Affiliation Sōtō Phone +1 510-845-2403 | Country United States | |
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Location 1931 Russell Street, Berkeley, California 94703 Website www.berkeleyzencenter.org Address 1929 Russell St, Berkeley, CA 94703, USA Founders Mel Weitsman, Shunryū Suzuki Similar San Francisco Zen Center, Tassajara Zen Mountain, Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, Village Zendo Profiles | ||
Dharma song lecture performance at berkeley zen center
Berkeley Zen Center (BZC), temple name Shogakuji (正覚寺, Shōgaku-ji), is a Sōtō Zen Buddhist practice center located in Berkeley, California led by Sojun Mel Weitsman. An informal affiliate to the San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC), BZC was founded in 1967 by Weitsman and Shunryu Suzuki as a satellite group for the SFZC. Despite founding the center, Weitsman was not installed as abbot there until 1985, one year after receiving Dharma transmission from Hoitsu Suzuki. Weitsman's Dharma heir, Alan Senauke, lives on site with his wife Laurie Senauke (as of 1999) and also works for the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. Another former teacher at BZC was Maylie Scott, who died in 2001. In 1969 Zenkei Blanche Hartman began sitting zazen at BZC, receiving Dharma transmission from Weitsman in 1988.[1] In 1979 the center relocated to its current location on Russell Street—and today houses a small group of residents who live on site.[2]