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Join us for Soto Zen Buddhist practice in Bloomington, Indiana.
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We practice Buddhism within the Soto Zen tradition that comes to us from Japan, following the particular style of our immediate three ancestors: Kodo Sawaki, Kosho Uchiyama and Shohaku Okumura.
Some of us are lay practitioners and some are ordained clergy, but we all engage in the same practices and walk the Buddha Way together. Everyone, whether beginner or experienced practitioner, is welcome. |
Several of the links throughout this website will connect you to our companion-site, Sanshin Source: a multimedia library of resources and in-depth information organized around our practice vision. Check back regularly for new content.
Our practiceOur main activities are zazen, sitting quietly and letting go of thinking; working together to take care of our temple and grounds and to develop wise and compassionate leadership according to the Buddha's teachings; studying the teachings of the Buddha and the ancestors of our lineage; and engaging in ritual that brings our community together across space and time. We do all this in the context of our six practice guidelines and support each other in carrying forward this concentrated experience of interconnectedness throughout our everyday activities and communities. See our overall practice vision here.
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Our practice theme this year
In 2026 we'll be exploring how we understand and express what it means to be "a Soto Zen Buddhist." Learn more and get the latest content and resources here! |
Our mission
Sanshin Zen Community enables and encourages the practice of authentically transmitted Soto Zen Buddhism as handed down by our 20th century ancestors: Kodo Sawaki, Kosho Uchiyama and Shohaku Okumura. We do this by offering zazen, work, study and ritual in the context of community.
Our vision
Sanshin aspires to offer sustainable intensive Soto Zen practice to both residential and non-residential practitioners (note that residential practice is not currently available at Sanshin). We will remain firmly grounded in the authentic Soto Zen tradition as stewarded by the denomination and deeply value our connection with the larger Soto Zen community in Japan and around the world. At the same time, we will take a clear and realistic view of what it means to bring the dharma we've inherited from our 20th century ancestors to modern and midwestern North America with these bodies and minds and in this culture.
See our practice vision here for an in-depth look at how we manifest these principles in practice here at Sanshin.
See our practice vision here for an in-depth look at how we manifest these principles in practice here at Sanshin.
Our 2026 End-of-year appeal is underway.
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Your gift helps to ensure that Sanshin continues to thrive.
We serve as a hub for in-depth Soto Zen practice and study opportunities, grounded in the approach of our twentieth century ancestors, and carried forward through our everyday lives, communities, and the entire universe. Learn more and donate as your circumstances allow. Thank you for your participation!
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Got a question? |
Sanshin's foreign language sanghas |
