Sangha Guidelines

Dharma Gate Zen Temple is an independent order founded on the principles and practices as taught in the original Zen lineage of teachers.

Below are our general guidelines to help promote harmony within our sangha. These are basic values that are common among traditional Zen schools and they are intended to support one another.

Financial Contributions

We are a non-profit and none of our teachers or leaders are paid. Each person (both in the Zendo and for our Iaido class) is volunteering time to support, guide, and teach those who come.

As a non-profit, Dharma Gate Zen relies entirely on the donations of our members to keep the temple open and pay for expenses (rent, supplies, utilities, etc.). We have no other source of income other than donations from our members. Those who are financially challenged can offer less than our typical amount by contacting us directly. We understand financial hardship is difficult and we will work with those in need to be included.

Prioritizing Zen

We promote harmony, acceptance and inclusion within our Sangha and we expect all members and visitors to act with compassion. We do not allow angry, aggressive, disrespectful, or offensive behavior.
As a non-profit, religious organization, we do not discuss politics, or world events, particularly those beyond our direct control. We focus on what we ourselves can experience and what is within our immediate capacity to change.
Ours is a non-theistic, non-mystical tradition. We recognize that there are many Buddhist traditions and a wide variety of practices that have their origins in other beliefs and religions. The focus at Dharma Gate Zen is exclusively Zen and we do not address other belief systems. While members have a variety of beliefs and may even belong to other religions, we expect members to respect the fact that we are a Zen temple and our teachings and practices reflect that tradition and its tenets.

General Etiquette

We view our Temple as a refuge from the outside world. In Zen, demonstrating etiquette is an important part of our practice and can help to maintain harmony with others and to bring our Sangha together through shared actions. Many of these practices related to etiquette are the same you would expect to encounter in traditional temples. We however seek to find a balance between the many traditions and the actions we feel best serve our Sangha as a whole. To that end, we offer the following guidelines for our Sangha members.

Wear comfortable clothing but please refrain from wearing strong cologne or perfume.
Phones should be placed on silent/vibrate or turned off.
Please place shoes and coats in the shoe room neatly when entering. Shoes are not allowed on the Zendo floor, and we do require socks to be worn.
After placing shoes in the shoe room and finding a mat, please bow to the mat before sitting down. We also bow to our mat after standing up. This is a show of respect for the opportunity to have practiced. It is also helpful to brush off the mat after standing up to remove anything left behind.
Chairs are available in the back (same as above, bow to the chair prior to sitting and after standing). If no chairs are available, please ask as we may have more upstairs and can bring more down for you.
It is best to plan to arrive at least five minutes ahead of the start of our service to avoid distraction to others. If you do arrive late, please enter quietly, and wait near the shoe room until an opportunity arises to find a seat.
We do not allow solicitation for businesses, other classes, or other belief systems in our Zendo. If you have something to share that does not directly relate to Zen Buddhism, please approach the abbot for review prior to discussing or leaving information or business cards on our tables or bulletin board.
During the service, please join us in the chanting if you are able. Chanting together is a way to bring us together in our minds for a short time.
During meditation, please refrain from shifting around if possible. Any motion, and additional noise can be distracting to those around you.
Do not use phones.
If you need to use the restroom during meditation or during the talk, please try and avoid distracting others. It is best to move to the sides of the Zendo if you need to move during Dharma talks to avoid distracting the speaker or Sangha members.
After the talk, during the Q&A period, please keep questions in relation to the topic of the talk. If you have questions that do not pertain to the talk, please feel free to direct your questions to one of the teachers after the service.
If you have tea, please return the cup to our dirty basket and do not leave it around the Zendo.
Bowing is always appropriate. It is a way of lowering ego and demonstrating care and respect. It is traditional to bow to our clergy when seeing them or approaching them. They can be identified by their robes.
Donations should always be placed in the dana bowl by the door (if you are not doing automatic donations) and should be in an envelope (we have them under the bowl) with your name on it. Please do not hand donations directly to clergy.
It is traditional to use honorifics with our clergy. Traditional use: Hoden “Sunim” (or just Sunim), Reverend (name) for Dharma Teachers. We use the given Dharma name with clergy as it is part of how we view ordination and renunciation.