At Berkeley Buddhist Monastery
Weekly events
Avatamsaka Sutra Lecture
Saturdays, 7:30-9:30pm
Lecturer: Rev. Heng Sure
Every Saturday evening at 7:30 PM (PST) the Berkeley Monastery community gathers to listen to a lecture on the Flower Adornment Sutra. We investigate the sutra text line by line and endeavor to bring its ancient wisdom up to date for our modern lives in the 21st century. The Sutras point directly to the path of liberation from suffering. Our founder, Ven. Master Hsuan Hua began the work of lecturing on Mahayana sutras in the West in 1969; carrying on this legacy keeps the teachings of the Bodhisattva Path alive as a oasis of clarity and kindness in our contemporary world. Lectures are made available online through webcast. Archives of lectures are at www.dharmaradio.org.
Integrated Yoga and Qigong
Mondays, 7:30-9pm
Lecturer: Amelia Barili
Learn simple and remarkably effective techniques to awaken your natural powers of healing. The time spent practicing these methods will be returned and multiplied by your growing ability to generate personal vitality, balance and well being. Yoga and Qigong combined can help you cure chronic ailments, deepen your meditation practice, increase your creativity, overcome pain and attain radiant health.
Monthly gathering with monks from Abhayagiri Monastery
First Tuesday of every month, 7:30-9:30pm
Lecturer: Monks from Abhayagiri Monastery
Abhayagiri Monastery is the first monastery in the United States to be established by followers of Ajahn Chah, a respected Buddhist master of the ancient Thai Forest Tradition of Theravada Buddhism. The Sanghapala Meditation Group meets at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. Exception: during the Winter Retreat (January- March) when a guest teacher is scheduled, a monastic is in attendance and presents a Dhamma talk and leads the group in chanting and meditation
Wednesday Night Buddhist Meditation Course
Wednesdays, 7:30-9:00pm
Instructor: Steven Tainer
The course will offer detailed instruction concerning methods and stages of mind training and meditation (dhyana), as this has been understood by various Buddhist schools (Indian Mahayana, Theravada, Tibetan Mahayana, and T'ien-t'ai). It will also cover the theory, terminology, literature and history associated with such training, and will offer some comparisons with non-Buddhist traditions, including those found in Western religions like Christianity. The objective is to provide an opportunity to explore and consider traditional Buddhist shamatha (peaceful abiding) mind training and ways this latter facilitates entry into early stages of vipashyana (insight) “nature of mind” contemplation. It is intended as an introduction to a subsequent course on the essential practice and realization of the Chinese Ch’an tradition, to be taught in a later semester.
Thursday Vipassana Meditation
Thursdays, 7:30 - 9:30 pm
Instructor: James Baraz
James Baraz has practiced vipassana meditation since 1974 and started the Thursday group in 1980. He is a co-founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and leads meditation retreats there, as well as nationally and internationally. Group Meditation followed by a Dharma lecture. Archived lecture can be found here.
Friday Night Meditation Class
Fridays, 7:30 - 9 pm
Instructor: Professor Martin Verhoeven.
Forty-five minutes of silent meditation followed by a talk and discussion of the Sixth Patriarch Sutra, an important text of the Zen tradition detailing the life and teachings of Master Hui-neng, a 6th century Chinese Buddhist monk. The text teaches the doctrines of no-thought and non-duality, leading one to direct perception of the true and awakened nature within all living beings. Suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners.
Sunday Morning Meditation Session
Sundays *, 8:30 - 10:45 am
Instructor: Professor Martin Verhoeven.
In conjunction with the Friday Night Meditation Class, Professor Martin Verhoeven also leads an more immersive Sunday morning meditation session, where participants sit in two 50 minute blocks, followed by 30 minutes of questions and answers. *Every other Sunday, calculate from March 7th.
Daily Events
Open Meditation
Morning and Evening
Daily 6:15 - 7:15 AM and 5:15 - 6:15 PM
The Meditation Hall is available daily at this time for sitting meditation without instruction.
Evening Chanting
Daily 6:30 - 7:30 PM
Traditional Buddhist Evening Ceremony is held every evening. All are welcome to participate or observe.
Tai Ji Quan
[Tuesday-Friday Mornings]
Daily 6:30 - 8:00 AM
Guang Ping Yang Style
Instructor: Futung Cheng
Special Events
First Tuesday of every month - the Sanghapala Meditation Group meets at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. Exception: during the Winter Retreat (January- March) when a guest teacher is scheduled, a monastic is in attendance and presents a Dhamma talk and leads the group in chanting and meditation, 7:30-9:30 pm.
