Heng Sure

Heng Sure (恆實法師, Pinyin: Héng Shí, birth name Christopher R. Clowery;[1] born October 31, 1949) is an American Buddhist monk. He is a senior disciple of Hsuan Hua, and is currently the director of the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, a branch monastery of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association. He is probably best known for a pilgrimage he made for two years and six months from 1977–1979. Called a three steps, one bow pilgrimage, Heng Sure and his companion Heng Chau (Martin Verhoeven), bowed from South Pasadena to Ukiah, California, a distance of 800 miles, seeking world peace.[2][3]

Heng Sure
恆實
TitleVenerable
Personal
Born
Christopher Clowery

October 31, 1949
Toledo, Ohio, United States
ReligionBuddhism
NationalityAmerican
SchoolGuiyang Chán school
Senior posting
TeacherHsuan Hua

Born in Toledo, Ohio, he attended DeVilbiss High School, Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, and the University of California at Berkeley from 1971–1976. During his time at the university, Heng Sure was active in theatre. At an early age, Heng Sure learned Chinese from studying the language in high school and by means of his sister, who worked at the U.S. Information Agency. After receiving his masters in Oriental languages, he met his teacher, Hsuan Hua, who would later ordain him in 1976 at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, as "Heng Sure" a Dharma name which means "Constantly Real." Heng Sure earned an MA degree in Oriental Languages from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1976 and a PhD in Religion from the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, in 2003.

Heng Sure currently gives lectures in Berkeley to the public and through webcasts. Heng Sure also gives lectures in many parts of the world on various subjects, such as the sutras and veganism. He is also an accomplished musician and guitarist.

In 2008, Heng Sure published his first music CD "Paramita: American Buddhist Folk Songs".

In October 2018, he participated in the Fifth World Buddhist Forum held in Putian, Fujian Province of China, and at the closing ceremony, read with the patriarchal Zongxing the Declaration of the Fifth World Buddhist Forum.

References
  1. "Personality | Monk on a mission". www.buddhistchannel.tv. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  2. Harrison, Anne-Marie (17 December 2014). "The Bowers That Be". Good Times. Santa Cruz, California. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  3. "FINDING MY RELIGION / Buddhist pastor Heng Sure talks about his 2½-year pilgrimage up the California coast". Retrieved 22 August 2015.


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