Our Values

We value the core practice of zazen and the teaching of Soto Zen Buddhism.

We respect the traditional forms and honor them by expressing them in ways that are accessible and appropriate to our sangha.

We value the pursuit of spiritual growth at all stages of life.

We provide training and its benefits as appropriate for all stages of life. The three bases of Buddhist training are virtue, meditative awareness, and wisdom.

We value the great diversity of our sangha, including race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, creed, religious background, ability, income, family status, and level of practice.

We intend that there be no exclusion from our community or its training opportunities on the basis of social identities or immigration status. We actively seek to dismantle oppressive systems and address the needs of our community members.

We will stand up against any intolerance and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, creed, religious background, ability, income, family status or level of practice. We will support the care of our environment, including people, animals, plants and minerals. We will support the human rights of all. We do this in order to uphold our vow to free all beings.

We place a high value on community as an expression of our interdependence.

Following the Bodhisattva way, we nourish a community with a shared commitment to conscious, wise and virtuous action for the benefit of all beings.

We value our inter-relatedness with communities of the larger world.

We understand that our Bodhisattva vow commits us to actions that benefit the common life of the larger community. This includes the neighborhoods we practice in, other Zen centers, and the civic communities of which we are a part.