• IMPORTANT NOTICE: BZC HAS MOVED

    BZC has left its former location at 163 Prospect Park West. BZC is closed from May 4th through May 9th for the move, reopening on May 10th at the following new location:

  • Brooklyn Zen Center
    398 9th Street
    Brooklyn, NY 11215
    718-701-1083

    Between 6th & 7th Avenues
    Take the F train to 7th Avenue
    Click here for Map

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  • The Neural Buddhists

    Published May 13th, 2008

    Ian Case sent me this interesting op-ed piece by David Brooks of the New York Times on the current “scientific revolution,” which supports many of the insights of Buddhist practice. Those who follow the dialog between cognitive science and Buddhism know that this kind of research has been developing for sometime now. Brooks proposes here that these insights within the scientific community are a distinct paradigm shift running counter to the former materialist perspective and will consequently have broad, even revolutionary implications for society as a whole. The following text, excerpted from the column, enumerates several of its positions:

    First, the self is not a fixed entity but a dynamic process of relationships. Second, underneath the patina of different religions, people around the world have common moral intuitions. Third, people are equipped to experience the sacred, to have moments of elevated experience when they transcend boundaries and overflow with love. Fourth, God can best be conceived as the nature one experiences at those moments, the unknowable total of all there is.

    In their arguments with Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, the faithful have been defending the existence of God. That was the easy debate. The real challenge is going to come from people who feel the existence of the sacred, but who think that particular religions are just cultural artifacts built on top of universal human traits. It’s going to come from scientists whose beliefs overlap a bit with Buddhism.

    Jill Bolte Taylor Discusses Her Stroke

    Published May 13th, 2008

    Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor talks about the insights she gained around the nature of self while experiencing her own stroke. Text from source:

    Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened — as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding — she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story about how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another.

    If you are interested in hearing more from Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, you can find interviews with her both here and here.

    Buddha’s Birthday

    Published May 12th, 2008

    Though Japan annually recognizes the Buddha’s birthday on April 8th with the celebration of Hana Matsuri (Flower Festival), the majority of East Asia traditionally honors the Tathagata’s birthday on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. That day falls on May 12th this year, which is today. The Theravada tradition that is predominate in Southeast Asia follows the Buddhist lunisolar calendar and will be celebrating the Buddha’s birthday in eight days on May 20th.

    Cultivating Mindfulness and the Land

    Published May 8th, 2008

    Environmental activist, organic agriculturalist, and dharma teacher, Wendy Johnson, has recently published her book, Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate. Wendy has worked in the organic fields of San Francisco Zen Center’s Green Gulch Farms for thirty years. In this New York Times article published just yesterday, the writer notes that,

    Long before Michael Pollan and Barbara Kingsolver wrote best-selling books about eating foods grown locally, Ms. Johnson, with a long-necked English watering can perpetually in hand, was cultivating an awareness of how lettuce grown au naturel can also feed the soul.

    As a wife and mother of two, Wendy combines her 30-year training in organic agriculture with a commitment to teaching meditation engaged with the life of the world. She leads meditations, walks, lectures, and workshops, and has written a regular column in Tricycle magazine for the last eight years. In this San Francisco Chronicle article, Wendy’s new book is described as sharing a lifetime of wisdom on the relationship between the land and those who must learn to live on it.

    Sangha, Thank You for the Move!

    Published May 6th, 2008

    I want to thank the sangha for all of your help with the move. With all of the hands that pitched in, we were able to move the entire zendo in less than an hour and a half before sitting down for pizza (seen in photo to the left).

    And thank you to those who gave donations to cover some of the expenses of the move, who loaned us your cars for the move, and who pitched in on food and drinks. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

    Finally, I want to thank Claudia and Grady again for all of the years we spent in our original zendo. Without our first zendo, there would be no Brooklyn Zen Center.

    A deep bow to all of you.

    How to Cook Your Life

    Published May 5th, 2008

    The documentary, How to Cook Your Life, with Zen Buddhist chef, Edward Espe Brown, is released on DVD tomorrow, May 6th. The following description is from the web site:

    Filmmaker Doris Dörrie turns her attention to Buddhism and that age-old saying, you are what you eat. In How To Cook Your Life, Dörrie enlists the help of the charismatic Zen Master Edward Espe Brown to explain the guiding principles of Zen Buddhism as they apply to the preparation of food as well as life itself. “How a person goes about dealing with the ingredients for his meals” explains Dörrie “says a lot about him. How To Cook Your Life teaches us to be attentive in our everyday dealings with the most mundane things and also open our eyes to one of the most beautiful occupations: cooking.”

    Dharma Talk by Teah Strozer - Every Day Dharma

    Published May 1st, 2008

    Teah Strozer gave this talk, entitled Every Day Dharma, at San Francisco Zen Center on February 23rd, 2008. In the talk, she discusses the workings of the mind and her work at The Bay School of San Francisco. Click here if you are interested in hearing it.

    Bow for a Harmonious and Peaceful World

    Published April 30th, 2008

    The following is from an email by Nick Gershberg of Kwan Um Zen Sangha that was forwarded to me by BZC sangha member, Claudia Vieira.

    On Sunday, May 4th at Union Square Park (14th st), the NY Buddhist community will be celebrating the 20th Annual Lotus Lantern Parade (itinerary below). I am writing both to inform you about this great event and to pass along a special request from our visiting monk, Ildon Sunim. Starting at 2pm, members of various sanghas will begin chanting, bowing, meditating, etc, in a demonstration of solidarity and great vow in light of the many injustices and atrocities befalling our world. Ildon Sunim has vowed to perform 1,000 bows on behalf of our sangha provided that at least a few others join her. You would NOT need to do all 1,000 bows- even if a few people volunteered to chant, sit or do 108 bows along side Ildon Sunim, it would be great. So often, our vows are not answered with direct action. This is a great opportunity to show support for sangha, community and all beings, everywhere. Moreover, the Lantern Parade is a really beautiful event, not to be missed. If you can participate, please contact my email (nick.gershberg@gmail.com) so we can coordinate the effort. Thanks!

    20th Annual Lotus Lantern Parade, Sunday, May 4th, 2008

    1pm Pouring of Perfume on the Buddha’s Statue
    2pm Pray for a Harmonious and Peaceful World
    6pm Celebration of Buddhas Birthday
    7pm Lotus Lantern Parade (14th st. & 6th ave to 32nd st. & Broadway)

    New BZC Web Site and Blog

    Published April 29th, 2008

    Brooklyn Zen Center has launched a new blog-enabled web site to keep the BZC sangha informed of relevant events, thoughts, resources, and happenings within our community as well as in the larger New York and global Buddhist world.

    I want to thank Ian Case for traveling far and wide across Park Slope to shoot the photos that have been added throughout this new site. Also, I want to thank Jeff Questad, who, between cornea transplant operations, helped me during his weekends and evenings to write the code for much of the functionality of this site that was beyond my capabilities. Thanks to you both.

    If you would like the blog posts to be delivered to your RSS reader or to your email box, you are able to enable either of these functions in the right hand column of the site. Click the gray button under BZC RSS Feed to enable your RSS feed. Enter your email address in the subscribe field to have the posts sent to your inbox.

    I hope that you enjoy the new site.

    Remembering Marvin Mercer

    Published April 14th, 2008

    For those of you who remember him, Marvin Mercer came with Darlene during her first visit to Boundless Mind Zendo. Laura and Marvin also took their lay precepts together. Marvin recently died at the age of 81. This is the posting from San Francisco Zen Center, where he lived and practiced:

    Marvin Ray Mercer was born in Orange County, Florida on November 17, 1927. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters during his working life. He was ordained by Darlene Cohen on November 17, 2007 and was given the name Shinzan Yushin, which means “Deep Mountains, Companion of What is Real.” He served as Shuso [head student] at the Russian River Zendo in January of 2007. Close friend and RRZ sangha mate Lisa Hoffman remembers Marvin saying that the last 10 years of his life were his best, and that the happiest he’d ever been in his entire life were the last three years. Marvin had been a resident of City Center for many years, a quiet and steady behind-the-scenes presence, often filling in for the least favorite jobs around the temple, such as doing dishes on the weekends and keeping the zendo open during the twice yearly Interim weeks when most residents choose to sleep in. Along with Senior Dharma Teacher Zenkei Blanche Hartman and Lou Hartman, Marvin participated in/played the mokugyo for daily well-being ceremonies in City Center’s Buddha Hall.

    Marvin’s joy came from Buddha, Dharma and Sangha and his death reflected his joy — his small ICU room was packed with 30 people, who chanted, told him they loved him and who was waiting for him in the mystery. Darlene, recovering from a recent surgery, joined the group’s chanting via cell phone. Marvin’s rakusu and okesa were draped over him.

    On Saturday, March 22, 2008, at about 9:00 p.m., Marvin passed on to the great mystery. It was a peaceful passing. One of ICU nurses observed, “He is having a beautiful death”; he looks wonderful, radiant, and at ease. About that experience, Lisa Hoffman writes, “The doctors and nursing staff told us they had never seen anything like the sendoff we gave Marvin. When one nurse asked me if Marvin had family, I explained that he had one sister he had no contact with, and that we are his family. And she said, ‘What a loving family. And what a large family!’”