Village Zendo

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Village Zendo The Village Zendo is a Zen Buddhist community in the heart of downtown New York City. Roshi Pat Enkyo O'Hara is the Abbot of Dotoku-ji.

Serving as a sanctuary in busy Manhattan, we offer meditation both online and in person, mornings and evenings, in addition to retreats, workshops and study groups. The Village Zendo, Dotoku-ji, is in the White Plum lineage of Taizan Maezumi Roshi. We are affiliated with the Zen Peacemakers, the Buddhist Action Coalition and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. She is the Resident Teacher and Head Priest. Enkyo Roshi leads a group of 10 teachers and assistant teachers. Village Zendo offers meditation programs both online and in person. We require complete vaccination and a reservation for in-person practice. Please check our website for complete details about our Zoom-based and in-person meditation programs. Village Zendo has a growing list of affiliate groups, including: Soji Zen Center in Lansdowne, PA; Red Rocks Circle Zen Center in Sedona, AZ; Hyannis Zendo in Hyannis, MA; Oxbow Zen in Northampton, MA; New Paltz Zen Center in New Paltz, NY; and Centro Zen Phajjsi Qollut Jalsu in La Paz, Bolivia.

10/13/2026

Ryugin's Dharma Talk, “Who Are You Waiting for to Give You Permission?” October 8, 2026

The Village Zendo's virtual zendo is privileged to present, “Who Are You Waiting for to Give You Permission?” When Dr. Doctor coughs, everyone on the bus coughs. When he sneezes, everyone sneezes. Beginning with this humorous koan from The Book of Householder Koans, senior student Ryugin reflects on our complicated relationship to authority, from spiritual teachers and inherited traditions to the growing influence of AI. Moving between personal reflections on Zen lineage, the history of Buddhism in China and Japan, and Gary Snyder's poem Axe Handles, this talk considers what it means to receive what has been handed down while remaining free to respond in our own way.

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The Village Zendo is a community of people who come together to practice in the Soto Zen tradition. Based in downtown New York City, we offer zazen (sitting meditation), one-on-one instruction with a teacher, dharma talks, chanting services, retreats, workshops and study groups.

Check out our website for daily schedules, teachers and other Zendo info, including audio Dharma talks. Support our work by donating at https://villagezendo.org/support-us/.

10/12/2026

Ryoshin Sensei's Dharma Talk, “Every Branch of Coral,” October 11, 2026

The Village Zendo's virtual zendo is privileged to present, “Every Branch of Coral,” in which Ryoshin Sensei asks us to examine two questions thoroughly: What are the obstacles to your practice? What supports your practice? Considering these questions himself, Ryoshin finds support for his practice everywhere, including the things that he perceives as obstacles. The talk concludes with Case 100 from the Blue Cliff Record: Pa Ling's Blown Hair Sword.

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The Village Zendo is a community of people who come together to practice in the Soto Zen tradition. Based in downtown New York City, we offer zazen (sitting meditation), one-on-one instruction with a teacher, dharma talks, chanting services, retreats, workshops and study groups.

Check out our website for daily schedules, teachers and other Zendo info, including audio Dharma talks. Support our work by donating at https://villagezendo.org/support-us/.

10/02/2026

In this talk, Tokuyu Sensei recalls what brought him to practice and reminisces about his early years at the Village Zendo. He specifically shares memories from his first sesshin with the Village Zendo at Wisdom House and asks himself what has changed. Through recollections and looking at a koan he ponders if zen practice 'works', and if so, why?

The Village Zendo is a community of people who come together to practice in the Soto Zen tradition. Based in downtown New York City, we offer zazen (sitting meditation), one-on-one instruction with a teacher, dharma talks, chanting services, retreats, workshops and study groups.

Visit our website: https://villagezendo.org, for daily schedules, teachers and zendo info, including audio Dharma talks. Support our work, please donate today.

09/28/2026

Rakushin's Dharma Talk, “No Trace on the Water: Love, Loss, Continuing Endlessly,” September 27, 2026

The Village Zendo's virtual zendo is privileged to present, “No Trace on the Water: Love, Loss, Continuing Endlessly," in which senior student Rakushin explores grief, intimacy, and the koan of mothering in the wake of her mother’s passing. Through the lore of the ocean, the Zen koan Jingqing’s Man in the Weeds, and Dōgen’s immersive teachings on appearing and disappearing, she offers a moving reflection on loss, lineage, and the ultimate realization that there is no separation.

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The Village Zendo is a community of people who come together to practice in the Soto Zen tradition. Based in downtown New York City, we offer zazen (sitting meditation), one-on-one instruction with a teacher, dharma talks, chanting services, retreats, workshops and study groups.

Check out our website for daily schedules, teachers and other Zendo info, including audio Dharma talks. Support our work by donating at https://villagezendo.org/support-us/.

09/22/2026

Fugan Sensei's Dharma Talk, “Dharma Sounds — Everywhere,” September 20, 2026

The Village Zendo's virtual zendo is privileged to present, “Dharma Sounds — Everywhere," in which Fugan Sensei explores listening through Dongshan’s teaching of the inanimate.

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The Village Zendo is a community of people who come together to practice in the Soto Zen tradition. Based in downtown New York City, we offer zazen (sitting meditation), one-on-one instruction with a teacher, dharma talks, chanting services, retreats, workshops and study groups.

Check out our website for daily schedules, teachers and other Zendo info, including audio Dharma talks. Support our work by donating at https://villagezendo.org/support-us/.

09/18/2026

In this talk Musho Sensei responds to the question, “Why are we sitting around doing nothing while the world is burning?” His answer is “We sit around doing nothing because the world is burning." Musho states that meditation leads to action - action that undertakes the challenge of “Saving all sentient beings.” The talk ends with a poem by Wendell Berry.

The Village Zendo is a community of people who come together to practice in the Soto Zen tradition. Based in downtown New York City, we offer zazen (sitting meditation), one-on-one instruction with a teacher, dharma talks, chanting services, retreats, workshops and study groups.

Visit our website: https://villagezendo.org, for daily schedules, teachers and zendo info, including audio Dharma talks. Support our work, please donate today.

09/15/2026

In this zazenkai talk marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Shinryu Roshi shares memories of the time and notes its repercussions today. He comments as well on the Gate of Sweet Nectar ceremony performed for the anniversary and on the koan "Chin Niu's Bucket of Rice."

09/14/2026

Torei's Dharma Talk, “The Dharma of Dolly,” September 13, 2026

The Village Zendo's virtual zendo is privileged to present, “The Dharma of Dolly," in which senior student Torei explores how Dolly Parton’s life, music, and Appalachian roots can teach us about Zen, authenticity, generosity, and transformation. Through Dōgen’s teachings and reflections on Jewish ancestry, home, and inheritance, the talk asks: What do we carry with us, and what will we carry forward?

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The Village Zendo is a community of people who come together to practice in the Soto Zen tradition. Based in downtown New York City, we offer zazen (sitting meditation), one-on-one instruction with a teacher, dharma talks, chanting services, retreats, workshops and study groups.

Check out our website for daily schedules, teachers and other Zendo info, including audio Dharma talks. Support our work by donating at https://villagezendo.org/support-us/.

09/14/2026

In this talk, Bokushu Sensei discusses our common tendency to separate from the world, to be dissatisfied with the world that we create, to suffer, and to export our suffering onto others. He encourages us to practice together in community as the antidote to this deeply ingrained pattern.

09/02/2026

According to legend, Zen's sixth ancestor was chosen in a poetry contest. Jiryu discusses the facts behind the legend, and the role of ambition and jealousy in Zen practice."

Address

260 West Broadway
New York, NY
10013

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 8:30am
Tuesday 7:30am - 8:30am
Wednesday 7:30am - 8:30am
Thursday 7:30am - 8:30am
Friday 7:30am - 8:30am
Sunday 9:30am - 10:30am

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