Steve Hagen

Steve Hagen, also known as Rōshi, is an American Zen Buddhist teacher and author, born in 1945. He is recognized as a Dharma heir of Zen master Dainin Katagiri-roshi. Hagen founded the Dharma Field Zen Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he served as head teacher. His early life in Duluth, Minnesota, was marked by a profound childhood curiosity about reality and truth, which later guided him towards Zen Buddhism in 1967.

He formally studied under Dainin Katagiri, becoming a student in 1975 and a Zen priest in 1979. Katagiri-roshi formally recognized Hagen's teaching authority in 1989, bestowing upon him the Dharma name "Tokan," signifying a breakthrough into peace and understanding. Hagen's influential book, "Buddhism Plain & Simple," published in 1998, achieved significant popularity, becoming one of the top-selling Buddhist books in the United States by 2003. He has continued to explore and present Buddhist philosophy through various writings and teachings.

Before establishing Dharma Field in Minneapolis in 1997, Steve Hagen conducted workshops and sesshins in Wisconsin. He married Jean Forester, a piano teacher whose support was instrumental in acquiring the St. Andrew's Lutheran Church building that became the center's home. Dharma Field offers a range of Buddhist studies, from foundational to advanced courses, including a yearlong study of Nagarjuna. James Ishmael Ford noted Dharma Field's independent teaching style, drawing parallels to Charlotte Joko Beck's approach. The center has also seen other teachers, including Norm Randolph, another Dharma heir of Katagiri, and former teacher Lee Register, who received transmission from Hagen. Bev Forsman, ordained and transmitted by Hagen, later served as head teacher.

Hagen's literary work aims to demystify Buddhist principles and explore fundamental questions of existence and perception. His 1995 book, "How the World Can Be the Way It Is," was later revised and re-released in 2012 as "Why the World Doesn't Seem to Make Sense: An Inquiry into Science, Philosophy, and Perception." This latter work delves into the intersections of scientific understanding, philosophical inquiry, and subjective experience. Other notable publications include "Buddhism Is Not What You Think" and "Meditation Now Or Never," which further elaborate on his accessible approach to Buddhist thought and practice. His most recent work, "The Grand Delusion: What We Know But Don't Believe," was published in 2020.

“I wanted to know what’s going on and to not be fooled. I wanted to know what was real and genuine and true.”