Berkeley Buddhist Monastery is on SUMMER SCHEDULE. Therefore, only programs on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and daily non-instructional meditations are available to the public.
Avatamsaka Sutra Lecture
Saturdays, 7:30-9:30pm
Lecturer: Rev. Heng Sure
Every Saturday evening at 7:30 PM (PST) the Berkeley Monastery community gathers to listen to a lecture on the Flower Adornment Sutra. We investigate the sutra text line by line and endeavor to bring its ancient wisdom up to date for our modern lives in the 21st century. The Sutras point directly to the path of liberation from suffering. Our founder, Ven. Master Hsuan Hua began the work of lecturing on Mahayana sutras in the West in 1969; carrying on this legacy keeps the teachings of the Bodhisattva Path alive as an oasis of clarity and kindness in our contemporary world. Lectures are made available online through webcast. Archives of lectures are at www.dharmaradio.org.
Sunday Morning Meditation
8:30-11am, 8/29, 9/12, 9/26, 10/10, 10/24. Please email for more information. Morning meditation session every other Sunday. Come deepen your practice with a double dose of meditation -- two forty-five minute blocks followed by an illuminating Q&A session.
Integrated Yoga and Qigong
Mondays, 7:30-9pm, wil resume in Fall 2010. Please email for more information.
Lecturer: Amelia Barili
Learn simple and remarkably effective techniques to awaken your natural powers of healing. The time spent practicing these methods will be returned and multiplied by your growing ability to generate personal vitality, balance and well being. Yoga and Qigong combined can help you cure chronic ailments, deepen your meditation practice, increase your creativity, overcome pain and attain radiant health.
Monthly gathering with monks from Abhayagiri Monastery
First Tuesday of every month, 7:30-9:30pm
Lecturer: Monks from Abhayagiri Monastery
Abhayagiri Monastery is the first monastery in the United States to be established by followers of Ajahn Chah, a respected Buddhist master of the ancient Thai Forest Tradition of Theravada Buddhism. The Sanghapala Meditation Group meets at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. Exception: during the Winter Retreat (January- March) when a guest teacher is scheduled, a monastic is in attendance and presents a Dhamma talk and leads the group in chanting and meditation
Wednesday Night Buddhist Meditation Course
7:30-9:00pm, will resume September 8, 2010.
Instructor: Steven Tainer
A continuing discussion of vipashayana insights into the traditional Buddhist notion of "nature of mind", as this figures in classical Indian/Tibetan meditation regimens, and a comparison of the latter with the Chinese Ch'an tradition's view, method and literature. Related topics concern the attending students' experiences with the preliminary shamatha techniques taught in the Fall of 2009, their questions about vipashyana and finally, the challenge of integrating both shamatha and vipashyana (or Ch'an) into a layperson's daily life.
DRBY Chan & Tea
Wednesdays, 6:15-7:20pm; will resume Fall 2010. Please email for more information.
Chan and Tea is an informal gathering for new-comers interested in Buddhism and old-timers alike. In the relaxed space following meditation, we discuss practices-related questions over tea and snacks. More info can be found here.
Thursday Vipassana Meditation
Weekly 7:30 - 9:30 PM
Instructor: James Baraz
James Baraz has practiced vipassana meditation since 1974 and started the Thursday group in 1980. He is a co-founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and leads meditation retreats there, as well as nationally and internationally. Group Meditation followed by a Dharma lecture. Archived lecture can be found here.
Friday Night Meditation and Dharma Discussion
7:30-9pm, 8/27 - 9/17. 45-minute sit and discussion of the Sutra in 42 Sections.
Friday Night Meditation Class
7:30-9pm, will resume September 24, 2010.
Instructor: Professor Martin Verhoeven.
Forty-five minutes of silent meditation followed by a talk and discussion of the Sixth Patriarch Sutra, an important text of the Zen tradition detailing the life and teachings of Master Hui-neng, a 6th century Chinese Buddhist monk. The text teaches the doctrines of no-thought and non-duality, leading one to direct perception of the true and awakened nature within all living beings. Suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners.
Open Meditation
Morning and Evening
Daily 6:15 - 7:15 AM and 5:15 - 6:15 PM
The Meditation Hall is available daily at this time for sitting meditation without instruction.
Tai Ji Quan
[Tuesday-Friday Mornings]
Daily 6:30 - 8:00 AM
Guang Ping Yang Style
Instructor: Futung Cheng