Temple of Radiant Wisdom on the Solitary, Pure White Mountain
About Shasta Abbey

Shasta Abbey is a Buddhist monastery established in 1970 by the late Abbess, Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett, who died on November 6, 1996. Rev. Kennett studied in Japan from 1962 until 1969 and was the disciple of the Very Rev. Keido Chisan Koho Zenji, formerly the Chief Abbot of Daihonzan Sojiji Head Temple (1957-1967). She received Dharma Transmission from him in 1963. In accord with Koho Zenji's wishes, Rev. Kennett returned to the West in 1969 in order to teach and train Western disciples in the Serene Reflection Meditation tradition.

This tradition, known as Ts'ao-Tung Ch'an in China and Soyo Zen in Japan, traces its history back to the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. The master-disciple lineage was carried by the Indian monk Bodhidharma to China in the 6th century C.E. (Common Era) and spread widely under the influence of the Sixth Chinese Ancestor, Hui Neng. The lineage was continued on to Japan through the efforts of the young Japanese monk Eihei Dogen in the 13th century and further developed by Keizan Jokin a century later. Although certain external forms were adapted to each culture as this branch of Mahayana Buddhism moved from India to China to Japan and now to the West, the essence of the Buddhist teaching remains unchanged. The Buddhist training at Shasta Abbey preserves both the teachings and the spirit of this enduring tradition while presenting them in a contemporary Western context.

Several important elements of the Serene Reflection tradition are: serene reflection meditation (shikantaza, 'just simply doing one's sitting (neither deliberately thinking about anything nor deliberately not thinking about anything); a correct understanding of the fundamental Buddhist teachings of karma, rebirth, impermanence, no-self, and Nirvana; and the actualization of Buddha Nature in everyday life. Central to this tradition is the life of faith based on the principles outlined in Great Master Dogen's Shushogi: (1) the precious opportunity to receive human birth and encounter the Buddha's Way, (2) the recognition and transformation of our karmic inclinations of greed, hate, and delusion into compassion, love, and wisdom; (3) the wholehearted acceptance of the Buddist Precepts as a guide for living a moral life, (4) the actualization of the Bodhisattva vow through the cultivation of the Four Wisdoms -- charity, tenderness, benevolence, and sympathy; and (5) the expression of gratitude through selfless action in daily life. In addition, our tradition emphasizes the careful practice of religious ceremonial, a form of mindfulness training developed particularly by Great Master Keizan, in which Buddhist teaching and our gratitude for it are given verbal, visual, and physical expression. Underlying all these elements and running through them is an emphasis on the identity of training and enlightenment.

Shasta Abbey is located in the mountains of far northern California at an elevation of 4000 feet. The immediate vicinity of the monastery is an area of coniferous forest, three miles north of the town of Mt. Shasta. The mountain after which the town is named lies six miles to the east of the monastery. Because of the mountainous location and altitude, weather in this area is variable and unpredictable. Summer weather, although usually clear, can at times be unseasonably cool.

Retreat guests stay in the monastery's guest house, which accommodates about 40 people. Normally, there will be one person per room except during large retreats, when most guests will share a room. All meals are vegetarian (lacto/ovo). We try to accommodate the special needs of those guests who, due to age or health infirmities, find the usual daily schedule difficult to follow.

The monastery conducts a year-round schedule of retreats and Buddhist ceremonial festivals. Please advance to our Retreats Page if you are interested in the retreats scheduled this year, or to our Calendar if you wish to view our year-round schedule. Introductory Retreats are held once a month. Festivals such as Wesak, Bodhisattva ceremonies, memorials for Great Masters in our lineage, etc., are held on Sundays at 10:45 AM, and often coincide with the final day of retreats. Sunday ceremonies are followed by a Dharma talk given by the Abbot, Rev. Eko Little, and a social tea. Members of our local congregation join us for these events.

Throughout most of the year, Dharma talks are given by resident senior monks every Wednesday evening and Saturday afternoon. They are included as part of the lay resident program. Resident lay training is open to anyone who has attended an Introductory Retreat or an Introduction to Serene Reflection Meditation Retreat. The length of resident lay training may vary from a few days to several months or longer. Please note closed dates on our calendar.



Click to enlarge photo of the community of Shasta Abbey 2004.
Shasta Abbey, Attention: Guestmaster, 3724 Summit Drive, Mount Shasta, CA., 96067-9102 USA
Telephone: 530-926-4208E-mail: guestmaster@shastaabbey.org

All contents ©2005 Shasta Abbey