The ZCP

Welcome to the homepage of the Zen Center for Oriental Spirituality in the Philippines, more commonly known as Zen Center Philippines or ZCP in short. The Center is a lay Zen sangha – a community of spiritual seekers practicing the way of Zen in order to realize wisdom, compassion and wholeness in our lives and in the larger context of society. Our Center provides a setting that enables our members to practice zazen (sitting meditation) and to sustain the Zen experience in daily life.

Our community took form in 1976 when Sr. Elaine MacInnes, OLM established the Manila San Un Zendo with the blessings of Yamada Koun Roshi of Sanbo Kyodan, Kamakura. In our early days, zazenkai (meditation session) was conducted on Sunday mornings in a temporary zendo (meditation hall) in the chapel of St. Bridget’s School at the Religious of the Good Shepherd (RGS) compound in Quezon City. In 1984, we were able to acquire a property in Provident Village, Marikina and this is where our main zendo, the Marikina San Un Zendo stands.

Our sangha belongs to the Sanbo Zen International (Three Treasures Zen) lineage of Kamakura, Japan. Sanbo Zen combines the best practices of the Soto (intensive zazen) and the Rinzai (koan practice) schools of Zen. The Sanbo Zen lineage (formerly known as the Sanbo Kyodan) was founded by Yasutani Haku’un Roshi on January 8, 1954. Unlike most other schools of Zen, Sanbo Zen International does not require its followers to embrace monastic life or to convert to Buddhism. Some of the Zen masters, associate Zen masters and Zen teachers are in fact Christian priests, pastors or nuns.

Zen Center Philippines is a non-stock, non-profit institution. It has three teachers accredited by Sanbo Zen International and is administered by a Board of Trustees. The Center also has affiliate sangha in Zamboanga and Davao, and each of these is led by Sanbo Zen authorized teachers.