Dharma Rain Zen Center 50 years, A brilliant sea of clouds

We celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dharma Rain Zen Center by reflecting on the values that shaped the sangha from the beginning and looking towards the next phase of our sangha’s evolution.   We’re a temple that offers a broad spectrum of practice opportunities for a broad spectrum of people. The vitality of our youth programming, the beauty of the campus, the synergy of lay and monastic paths, and the intimacy of being seen and known by the sangha are some of our greatest strengths.  We’re leaning into these strengths over the next few years with a project that brings further expression to our core values.

We’ve been exploring what our next steps might be and getting ready for them for the past several years.  A combination of sound decisions and fortuitous circumstances has given us an opportunity to take a major step forward.  Even better, this step is projected to be about 75% grant-funded.  That said, we will need your engagement and financial support.  

As part of this project we will build a classroom building, add solar to the dormitories and parking lot, complete numerous energy efficiency upgrades, and continue to improve the ecology of Dharma Rain’s broader site.  The new classroom building will have two classrooms on the first floor, shared between Frog Song Montessori and Dharma School.  This doubles the size of our preschool and provides dedicated space for all of our children’s programs.  The second floor will include three bedrooms and common spaces, improving our retreat accommodations and increasing our residential capacity.  In addition, Dharma Rain’s ability to support the neighborhood during extreme weather or disasters will be substantially enhanced.  Energy modeling predicts that we’ll receive 80% of our energy usage from the sun within four years.  Revenue from the expanded school and residential programming will strengthen our financial future and help us achieve our strategic goal of becoming debt-free.

Please donate to Dharma Rain’s Brilliant Sea of Clouds capital campaign.  All donations will go towards the construction of the new classroom building. Funding for this project will be achieved through donations from supporters like you, and through a variety of grant and incentive programs, some received, some pending. We need to raise $400,000 in personal donations to make this project happen. Your contribution will help expand programming at Dharma Rain and build a strong financial future for our temple. 

The dharma taught by the Buddha is comparable to a great cloud which, with single flavored rain, moistens human flowers so that each is able to bear fruit. 

Lotus Sutra
Dharma Rain Daycare building rendering

How to Give

To donate to the Brilliant Sea of Clouds capital campaign, please visit our donation page to make a one-time donation or a one-year, recurring monthly pledge using PayPal or check. 

Please indicate “Capital Campaign” in the memo field to ensure that your contribution is recognized. 

You may also make a donation in-person during our 50th Anniversary Celebration on June 1. Event details can be found here.

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