The Buffalo Zen Dharma Community is a committed group of Zen practitioners, who range from those who are just beginning to those who have been sitting and studying Zen for over a decade. We are a healthy mixture of young and old, men and women, from all walks of life. We are a warm and lively group, eager to support those with a common interest in Zen Buddhism as a way of life.

As our group matured over the years, several members chose to join the Mountains and Rivers Order of Zen Mountain Monastery. Their status as formal MRO students allowed the group to become associated with the monastery under its umbrella organization known as the Society of Mountains and Rivers. The group now receives an annual visit by an MRO teacher. Although the Buffalo Zen Dharma Community has no resident teacher, it strives to serve those with a desire to practice Zen Buddhism by operating in a manner consistent with the training and practice set forth by the Mountains and Rivers Order of Zen Mountain Monastery.

Ours is more than a casual, once-a-week involvement since our practice finds its roots in and is nourished by the teachings of John Daido Loori, Roshi, the abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery. While some Zen Dharma Community folk are members of the Mountains and Rivers Order based at ZMM, there is no requirement or expectation for such a commitment. As moved to do so, others have made trips to the monastery to explore what it has to offer, avail themselves of the formal training offered there, and ultimately to deepen their understanding and personal commitment to practice on their own terms. Others still are early in their exploration of Zen practice.

The group actively welcomes newcomers of all ages, particularly on the first Tuesday of every month. This has been designated “Beginners’ Night” for those who wish to take up Zen liturgy and seated meditation – and participate in conversation afterward over tea and cookies. At some point, every person in the BZDC was a beginner. We all clearly remember what that first night’s sitting felt like. So we strive to make that experience as meaningful and rewarding as it can be.

Over time, for those who wish to engage in a more pointed and subtle understanding of liturgy, our practice offers the opportunity to take up a variety of service positions. As individuals feel ready to expand the edges of their practice, they are encouraged to experience a more active and demanding role in the evening’s proceedings. Moreover, to bring a taste of the monastery experience to Western New York, members may also take advantage of the annual zazenkai, an all-day intensive retreat. Our format includes the traditional monastery meal practice called oryoki. While circumstances demand that it be done in a considerably less elaborate manner, we are committed to maintain its spirit of mindful giving and receiving.

For the past nine years, the Buffalo Zen Dharma Community has been in residence at one of Buffalo’s most progressive churches – Westminster Presbyterian. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to be in a strong relationship with the Westminster congregation. The support from the pastors and the staff has been extraordinarily warm. Westminster’s benevolence affords us a centralized location in downtown Buffalo, where we can practice within a secure and spacious facility, serviced by well-lighted parking and convenient access to a major bus line.