Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji, Rinzai Zen monastery in Catskill Mountains, United States
Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji is a Rinzai Zen monastery in the Catskill Mountains of New York State, set in a forested mountain landscape near Beecher Lake. The complex has a central meditation hall, residential buildings, and outdoor areas used for daily ceremonies and intensive training sessions.
The monastery was founded in 1976 by Japanese Zen master Eido Shimano Roshi, who brought Rinzai Zen practice to North America. It was one of the first purpose-built Zen monasteries on the continent, modeled after traditional Japanese training halls.
Life here runs according to a fixed daily schedule of sitting meditation, chanting, and communal work that applies to both residents and visiting guests. Anyone who stays participates in the same routines as the monks, which gives the visit a very different feel from ordinary travel.
The site sits at elevation in the mountains, so weather can change quickly and temperatures stay cool even in warmer months, making layers a good idea. Anyone wanting to join a retreat should register well in advance, as places fill up and programs follow a set timetable.
The grounds include Sangha Meadow, a burial site where the ashes of community members who have died are placed. This makes the monastery one of the few Zen practice places in the United States with its own dedicated burial ground on site.
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