Religion Soto Titles Roshi | Name Nonin Chowaney Nationality American Based in Nebraska Zen Center | |
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Website www.prairiewindzen.org/ | ||
Rev. Nonin Chowaney (OPW) is an American Soto Zen priest, brush calligrapher, and the former abbot and head priest of the Nebraska Zen Center at the Heartland Temple in Omaha, Nebraska. A Dharma heir of the late Dainin Katagiri-roshi, Chowaney received Dharma transmission in 1989 and is the founder of an organization of Soto priests known as The Order of the Prairie Wind (OPW). Chowaney also established an affiliate practice place called Tending the Ox Zendo in Raymond, Nebraska, and The White Lotus Sangha, which consisits of three affiliated prison groups in Nebraska. Having studied Zen in Japan as well as at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Chowaney is certified by the Soto School of Japan and participates on the Membership Committee of the American Zen Teachers Association.
In 1999, Chowaney founded the Zen Center of Pittsburgh - Deep Spring Temple in Bell Acres, Pennsylvania and appointed Rev. Kyōki Roberts as the head priest. Then in 2001 he gave Dharma transmission to Roberts, his senior ordained student.