Category: News

Posted on

Sat. 6 September: Full Moon Ceremony & Annual Issan Memorial

This upcoming Saturday we will have our normal Saturday program with a Dharma talk at 10:15am provided by our Abbot, Rev Myo Lahey, followed by two short ceremonies commencing roughly at 11am.

buddhajayanti-11We will conduct a slightly compressed monthly renewal of our Bodhisattva vows, AKA full moon ceremony for the Full Corn or Full Harvest Moon, of September.

We will also observe, memorialize and celebrate the life of Rev Issan Dorsey and pay thanks to his many community and Dharma gifts. The first Abbot and founder for 57 Hartford Street as a Zen Center, as well as one of the visionaries, that with many people’s generosity and hard work, realized Maitri AIDS hospice.

Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation) at 6:30am, morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a dharma talk at 10:15am followed by ceremony when applicable and then right to social time, tea and cookies. Please join us!

 

Posted on

Study hour is moving on to a new text!

We are scheduled to conclude on July 31, 2014 The book of serenity

index2 copy

The next book scheduled is the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, also called Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra,  a Mahāyāna Buddhist sūtra. It dates from no later than the 3rd century ce, based on its earliest Chinese translations, and most likely from the 1st or 2nd centuries ce.

In the sūtra the layman and householder Vimalakīrti, who is also, significantly, a model bodhisattva, instructs deities, learned Buddhist arahants, and lay people in all matters concerning the nature of enlightenment and Buddhist truth.

There are multiple translations, we may focus a bit on the Dr Robert Thurman version, but welcome any version to compare the translations.

We can share books for anyone who wants to join in, or feel free to purchase a copy and join us (many are very low cost online). Check our twitter page for any changes in schedule.

Posted on

Happy Independence day (USA’s) on July 4th!

p1953_buddhaflagsOr as we like to joke in Buddhist company, Interdependence day! Although there is an actual day for this day in the Fall that is internationally recognized.

Please continue to have enjoyable and safe holidays and remember HSZC will be closed Friday, July 4, Saturday the 5, and following Sunday as usual, July 6th.

 

Posted on

Happy LGBTQI Pride & July 4th right after/ Schedule changes

We want to wish all our friends, families and communities the happiest of pride weekends  as they occur around the world this month and beyond.  May you be safe, happy, healthy and enjoy the celebrations!3

And we would like to let you know due to pride events and July 4th (USA independence day), we will be just open next week July 1,2,3 & then back to regular posted schedule on July 7th. (closed Jun 29th, 30th and Jul 4th, 5th and 6th)

Posted on

29 Jun; LGBTQI pride festival & parade, SF, 2014!

400px-San_Francisco_Pride_Parade_2012-3From our LGBTQI family of SFZC – “Happily, we continue our annual tradition of having a San Francisco Zen Center contingent walking in the Pride Parade.  We are going to meet at 300 Page St. and at 9 a.m. we will go together to the Muni and travel to our assigned starting place.  If you prefer, you can meet us at our starting place(which almost certainly will be in the Financial District) at 10 a.m.  We will send details about the 10 a.m. starting place later in the week.  Please join us and celebrate as we cover the world with pride.”

 Color the World with Pride

What is the color of pride?
If we were to color the world with pride how would it look?
Sound?
Taste?
Feel?
Would there be space in our hearts and minds for all colors?
Could we come from an understanding that all colors need to be seen so that one color
doesn’t stand out and dominate the others?
Could we learn that colors complement one another?
Could we let the margins between colors go soft and blend the colors, rub them like pastels
and wonder at the range, the subtle gradations that are also part of the rainbow?

When I color my world with pride, I want the 72 Crayolas, not the narrow box of eight.

– Tova Green