Zen Mountain Monastery

Zen Mountain Monastery, also known by its Japanese name Doshinji, meaning 'Temple of the Way of Reality,' is a prominent Zen Buddhist monastery and training center. Situated on a 220-acre forested property in the Catskill Mountains near Mount Tremper, New York, it was founded in 1980 by John Daido Loori, initially as the Zen Arts Center.

History and Tradition

The monastery integrates both the Rinzai and Sōtō Zen traditions, lineages in which Loori received Dharma transmission. The site itself has a history dating back to the 1930s, when it was established as Camp Wapanachki. The significant Arts and Crafts style stone and wood frame buildings, including the main house and chapel, were constructed between approximately 1935 and 1938. Loori purchased the property on September 30, 1980, laying the foundation for the monastery's development.

Buildings and Grounds

Zen Mountain Monastery comprises a variety of structures supporting its community and operational needs. The Main House, built in phases between 1929 and 1936, is a historic landmark at both national and state levels, housing the meditation hall, dining area, and living quarters. Completed in 2012, the Sangha House offers a performance hall, store, library, and other facilities. The Jizo House, finished in 2021, enhances accessibility for retreat participants and includes specialized quarters. Other facilities include administrative offices, a traditional Japanese tea house, a cemetery for monastics and lay students, hermitages for dedicated practice, and various housing units for practitioners. The monastery also maintains gardens that supply fresh produce and flowers.

Training and Community

Under the guidance of its teachers, residents and students practice according to Daido Roshi's Eight Gates of Zen training matrix, which encompasses zazen, teaching, liturgy, ethics, work, body, art, and study. The monastery hosts public Sunday programs, weekend retreats, and week-long intensive meditation sessions (sesshin), often focusing on diverse artistic and physical practices. Zen Mountain Monastery is the principal center for the Mountains and Rivers Order, an organization inspired by the teachings of Dogen. This order includes branches such as Dharma Communications, which publishes the journal Mountain Record, the Society of Mountains and Rivers, the National Buddhist Archives, the Zen Environmental Studies Institute, the National Buddhist Prison Sangha, and Fire Lotus Temple in New York City. Monastic practitioners at the monastery take vows of simplicity and service, dedicating themselves entirely to the community's sustenance and future.