Zen Centre facts for kids
The Zen Centre is a special Buddhist temple in London, England. It is the active part of the Zen Trust. The Zen Trust aims to share the Zen Buddhist religion with everyone.
Members of the Zen Centre usually meet at the Buddhist Society. Some special invited guests can also visit the Zen Centre's own buildings.
Contents
What is the Zen Centre?
The Zen Centre is a place where people can learn and practice Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhism is a type of Buddhism that focuses on meditation and finding inner peace. It helps people understand themselves and the world better.
Who Started the Zen Centre?
The Zen Centre was started by a person named Christmas Humphreys. He also founded The Buddhist Society. After him, a respected teacher called the Venerable Myokyo-ni led the Zen Centre. She guided the centre until she passed away in 2007.
Where are the Zen Centre's Buildings?
The Zen Centre owns two important buildings. One is called Shobo-an, which means 'Hermitage of the True Dharma'. It is located at 58 Marlborough Place in St John's Wood, London. The other building is called Fairlight, and it is in Luton.
In 2005, these two buildings were worth about £2,240,000. This information was shared with the Charity Commission, which is a group that checks how charities use their money.
Shobo-an: A Historic Home
Shobo-an used to be the home of Christmas Humphreys. When he died in 1983, he left it to the Zen Centre. It was officially opened as a temple on July 23, 1984. This means it became a dedicated place for Buddhist practice and teaching.
Fairlight: A Place for Learning
The Zen Centre bought Fairlight mostly with a large gift from a supporter. They bought it in 1995 from Luton District Council. The building needed a lot of repairs at the time. Volunteers from the Zen Centre worked hard to fix it up.
The Venerable Myokyo-ni moved to Fairlight in 2002. She lived there until her death in 2007. From 2003, a teacher named Sochu took charge of the Zen Centre's activities in London.
