List of sanghas in San Diego County, California

This is a list of sanghas and Buddhist temples in San Diego County, California, which corresponds to the San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area. All major branches of Buddhism, Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, are represented there, as is the Mahayana form Zen,^[1] as are Vipassanā and Jōdo Shinshū (Pure Land). There is also a secular Zen sangha. The area is home to monasteries as well as to less formally engaged groups who gather for meditation and community. Siddhārtha Gautama died over 2500 years ago, but the oldest Buddhist organization in San Diego County is less than 100 years old.^[2][3]

History

During 1916, Japanese immigrant Buddhist farmers were killed when what was then named Otay Dam gave way and resulted in the Hatfield Flood. The local Japanese diaspora needed a place to hold religious services and went on to found what they call the oldest Buddhist organization in San Diego County.^[4][5] They met informally until they were able to afford a temple space. First they rented a second-floor room on 6th and Market in May 1926.^[3] Boys and girls in costume paraded through downtown to celebrate.^[3] Later, in 1931, they dedicated today's Buddhist Temple of San Diego at 2929 Market.^[3]

List

Name	School of Buddhism	Founder/Date	Location
Mirror Mind Buddhist Sangha (Center for American Buddhist Practice)	Buddhism (regardless of school), non-sectarian Mahayana	ca. 2005	San Diego
Pacific Seaside Sangha	Buddhism (regardless of school)	Gavin Seedorf (2014)	4666 Cass St San Diego
Dharma Bum Temple	Buddhism (regardless of school)	Dharma Bum Jeff (2006)	San Diego[6]
Pacific Buddha 太平佛	non-sectarian Mahayana, unifying Pure Land Buddhism with the basics in all Schools of Buddhism	The West’s oldest Buddhist tradition, established 1880. (incorporated 2002)	Del Mar at Zenergy Holistic Physical Therapy[7]
Blue Sky Zen Sangha	Zen tradition of Junpo Denis Kelly Roshi	E. Hermogenes (2011)	San Diego[6][6][6][6]
Buddha For You	Buddhism (regardless of school)	Dharma Bum Jeff (2009)	San Diego[6]
Vista Zen Center	Zen	White Plum Asanga lineage	Vista[1]
Three Treasures Zen Community	Zen	White Plum lineage	Rancho Peñasquitos[8]
Deer Park Monastery	Zen	Thích Nhất Hạnh (2000)	Escondido[1]
Sweetwater Zen Center	Zen	Anne Seisen Saunders (2000)	National City[9]
Hidden Valley Zen Center	Zen	(1968)	San Marcos[1]
Ensenada Zen Group	Vietnamese Zen		Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico[10]
All People's World Beat Sangha	Zen, Plum Village tradition of Thích Nhất Hạnh		World Beat Center[11]
Heart Beat Sangha (People of Color)	Zen, Plum Village tradition of Thích Nhất Hạnh		World Beat Center[12]
Open Heart Sangha	Zen, Plum Village tradition of Thích Nhất Hạnh	(2010)	First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego[13]
Peaceful Shores Sangha	Zen, Plum Village tradition of Thích Nhất Hạnh		University Lutheran Church[14]
Compassionate Heart Sangha	Zen, Plum Village tradition of Thích Nhất Hạnh		Encinitas[11]
Palomitas de Paz Sangha	Zen, Plum Village tradition of Thích Nhất Hạnh		Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship[11]
Really Beneficial Sangha	Zen, Plum Village tradition of Thích Nhất Hạnh		Rancho Bernardo/Escondido[11]
Still Ripening Sangha (Order of Interbeing)	Zen, Plum Village tradition of Thích Nhất Hạnh		Deer Park Monastery[11]
Metta Forest Monastery	Theravada, Thai Forest Tradition		Valley Center[15]
Sunnataram California Meditation Monastery	Theravada, Thai tradition	Ajahn Yantra Amaro (1995)	Escondido[16]
Wat Lao Navaram Monastery	Theravada		Linda Vista[17]
Wat Sovannkiry	Cambodian Buddhism		San Diego[18]
UU Meditation Circle	Vipassanā		San Diego, First Unitarian Universalist Church[19]
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of San Dieguito	Vipassanā		Solana Beach[20]
Buddhist Temple of San Diego[21]	Jōdo Shinshū (Pure Land Buddhism)	(1926, 1931)	Grant Hill[3]
Hsi Fang Temple	Fo Guang Shan	Hsing Yun (1989)	University Heights[22]
Vista Buddhist Temple	Jōdo Shinshū	(1980)	Vista[23]
Kadampa Meditation Center San Diego	New Kadampa Tradition	Geshe Kelsang Gyatso	Point Loma[24]
Diamond Way Buddhist Center	Diamond Way Buddhism	Lama Ole Nydahl (ca. 1972)	University City[25]
Jigme Lingpa Center San Diego	Tibetan, Nyingma, Longchen Nyingthig	Lama Lhanang Rinpoche (2013)	Broadway Heights, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Tibetan Healing Center, Dzogchen Shri Singha of San Diego, Tsegyalgar West	Tibetan, Drukpa Lineage Dzogchen	Namkhai Norbu (2003)	Hillcrest, Encinitas, Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico[26]
San Diego Shambhala Meditation Center	Tibetan	Chögyam Trungpa	North Park[27]
Karma Thegsum Chöling (San Diego) Buddhist Meditation Center	Tibetan, Karma Kagyu, Vajrayana	16th Karmapa (1977)	San Diego[20][28][29]
San Diego Rigpa	Tibetan	Sogyal Rinpoche	San Diego[30]
Drikung Kyobpa Choling	Tibetan	(1996 or 1997)	Escondido[31][32]
Zen Center of San Diego	Secular	Joko Beck (1983–2006)	Pacific Beach[33]
Insight San Diego	Vipassanā	(2014)	Liberty Station[34]

Notes

1. Warth, Gary. "What we believe: Spiritual path of Buddhism leads to enlightenment". North County Times. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
2. Rapson, Edward James (1922). "The Cambridge History of India". 1. Univ. Pr.: 156. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
3. Estes, Donald H. (Fall 1978). "Before the War: Japanese in San Diego". The Journal of San Diego History. San Diego History Center. 24 (4). Retrieved October 17, 2011.
4. "Our Partners". Japanese American Citizens League. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
5. Mellin, Maribeth, Jane Onstott, and Judith C. Devlin (2009). Insiders' Guide to San Diego (6 ed.). Globe Pequot via Google Books. p. 333. ISBN 978-0-7627-4870-9.
6. "Business Spotlight: Buddha For You" (1154). Gay & Lesbian Times. February 4, 2010. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
7. "Yogi Chen's System of Meditation, Taiping Fo, February 2014".
8. "The Venerable Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi Roshi, founder, White Plum Asanga". White Plum Asanga. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
9. "One Thousand Days Program: Prison, Family, Community Initiative". The Ojai Foundation. February 2009. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
10. "Ezenzia: Directorio Holístico: Ensenada Zen Group". Ciudad de México. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
11. "Deer Park Monastery Directory". Retrieved May 31, 2012.
12. "Heart Beat Sangha Blog". Retrieved May 31, 2012.
13. "Open Heart Sangha Blog". Retrieved November 2, 2012.
14. "The Mindfulness Bell Directory". Retrieved July 20, 2012.
15. Ryan, Philip (June 26, 2007). "Metta Forest Monastery". Tricycle. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
16. "Faith & Values briefs for the week of April 16". North County Times. April 16, 2010. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
17. Opincar, Abe (June 11, 1998). "Baltimore to Buddha". Reader. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
18. "Directory of Religious Centers". Pluralism Project: President and Fellows of Harvard College and Diana Eck. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
19. "Unitarian Universalist Buddhist Practice Groups". Unitarian Universalist Association. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
20. "Faith & Values calendar for Aug. 12-18". North County Times. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
21. "Buddhist Temple of San Diego". Official Site of Buddhist Temple of San Diego. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
22. "San Diego Buddhist Association Hsi Fang Temple". Pluralism Project: President and Fellows of Harvard College and Diana Eck. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
23. "Vista Buddhist Temple Shokenji Taiko". Japanese American National Museum. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
24. "Kadampa Buddhism Gallery". The New Kadampa Tradition. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
25. "Diamond Way Buddhist Centers". Diamond Way Buddhist Centers USA. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
26. "International Dzogchen Shri Singha Organizations". Dzogchen Shri Singha. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
27. "San Diego Shambhala Meditation Center". Shambala International. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
28. "Karma Triyana Dharmachakra -- Practice Centers -- U S A -- San Diego KTC". www.kagyu.org. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
29. "Karma Thegsum Choling (San Diego)". Karma Thegsum Choling (San Diego). Retrieved 2016-08-04.
30. "New Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center Opens in Downtown San Diego". KPBS. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
31. "Drikung Kyobpa Choling: About Us". Tibetan Meditation Center. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
32. Kellogg, Marga (May 2, 2009). "Escondido: Tibetan monastery making final push on expansion effort". North County Times. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
33. "Stuart Lachs". Non-Duality. August 26, 2010. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
34. "Insight San Diego". Insight San Diego. Retrieved Dec 19, 2014.