Berkeley Zen Center (BZC), temple name Shogakuji (祥岳寺, Shōgaku-ji), is an SōtōZen Buddhist practice centre located in Berkeley, California currently led by Hozan Alan Senauke. An informal affiliate to the San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC),[1] BZC was founded in 1967 by Sojun Mel Weitsman and Shunryu Suzuki as a satellite group for the SFZC.[2] Despite founding the centre, Weitsman was not installed as an abbot there until 1985, one year after receiving Dharma transmission from Hoitsu Suzuki.[3] Weitsman's Dharma heir, Alan Senauke, lives on-site with his wife Laurie Senauke (as of 1999) and also works for the Buddhist Peace Fellowship.[4] Another former teacher at BZC was Maylie Scott, who died in 2001.[5] In 1969, Zenkei Blanche Hartman began sitting zazen at BZC, receiving Dharma transmission from Weitsman in 1988.[1] In 1979, the centre relocated to its current location on Russell Street—and today houses a small group of residents who live on site. BZC has an active community and a full schedule of zen service, student talks, dharma talks, and zazen. [2]
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