- Zen Centre
The Zen Centre is a
Buddhist monastery inLondon ,England , and the active arm of theZen Trust , whose object is to promote theZen Buddhist religion for the benefit of the public. Members generally attend its meetings at the premises of theBuddhist Society . Attendance at Zen Centre premises is for select invitees only. The Zen Centre was founded byChristmas Humphreys ,who also founded TheBuddhist Society and was led by the Venerable Myokyo-ni until her death in 2007.It has two freehold properties: Shobo-an ('Hermitage of the True Dharma') in
St John's Wood ,London ; and Fairlight inLuton , together valued at £2,240,000 in the Zen Trust's 2005 accounts lodged with theCharity Commission .Cite web|url=http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/AccountListing.asp?charitynumber=272496|title=Accounts Listing|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 2|publisher=Crown Charity Commission|year=2006|author=Charity Commission|language=English]Shobo-an was formerly Christmas Humphreys' home and was left by him to the Zen Centre on his death in 1983. It was inaugurated as temple on 23 July 1984.
The purchase of Fairlight was financed largely using a single legacy from a lay devotee. It was acquired in a state of considerable disrepair from Luton District Council in 1995, and was improved by volunteers of the Zen Centre. The Venerable Myokyo-ni moved to Fairlight in 2002 and lived there until her death in 2007, leaving
Sochu in charge in London from 2003.Cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,2063167,00.html|title=The Venerable Myokyo-ni|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 2|publisher=Guardian Unlimited|year=2007|author=Simon Bloomfield|language=English]References
External links
* [http://www.thebuddhistsociety.org Web site of the Buddhist Society]
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