Affiliate Groups

epiphany ZEN center

The epiphany ZEN center is a Sangha devoted to meditation and Zen study and practice located in Sebring Florida.  They meet every Thursday from 7pm to 9pm at 3115 Hope Street in Sebring. They are hosted at the Emmanuel United Church of Christ at the fellowship building in the zendo room.  The resident teacher is Rev. David Astor Sensei, an OEB Priest.   Contact info: email is epiphanyzen.center@gmail.com or by phone at 443-994-3551.

Website: http://www.epiphanyzencenter.com

Flowing River Ch’an Group
Long Island, New York

Flowing River Zen is a small, but dedicated practice community located in Suffolk county, NY.. Like many Buddhist traditions  we consider the word sangha not exclusive to the monastic community, but to include lay members as well.  Flowing River Zen was founded to help others experience the Dharma and it’s teachings in order to be agents for change in the modern and often times confusing and stressful world.   Our approach is to combine meditation, guided instruction, and community engagement.   We will provide support to the development of your practice and growth. We welcome all, regardless of formal faith affiliation or lack thereof. Our members come from a broad range of backgrounds from young to old, including artists, retirees, students, service workers, attorneys and other professionals.  The resident teacher is Rev. Dr. Brian Chang-Jin Kenna, an OEB Priest.

Website: www.flowingriverzen.com

Email: info@flowingriverzen.com

Dharma Winds Zen Sangha

 Dharma Winds Zen Sangha/Order Zen de HsuYun (DWZS/OZHY) is a European Zen Priory of a community of French speaking group of hermitages whoes members are recognized as affiliated with OEB as established in the transmitting bond between Venerable Rev. Shi Yao Xin and Venerable Rev. David Shen-Xi Astor Sensei as Dharma brothers.

DWZS/OZHY is firstly an official ordination platform of the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun – ZBOHY (zatma.org) in Europe.

 The Linji/YunMen Chan Lineage of Grand Master HsuYun and Fo Yuan Shakya, through the masters of the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun (founded by Venerable Jy Din Shakya), is the Primary Lineage of DWZS/OZHY, in which all Shi Yao Xin’s fully ordained Zen Priests are ordained.

in addition, a Zen/Ch’an Lineage affiliation is honered through the relationship Ven. Ryugen Fisher Sensei as Dharma Heir of both Soyu Matsuoka Roshi and Holmes Welch Sensei  has in the root lineage of the Prior General of OEB, Venerable Rev. Shi Shen-Xi through his root teacher Venerable Eubanks Sensei, and as such, an honorary Lineage of DWZS/OZHY in which all DWZS novices (priests in training or Yunshui) recognize during their ordination.  This honorary relationship was created when Shi Shen-Xi of OEB and Shi Yao Xin of DWZS recognized eachother as Dharma Holders in their respective Orders through a transmission ceremony held in 2016.

While this unique recognition between these two ancient Zen linages is not a binding form of lineage Dharma Transmission as such, it is however, to honor the actions enacted between OEB and DWZS’s leadership that did join them individually and in unity of ideals as Dharma brothers.

Engaged Dharma Insight Group

The Engaged Dharma Insight Group (EDIG) is an international sangha in the Pragmatic Buddhist tradition whose home is the Buddha Center (BC) Temple in the virtual world of Second Life (SL). The mission of the founders, management, and teachers of the Buddha Center is to offer to all individuals the opportunity to gather and learn from trained monastic and lay teachers from all Buddhist traditions. 

You will need to use your imagination now. Imagine broad stairs leading up to a majestic golden domed temple, its wide doorway flanked with lotus filled fountains. Stepping into the temple you see a semi-circle made up of two rows of zafus arcing around a pool of still water. The cushions face a Buddha image and a teacher’s cushion, ching bell, incense burner, and three candles. Seems like any other temple until you swing the view of your avatar around the room. There are forms on the cushions; a kitten in a tutu, a wolf, a hamster, a geisha, and various shapes, sexes and sizes of humans. These are the avatars that make access to SL possible. And, once you engage with them you discover the people behind the avatars are from a variety of continents. No matter where you are on your life journey, you are welcome here.

To experience Real Dharma in a Virtual World you’ve got to go to secondlife.com, download, create an avatar, find the Buddha Center and join the sangha on Mondays at 11am Second Life time (SLT) which is the Western time zone, and Fridays at 2pm SLT. 

Ven. Wayne Shen-Cheng Hughes Shi OEB, has been sharing the Dharma with the BC/EDIG sangha twice a week, for more than a decade using the avatar, VenerableWayne Slacker. Focus is on guiding the sangha to Buddhist practices that enhance human flourishing, their own and that of others. This is done from the pragmatic perspective that whatever practice or teaching, regardless of the Buddhist tradition, that through experiential verification is proven to be effective on a path to becoming a better human being than you were the moment before has value. WHAT WE DO MATTERS. 

Website: engageddharma.com