Taigen Dan Leighton

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Taigen Dan Leighton (born 1950) is an American Sōtō Zen priest, teacher, and author. He is a lineage holder in the tradition of Shunryū Suzuki and the founder and Guiding Teacher of Ancient Dragon Zen Gate in Chicago. He is also an authorized teacher in the Japanese Sōtō School (kyōshi).

Leighton grew up in Pittsburgh. His father was a medical school professor and cancer researcher, and his mother was a high school French teacher and librarian. He began Zen practice in 1975 at the New York Zen Center under Kando Nakajima roshi.

Education and early work: He earned a BA in East Asian studies from Columbia University and worked as a television and film editor in New York City and San Francisco. In 1978 he moved to California and became a resident at the San Francisco Zen Center, working at Tassajara Bakery and other Zen Center businesses. He practiced at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center and Tassajara Zen Mountain Center.

ordination and leadership: In 1986 he was ordained as a priest by Reb Anderson. In 1990 he served as shuso (head monk) for the Spring practice period at Tassajara under Zenkei Blanche Hartman. He lived in Japan from 1990–1992 translating Dōgen texts with Shōhaku Okumura and training under various masters.

Founding and teaching: In 1994 he founded Mountain Source Sangha in Bolinas, San Rafael, and San Francisco (Ancient Dragon Zen Gate is a sister temple). In 2000 he received dharma transmission (shiho) from Reb Anderson. He taught for four years at Loyola University Chicago and has taught since 1994 at the Institute of Buddhist Studies, part of the Berkeley Graduate Theological Union, where he earned a Ph.D.

Community and activism: Leighton has been involved in interfaith dialogue and Engaged Buddhism, including environmental and peace work. His peace activism traces back to anti–Vietnam War efforts in high school and his participation in the 1968 Columbia University occupation.

Current work: In 2007 he moved to Chicago to serve full-time as Guiding Dharma Teacher for Ancient Dragon Zen Gate. In 2008 he performed Zuisse ceremonies at Eiheiji and Sōjiji in Japan to be recognized as a Dharma teacher by the Japanese Sōtō School. In 2019 he completed Dharma transmission ceremonies for his Dharma heirs Nyozan Eric Shutt and Eishin Nancy Easton.