Berkeley Zen Center
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BZC's abbot is Hozan Alan Senauke. At BZC our everyday activity, as it extends from zazen, is the field where practice finds its full expression.
Berkeley Zen Center is a Soto Zen Buddhist temple where people practice zazen together daily and are supported by the teachings of founding dharma teacher, Sojun Mel Weitsman, and all in the lineage. Meditation, which is called zazen, or sitting in stillness, is the center of our practice, following and adapting the traditions of Soto Zen Buddhism. Changes since March 2020:
Join us online at berke
01/20/2026
On MLK Day, we headed streetside to make and place peace prayers on the bare branches of a cherry tree just outside the temple gate. 🎋
05/01/2025
Tomorrow, Friday May 2, at 5:40 p.m., Berkeley Zen Center will hold a Teacher Entering Ceremony to formally install Linda Galijan and Greg Fain as our Abiding Teachers. The ceremony will be held in the Zendo and will be available on Zoom as well. Please join us tomorrow in welcoming them.
May all beings be well. May all beings be at peace. May all beings be free from suffering.
04/23/2025
Our newsletter for May-June 2025 is now available, here: https://media.berkeleyzencenter.org/BZC-Newsletter-May-June-2025-FINAL-CORRECTED.pdf
You can also read this newsletter, and all of our past newsletters dating back to 2002, on our website: https://berkeleyzencenter.org/newsletters/
May all beings be well. May all beings be at peace. May all beings be free from suffering.
04/17/2025
This Saturday, April 19, senior student Susan Marvin will offer the dharma talk, followed by Q&A.
5:40 a.m. Zendo Opens
6:00-6:40 Zazen
6:40-6:50 Kinhin
6:50-7:20 Zazen
7:20-7:40 Service
7:40-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-8:45 Break
8:45-9:30 Work Practice
9:30-10:05 Zazen
10:05-10:15 Kinhin
10:15-11:15 Dharma Talk
Berkeley Zen Center also offers in-person zazen instruction every Saturday morning, from 8:40 to 9:10 a.m. Pacific. No need to sign up; all are welcome.
May all beings be well. May all beings be at peace. May all beings be free from suffering.
04/03/2025
On Saturday, April 5, 10:15‒11:15 a.m., BZC will join Buddhist centers around the world in celebrating Hanamatsuri, the birth of the baby Buddha (traditionally considered to have been in early
April).
Following a short service and an introductory talk in the zendo, we will proceed to the courtyard for a kid-friendly ceremony.
After the doshi makes an initial offering of flowers and bathes the baby Buddha with sweet tea, we will chant the Heart Sutra and all
adults and children will have a chance to use a ladle to bathe the baby Buddha. Children will also be offered small containers of bubble solution. We welcome children and others to come for work period at 7:35 a.m. to help decorate the baby Buddha’s bower stands.
May all beings be well. May all beings be at peace. May all beings be free from suffering.
03/31/2025
Berkeley Zen Center wishes everyone a very happy Trans Day of Visibility. Today, and every day, may all beings be well, be at peace, and be free from suffering.
03/28/2025
Tomorrow, March 29, senior student Gary Artim will offer the dharma talk, followed by Q&A.
5:40 a.m. Zendo Opens
6:00-6:40 Zazen
6:40-6:50 Kinhin
6:50-7:20 Zazen
7:20-7:40 Service
7:40-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-8:45 Break
8:45-9:30 Work Practice
9:30-10:05 Zazen
10:05-10:15 Kinhin
10:15-11:15 Dharma Talk
Berkeley Zen Center also offers in-person zazen instruction every Saturday morning, from 8:40 to 9:10 a.m. Pacific. No need to sign up; all are welcome.
May all beings be well. May all beings be at peace. May all beings be free from suffering.
03/20/2025
This Saturday, March 22, Hondo Dave Rutschman will offer the dharma talk, followed by Q&A.
5:40 a.m. Zendo Opens
6:00-6:40 Zazen
6:40-6:50 Kinhin
6:50-7:20 Zazen
7:20-7:40 Service
7:40-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-8:45 Break
8:45-9:30 Work Practice
9:30-10:05 Zazen
10:05-10:15 Kinhin
10:15-11:15 Dharma Talk
Berkeley Zen Center also offers in-person zazen instruction every Saturday morning, from 8:40 to 9:10 a.m. Pacific. No need to sign up; all are welcome.
May all beings be well. May all beings be at peace. May all beings be free from suffering.
03/11/2025
This Saturday, March 15, senior student Ross Blum will offer the dharma talk, followed by Q&A.
5:40 a.m. Zendo Opens
6:00-6:40 Zazen
6:40-6:50 Kinhin
6:50-7:20 Zazen
7:20-7:40 Service
7:40-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-8:45 Break
8:45-9:30 Work Practice
9:30-10:05 Zazen
10:05-10:15 Kinhin
10:15-11:15 Dharma Talk
Berkeley Zen Center also offers in-person zazen instruction every Saturday morning, from 8:40 to 9:10 a.m. Pacific. No need to sign up; all are welcome.
May all beings be well. May all beings be at peace. May all beings be free from suffering.
03/05/2025
This Saturday, March 8, Doshin Dan Gudgel will offer the dharma talk, followed by Q&A.
5:40 a.m. Zendo Opens
6:00-6:40 Zazen
6:40-6:50 Kinhin
6:50-7:20 Zazen
7:20-7:40 Service
7:40-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-8:45 Break
8:45-9:30 Work Practice
9:30-10:05 Zazen
10:05-10:15 Kinhin
10:15-11:15 Dharma Talk
Berkeley Zen Center also offers in-person zazen instruction every Saturday morning, from 8:40 to 9:10 a.m. Pacific. No need to sign up; all are welcome.
May all beings be well. May all beings be at peace. May all beings be free from suffering.
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Contact the place of worship
Telephone
Address
1929 Russell Street
Berkeley, CA
94703
Opening Hours
| Monday | 7:30am - 8:30am |
| 5:40pm - 6:30pm | |
| Tuesday | 5:30am - 7am |
| 5:40pm - 6:30pm | |
| Wednesday | 5:30am - 7am |
| 5:40pm - 9pm | |
| Thursday | 5:30am - 7am |
| 5:40pm - 6:30pm | |
| Friday | 5:30am - 7am |
| 5:40pm - 6:30pm | |
| Saturday | 6am - 12pm |