THIS SUNDAY: Buddha's Birth Ceremony - Join Us On Site or Online

THIS SUNDAY: RSVP for Buddha's Birth Ceremony ON SITE

Join us on site for this joyous occasion to celebrate the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha by offering incense and pouring sweet water over the baby Buddha, symbolizing the soft rain in the fragrant garden of Lumbini when Buddha was born. Open to the public. Everyone welcome!   Sunday, April 2, 1–4 pm PST 1–2 pm Ceremony (on site & online) 2–4pm Reception (on site only)   Yes, I'm Coming!

Families, friends and children, join us for this special and joyous day! We will gather in the zendo to commemorate the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha in a Flower Festival and the traditional pouring of sweet rain over the baby Buddha. Please bring flowers for the altar to adorn the Baby Buddha and ready-to-serve finger foods for the reception immediately following the ceremony to share with the community!

Volunteers decorating the flower shrine Flowers for Baby Buddha from the guests

Tea ceremony by Kashin Kwong

Shakuhachi by Elliot Kanshin Kallen Outdoor reception to follow the ceremony

Open to the Public | RVSP to attend ON SITE or ONLINE

In order to continue to offer these programs and ensure the future of SMZC, we are asking for your support. Your donation is tax deductible. Sonoma Mountain Zen Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Tax ID #23-7304793

6367 Sonoma Mountain Road, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404 (707) 545-8105 Share on social www.smzc.org

THIS EVENING: Spring Study Group (Week 4) - Join Us Today!

 

THIS EVENING: Join Us for Spring Study Group

Facilitated by Tensan Chuck Ramey CHAPTER TWO: Mahamati’s Questions (No. 5–21), Page 69–95   A rare opportunity to explore the fundamental teachings of Buddhism and build a foundation for daily practice through discussions on the book The Lankavatara Sutra by Red Pine (the pen name of Bill Porter). Pick up your copy at Zen Dust for $19.95 (plus tax). Register by week.   About Instructor: Senior Student of Kwong-roshi & Ordained Priest

Tensan (天山) Chuck Ramey has been a student of Kwong roshi for more than 20 years. He took Jukai (Sky Mountain) in 2002 and was ordained as a lay priest in 2014. He lives with Karen, his wife of 54 years, in Tacoma, Washington where he leads the South Sound Zen affiliate sitting group. He first met Nyoze Kwong in New Mexico at Upaya Zen Center in 1999. Through Nyoze he met roshi. Tensan has served as President of the SMZC Board of Trustees since 2017. He and Karen are blessed to have two wonderful children, three grandchildren, a great grandson, and soon to be, great granddaughter.

$12/week | Attend Week 4 ON SITE or ONLINE

*10-20% Member Discount (Please log in first to receive the discount.)

Following The Diamond Sutra, The Heart Sutra, and The Platform Sutra, Red Pine now turns his attention to perhaps the greatest Sutra of all.   The Lankavatara Sutra is the holy grail of Zen. Zen’s first patriarch, Bodhidharma, gave a copy of this text to his successor, Hui-k’o, and told him everything he needed to know was in this book. Passed down from teacher to student ever since, this is the only Zen sutra ever spoken by the Buddha. Although it covers all the major teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, it contains but two teachings: that everything we perceive as being real is nothing but the perceptions of our own mind and that the knowledge of this is something that must be realized and experienced for oneself and cannot be expressed in words. In the words of Chinese Zen masters, these two teachings became known as “have a cup of tea” and “taste the tea.”   This is the first translation into English of the original text used by Bodhidharma, which was the Chinese translation made by Gunabhadra in 443 and upon which all Chinese Zen masters have relied ever since.   In addition to presenting one of the most difficult of all Buddhist texts in clear English, Red Pine has also added summaries, explanations, and notes, including relevant Sanskrit terms on the basis of which the Chinese translation was made. This promises to become an essential text for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding or knowledge of Zen.

APRIL 4 (No Class - SMZC Closed after Buddha's Birthday 3-Day Sesshin) APRIL 11 CHAPTER TWO: Mahamati’s Questions (No. 21–34), Page 95–119 APRIL 18 (No Class during Weeklong Sewing Gathering) APRIL 25 CHAPTER TWO: Mahamati’s Questions (No. 34–47), Page 119–142 MAY 2 CHAPTER TWO: Mahamati’s Questions (No. 47–57), Page 143–166 MAY 9 CHAPTER THREE: More Questions (No. 57–66), Page 167–187 MAY 16 CHAPTER THREE: More Questions (No. 66–74), Page 187–209 MAY 23 CHAPTER THREE: More Questions (No. 74–80), Page 209–232 MAY 30 CHAPTER FOUR: Final Questions (No. 80–86), Page 233–253 JUNE 6 CHAPTER FOUR: Final Questions (No. 86–90), Page 253–270

In order to continue to offer these programs and ensure the future of SMZC, we are asking for your support. Your donation is tax deductible. Sonoma Mountain Zen Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Tax ID #23-7304793

6367 Sonoma Mountain Road, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404 (707) 545-8105 Share on social www.smzc.org

THIS SATURDAY: Saturday Community Dharma Talk - Join Us On Site or Online

 

THIS SATURDAY: Join Us for Saturday Community

Dharma talk will be given by Katsuzen (活禅) King, Founding Teacher of Windsor Zen Sitting Group in Windsor, California, following 10:30-11:00 am zazen.   For those who are new to Zen, please register for meditation instruction at 9:00 am. Open to the public: If you live within driving distance, please attend on site! Informal vegetarian lunch will be provided at noon. Zen Dust Store will be open from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.   About Speaker

Katsuzen began studying Zen in Oregon in 1976 and has been practicing at SMZC since 1979. He is the long-time Editor-in-Chief for Mountain Wind, the Zen Center's quarterly newsletter. In 2019 he received Dharma Transmission from Kwong-roshi and currently leads the Windsor Zen Group (WZG) in his hometown, Windsor, California. Katsuzen first began studying with Kwong-roshi while he was preparing to become a bilingual elementary school teacher. Now retired, he works part time as a Spanish teacher. Additionally, Katsuzen has trained many years in martial arts and holds a 2nd-degree black belt in two schools of Aikido. He teaches Aikido and self-defense in Healdsburg, California and travels several times a year to offer classes and workshops in Mexico. (Photos: WZG Winter Ango)

ON SITE or ONLINE | $15 Admission*

*10-20% Member Discount (Please log in first to receive the discount.)

THIS SUNDAY: Join Us for Spring Workfest

Please Come Help at the Spring Workfest with Together Action!   It's time for spring cleaning the zendo (zafu & zabuton cleaning) and temple grounds (mowing, weed whacking, and cleaning the workshop) with together-action as one body. Bring family and friends: Any amount of help you can offer will be greatly appreciated!   In the spirit of together-action, come help breathe new energy into the center with friends and families of the Sonoma Mountain Sangha. Bring a pair of work gloves if you have them. Light vegetarian lunch will be provided afterwards.   Yes, I will come help!

NEXT TUESDAY: Join Us for Spring Study Group

Week 4: Facilitated by Tensan (天山) Chuck Ramey, Senior Student of Kwong-roshi & Ordained Priest. A rare opportunity to explore the fundamental teachings of Buddhism and build a foundation for daily practice through discussions on the book Lankavatara Sutra by Red Pine. Pick up your copy at Zen Dust for $19.95 (plus tax). Register weekly.

Attend Week 4 ON SITE or ONLINE ($12 admission)

*10-20% Member Discount (Please log in first to receive the discount.)

NEXT SESSHIN: Join Us for Buddha's Birthday 3-Day Sesshin

Sesshin, literally “to touch the Mind,” is a period of time set aside for an intensive meditation retreat to let go of the conditioned self and resume our original nature. This special time of practice will allow us to dive into the core of Zen training in the spirit of Shakyamuni’s Birth. A silent meditation intensive for beginners, as well as experienced practitioners, to still the mind from moment to moment, manifesting the realization of the Way. A rigorous schedule that begins at 5:00 am includes 10 periods of meditation, chanting, mindful work, and a Dharma Talk. Days end at 9pm.   Retreat begins Wednesday, March 29 at 6pm and ends Saturday, April 1 at 3:30 pm (View Sesshin Schedule). Following the retreat, on Sunday, April 2, we will celebrate Buddha’s birth by showering the Baby Buddha with sweet rain. Everyone is invited by RSVP (attend on site or online)!

ON SITE $85-160/night* | ONLINE $120 or $40/day*

*10-20% Member Discount (Please log in first to receive the discount.)

RSVP for Buddha's Birth Ceremony ON SITE

Sunday, April 2, 1–4:00pm Ceremony 1–2 pm (on site & online) / Reception 2–4pm (on site only)   Families, friends and children, join us for this special and joyous day! We will gather in the zendo to commemorate the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha in a Flower Festival and the traditional pouring of sweet rain over the baby Buddha. Please bring flowers for the altar to adorn the Baby Buddha and ready-to-serve finger foods for the reception immediately following the ceremony to share with the community!

Open to the Public | RVSP to attend ON SITE or ONLINE

Join SMZC Wisteria Wind Sangha Today SMZC is a lay residential training practice center, relying on membership dues, income from our programs, and your contributions to support and maintain the Dharma on this ancient mountain. Please consider joining SMZC Wisteria Wind Sangha today. Your generosity makes it possible for us to survive and serve. Visit our website for a detailed list of membership benefits.

JOIN NOW

In order to continue to offer these programs and ensure the future of SMZC, we are asking for your support. Your donation is tax deductible. Sonoma Mountain Zen Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Tax ID #23-7304793

6367 Sonoma Mountain Road, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404 (707) 545-8105 Share on social www.smzc.org