The path of Zen
is this very life.
Welcome to Ocean Gate
A Community Zen Buddhist Temple in Capitola
We are an inclusive sangha in the Sōtō Zen tradition dedicated to making this ancient path available to everyone.
The invitation of Zen Buddhism is to enter life fully with others, discover our inherent wisdom, and bring the spirit of Zen practice into our daily lives and community with compassion and generosity.
There is no barrier to this practice, it is open to all.
Our temple is a welcoming place to study and practice with friends as we deepen our understanding and our capacity to live the compassionate way of the Buddha.
We invite you to experience Zen Buddhism through zazen (sitting meditation) and other practice activities such as dharma talks, classes and study, chanting, ritual, sutra copying, singing, and engagement in the wider community.
We warmly welcome you to come, as you are, with all your questions, and experience the richness of the Sōtō Zen path.
Programming at Ocean Gate Zen Center is open to all.
Join us in-person or online
News & Teachings
“… when I walked into Ocean Gate Zen Center I knew I found a Zen community…The sangha/community is also a very compassionate group and I have acquired many compassionate and caring friends. ”
“Ocean Gate Zen is…a welcoming, vibrant, and intimate sangha community. [I]t is a safe place, a place of refuge….having two excellent Dharma-transmitted teachers with many years of training and experience in an intimate setting is a rare find.”
“I came across Ocean Gate by accident as I was walking to the beach…. I was so welcomed and surprised that Buddhists laugh and giggle as well as talk in depth. [The] atmosphere is open to all and extremely welcoming. It is a very kind community.”
