Mission Statement

Cultivating Buddha’s wisdom and compassion deep in the heart of Texas.

The Austin Zen Center community offers a haven of peace and harmony in which to engage in the task of self-discovery through Zen practice. Welcoming diversity, the practice of zazen is available to people of every race, religion, nationality, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, and physical ability. Our wish is that all beings realize their true nature, which is grounded in our inherent wisdom and compassion.

Facilities & Background

The Austin Zen Center occupies three buildings around the corner of Washington Square and Thirty-First St. in Austin, which house our practice space, living space, office space, classrooms and a library. Our main building, which contains our zendo (meditation hall), is a former Friends Meeting House. The lower floor of this building is wheelchair accessible with a wheelchair-accessible bathroom. Established in 2000, Austin Zen Center was founded to carry on the warm-hearted teaching of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, as recorded in his well-known book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. Suzuki Roshi’s teaching follows the Soto Zen tradition brought from China to Japan in the thirteenth century by Zen master Eihei Dogen. The Soto school of Zen has all the formality and discipline of other schools of Zen, but is particularly characterized by its patient and tender-hearted approach to practice. When the mind of zazen is lovingly extended to everyday life, our awareness of each moment increases and deep wisdom and compassion are born.