Hi, I am Reverend Sumeru Daito Zenei Thompson
Daito has practiced and studied Buddhism since 1971 at various monasteries and temples, under the spiritual guidance of certified and authentic masters, both in America and Asia, including twice meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet. He has lectured extensively, and taught Zen Buddhism peripatetic ally, at various civic, community and religious groups, and has also lectured at colleges and universities in the United States and abroad.
Reverend Thompson studied at the famous Gold Mountain Monastery (Dharma Realm Buddhist University) in San Francisco, California under the spiritual guidance of the late Venerable Ch’an Master Hsuan Hua. He later visited and studied at the Seoul National Buddhist University (Dong guk Tae Hak) and visited the world famous Hae In Sa monastery in the southern mountains outside of Kwan-Ju Korea.
Reverend Thompson was ordained into the Soto Zen Mission North America as a Zen Priest in 1975 and received the special Ke Chi Myaku Transmission and permission to teach others by the late Reverend Dr. Soyu Matsuoka-roshi, Archbishop of Soto Zen Mission, North America.
Reverend Thompson has been interviewed by numerous newspapers in the USA. New Age Journal is only one of several publications who have interviewed and published articles by Reverend Thompson.
Reverend Thompson has been involved with many social, community and interfaith organizations. He has been a religious advisor to the Boy Scouts of America Buddhist Sangha Awards program; has been formerly or is currently a member of the following organizations: the Evergreen Hospital Pastoral Care Advisory Committee; advisory to the state prison chaplaincy program; advisory to the US Armed Forces Buddhist chaplaincy; the World Buddhist Organization; the American Buddhist Congress; the Buddhist Peace Fellowship; the Northwest Dharma association; and others. He has worked extensively with other Asian Buddhist communities as a liaison within the non-Buddhist Western Culture and Society.
Reverend Thompson was formally the Spiritual Director and founder of the Sarasota Zen Center- Zen Buddhist Temple in Sarasota, Florida USA.
Rev. Thompson can be reached at
Telephone: (941) 809.6680