Tassajara Widening the Circle Capital Campaign

SAN FRANCISCO ZEN CENTER 8/5/2012

The Tassajara Temple Gate ProjectThe Tassajara Temple Gate ProjectThe Tassajara Temple Gate ProjectThe Tassajara Temple Gate Project

To arrive at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, the San Francisco Zen Center’s winter mountain monastery and

summer guest retreat center, is to step into an extraordinary, beautiful place of refuge and renewal. The

dramatic drive through the rugged Santa Lucia Mountain Range (inland from Big Sur) leaves city lights,

computers, cell phones and everyday concerns far behind. Arriving at the temple gate marks the end of this

journey and the beginning of another journey.

The Tassajara temple gate upholds the Zen tradition of providing a physical and symbolic marker of the

threshold between the secular world and the sacred. The gate calls our attention to the profound moment

when we leave our day-to-day world and step into safe, sacred space. It is an opportunity to affirm our

intention to reconnect with that which is most important and meaningful for each of us. Similarly, departing

through the gate calls our attention to the moment we consciously step back out into our everyday lives. It is

an opportunity to be grateful that an exquisite place of practice and refuge like Tassajara exists for us all to

benefit from.

The temple gate also serves the ceremonial and practical function of announcing Tassajara’s status as a Zen

Buddhist monastery. The Tassajara gate is closed for six months of the year, from late September to early

April, to hold the winter monastic practice, when up to 70 people dedicate themselves to the rigors of

traditional monastic Zen practice. The gate is open for

six months, from early April to late September,

welcoming guests to participate in Zen community

practice and retreats, unwind in the hot springs and

enjoy nurturing vegetarian meals.

There are very practical reasons for building a new gate

and building it now: the existing gate is literally falling

apart! Despite tender care over decades (it was lowered

by four feet in 2009 because of deterioration and

instability), the existing gate has come to the end of its

useful life.

Another impetus to build the new gate right away is

that we have the expertise and wisdom of master

temple builder Paul Discoe, who has offered to design

and build the new temple gate. Ordained as a Zen

priest by Suzuki Roshi, Zen Center’s founding

teacher, Paul studied architecture as a Buddhist temple

builder in Kyoto, Japan, for five years during the

1970s. He designed and built the original gate at

Tassajara, as well as the Tassajara kitchen and zendo

and the Green Gulch guest house. Paul founded

Joinery Structures to continue pursuing his passion for

Asian architecture. Joinery Structures is a design-build

studio and mill specializing in custom projects that

integrate sustainable practices, innovative design and

precision craftsmanship.

Even though the Tassajara temple gate has not yet been designed, we anticipate it will have many of the elements of this gate.

Tassajara Widening the Circle Capital Campaign

SAN FRANCISCO ZEN CENTER 8/5/2012

Our ProgressOur ProgressOur ProgressOur Progress

With Zen Center’s support, Paul Discoe is leading a unique nine-month project during which a select group

of apprentices will work with him to design and build the new gate for Tassajara. Under his guidance, the

apprentices will learn all aspects of the process through hands-

on experience. This is an ideal format for Paul to pass on his

deep knowledge and experience to the next generation,

preserving Zen building traditions. In addition, this format

will significantly reduce Zen Center’s cost of building a new

gate for Tassajara.

The new Tassajara temple gate is expected to be completed

by Spring 2013. Our hope is to have an “Opening of the

Gate” Ceremony at Tassajara in May 2013 at the beginning

of the summer guest season.

Because of Paul Discoe’s generous contributions and his team

of volunteers, the primary costs of the new temple gate will be for materials, transportation and site work.

The budget for the project is $75,500, and the community has already raised $26,000 toward this goal.

Financial contributors to the new Tassajara temple gate will be supporting the creation of a unique and

beautiful structure that for decades to come will welcome Zen practitioners and guests to Tassajara,

supporting their transition from the secular world to the sacred world, and back again.

Widening the Circle Capital CampaignWidening the Circle Capital CampaignWidening the Circle Capital CampaignWidening the Circle Capital Campaign

Recognizing the importance of the temple gate, the San Francisco Zen Center community is coming

together to support a new gate for Tassajara. The new temple gate for Tassajara is part of Zen Center’s

Widening the Circle Capital Campaign. Through the

capital campaign, the Zen Center community is

improving our three practice centers; increasing our

capacity to develop and support outstanding teachers and

programs; fostering innovating projects that connect

people with Zen teachers, practice, and community; and

establishing an endowment that will provide a

foundation for long-term financial sustainability. All

donations will be matched by a long-time benefactor.

To learn more or contribute to the Tassajara Temple Gate Project, please contact: Anne-Marie Rosché 415-268-0296 anne-marie.rosche@sfzc.org

“In a Buddhist temple complex, when you walk “In a Buddhist temple complex, when you walk “In a Buddhist temple complex, when you walk “In a Buddhist temple complex, when you walk

through the san mon [temple gate] you are through the san mon [temple gate] you are through the san mon [temple gate] you are through the san mon [temple gate] you are

ascending the mountain, leaving everyday ascending the mountain, leaving everyday ascending the mountain, leaving everyday ascending the mountain, leaving everyday

cause and effect behind, both physically and cause and effect behind, both physically and cause and effect behind, both physically and cause and effect behind, both physically and

spiritually. The mental transformation and the spiritually. The mental transformation and the spiritually. The mental transformation and the spiritually. The mental transformation and the

physical transformation meet at the san mon, physical transformation meet at the san mon, physical transformation meet at the san mon, physical transformation meet at the san mon,

since in Buddhism mind and body are one.”since in Buddhism mind and body are one.”since in Buddhism mind and body are one.”since in Buddhism mind and body are one.”

————Paul Discoe, Zen ArchitecturePaul Discoe, Zen ArchitecturePaul Discoe, Zen ArchitecturePaul Discoe, Zen Architecture

Current Temple Gate