 | 7:30 - 8:15 pm Meditation 8:15 - 9:00 pm Lecture / Q & A (US Pacific Time) Join Online: DharmaRealmLive The class will examine the practices and path set forth by the Avatamsaka Sutra, or Flower Ornament Sutra, which describes a cosmos of infinite realms upon realms, mutually containing one another. The text touches on various topics such as the Bodhisattva path, the interpenetration of phenomena (dharmas), the visionary powers of meditation and the equality of things in emptiness. For more details such as how to access the live broadcast link and the speaker bio, please visit the class link. |
 Date: Sunday, September 13, 2026 Time: 10:00 AM–3:00 PM Location: Berkeley Buddhist Monastery (In Person & Online) To join online from 1:30-3:00pm, use links below: Zoom Link: Join Here Youtube Link: DharmaRealmLive Join us to rejoice in four trainees receiving novice ordination, a significant commitment that comes from much preparation. 10:00–11:00am Bowing 11:20-12:30 Meal Offering & Lunch 1:30-3:00pm Leaving Home Ceremony & Dharma Talk Everyone is invited to witness and support this important moment.  Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026
Time: 2:00–4:00 PM Location: Berkeley Buddhist Monastery (In Person Only) The Three Refuges and Five Precepts Ceremony is an opportunity to take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha and to receive the Five Precepts. It is an important step on the Buddhist path to awakening, a commitment to ground our lives in wisdom and compassion rather than seeking lasting refuge in worldly pursuits. The Five Precepts are not killing, not stealing, refraining from sexual misconduct, not lying, and not taking intoxicants. They offer clear and practical guidance for living with greater kindness, care, and awareness. The ceremony will be conducted in English, with explanations of the meaning of the refuges and precepts. Those who have received them before are also warmly invited to participate as a way of renewing their commitment. Whether you are taking refuge and precepts for the first time or returning to renew them, you are welcome to join.  In this course we’ll work through a few main points of both basic and intermediate levels of Buddhist meditation training, with an emphasis on the implications for living better. Several different forms of practice will be introduced and used both in the classes and for homework, supplemented by recommended readings. The course should be accessible to anyone, regardless of background and religious/secular orientation.
Dates: Weekly from September 23 through December 23. Time: Wednesdays evenings on Zoom, 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Pacific Time (US and Canada). Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86316312313 Meeting ID: 863 1631 2313 Passcode: 928488  Date: Sunday, Oct 4th
Time: 3:30PM - 6:00PM Location: Berkeley Buddhist Monastery SIGN UP HERE This circle is inspired by decades of kindred circles around the globe, and it is a space to connect more deeply in stillness and community, with ourselves and with one another. These gatherings have no teachers or proposed beliefs -- they are simply a space to come together to listen within and to each other, with a simple wish for greater awakening of awareness and compassion. Here's the format for our time together:
 This lecture is now both in-person at Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, and streamed online:
YouTube Channel: DharmaRealmLive Lecturer: Rev. Heng Sure (or DRBA monks and nuns) Every Saturday night, the Berkeley Monastery community gathers to listen to a lecture on the Flower Adornment Sutra. We investigate the sutra text line by line and endeavor to bring its ancient wisdom up to date for our modern lives in the 21st century. For more class info: Please Click Here.  Meditation practice, Teachings, and Community
With James Baraz and Eve Decker Thursdays 7:30-9:00pm PT (tea served from 6:45-7:20pm) Come join us in person at Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, 2304 McKinley Ave., Berkeley. Or, people can join us online using the usual Zoom link. Also we will serve tea from 6:45-7:20pm every Thursday so that the community can get to know each other better. All are welcome! More information at www.insightberkeley.org.  Date: First Tuesday of the Month
Times: 5pm (Tea Time) 7:30pm - 9:45 (Dhamma Talk) Speakers: Abhayagiri Monks Please join us for a Dhamma evening with the Monks from Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery. At 5pm there is an informal time to ask questions of the monks over tea, and then at 7:30pm, there will be chanting, meditation, followed by a Dhamma talk. All are welcome.  We are excited to announce the release of Reverend Heng Sure’s newest album: Urban Lotus: American Buddhist Folk Songs Vol. 2.
Urban Lotus is our second go at setting the Buddha’s Dharma teachings to Western melodies, played on six- and twelve-string guitars, banjos, and an octave mandolin. The title of the album references how Venerable Master Hsuan Hua opened monasteries in the heart of major urban cities along the West Coast and highlights the nature of the Buddhist symbol: the lotus flower. Lotuses are rooted in the mud but their blossoms stand above the mud and water, pure and undefiled. Listen to previews of the songs and learn more about Reverend Heng Sure’s newest album on the Urban Lotus page. Urban Lotus is available on Bandcamp and all major music platforms: Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music and more.  Join us for daily silent meditation at the monastery—a quiet and sacred space for personal practice.
Mornings: 6:15–7:15am (doors open at 6:00am), weekdays only Evenings: 5:15–6:15pm (doors open at 5:00pm), everyday All are welcome to come and go quietly at any time during the session. These are open periods of silent sitting without instruction, offering a calm and supportive environment to deepen your practice.  Berkeley Buddhist Monastery is branching out and establishing a monastery in the redwoods! Visit our new Redwood Vihara Website.
Read our first Redwood Vihara newsletter here. If you are interested in getting news and updates, please sign up for our Redwood Vihara newsletter.  Date/Time: Fri, 7:30-8:30pm (Pacific Time)
Speaker: Rev. Heng Sure For joining the online talks, please sign up by emailing: [email protected]. Rev. Heng Sure gives stories and lectures on the Pictorial Biography of Master Hsu Yun. The lecture will be in English, with Chinese and Vietnamese translation. Come learn how Bodhisattvas creatively dedicate merit to all living beings from the "Ten Transferences" chapter in the Avatamsaka Sutra.
Speaker: Rev. Heng Sure Date/Time: Sundays 7:30 – 9:00 pm English Zoom link：Join Here (ID: 929 8519 9033 / Passcode: 95482) Vietnamese Zoom link: Join Here (ID: 879 7769 2844 / Passcode: 922407) YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/QEM_3BhT8IA?feature=share  In the morning and evening, please join us in our daily ceremonies, where the ancient chants connect us to ourselves and all living beings.
5:00-6:00am Morning Ceremony 6:30-7:30pm Evening Ceremony YouTube Channel: DharmaRealmLive Register Here to Join on Zoom  Have fun learning and playing music in a Chinese ensemble! All instruments are welcome (strings, plucking, woodwind, percussion). Please bring your own instrument. No experience needed, although preferred. We can help you get started on an instrument. Sessions are free. All ages are welcome.
Dates: 1/25, 2/22, 3/29, 4/26, 5/31, 6/7 (Last Saturday) Time: 1:00-3:00pm Location: Dining Hall, Berkeley Buddhist Monastery Interested? Please email: [email protected]. |
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Meditation 5:15-6:15pm Wednesday A Basic Set of Buddhist Meditation Practices by Steven Tainer 7:30-8:45pm (Online) Thursday Insight Meditation Community 7:30-9:00pm Friday Online Talk by Rev. Heng Sure 6:30-7:30pm Avatamsaka Sutra Lecture by Martin Verhoeven 7:30-9:00pm Saturday Avatamsaka Sutra Lecture by Rev. Heng Sure 7:30PM to 9:30PM Click here for live broadcast Retreats (Ukiah, CA)
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