Bishop Akiba’s Dream: And Visions of Zen in North America

Bishop Akiba’s Dream: And Visions of Zen in North America September 29, 2016

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Bishop Gengo Akiba, head of the continental North American branch of the Japanese Soto Zen Buddhist sect, has been advocating for the building of a traditional Japanese style Zen monastic complex in North America for well over a decade. He has been working with both Japanese officialdom and the diverse convert community with a vision just slightly tailored to each group’s style.

For the Japanese it is an offer of a traditional, read “authentic” Zen training venue in North America. For the Westerners it is meant as a complement to the already existing training monasteries in North America and beyond that allows an experience of training more closely like it is found in Japan than anywhere else, but also available to all the lineages that have established themselves here, something that doesn’t yet exist anywhere else, and all of it taught in English.

The project is called Tenpyozan.

They have three goals for the monastery.

1) Preservation: maintain and transmit the traditions of Soto Zen practice for future generations.
2) Translation: interpret and adapt Zen teaching and practice to allow access for a global community.
3) Cross-pollination: experiments at the intersection of ancient wisdom and contemporary concerns in culture, art, science, nature, and technology. Collaborating with thinkers and makers, and other wisdom traditions, to build a green and peaceful world for all beings.

The bishop has acquired property in Lake County, about three hours north of San Francisco in California. He cajoled people to donate a pre cut traditional Japanese temple, the pieces are now stacked securely at the property. And, construction is now underway. As you can see in the photo at the top, the main building’s frame is already up.

What it needs, of course, is financial support.

If you think this project is worthy a gift for as little as thirty-five dollars will get your name inscribed on the inside of one of the roof tiles. I really like that. To learn more about that go here.

For more on the project itself, go here.


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