Our Sangha and extended community of Dharma friends have always been the lifeblood of the Zen Studies Society. From the very beginning, we have relied on your generosity to maintain our temples as precious places of dynamic training for all.
Our temples rely on the efforts of volunteers, and at DBZ we grow a portion of the food shared among residents, sesshin and program participants, and guests. But the substantial costs of maintaining our buildings and offering sesshin, Open Space weekends, and other events still must be covered. As a Supporting Member of ZSS, your monthly contributions will go directly to meeting those expenses.
In Buddhism, dana–generosity–is one of the Six Perfections, and from the beginning, Buddhist communities have relied upon it in order to offer the Dharma. As a Supporting Member of ZSS, you will be participating in a reciprocal relationship of mutual giving and gratitude that stretches back to the time of the Buddha himself.
As a Supporting Member you will receive:
• a 10% discount on bookstore purchases and on most events at DBZ and NYZ
• invitations to members-only events
• the opportunity to attend (or bring a friend to) an Intro to Zen weekend free of charge*
• unlimited access to the regular, morning and evening sits at New York Zendo ($10 suggested donation per sit for non-members)
• one free night at O-An Cottage**
* Subject to availability
** With any two nights or longer stay
Zen Studies Society Supporting Members are asked to give at the following levels: Individuals/$60.00 per month; couples or families/$90.00 per month; students or those who live outside of New York City/$30.00 per month. If you wish to become a Supporting Member but are unable to afford these amounts, please contact us to arrange a monthly membership donation at a level that is appropriate for you at this time.