Soto Zen Buddhist Association
The Soto Zen Buddhist Association was formed in 1996 by American and Japanese Zen teachers in response to a perceived need to draw the various autonomous lineages of the North American Soto stream of Zen together for mutual support as well as the development of common training and ethical standards. The SZBA works closely with the Japanese Sotoshu, whom it generally sees as its parent organization. With about one hundred fully transmitted priests, the SZBA now represents nearly all Japanese-derived Soto Zen lineages in North America. The founding president was Tetsugen Bernard Glassman, followed by Sojun Mel Weitsman, Myogen Steve Stucky, its first woman president, Jisho Warner, and now its current president. also a female priest, Eido Frances Carney.