About

river rocksTwo Streams Zen grew out of the living relationship between co-founders and guiding teachers Catherine Anraku Hondorp and Ryūmon Hilda Gutiérrez Baldoquín. Their experiences of friendship, love, commitment, joy, differences, struggle, conflict, humiliation, passion, laughter AND complete confidence that the Buddha’s realization can be experienced as our own, fueled the impetus for the mission of Two Streams Zen.

Two Streams Zen harkens to the Sandokai, the teachings of the Absolute and Relative, the harmony of difference and equality, a core teaching of Zen.

Two Streams Zen also speaks to the coming together of two of the principal Zen lineages in the West with two distinct temples, sometimes functioning separately and sometimes together: a temple in the city of Northampton under the guidance of Anraku Sensei in the lineage of Taizan Maezumi Roshi, and a temple in rural Westhampton under the guidance of Ryūmon Sensei in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi.

The resources present in the creation of Two Streams Zen, a not-for-profit religious entity, promise to provide sustenance for the difficult, rewarding work of responding intimately, fearlessly and compassionately to the needs in our communities for real change in a world of difference.
Two Streams Zen makes accessible the Teachings of the Buddha to all those who come through
the doors of its temples seeking an end to Suffering.