The San Francisco Zen Center, also known as the City Center, or as Beginner's Mind Temple (Hosshin-ji), is a Zen Buddhist community located in the heart of San Francisco, California. Founded in 1962 by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, the center has been a hub for the practice and study of Zen Buddhism for over 50 years. The San Francisco Zen Center is following the spiritual path of Sōto Zen.

The incredibly beautiful building that houses San Francisco Zen Center’s City Center temple is located at 300 Page Street (at Laguna), near the end of the Central Freeway in the Hayes Valley/Lower Haight neighborhood, which borders the Civic Center area. Limited on-street parking is available in the neighborhood; a public parking lot is also available on Franklin Street near Oak. Public transportation is also an option and easy way to get to the center. There is also space for people to have overnight stays as well. There are various ways offered to stay at the center: as a guest, guest student, work apprentice, or resident.

The history of the San Francisco Zen Center begins with Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, a Japanese Zen master who came to the United States in the late 1950s. Suzuki Roshi was a student of the famous Zen master Taizan Maezumi Roshi, and was sent to San Francisco by Maezumi Roshi to help establish a Zen community in the United States. Suzuki Roshi quickly gained a following of students, and in 1962, he founded the San Francisco Zen Center. The San Francisco Zen Center has had several teachers over the years, with Suzuki Roshi serving as the first abbot until his death in 1971. Since then, the center has been led by several different abbots, including Richard Baker Roshi, who served as abbot from 1971-1985, and Tenshin Reb Anderson, who served as abbot from 1995-2010. The current abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center is Myogen Steve Stucky.

The San Francisco Zen Center is housed in a beautiful, historic building located in the Civic Center neighborhood of San Francisco. The building, which was originally built as a Christian Science church in 1909, was purchased by the Zen Center in 1977 and has been the home of the community ever since. The center offers a variety of programs and services, including daily meditation, weekly Dharma talks, and retreats. It is open to people of all backgrounds and levels of experience, and offers a variety of programs and services to support the practice and study of Zen Buddhism. These offerings include daily meditation, weekly Dharma talks, and retreats, as well as classes and workshops on various aspects of Zen Buddhism. The center also has a residential community, with residents living and practicing together in the traditional Zen monastic style.

In summary, The San Francisco Zen Center is a Zen Buddhist community located in the heart of San Francisco, California. Founded in 1962 by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, the center has been a hub for the practice and study of Zen Buddhism for over 50 years. The center offers a variety of programs and services to support the practice and study of Zen Buddhism including daily meditation, weekly Dharma talks, and retreats, as well as classes and workshops on various aspects of Zen Buddhism. The center also has a residential community, with residents living and practicing together in the traditional Zen monastic style.

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