Kusala Bhikshu
(Carl Kohlhoff) is an American born Bhikshu(monk) ordained
Thich Tam-Thien in the Zen Tradition
(Thien) of Vietnam. // In 1979 Kusala became interested
in Meditation, and found his way to the International Buddhist Meditation
Center founded byVen. Thich Thien-An in
1970. In 1981 he took refuge, and accepted the five precepts of a lay
Buddhist, and was given the name Kusala
(skillful).
In 1983 with a growing
interest in Early
Buddhism he
began his studies with the
Ven. Dr. H. Ratanasara at the College of Buddhist
Studies, Los
Angeles. // In 1994 Kusala took
novice vows, and was given the Dharma name
Kusala
Ratana Karuna (skillful jewel of compassion).
In 1996 he received
full ordination as a Bhikshu
(monk), and was given the name Thich Tam-Thien (heavenly
heart mind) with the Ven.
Dr. H. Ratanasara
and the Ven. Karuna Dharma as two of his ordaining masters. Along with
Kusala's Bhikshu ordination
he received a B.A. in Buddhist Studies from the College of Buddhist
Studies in Los Angeles.
Rev. Kusala is a member of the Buddhist-Roman Catholic Dialogue of Los Angeles and
past member of the 'Interfaith
Council of Garden Grove, Stanton, and Westminster' and the 'Wilshire Center
Interfaith Council'. From the mid 1990's to early 2000 Kusala was the
Buddhist Chaplain for the University Religious Conference at U.C.L.A and
director
of the University Buddhist Association at UCLA for eleven years.
In December of 1997 he was on the cover of Pacific Ties, a
UCLA news magazine.
In November of 1998 Kusala Bhikshu was an American
Buddhist Delegate to the
World Fellowship of
BuddhistsConference in Wollongong, Australia. // In June of 1999 he assisted
the Ven. Tenzin Kacho, and Rev. Meido with the
5th Annual Western Buddhist
Monastic Gathering held at Shasta Abbey. // August of 2000
Rev. Kusala, and Dr.
Michael Kerze gave presentations detailing the
Los Angeles Buddhist-Catholic Dialogue, at the international conference of The Society of
Buddhist-Christian Studies in Tacoma Washington.
Kusala has been featured in several
Los Angeles Times Articles: "Zen,
USA" (2/18/1997), "Soul Searching" (6/2/1998), "Biding our Time" (11/15/2001), and "Monks Get
the Joke Too" (4/29/2003). In December of 1997 Kusala and his motorcycle
were on the cover of the U.C.L.A. publication, Pacific Ties. In June
of 1998 he appeared on the television show "Vibe" with Sinbad
(UPN network), and spoke about his work in Juvenile Hall. In 1999, 2001,
and May 2002 he was a guest on the show "Life and Times" (KCET...
public television). In April of 2000 Kusala was featured in a report
on "The
News Hour with Jim Lehrer" titled... "Teaching Religion in Schools."
The UCLA Bruin in Jauuary,
2003 featured Kusala in "Students
Resurrect Campus Buddhism."
In addition to his other duties Kusala Bhikshu gave presentations in
the Los Angeles County CentralJuvenile Hall on Buddhism and meditation for four years, and for a year
taught blues
harmonica at a juvenile probation camp
in Malibu, CA. In December of 1998 Kusala was
awarded the "Good Samaritan
of the Year"Awardfor his work in juvenile hall by the Los Angeles
County Probation Department. ///
Before his work in juvenile hall and the probation camp, he spent one
year as a volunteer at the Los Angeles County State Prisonfor Men.
Rev. Kusala on the
Vibe Show with Sinbad - June, 1998
In March of 2000 Kusala ended his volunteer work at
Central Juvenile
Hall and accepted an invitation from the Garden Grove Police Department
to become the first Buddhist police chaplain in Garden Grove. // November
16, 2001 Kusala received a certificate of recognition from the
California
State Assembly, and a certificate of special congressional recognition
from the United States Congress for his work with the Garden Grove Police Department.
The Summer of 2001 found Kusala on a motorcycle
trip from Los Angeles to Wisconsin. -
Random thoughts on riding.
September 2002, Kusala received the
Red Kesa and
authorization to teach. In 2007 Rev. Kusala ended his work as a volunteer
Police Chaplain in Garden Grove after seven years of service.
March of 2003 found Kusala in Los Angeles as a guest speaker at;
"A
Spirituality and End-of-Life Care Conference," sponsored by Santa
Monica-UCLA Medical Center's Palliative Care and Spiritual Care Departments,
and in Indianapolis, Indiana as a guest presenter at the
"Spirituality & Healing
in Medicine: A Multi-Cultural Approach" conference, sponsored by
Harvard Medical School and the "Mind/Body
Medical Institute" and The George Washington University and the "The
George Washington University Institute for Spirituality and Health."
In April Sr. Mary Margaret Funk OSB, executive director of MID (Monastic
Interreligious Dialogue) joined with Rev. Kusala in historic
New Harmony,
Indiana to lead 40 participants through a week-long Benedictine Experience"Benedict's Dharma 2" based on the book
"Benedict's Dharma".
Kusala at Centraljuvenile Hall with Michele Benzamin-Miki
October brought Kusala together with other clergy on an interreligious
panel to discuss "Pain & Suffering at the End
of Life," at the '5th Annual Pain Management & Palliative Care Conference"
sponsored by the City of Hope and held in Huntington
Beach, California.
In November of 2003 Kusala gave a presentation and workshop on 'Forgiveness
in Buddhism' at the "Spirituality & Healing in Medicine: The Importance of
Forgiveness" conference in
Boston, sponsored by Harvard Medical School and The George Washington
University.
October of 2004 found Rev. Kusala at the first 'Monks in the West' gathering
of Buddhist and Catholic monastic men.
In December of 2004 Kusala gave
a presentation and workshop on 'A Buddhist Approach to Patient Health Care' at the "Spirituality & Healing in Medicine:
"The
Integration of Mind/Body Practices and Prayer" conference in
Boston, sponsored by
Harvard Medical School and The George Washington
University. A list of talks and presentations
In January of 2005 Kusala Bhikshu was awarded the 'Los AngelesMayor's Certificate
of Appreciation' for his interfaith and inter-religious community
service.
Kusala was in Santa Fe, New Mexico in April of 2005 giving a workshop
and participating on a religious panel for the
"Spirituality & Healing
in Medicine: "The Integration
of Mind-Body Practices and Prayer" conference.
May found Rev. Kusala
at the 'City of Hope' speaking to seminary students on
"Buddhism
and Patient Health Care." // In June Kusala Bhikshu was invited to
speak as part of a religious panel to the UCLA Department of Social Welfare
Field Instructors on "The Interface of Spirituality and Social Justice."
In
December of 2005 Kusala was again part of the "Spirituality & Healing
in Medicine: "The Integration
of Mind/Body Practices and Prayer" conference, this time in
Boston MA.
In 2005 Kusala's Podcast "Urban Dharma" became
available on iTunes and his web site Urban Dharma at:
www.MyPodcast.net.
'Monks in the West III' - October 2012
In March of 2006 Kusala did a two part video interview with
Bukkyo
Dendo Kyokaiand Magic Bell Productions for their weekly TV program
"The
Buddhist Way of Life," available for free download at: Urban
Dharma Video.
April of 2006 Rev. Kusala was featured in a 'History Channel' documentary
titled "Heaven,
Beyond the Grave," Kusala
spoke on Buddhist heaven and nirvana. Also In April... He Preformed a
wedding in Big Sur, California and was part of a religious panel speaking
on Buddhism
in
America
at the
Higashi Honganji
Buddhist Temple in downtown Los Angeles, California.
In September Kusala was invited to teach an extension
class at Loyola Marymount University on "Integrating Buddhist Practices Into Everyday
Life." October 2006 found Kusala in Collegeville, Minnesota
at "Monks
in the West II" speaking on, "Why
Buddhist Monks are Celibate." // In December Kusala was invited to be on a religious panel at the
'Celebration
of Oneness Gathering' held in the
Pasadena Convention Center discussing,
"Oneness
Across Religious Barriers".
January 2007 found Kusala back at Loyola Marymount University teaching
a five week extension class on the "Buddhist Eightfold Path." // In July of 2007 Rev. Kusala was invited to
St. John's Abbey in Minnesota
to present at the Monastic
Institute Conference on "What it means to be a Buddhist." Kusala's
presentation at St. John's Abbey in MP3 - Part
1 - Part 2.
November found Kusala at the
Wilshire Boulevard Temple, one of the oldest
Jewish Temples in Los Angeles, speaking on basic Buddhism - Web
Page. // In December of 2007, with ever increasing commitments, travel and weekly Dharma talks, Rev. Kusala
stepped down as volunteer ride-along Buddhist
Chaplain for the Garden Grove Police Department after
seven years of
service.
Gethsemani 4
- Rev. Kusala and Ven. Heng Sure -
May, 2015
May of 2008 found Rev. Kusala at Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky, home of the late Thomas Merton. He was attending the Gethsemani 3 - Monasticism and the Environment conference with Buddhist/Catholic monks and nuns from around the world... A statement was produced adding a monastic voice to the global dialogue.
In October of 2008 Rev. Kusala was a featured presenter at a weekend of
Buddhist-Christian Dialogue sponsored by the Council of Pacific Asian
Theology in San Francisco, the title of Kusala's talk was, "Buddhism
in America the Urban Experience."
In November Kusala was invited
to be part of a panel discussion sponsored by The Bellarmine Forum, his
topic was, "What it means to be a member of a minority religion?" // Also in
November Rev. Kusala was invited to speak to the Rotary Club of Glendale on
his community service work and being a Buddhist monk.
Against the Stream - 2018
January 2009 found Rev. Kusala speaking to the Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Montclair, CA on "Buddhism and Social Justice." // February found Kusala speaking at
Bishop Montgomery High School, to Mary's Circle at the
First United Methodist Church of Redondo Beach on basic Buddhism and
St. Joseph's Hospital in Orange, CA as part of an inter-religious panel on "Death and Dying."
May was a busy month for Kusala, he gave talks at
Cal Poly Pomona, Chadwick School, the U.U. Church of Ventura, the Unity Church of Ventura and he officiated a wedding in Westlake Village. He spoke once again to the members of the
Council of Asian Pacific Theology, this time in Seattle Washington on "Buddhism in America, the Urban Experience."
In August of 2010 Ven. Kusala was featured on Public Radio and in July of 2011 on "Voice of America." // In 2011 Kusala stepped down as Buddhist chaplain for the
University Religious Conference at UCLA and director of the
University Buddhist Association.
In April of 2012 Rev. Kusala spoke at the 'Ventura Center for Spiritual Living' and 'All Saints Church in Beverly Hills' on compassion. // In May of 2012 Rev. Kusala began leading a group, 'The Buddhist Circle' at
Leisure World in Seal Beach, CA - It was an ongoing
gathering the fourth Saturday of the month with meditation and Dharma
talk.
June 2012 found Kusala on stage with the
'Walter Trout Band' playing his blues harmonica.
With Walter Trout at the Irvine Lake Blues Festival
- 6/30/2012
October 2012 - Rev. Kusala participated in the third 'Monks in the West' held at 'The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas" and gave presentations at
Peninsula High School, Immaculate Heart Catholic High School and Bishop Montgomery Catholic High School.
July of 2013 found Kusala in an a "Science of Mind" magazine article written by Lisa Napoli with the title, "Finding Peace in the Noise." August...
Koi USA Magazine published an article by Kusala, "The Care of Koi as Practice."
In Feb. of 2014 Rev. Kusala spoke in Decker Hall at "Pilgrim Place" in Claremont CA on, "The Ups and Downs of Community Service: 20 Years and Counting."
May, 2014 found Kusala in
Graden Grove as the guest speaker at the Interfaith Unity Banquet. In Oct. Ven. Kusala was invited to speak at the "World Day of Prayer II",
Mount Saint Mary's Doheny Campus.
Feb.. 2015 found Kusala in San Bernardino, CA as guest speaker at the 28th annual Morrow-McCombs Memorial Lecture. He was the first speaker outside of the Abrahamic religions to give a presentation.
In July of 2015 Kusala Bhikshu was invited by the
city of Garden Grove to open their Dalai Lama Event with a
Loving-Kindness Meditation and Buddhist Blessing.
Mayor Bao Nguyenthanked Kusala in a
letter for his support of this special event.
In a
letter dated Sept. 11, 2015, Rev. Kusala was invited by the
'UCLA Oral History
Library' (Audio - the
UCLA interview) to share his story as an American Buddhist monk in Los
Angeles, CA.
In June of 2017 - Rev. Kusala's 'The Five Precepts' song was published in, 'Sitting Together' a family-centered curriculum on mindfulness, meditation, and Buddhist teachings by Sumi Lounden Kim,
Wisdom Publications (Video).
September, 2018 - the 'Against the Stream' on Melrose closed its doors forever and Kusala after 9 years of 4th Sunday talks at ATS gave his last Dharma talk on 9.23.18.
February 22, 2019... Rev. Kusala reached a Facebook
milestone. He posts, since joining in 2008 had received 1,000,000 likes. /
Visit Kusala's - Facebook Page - to see his latest posts.
May, 2019... Guest presenter (Audio) at the 'Rise Up in
Faith' retreat sponsored by CSL Redondo Beach
July, 2019... Guest speaker... the Center for
Spiritual Living - Ventura, CA / Guest speaker... Center for Spiritual
Living - Redondo Beach, CA
/
Officiating a Wedding for Andy
and Kathy.
September, 2019... Guest speaker...
Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Fullerton.
October, 2019... Rev. Kusala was a guest speaker at
Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, Palos Verdes High School and The
Dhammacakratra Indonesia Buddhist Community Center. Guest speaker, Bishop
Montgomery Catholic High School comparative religions class.
November, 2019... Azuza
Pacific Urban Studies students visit the IBMC and hear a talk on Buddhism. (Audio)
December, 2019... Sharing Buddhism at Portola High
School, Irvine, CA to a 'Religion and Society' class.
January,
2020 -Kusala led a one day 'New Year's Retreat'
at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura for the Friendship Sangha of
the Heart.
January 2020 - Jan. 5, Kusala gave is first
talk (Audio) of the new year to the
Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation.
June 27, 2020 - Kusala's Sunday talk at the Ventura
Center for Spiritual Living (Video) -
Life is Calling
Aug. 9, 2020 - Rev. Kusala's Sunday talk at the
Ventura Center for Spiritual Living (Video) -
5 Ways
to Change Your Karma
Oct. 30, 2020 - Kusala was invited by Bruce Philp to
join him on his podcast www.ThisMototcycleLife.comto speak about his
(Audio)
motorcycle and meditation.
Speaking at Portola High School to a 'Religion and Society' class
November 14, 2021 - Kusala was invited to speak at
the UU Church of Studio City, the talk was -
It's
Already Broken November 18, 2021 - Kusala was invited to speak to Comparative Religions
classes at Bishop
Montgomery High School.
12.19.21 - Kusala was guest speaker at the Ventura, Center for Spiritual
Living speaking on the Buddhs's
Enlightenment and the Four Watches.
January, 2022 -
First Dharma talk of the New Year / UU Congregation at Montclair, CA
4.24.22 - Kusala was invited to be the Buddhist voice in a Rotary International
Peace
Conference.
10.18.22 -October found Rev. Kusala in
Simi Valley speaking to the the
Rotary Club.
Rain the Cat - Zendo
House Backyard - 2013
January, 2023 - Kusala gave the first talk of the new year to the
Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation.
Rev. Kusala leads the Buddha Circle, a Buddhist club that meets once a month
at Leisure World in Seal Beach, CA
February, 2023 - Kusala spoke at the Lien Hoa Temple and Sunshine Meditation
Center in Graden Grove, CA
May, 2023 - Rev. Kusala was invited to speak (Audio
- Right Speech, Action and Livelihood) at the UU Church of Ventura,
Ventura CA
July, 2023 - Speaking at the Redondo Beach CSL - 'Finding Gratitude' -
Audio
August, 2023 - Speaking at the IBMC -
'Building a Practice' -
Audio
July, 2024 -
The Urban Dharma Book Event NYC - Join co-authors Kusala Bhikshu and
Rebecca Wilson in a conversation with writer Kristen Roupenian at the
Shantideva Center.
20:30 -- 'The Wisdom in Buddhism'
A Sunday Talk (10/6/24) in Ventura, CA
"I read your memoir; what a great read! Reading it was almost as
if you were having a deeply absorbing talk with a good friend.
The last section hit me the most with the young lady dying of cancer
feeling angry and trapped by the circumstances...I like how you just
kept showing up despite the uncomfortableness of it and kept telling
the truth even though she resisted it, except at the end when she
seemed to be at peace.
One of the last scenes of the book I loved was when you were in the
backyard feeling part of eternity at that moment, feeling separate
but somehow together with others out there and at ease with the
profound harmony of the way things are -- sadness and happiness all
part of the same elaborate painting." -- Holly P.