Welcome to BZC

Chant the Lotus Sutra on Memorial Day

8:30 am to 4:30 PM In Person and in the Online Zendo
At the end we will dedicate the merit of our chanting to peace in the world and end of war.

Five-Day Sesshin begins June 11

Registration is now open for our June 11-15 five-day sesshin to close the spring practice period. Abiding Teachers Linda Galijan and Greg Fain will lead. Colleen Busch is the Director. The final day will include a Shuso Hossen ceremony with our Head Student Genzan Seishi Mark Copithorne.

REGISTER HERE by Monday, June 2.

DETAILS


Practice Period  Sangha Work Day June 1st!

Please sign up for morning, afternoon or all day-to work alongside your sangha sisters and brothers and care for our temple and grounds.
The day will begin with tea//coffee and pastries, followed by a short period of zazen and then work until lunch provided by our Tenzos!
After Lunch there will be another period of work.
Come for morning work and Lunch!  (8AM – 12:30PM)
Come for Lunch and Afternoon work!(12PM-4PM )
Come all Day! (8AM-4PM)
Please sign up here by May 27th, so that we may plan for meals and appropriate projects.

 

Practice Period Class: The Lotus Sutra

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Linda and Greg will be co-teaching a 5-week class on the Lotus Sutra during  practice period. This will be an introduction to the Sutra, emphasizing why it is important in the Dogen Zen tradition, and touching on some of the more important teachings and stories to be found therein. Their aim is to have it be lively, engaging, and enjoyable for all!
Classes will be on  Thursday evenings from 7:15 to 8:45 beginning May 8  and ending on June 5.The class will be hybrid. Class fee is $50 or whatever amount you can give.
To register, please complete this brief form, which allows us to share updates. Here’s the link:
You do not need to participate in practice period in order to attend.
If you have questions, please contact the Class Coordinator Ryushin at andrea.thach@gmail.com
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Upcoming Sittings

(for details about these programs, check the Calendar Page)

There will abe a half-day sitting on Sunday, May 18, 8:00 a.m. to noon.
The fee is $10 or whatever amount you can give. To sign
up or to ask any questions, please contact the director, Gary Artim (gartim@gmail.com).

You can pay for any of these events by mailing a check to the BZC Office Manager at 1931 Russell St., Berkeley 94703, or you can pay through the website using the “Sits/Classes” button on the “Generosity” tab. In either case, please indicate what you are paying for, so that your payment is not mixed up with dues or donations

Mountains and Rivers Sesshin  

Mark your calendars for a three-day Mountains and Rivers Sesshin at Point Reyes National Seashore. 

This is our first M&R sesshin since before the pandemic, and we are excited to be offering it again.  The sesshin, led by Ellen Webb and Susan Marvin, will be Friday through Sunday, July 18‒20 (three days and two nights). It will involve hiking and camping while maintaining a sesshin atmosphere and mindful practice, including periods of silence, zazen, group study, free time, and assigned positions and responsibilities such as cooking or cleanup. It offers a wonderful way to meet and connect with other practitioners and experience practice in a beautiful natural setting. 

Carpooling will be arranged. Please sign up on the BZC patio bulletin board or contact Ellen Webb (ellenwebbdance@gmail.com) and/or Susan Marvin (lai_hang@yahoo.com). 


In Memoriam – Hozan Kushiki Alan Senauke Daiosho

Our dear Abbot Hozan Roshi passed away on December 22 after a year’s illness.  Hozan served as Vice Abbot of BZC for 20 years before his Mountain Seat Ceremony in January of 2021. Earlier he served as the Executive Director of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, and later served as a teacher and advisor for Upaya Zen Center’s Chaplaincy Training Program.  You can access many of his lectures and teachings (and music) in various sections of the BZC website, YouTube, and elsewhere online; his full obituary is available on Legacy.com.

Read Hozan’s Obituary

BZC had a full round of traditional Soto Zen ceremonies in the days following Hozan Roshi’s death, ending with 49th day memorial service on February 8. There will be a larger, more eclectic funeral/memorial service on August 10, 2025, at the Freight and Salvage Coffee House in Berkeley.