Rochester Zen Center

06/01/2026

A few photos from our celebration of Buddha's Birthday! Stories. Face painting. Games... and, of course, a giant white elephant 👀

05/06/2026

Boundless gratitude for Roshi Philip Kapleau, the founder of our Center and a pillar of American Zen: August 20, 1912-May 6, 2004.

01/22/2026

Moments after the closing bell of our January 2026 7-day Rohatsu sesshin. We had over 50 participants, including folks who participated in our online zendo!

12/23/2025

Dhara-sensei's latest article in Tricycle Magazine!

Speaking skillfully can save others from harm and ourselves from embarrassment.

11/28/2025

Ever wonder what it would be like to throw yourself more completely into a life of Zen practice? We've recently overhauled the "Zen Training" section of our website to highlight this unique offering of residential training at the Rochester Zen Center. Whether you join us for a week or a lifetime, authentic practice supported by a dedicated Sangha (community) has the potential to be transformative.

https://www.rzc.org/practice-with-us/zen-training/

10/21/2025

Do you recognize this man (standing, fourth from left) from this "Summer Monastic Program" photo, circa 1969?

Happy Birthday, John-sensei!

10/04/2025

Love and light after our ‘Septober’ 7-day sesshin at Chapin Mill Retreat Center, led by Dhara-sensei

09/10/2025

In a ceremony on August 16th, 2025, at the Chapin Mill Retreat Center, the Rochester Zen Center Sangha celebrated the sanctioning of Jissai Prince-Cherry as a Zen teacher ("Sensei") by her own teacher, Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede. Jissai-sensei will be assuming teaching responsibilities at the Louisville Zen Center, as well as offering online instruction opportunities to the wider RZC community.
Photo Credit: Jon Cherry (https://jonpcherry.com/about)

06/08/2025

For someone who has achieved the highest spiritual state, there can be no sense in taking what does not belong to one. How can there be? Being selfless, all things already belong to such a one. But until one has actually reached this stage, it would be dangerous to rationalize the taking of things that don’t belong to you and not bothering to return them.
- Roshi Philip Kapleau, Awakening to Zen

Join us. https://www.louisvillezen.org/sittings.html

06/05/2025

An evening with the Zen kids! It was a packed house yesterday with so many beautiful new faces! Have a kiddo that would like to learn the basics of Zen meditation? Let us know! We’d love to have you join our small, casual Wednesday evenings.