The Zen Studies Society marks 50 years of Rinzai Zen practice at Dai Bosatsu Zendo.
Founded in 1976 as the mountain monastery of the Zen Studies Society, Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji was established as a place for sustained training in the Rinzai Zen tradition. Built on the banks of Beecher Lake amongst 1,400 acres of forest and meadow, the monastery has served as a home for Zen practice and communal life for five decades.
Over these fifty years, countless practitioners have come to Dai Bosatsu Zendo to experience the Dharma, guided by teachers and supported by the rhythms of daily training. This anniversary is an opportunity to reflect, express gratitude, and celebrate the shared effort that has shaped this place and our practice across generations.
The Zen Studies Society will mark this milestone with several events, including the traditional Anniversary Sesshin and an exceptional 50th Anniversary Celebration. We warmly invite you to join us.
Anniversary Sesshin
Let us gather on Dai Bosatsu mountain and sit with all our might to requite the beneficence of the great founding teachers whose endless vow brought Dai Bosatsu Zendo into being!
This seven-day sesshin will be led by Abbot Chigan Roshi and Abbess Emerita Shinge Roshi. Sesshin is the heart of Zen training. Gathering on Dai Bosatsu mountain, we will sit together in silence and shared effort, honoring the founding teachers and the generations of practitioners whose vow and commitment brought this monastery into being.
LEARN ABOUT THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY SESSHIN
A gathering will be held at Dai Bosatsu Zendo on Saturday, July 4th, 2026, to mark 50 years of our continuous Zen practice.
This celebration offers an opportunity to come together as a wider Sangha to acknowledge the history of Dai Bosatsu Zendo, reflect on the practice that has unfolded here over five decades, and give thanks for the collective effort that has sustained the monastery over time.
Space is limited. We ask those who would like to attend to pre-register an expression of interest using the form below. Further details and official invitations will be confirmed in April or May. Priority for attendance will be given to Anniversary Sesshin participants. The fee for this event is $150 and is not included in the Anniversary Sesshin fee.
Support the 50th Anniversary
Donations to the Zen Studies Society help make the 50th Anniversary of Dai Bosatsu Zendo possible. Your support contributes to the costs of commemorating this milestone and sustaining the conditions for practice. Funds not used for anniversary-related expenses will be used to to support the broader activities of the Zen Society.
DONATE TO THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY