married to Arlene Lueck, also a Zen priest with long training at the San Francisco Zen Center temples, who took care of him during his last years, when he was mostly confined to their rooms at Green Gulch. He taught classes, gave talks, and met with students at Green Gulch until he retired in 2013, but continued to paint and write and visit with students, almost till the end. He died at Green Gulch on the afternoon of April 26, 2015, at age 84, with Arlene present for his final breaths.
See the full obituary by Norman Fischer on the Sangha News blog, which also contains comments from readers who knew him. Read A Poem by Daigan here.
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All three centers of San Francisco Zen Center held memorial/transition services for Daigan the day following his death.
CREMATION CEREMONY
Thursday, April 30, 2015, at noon
Fernwood Cemetery, Mill Valley, CA
FUNERAL CEREMONY
Sunday, June 7, 2015, at 4 pm (Obonsho, 3:45 pm)
Green Dragon Temple
1601 Shoreline Highway, Muir Beach, CA
Senior Dharma Teacher Zoketsu Norman Fischer will officiate. Reception to follow. Please carpool, as parking is limited.
The family suggests that donations may be made toward the creation of the Green Gulch Bell Tower. Read more about this project and donate here.
