Zen Mountain Monastery

Zen Buddhist monastery and training center in Mount Tremper, New York

Zen Mountain Monastery (or, Doshinji, meaning Temple of the Way of Reality) is a Zen Buddhist monastery and training center on a forested property in the Catskill Mountains in Mount Tremper, New York. It was founded in 1980 by John Daido Loori originally as the Zen Arts Center. It combines the Rinzai and Sōtō Zen traditions, in both of which Loori received Dharma transmission. Loori's first dharma heir was Bonnie Myotai Treace, Sensei, who received shiho, or dharma transmission, from him in 1996. From Loori's death in October 2009 until January 2015, Zen Mountain Monastery had two teachers: Geoffrey Shugen Arnold and Konrad Ryushin Marchaj, who received Dharma transmission from Loori in 1997 and 2009, respectively. Since January 2015, the training at the Monastery has been led by Shugen Roshi, assisted by Ron Hogen Green, Sensei; Jody Hojin Kimmel, Sensei; and Vanessa Zuisei Goddard, Sensei (currently on leave).

The site the monastery is located on was originally established as Camp Wapanachki in the 1930s. The massive Arts and Crafts style stone and wood frame former retreat house and chapel was built in two phases between about 1935 and 1938. The four story "main house" is the earliest section. It contains living spaces, libraries, a small cellar and a large kitchen. The later section is built of bluestone and contains a dining hall and chapel. The site was purchased on September 30, 1980 for $100,000 by John Daido Loori .

Amidst the monastery are various structures which support the residents and the community at large.

Constructed between 1929 and 1936 by a Catholic priest along with Norwegian artisans, the main building of the Monastery features bluestone sourced from adjacent cliffs, and white oak pillars harvested from the surrounding hills. This central structure accommodates the meditation hall, dining area, kitchen, common area lounge, private living quarters for monastic and lay residents, and dormitories for guests. In 1994, it was designated as a historic landmark at both the national and state levels.

Completed in 2012, the Sangha House encompasses a large performance hall used for events and meditation retreats, the Monastery Store, a yoga room, a fitness room, library, art studio, laundry facilities, common bathing facilities, and a tangaryō room. National Buddhist Archives which collects and digitizes outstanding documents and media chronicling the history of Buddhism in America thus far, and especially the history of Zen Mountain Monastery. The Zen Environmental Studies Institute sponsors and conducts wilderness retreats, environmental mindfulness workshops, and pursues research on the local environment. National Buddhist Prison Sangha provides teaching supplies and sitting opportunities to inmates currently serving in a correctional facility. Fire Lotus Temple, is the only residential Zen training facility in New York City, offering training opportunities to lay practitioners on a daily basis, along with Saturday retreats and a Sunday program similar to that held at ZMM.