photo: the han in the courtyard In August of 1984, my teacher, Baker-roshi, moved to New Mexico with a handful of his students, began practice at the small Tibetan Buddhist temple on Cerro Gordo Road in Santa Fe, and established the Dharma Sangha. Though it had been built from a different tradition, the building with its courtyard, stupa and shrine room served very well as our zendo. Here are: a brief account of the history of the temple; a description of the construction of the stupa as originally described in CoEvolution Quarterly; and some pictures. As described in the history, by August of 1992 Roshi had moved the center of his practice in this country to Crestone Mountain Zen Center, and the temple went into the care of the Maha Bodhi Society.

This is not an official site representing either Dharma Sangha as it was when Roshi practiced on Cerro Gordo Road, or the Maha Bodhi Society as it is today. It is only something about where I spent seven years of my life. I was ordained there. Much happened there, for the Sangha and also for me*. Here is what I said in the ceremony in which we passed on the temple to the Maha Bodhi Society: "Excuse me if I speak for all of the Zen students who practiced here for 8 years, but I want to thank Dudjum Rinpoche and Suzuki-roshi and Baker-roshi and everyone for the unparalleled opportunity we have had to take care of a tiny temple, to sustain a daily practice. This is something we could not have hoped ever to experience in this country, and we had it. In this place we have been able to live with and practice intimately with Philip Whalen, with Issan (an actual Bodhisattva), with our teacher Baker-roshi. Thank you all very much."

For several years following, first one and then another of Roshi's students remained as resident caretaker in the temple, and maintained Dharma Sangha's zazen schedule. Then the temple was in the care of Upaya for some years, and is presently looked after by the Maha Bodhi Society. For current information about activities in the temple, contact Maha Bodhi Society, (505) 982-1332. For activities in the neighboring Mannen-zan Dokan-ji (Myriad Years Mountain, Circle of the Way Temple), contact Upaya.

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photo: Daibutsu This beautiful image of the Daibutsu is presently available (indirectly) at Ibiblio, where the DharmaNet Electronic Files Archive appears to be housed. It keeps disappearing. We found it most recently via DharmaNet's Online Collections of Buddhist Art page, part of DharmaNet International's extensive collection of links, maintained by Barry Kapke. If the image disappears from the above address, here is a local copy.)