Zen Studies Society

DBZ: Intro to Zen Weekend
2025-03-21 16:00 - 2025-03-23 14:00, 2025-04-25 16:00 - 2025-04-27 14:00 (America/New_York) | Dai Bosatsu Zendo, 223 Beecher Lake Road, Livingston Manor, NY, 12758
Join us for a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Rinzai Zen Buddhist practice at Dai Bosatsu Zendo, our monastery deep in the Catskill Mountains. Led by teachers and senior students from the Zen Studies Society, Introduction to Zen is an intensive weekend focused on the three essentials of Zen Buddhist practice — zazen (seated meditation with attention to posture and breath), chanting, and samu (work practice).
You will also learn how to use jihatsu (traditional nesting bowls) and to eat attentively in silence. The weekend will include a Dharma talk and a question-and-answer period, concluding with an informal lunch and group discussion on Sunday. No prior experience necessary.
The fee is $250 for nonmembers and $225 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the Member price is for Members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member of ZSS. If you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Entering the Zen Kitchen // Waiting List Only
2025-05-01 17:00 - 2025-05-04 14:00
Registration is now closed. Please email office@daibosatsu.org to be placed on the waiting list. Sign up for the ZSS Newsletter to receive information on upcoming events.

The Water Is Your Own Life: Entering the Zen Kitchen
A single grain of rice contains limitless possibilities. How will you illuminate them?
Join Muken Sensei, daitenzo (head cook) at Dai Bosatsu Zendo, for a three-day exploration of Zen practice in the monastery kitchen. The tradition of Zen monastic cooking, established in the earliest Chinese Buddhist temples, unites sharp attention with a nurturing heart to bring elegant meals from simple, seasonal ingredients to life. In the Zen kitchen, nothing is wasted – every movement becomes meditation, a reverential offering.
This workshop will begin with an introduction to Buddhist temple cooking and formal Zen meals, using jihatsu (nested bowls). Participants will practice preparing and serving nutritious vegetarian meals for the monastic community, working intuitively with few recipes. While carefully attending to the subtleties of flavor and the harmony of ingredients, participants will learn essential kitchen skills including knife techniques, dish presentation, and the art of no-waste. Drawing from a variety of culinary traditions, this course will invite participants to discover how to bring the practice of Zen cooking into their own kitchens.
The weekend includes regular zazen (seated meditation) with the monastery residents, as well as a group discussion around Dogen Zenji’s Instructions to the Cook, the foundational text for the Zen kitchen. Participants will also have the opportunity to forage for edible plants on the monastery grounds. No prior cooking experience is necessary, all that is needed is a curious mind and a sense of adventure.
Muken Mark Barber Sensei has served as daitenzo of Dai Bosatsu Zendo since 2020. Currently a teacher-in-residence at New York Zendo Shobo-ji, he began tenzo work at the Zen Center of Syracuse and has worked as a bread baker in Manhattan.
This workshop will be limited to six participants. The fee for this course is $175 for nonmembers and $150 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

DBZ: 49th Anniversary Sesshin // Waiting List Only
2025-06-28 16:00 - 2025-07-05 14:00
Registration is now closed. Please email office@daibosatsu.org to be placed on the waiting list. Sign up for the ZSS Newsletter to receive information on upcoming events.

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!
Led by Abbot Chigan Roshi and Abbess Emerita Shinge Roshi, this seven-day sesshin commemorates the 49th Anniversary of Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji, which opened its doors on July 4, 1976. For more detail and to see a typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $525 for nonmembers and $475 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. No one will be turned away for lack of funds, please contact office@daibosatsu.org for support. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: O-Bon Samu Sesshin (Waiting List Only)
2025-08-03 - 2025-08-10
Registration is now closed. Please email office@daibosatsu.org to be placed on the waiting list. Sign up for the ZSS Events Newsletter to receive information on upcoming events.

The days leading up to O-Bon offer a unique opportunity to participate in traditional Rinzai monastic practice, working with the monastery residents to prepare the O-Bon festival in a modified sesshin schedule that includes short morning service, zazen (meditation), daily samu (work practice), daily Dai Segaki chanting, dokusan (one-on-one interviews with a teacher), and teisho (Dharma talks).
Early August at Dai Bosatsu mountain is a wild and beautiful dream-like setting where the boundaries between the tangible world and the endless realms seem to dissolve.
O-Bon Samu Sesshin ends Friday afternoon before the official start of O-Bon Weekend and the Opening Fire that evening.
There is no fee for the O-Bon Samu Sesshin, but please consider purchasing a tiered-price ticket or making a donation to help cover the cost of your stay. If you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: O-Bon (Waiting List Only)
2025-08-08 16:00 - 2025-08-10 12:00
Registration is now closed. Please email office@daibosatsu.org to be placed on the waiting list. Sign up for the ZSS Events Newsletter to receive information on upcoming events.

Join Chigan Roshi and Shinge Roshi for this beautiful and moving ceremony at which we we honor our ancestors, family members, and other loved ones who have passed away; as well as the hungry ghosts within and outside us.
O-Bon begins on Friday evening as we welcome the spirits with a ceremonial fire. On Saturday we paint their names on paper lanterns and gather for the O-Bon dinner offering. We then hold a traditional chanting service which includes calling out the names of the deceased. Chigan Roshi will give a teisho (Dharma talk) following this service.
Finally, we light our lanterns and make a silent, candle-lit procession to the bank of Beecher Lake, where we float our glowing lanterns across the dark waters while chanting Namu Dai Bosa. A bonfire and festive refreshments complete the evening. On Sunday morning, we gather in the zendo for short morning service and zazen, followed by an informal breakfast.
If you are not able to attend and would like the names of your deceased loved ones to be read aloud during the ceremony, please email their names to office@daibosatsu.org by August 7 and consider making a donation.
The fee for this weekend is $325 for nonmembers and $250 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here. If you would like to discuss a family rate, please email office@daibosatsu.org.

DBZ: Ohashi Touch, Zen Touch
2025-08-29 16:00 - 2025-09-01 17:00
Ohashi and instructors will teach the essence of the OHASHIMethod – offering effective techniques that achieve the joy of giving and receiving. Lessons will include the principles of tonus, cross-patterning for fluidity of movement, the correspondence between mother and messenger hand, and the importance of hara. Comparisons and parallels to Pilates and Yoga will also be explored.
There will be class each morning with Ohashi and a Certified Ohashiatsu® Instructor, and supervised practice sessions in the afternoon. In their free time, participants may hike the grounds, swim and boat in the lake, or simply rest.
The course is open to students at all levels. The course runs from Saturday, August 30th through Monday, September 1st, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You must arrive on Friday, August 29th, by 4:00 p.m. to check in. If you are coming from overseas, we strongly advise you to arrive on Thursday, August 28.
Ohashi and Kazu will arrive on Wednesday, August 27th. All students are encouraged to arrive early and join them at Dai Bosatsu Zendo.
ATTENTION: The cost for this course is in addition to the Room & Board fee. To register and pay for the course please visit OHASHIMethod. See room reservation information below.
All default room reservations include Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday night (check in August 29th, check out September 1st). You may also reserve additional nights. Room and Board fee includes 3 meals a day. All room information is available here. To book a standard monastery room, purchase a ticket below. To book a renovated room in the Beecher House, or for any questions, please email juyo@zenstudies.org. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
Tutorials & Sessions: During Ohashi’s visit, he will conduct a special 4-person tutorial for dedicated students and practitioners. This is a one-on-one learning opportunity to “work with” and “work on” Ohashi. Individual sessions will be available from Ohashi and Certified Ohashiatsu® Instructors.
There is an additional cost for Tutorials and Sessions. Please visit OHASHI-Method.biz for the complete schedule and to reserve your place for Ohashi’s Tutorials and Sessions.

DBZ: Intro to Zen Weekend | WAITING LIST ONLY
2025-09-19 16:00 - 2025-09-21 14:00
Registration is now closed. Please email office@daibosatsu.org to be placed on the waiting list. Sign up for the ZSS Newsletter to receive information on upcoming events.

Join us for a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Rinzai Zen Buddhist practice at Dai Bosatsu Zendo, our monastery deep in the Catskill Mountains. Led by teachers and senior students from the Zen Studies Society, Introduction to Zen is an intensive weekend focused on the three essentials of Zen Buddhist practice — zazen (seated meditation with attention to posture and breath), chanting, and samu (work practice).
You will also learn how to use jihatsu (traditional nesting bowls) and to eat attentively in silence. The weekend will include a Dharma talk and a question-and-answer period, concluding with an informal lunch and group discussion on Sunday. No prior experience necessary.
The fee is $250 for nonmembers and $225 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the Member price is for Members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member of ZSS. If you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Aiho Yasuko Shimano Burial Service
2025-09-27 11:00 - 14:30
Aiho Yasuko Shimano
March 5, 1935 – July 7, 2025
Please join us at Dai Bosatsu Zendo for a memorial service and the interment of Aiho Yasuko Shimano.
Aiho-san was the former Director of New York Zendo Shobo-ji and the spouse of Eido Shimano Roshi. With this memorial service and interment, Aiho-san’s ashes are returning to Dai Bosatsu Zendo and will be placed next to her late husband in the Shimano Family plot in Sangha Meadow.
Following the service, an informal vegetarian sarei-style lunch will be offered in the dining room. There will be an opportunity to meet with Chigan Roshi after the event concludes.
All are welcome, please register by purchasing a ticket below. A donation of $20 to cover the cost of lunch is kindly requested. Additional donations are always welcome, every offering is greatly appreciated. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Golden Wind Sesshin
2025-10-04 16:00 - 2025-10-11 14:00, 2026-10-03 16:00 - 2026-10-10 14:00
A monk asked Ummon, “What will happen when the leaves fall and the trees become bare?”
Ummon said, “Golden wind!”
Join us for a week of silence at Golden Wind Sesshin led by Chigan Roshi. As autumn paints the trees brilliant gold and the wind turns cool and crisp, experience the beauty on Dai Bosatsu Mountain as you clear and refresh your heart and mind. For more details and the typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $550 for nonmembers and $475 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

DBZ: Harvest Sesshin // Waiting List Only
2025-11-04 16:00 - 2025-11-09 14:00
Registration is now closed. Please email office@daibosatsu.org to be placed on the waiting list. Sign up for the ZSS Newsletter to receive information on upcoming events.

Led by Chigan Roshi, we come together during Harvest Sesshin amid the austere beauty of November on Dai Bosatsu Mountain. As we sit together in deep silence, we experience the profound stillness that inspires us to encounter our true nature.
For more details and the typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $500 for nonmembers and $425 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

DBZ: Jukai Ceremony
2025-11-09 11:00 - 14:30
Please join us for the 2025 Jukai (Ten Precepts) ceremony at Dai Bosatsu Zendo. Led by Chigan Roshi, this ceremony will witness and honor the commitments of this year’s Jukai students, who will vow to uphold the Zen precepts for lay students. These students will formally become Buddhists and will receive a Dharma name and a rakusu (traditional Japanese garment worn by those who take the precepts).
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., just after the closing of Harvest sesshin. There will be a celebratory informal lunch after the ceremony.
The fee is $25 for the ceremony and lunch. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Intro to Zen Weekend | WAITING LIST ONLY
2025-11-14 16:00 - 2025-11-16 14:00
Registration is now closed. Please email office@daibosatsu.org to be placed on the waiting list. Sign up for the ZSS Newsletter to receive information on upcoming events.

Join us for a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Rinzai Zen Buddhist practice at Dai Bosatsu Zendo, our monastery deep in the Catskill Mountains. Led by teachers and senior students from the Zen Studies Society, Introduction to Zen is an intensive weekend focused on the three essentials of Zen Buddhist practice — zazen (seated meditation with attention to posture and breath), chanting, and samu (work practice).
You will also learn how to use jihatsu (traditional nesting bowls) and to eat attentively in silence. The weekend will include a Dharma talk and a question-and-answer period, concluding with an informal lunch and group discussion on Sunday. No prior experience necessary.
The fee is $250 for nonmembers and $225 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the Member price is for ZSS Members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member of ZSS. If you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Rohatsu Sesshin // Registration is Closed
2025-11-30 16:00 - 2025-12-08 14:00
Registration is now closed. Sign up for the ZSS Newsletter to receive information on upcoming events.

Rohatsu is held each year at Zen Buddhist temples and monasteries throughout the world. This eight-day intensive sesshin commemorates the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha who vowed not to rise from beneath the Bodhi tree until he achieved true awakening. We sit Rohatsu motivated by his dedication, realizing this is unsurpassable opportunity for deep practice.
Led by Chigan Roshi, Rohatsu begins the evening of November 30 and concludes on the morning of December 8 with Jodo-E (Buddha’s Enlightenment Ceremony). Each day, scheduled sittings extend further and further into the night. Each evening we will hear Hakuin Zenji’s “Rohatsu Exhortations.” Chigan Roshi and Shinge Roshi will give teisho and offer dokusan. For more details and the typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $625 for nonmembers and $550 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

DBZ: Fall Kessei Closing Day 2025
2025-12-09
Kessei offers Zen students a unique opportunity to engage in residential Rinzai Zen practice. In our tradition, kessei refers to a designated period during which daily activities are guided by strict rules and a demanding schedule. Fall Kessei closes on December 9, 2025.
Learn more about the kessei experience as described by kessei practitioners in this in-depth video. To read more in-depth about kessei, click here. To apply for 2026 Spring Kessei (dates to be announced), email us here.

DBZ: Intro to Zen Weekend
2026-03-20 16:00 - 2026-03-22 14:00, 2026-04-24 16:00 - 2026-04-26 14:00, 2026-11-13 16:00 - 2026-11-15 14:00
Join us for a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Rinzai Zen Buddhist practice at Dai Bosatsu Zendo, our monastery deep in the Catskill Mountains. Led by teachers and senior students from the Zen Studies Society, Introduction to Zen is an intensive weekend focused on the three essentials of Zen Buddhist practice — zazen (seated meditation with attention to posture and breath), chanting, and samu (work practice).
You will also learn how to use jihatsu (traditional nesting bowls) and to eat attentively in silence. The weekend will include a Dharma talk and a question-and-answer period, concluding with an informal lunch and group discussion on Sunday. No prior experience necessary.
The fee is $300 for this weekend. If you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Holy Days Sesshin
2026-04-04 16:00 - 2026-04-11 14:00
As early spring warms Beecher Lake and new shoots emerge on the forest floor, we launch into a season of renewal. Join Chigan Roshi for Holy Days Sesshin, a seven-day retreat when we honor the birth of the Buddha alongside the sacred observances of other religions during this time period.
We will also commemorate Rinzai Gigen Zenji, who founded the Rinzai Zen school and our lineage in the ninth century. Master Rinzai introduced the practice of koans, which challenge students to break through ordinary thinking and attain direct insight into their true nature. For more detail and to see a typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $550 for nonmembers and $475 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

DBZ: Nyogen Senzaki Sesshin
2026-05-05 16:00 - 2026-05-10 12:00
Join us for sesshin honoring Nyogen Senzaki, known for his role in introducing Zen Buddhism to the West. Born in Japan in 1876, Senzaki moved to the United States in the early 20th century, where he became one of the first teachers to present Zen to American audiences. His emphasis on the practice of zazen (sitting meditation) and his ability to bridge Eastern and Western philosophies created a legacy which endures today.
Led by Chigan Roshi, this sesshin will explore Senzaki’s teachings and poetry, including works written during his internment in Wyoming during World War II. His words continue to inspire us decades after his passing. For more detail and to see a typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $500 for nonmembers and $425 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

DBZ: 50th Anniversary Sesshin
2026-06-27 16:00 - 2026-07-03 14:00
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!
Led by Abbot Chigan Roshi and Abbess Emerita Shinge Roshi, this seven-day sesshin commemorates the 50th Anniversary of Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji, which opened its doors on July 4, 1976. For more detail and to see a typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $550 for nonmembers and $475 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. No one will be turned away for lack of funds, please contact office@daibosatsu.org for support. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Spring Kessei Closing Day 2026
2026-07-08
Kessei offers Zen students a unique opportunity to engage in residential Rinzai Zen practice. In our tradition, kessei refers to a designated period during which daily activities are guided by strict rules and a demanding schedule. Spring Kessei closes on July 8th.
Learn more about the kessei experience as described by kessei practitioners in this in-depth video. To read more in-depth about kessei, click here. The 2026 Fall Kessei will begin on September 16th.
To apply for Fall Kessei, email us here. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: O-Bon Samu Sesshin
2026-08-02 - 2026-08-09
The days leading up to O-Bon offer a unique opportunity to participate in traditional Rinzai monastic practice, working with the monastery residents to prepare the O-Bon festival in a modified sesshin schedule that includes short morning service, zazen (meditation), daily samu (work practice), daily Dai Segaki chanting, dokusan (one-on-one interviews with a teacher), and teisho (Dharma talks).
Early August at Dai Bosatsu mountain is a wild and beautiful dream-like setting where the boundaries between the tangible world and the endless realms seem to dissolve.
O-Bon Samu Sesshin ends Friday afternoon before the official start of O-Bon Weekend and the Opening Fire that evening.
There is no fee for the O-Bon Samu Sesshin, but please consider purchasing a tiered-price ticket or making a donation to help cover the cost of your stay. If you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: O-Bon
2026-08-07 16:00 - 2026-08-09 12:00
Join Chigan Roshi and Shinge Roshi for this beautiful and moving ceremony at which we we honor our ancestors, family members, and other loved ones who have passed away; as well as the hungry ghosts within and outside us.
O-Bon begins on Friday evening as we welcome the spirits with a ceremonial fire. On Saturday we paint their names on paper lanterns and gather for the O-Bon dinner offering. We then hold a traditional chanting service which includes calling out the names of the deceased. Chigan Roshi will give a teisho (Dharma talk) following this service.
Finally, we light our lanterns and make a silent, candle-lit procession to the bank of Beecher Lake, where we float our glowing lanterns across the dark waters while chanting Namu Dai Bosa. A bonfire and festive refreshments complete the evening. On Sunday morning, we gather in the zendo for short morning service and zazen, followed by an informal breakfast.
If you are not able to attend and would like the names of your deceased loved ones to be read aloud during the ceremony, please email their names to office@daibosatsu.org by August 7 and consider making a donation.
The fee for this weekend is $325 for nonmembers and $285 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here. If you would like to discuss a family rate, please email office@daibosatsu.org.

DBZ: Healing and Wellness Weekend
2026-08-14 14:00 - 2026-08-17 14:00
This weekend retreat offers encouragement and support for people who are living with chronic illness or who are looking for a place of community and healing. Originally created by DBZ resident monk Donge John Haber as a retreat to offer a caring and inspiring space for those living with HIV/AIDS, its intention has expanded over the past 30 years.
The weekend includes an O-Bon ceremony to celebrate the lives of our deceased loved ones. Daily zazen, yoga, and a writing workshop will be offered. Additionally, each participant will receive one bodywork session from practitioners who volunteer their time and expertise.
The fee for this weekend is $350 for nonmembers and $300 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

DBZ: Fall Kessei Opening Day 2026
2026-09-16
Join us as we enter into this intensive training period with Chigan Roshi and the residents and monastics of Dai Bosatsu Zendo. Kessei offers Zen students a unique opportunity to engage in residential Rinzai Zen practice. In our tradition, kessei refers to a designated period during which daily activities are guided by strict rules and a demanding schedule.
Learn more about the kessei experience as described by kessei practitioners in this in-depth video. To read more in-depth about kessei, click here. The 2026 Fall Kessei will begin on September 16th and end on December 9th. If you are unable to attend for the full three-month period, shorter stays are possible.
To apply for Fall Kessei, email us here. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Spring Kessei Opening Day 2026
2026-09-16
Join us as we enter into this intensive training period with Chigan Roshi and the residents and monastics of Dai Bosatsu Zendo. Kessei offers Zen students a unique opportunity to engage in residential Rinzai Zen practice. In our tradition, kessei refers to a designated period during which daily activities are guided by strict rules and a demanding schedule.
Learn more about the kessei experience as described by kessei practitioners in this in-depth video. To read more in-depth about kessei, click here. The 2026 Spring Kessei will begin on March 19th and end on July 8th. If you are unable to attend for the full three-month period, shorter stays are possible.
To apply for Spring Kessei, email us here. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Harvest Sesshin
2026-11-03 16:00 - 2026-11-08 14:00
Led by Chigan Roshi, we come together during Harvest Sesshin amid the austere beauty of November on Dai Bosatsu Mountain. As we sit together in deep silence, we experience the profound stillness that inspires us to encounter our true nature.
For more details and the typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $500 for nonmembers and $425 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

DBZ: Rohatsu Sesshin
2026-11-30 16:00 - 2026-12-08 14:00
Rohatsu is held each year at Zen Buddhist temples and monasteries throughout the world. This eight-day intensive sesshin commemorates the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha who vowed not to rise from beneath the Bodhi tree until he achieved true awakening. We sit Rohatsu motivated by his dedication, realizing this is unsurpassable opportunity for deep practice.
Led by Chigan Roshi, Rohatsu begins the evening of November 30 and concludes on the morning of December 8 with Jodo-E (Buddha’s Enlightenment Ceremony). Each day, scheduled sittings extend further and further into the night. Each evening we will hear Hakuin Zenji’s “Rohatsu Exhortations.” Chigan Roshi and Shinge Roshi will give teisho and offer dokusan. For more details and the typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $625 for nonmembers and $550 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.
