Buddha Gate Monastery

Buddha Gate Monastery offers weekly classes in the fundamentals of Zen Buddhism and meditation throughout the year. The classes and meditation sessions are given both in English and in Chinese.

There are beginning, intermediate, and advanced Buddhism classes. Some of the topics covered in the classes are: the history of Zen Buddhism and the teachings of the Buddha such as "The Four Noble Truths," "The Noble Eightfold Path," "Emptiness and the Middle Way," and "The Principle of Causality." Students who have completed the advanced classes can attend Sutra study classes in which selected Buddhist Sutras are studied in depth.

In the meditation sessions, students are taught the different methods of meditation, namely breath counting, mindfulness of the breath, and middle way reality. The meditation hall at Buddha Gate can accommodate up to 80 participants. The atmosphere is serene and inductive to quiet inner contemplation. Meditation needs expert guidance and discipline. The purpose of Zen meditation is to help us reach an understanding of the difficult problems in life and thereby gain true wisdom, clarity, and peace of mind. The way to achieve this is not by external analysis but by probing inward into our own minds.

Students who wish to further improve their meditation skills can participate in the seven-day, one-day, or half-day Zen meditation retreats as well as the meditation workshops. These are held regularly and are conducted both in English and in Chinese. The retreats are usually filled to capacity as more and more people come to realize the need for this precious time of inward illumination and awareness.