Looking for a Ch'an Temple/Center is the SF East Bay (Livermore)

[Gippeto]

Hello all,

I have just started studying Buddhism, and after going through a few introductory texts I would like to find a Ch’an Temple/Center close to me.

I live in the East SF Bay (Livermore to be exact) and I am willing to travel.

Thanks in advance!

[GeneChing]

Does it have to be Chan? If you are not attached to Chinese, there are good Zen resources in Berkeley. I can't think of a Chan one off the top of my head, although I know there are places all around the bay. Most of the Chan temples are only taught in Chinese, which is why I'd recommend Zen if you don't speak Chinese. However, if it's gotta be Chan, I'd contact the Gold Mountain Monastery in SF as a starting point - they probably could direct you to an East Bay resource (or as you said, you could travel.) GMM is at 1731 15th St. 415-621-5202

[norther practitioner]

Not much Ch'an in english is there? I've had a hard time just finding anything on it other than shaolin kung fu sites mentioning it....

[GeneChing]

Actually, there is quite a bit but it's not readily available via regular book markets. It's the money. Chan Buddhists believe in the distribution of dharma for free. What's in that for Amazon or Borders. There are more free Chan books around here than I can read. Most of the Buddhist run vegatarian restaurents around here have a little book shelf near the door that is stacked with free literature - good stuff too. Many I've kept as references.

I'm very fond of the work of the Buddhist Test Translation Society - they are out of Grandmaster Hua's City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (http://www.drba.org/CTTB/cttb_e.htm). It's a beautiful monastery up in Ukiah, CA.