Sonoma Mountain Zen Center

Sonoma Mountain Zen Center

Information
Founded	1973
People
Founder(s)	Jakusho Kwong Laura Kwong
Abbot(s)	Jakusho Kwong
Location
Address	6367 Sonoma Mountain Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Country	United States
Website	www.smzc.net/

Sonoma Mountain Zen Center (or, Genjoji) is a Soto Zen practice center located on 80 acres (30 ha) in the mountainous region of Sonoma County in California—near Santa Rosa—carrying on the tradition and lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. Founded by Jakusho Kwong and his wife Laura Kwong in 1973, Kwong-roshi is the current guiding teacher of the Zen center. Offering residential training, Sonoma Mountain Zen Center also offers a practice regimen for members of the surrounding area and elsewhere who are not residents.

About

Sonoma Mountain Zen Center was established by Jakusho Kwong and his wife Laura Kwong in 1973. According to the book Opening the Mountain, "Bill and Laura Kwong had moved to Mill Valley and began a little 'put away zendo.' It took place in a neighborhood hall. Every morning, mats, cushions, and altar were put away so other uses of the room could happen. In 1973 the Kwongs and their four sons moved one county north. Classes Bill taught at Sonoma State University gave birth to Sonoma Mountain Zen Center."^[1] A self-sustaining institution, the Zen center supports itself through members donations, proceeds from its Zen Dust bookstore, and by offering rooms for rental.^[2] Author Sarah Ban Breathnach described the center in her book A Man's Journey to Simple Abundance:

"Near the top of the mountain, the road dips, bends, then snakes through a small grove of redwoods. The dense tree canopy blocks all ambient light, so that when you emerge on the other side of the grove, you feel as though you've passed through a portal into another world. It's a fitting way to approach Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, because people there view reality just a little bit differently from the way most of us do."^[3]

Gallery

On September 16, 2012, a groundbreaking ceremony took place at Sonoma Mountain Zen Center:

Entrance of the abbott
Kyūdō as part of the ceremony
The abbott during the ceremony
Speech at the end of the ceremony

Notes

↑ Davis, 122-123
↑ Holender, 131
↑ Ban Breathnach, 83

References

Ban Breathnach, Sarah; Segell, Michael (2001). A Man's Journey to Simple Abundance. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-0696-7.
Davis, Matthew; Scott, Michael Farrell (2006). Opening the Mountain: Circumabulating Mount Tamalpais, A Ritual Walk. Shoemaker & Hoard. ISBN 1-59376-127-9.
Holender, Allan (2006). Zentrepreneurism: A Twenty-first Century Guide to the New World of Business. Write Action Publishing. ISBN 0-9780837-0-9.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sonoma Mountain Zen Center.

Sonoma Mountain Zen Center

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Foundations	Three Jewels Buddha Dharma Sangha Four Noble Truths Noble Eightfold Path Nirvana Middle Way

The Buddha	Tathāgata Birthday Four sights Physical characteristics Footprint Iconography in Laos and Thailand Films Miracles Family Suddhodāna (father) Māyā (mother) Mahapajapati Gotamī (aunt, adoptive mother) Yasodhara (wife) Rāhula (son) Ānanda (cousin) Devadatta (cousin) Places where the Buddha stayed Buddha in world religions

Key concepts	Dharma Three Marks of Existence Impermanence Dukkha Anatta Pratītyasamutpāda Skandha Karma Rebirth Saṃsāra Saṅkhāra Kleshas Ignorance Craving Five hindrances Ten Fetters Indriya Enlightenment Parinirvana Tathātā Dharmas Two truths doctrine Śūnyatā Bodhicitta Bodhisattva Buddha-nature Mindstream

Cosmology	Ten spiritual realms Six realms Heaven Human realm Asura realm Hungry Ghost realm Animal realm Hell Three planes of existence

Practices	Refuge Buddhist devotion Puja Offerings Prostration Chanting Merit Paritta Dāna Nekkhamma Śīla Five Precepts Bodhisattva vow Prātimokṣa Threefold Training Śīla Samadhi Prajñā Brahmavihara Mettā Karuṇā Mudita Upekkha Pāramitā Bodhipakkhiyādhammā Seven Factors of Enlightenment Sati Dhamma vicaya Pīti Passaddhi Vīrya Four Right Exertions Iddhipada Five Strengths Faith Mindfulness Satipatthana Dhyāna Bhavana Satya Sacca Meditation Mantras Kammaṭṭhāna Recollection Smarana Anapanasati Samatha Vipassana movement Shikantaza Zazen Kōan Mandala Tonglen Tantra Tertön Terma

Nirvana	Bodhi Buddhahood Pratyekabuddha Bodhisattva Four stages of enlightenment Sotāpanna Sakadagami Anāgāmi Arhat

Monasticism	Bhikkhu Bhikkhuni Śrāmaṇera Śrāmaṇerī Anagarika Ajahn Sayadaw Zen master Rōshi Lama Rinpoche Geshe Tulku Householder Upāsaka and Upāsikā Śrāvaka The ten principal disciples Shaolin Monastery

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Coordinates: 38°22′1″N 122°34′42″W / 38.36694°N 122.57833°W / 38.36694; -122.57833

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