About Me

My name is Andre Dōshim Halaw. I am a Bodhisattva priest and Dharma Holder in the Five Mountain Zen Order, an independent school in the lineage of Zen Master Seung Sahn. I am also the guiding teacher of the Original Mind Zen Sangha, which meets in Princeton, NJ. I practiced in the Japanese Soto and Harada-Yasutani lineages for several years before finding my home in the FMZO.

I'm married, have two young children, and teach high school English in central New Jersey. I'm also an aspiring author. My favorite Buddhist teachers include Seung Sahn, Mazu, Chinul, Zongmi, and of course, the Buddha himself.

"Original Mind" represents the goal of the Buddhist Path realized, our original nature--complete, perfect, lacking nothing. It's a common phrase used by Mazu, one of my favorite Zen ancestors.

Thanks for visiting.