San Francisco Zen Center Report

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Introduction

I am at the San Francisco Zen Center, also known as Beginner’s Mind temple in the San Francisco Bay area. It is a part of Soto Zen tradition. Soto Zen is currently the biggest school of Zen in the world. It is a religious practice that focuses on a special training of both body and mind. The overall goal of this practice is Self-Realization.

Main body

Zen teachers often mention the Zen mind, which means to reach another level of consciousness, to know yourself, and understand who you are. Every single Soto Zen student should follow a doctrine of the unity of mind and soul. Special attention is devoted to proper nutrition since it is an important aspect of this practice. There are many other activities in Zen practice besides seated meditation, which are often forgotten. Buddhist initiation is an intriguing ceremony. Jukai (Buddhist initiation ritual) ceremony takes place at the Buddha Hall. It starts with the offering of incense sticks and bowing down to Buddha as they are sprinkled with special water. Everyone who has completed an initiation receives a new Buddhist name and verified identity papers.

Beginner’s mind temple is interesting from the architectural point of view. Symbols in this temple represent Soto Zen practice. While the temple looks modern, its architecture is still faithful to traditions. Every single object in this temple helps to form a relaxing atmosphere, which helps to meditate. Meditation is one of the core practices of Soto Zen. Some people meditate in the hallway if they are late and meditation has already begun in the zendo (meditation hall). Most of the time there are two meditation sessions, both are 40 minutes long. It begins with the teacher hitting a gong, which makes it an essential object of this practice. It is forbidden to touch the gong. Students must stay silent during most of the ceremonies, and all the instructions are provided by teachers. Some believe that during meditation it is possible to achieve a spiritual descent to Buddha. Students are seated on special cushions, which are also essential for Soto Zen practice. Art pieces at the center are an impressive and wonderful sight to behold. Zen art is extraordinary and beautiful; it helps to represent a culture in the best way.

A sacred detail that I find to be personally appealing is a statue of Buddha, also known as the Awakened One. Even though I am not able to touch it, I can enjoy a splendid view. I am amazed by the statue because it is masterfully done and it looks truly sacred. It is so important to this culture because Soto Zen is based on Buddha’s teachings. The difference of Soto Zen from other traditions is that Buddha is not a god or a savior; he is a teacher who is capable of enlightening the masses. He was extremely influential and had followers all over the world. There are statues of Buddhist deities nearby, that are also magnificent. I am fascinated by how different and unique they are. Buddha statue is the center of every ceremony. Candles on the altar are lit-up during ceremonies. It helps students to train, strengthen their spirit and test their senses. Another important object of the Zen tradition that I find appealing is a bucket of orchid flowers because I find it amusing how such a small object may have so much meaning. They represent purity in Buddhism and were grown in the Green Gulch garden, which belongs to the Soto Zen community. They are a part of the offering.

References

Home | San Francisco Zen Center. (2015). Www.Sfzc.Org.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2022, January 26). San Francisco Zen Center. https://ivypanda.com/essays/san-francisco-zen-center/

Work Cited

"San Francisco Zen Center." IvyPanda, 26 Jan. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/san-francisco-zen-center/.

References

IvyPanda. (2022) 'San Francisco Zen Center'. 26 January.

References

IvyPanda. 2022. "San Francisco Zen Center." January 26, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/san-francisco-zen-center/.

1. IvyPanda. "San Francisco Zen Center." January 26, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/san-francisco-zen-center/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "San Francisco Zen Center." January 26, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/san-francisco-zen-center/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1