SANGHA (community)
The three jewels of Buddhism are the Buddha (the enlightened one), the Dharma (the teachings) and the sangha (the community). Anywhere the dharma is taught, sangha exists. The sangha may be very busy, with members involved together in many activities, or it may simply be a group of like-minded people who meditation together. In each sangha dwelling of meditation hall there is a special kind of peace that is the result of the efforts of the sangha to know and testify to the truths of Buddhas teachings.
Joining the AZC sangha is as simple as attending meditation sessions. You don't have to be a Buddhist to join, but you should be serious about meditation. Those who attend and donate regularly become formal members of the sangha community. This brings with it additional meditation opportunities and library privileges.
At some point you may feel ready to attend one of the semiannual sesshins (retreats) run by the senior students of the AZC. Or you may feel a desire to spend some time volunteering to help with tasks around the grounds. Sangha members have taken on various maintenance and landscaping tasks and maintain an ongoing community garden. Working on these types of tasks is simply another kind of meditation.
American Zen College 16815 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874
