Desert Zen Center

During the Buddha's Birthday Ceremony in Spring, we chant and bathe a statue of the baby Buddha with sweet tea and flower petals. We encourage everyone to bring an instrument, a poem, a song, a joke (suitable for the occasion), and to entertain the sangha during our shared meal after service.

This late Summer ceremony dates back to the time of the Buddha and was started to help one of his monks who had visions of his mother being tortured in hell.The ceremony was to help deliver her from hell. It has become a annual day to remember those who have passed away and it is also a time to recognize or remember your mother.

In Late 2019, we started work on a formal Vietnamese gate. Update: In early 2020, shortly before the Virus occurred we started work on the gate position and putting it in. Currently we are working towards putting up this entryway fence to the temple, starting the process in 2018 and hopefully being completed before the end of the year.

This series of audio talks, originally called "Zen Basics", has been updated to a video format for easy access and sharing. Delivered by Roshi Thich An Giao, and originally recorded in the winter of 2004, these 24 talks provide an authoritative resource on the history, evolution and practice of Zen Buddhism.

The Buddha had one message throughout his life: the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. All of his 45 years of teachings were elaborations on this core message. Zen places a great deal of emphasis on the second area, Training in Mental Discipline, through the practice of Zazen. It is felt that both morality and wisdom flow from this practice.

Directions from Los Angeles: You can take several different freeways to get to Lucerne Valley. Take I-10 E, I-210 E/Foothill Fwy, CA-210 and I-15 N to Bear Valley Rd in San Bernardino County. Take exit 147 from I-15 N. Follow Bear Valley Rd and CA-18 to Rabbit Springs Rd in Lucerne Valley, Turn Right onto Rabbit Springs Rd.