In 1998, the Buddhist Peace Fellowship (“BPF”) was contacted with a request for assistance in forming a Buddhist religious program at SQ.  The BPF director, Hozan Alan Senauke, assisted and contacted his Dharma Brother, Seido Lee de Barros, who agreed.  After a tremendous effort… on Sept. 05, 1999, SQ’s Buddhadharma Sangha held its first Buddhist Religious Service.
During a partial lockdown, 20 men made their way to the Garden Chapel and met an extraordinary Dharma teacher and Zen priest.  Seido has continued weekly services and this Sangha has flourished.
Every Sunday evening men of various faiths come together for “zazen” (seated meditation), “kenhin” (walking meditation), and to listen to and discuss the Dharma in a way that offers freedom in the midst of chaotic prison life.
These men are gaining useful tools for re-entry into society.  The name Buddhadharma Sangha means the following: “Buddha” is the awakened one, or one striving for peace; “Dharma” is the teachings of the Buddha; “Sangha” is the community of practitioners who practice peace or more peaceful ways to live.
Amid the vernal splendor of Lumbini Garden, Gautam, the Buddha, was born in 566 B.C.E.  He was the son of a wealthy and powerful king, Suddhodana, the ruler of the Sakya Clan in Kapilavastu, in what is now modern Nepal.  The Buddha was given the name “Siddhartha,” which means “He who has attained his aim.”
He passed away at the age of 80, leaving the following message to his sorrowing disciples:  “The Dharma which I have given you shall be your teacher when I am gone.”  So great has been the influence of this Dharma that today it is estimated that one-third of humanity pays homage to the Buddha’s noble teachings.
The supreme goal set before all Buddhists is the escape from suffering, ignorance, illusion, and the attainment of truth and enlightenment.  Only in the pursuit of this lofty ideal will human-kind find the true meaning of happiness and joy.  He who loves the Dharma lives happily with his mind at ease.
The Buddhadharma Sangha meets every Sunday evening in the Garden Chapel.  Services are from 5:30 to 8:30.  The group hosts other activities: all-day meditations called “sesshins,” various ceremonies and teachings for those who wish to delve deeper into the Soto Zen lineage.  All are welcome.