Governance

The Auckland Zen Centre fosters the teachings of Zen Buddhism by providing training in its disciplines, practices and devotions.

We are a community of practitioners united by a commitment to the cultivation of wisdom and compassion in widening circles, starting with our hearts and knowing no bounds.

From left to right: Peter Christensen, Sasha Maher (back); Sensei Richard von Sturmer (front); Adrian Croucher (back), Roshi Amala Wrightson

Current Board of Trustees and Director

The Auckland Zen Centre is governed by a Board of Trustees, made up of a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and two or more Trustees. The Spiritual Director oversees the religious affairs of the Centre and works with the Board and with a Manager to conduct the day-to-day operations of the Centre.

Chairperson: Sensei Richard von Sturmer

Secretary: Adrian Croucher

Treasurer: Peter Christensen

Trustee: Sasha Maher

Spiritual Director: Roshi Amala Wrightson

Trustees can be contacted at info@aucklandzen.org.nz

AZC Trust Deed

The Auckland Zen Centre is a registered Charitable Trust (IRD #94-887-291) whose deed provides for governance by a Spiritual Director and a Board of Trustees. According to the terms of the Trust Deed, the purposes and aims of the Trust include:

  1. Disseminating in New Zealand the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha for the benefit of all living beings;

  2. Educating all interested members of the public about Zen meditative practices and life skills that free individuals from greed, hatred and delusion, and that create citizens who are peaceful, compassionate, loving, and clear-sighted;

  3. Training and developing instructors, priests, and fully qualified teachers of Zen Buddhism;

  4. Providing suitable facilities and support for the teaching and practice of all facets of Zen Buddhism, including residential training;

  5. Providing meditation equipment and educational resources on Zen Buddhism in a range of media for distribution to the general public;

  6. Undertaking community outreach charitable activities as deemed suitable from time to time by the Spiritual Director and the Trustees.

The Trust is committed, in fulfilling its purposes, to:

  1. Upholding the Sixteen Cardinal Precepts of Mahayana Buddhism:

    • Three Treasures: Taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

    • Three Pure Precepts: Doing no harm, doing good, liberating all living beings.

    • Ten Cardinal Precepts: Not killing, not stealing, not engaging in harmful sexual relations, not lying, not supplying or using intoxicants, not speaking of others’ faults, not boasting, not withholding spiritual or material aid, not indulging in anger, and not reviling the Three Treasures (of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha).

  2. Working to Embody the Six Perfections:

    • Giving (Dana) – offering the teaching freely and supporting it generously.

    • Morality (Sila) – abstaining from harmful behaviour and engaging in helpful behaviour (especially as outlined in the precepts above).

    • Forbearance (Ksanti) – being tolerant of differences and difficulties and solving conflicts peacefully.

    • Diligence (Virya) – practicing the Dharma with energy, consistency and commitment.

    • Meditation (Dhyana) – developing concentration through sitting practice as well as engaging wholeheartedly in whatever one is doing.

    • Wisdom (Prajna) – seeing things as they are.

Ethical Guidelines

At Auckland Zen Centre we recognize that the ways in which we interact with each other can have a profound effect on our wellbeing and practice. For this reason, the Zen Centre’s Trustees have adopted ethical guidelines that we hope will help create a supportive, harmonious, and safe environment. The guidelines are reviewed annually by the Ethics and Reconciliation (EAR) Committee. If you have any concerns, we invite you to contact an EAR committee member. Current EAR committee members are Hamish Bartle (chair), Pilar Romero, Sally McAra, and John Hennebry. See the Centre noticeboard for contact details.

Members' Meeting

Each Spring the Trustees present the Centre's Annual Financial Statements to Centre members, and Roshi reports on the year's activities. The Centre's annual financial statements are available from Charities Services.

Privacy Statement

If you become a member or participate in Centre activities like workshops or sesshins (retreats), we will collect personal information from you, including your:

  • name

  • contact details

  • interactions with us (e.g. workshops attended, donations made)

  • emergency contact / next of kin

  • health information and allergies

We collect this personal information in order to:

  • Stay in touch with participants about Centre activities (you can always choose what emails you receive and can unsubscribe at any time)

  • Keep retreat participants safe if they have health issues and respond effectively if an emergency were to arise on retreat or at the Centre

  • Contact family in an emergency

We will not use your information for any other purpose and we will not share it with any other organization. Providing this information is optional.

  • If you choose not to enter health information on sesshin (retreat) applications, we may not be able to look after you as well during sesshin.

  • If you choose not to enter emergency contact details, we'll be unable to respond as effectively if an emergency did occur on sesshin or at the Centre.

We keep your information safe by storing it securely and only allowing appropriate staff to access it. We do not keep it for any longer than needed.
You have the right to ask for a copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you’d like to ask for a copy of your information, or to have it corrected, please contact us at info@aucklandzen.org.nz, or 09 550 4383 (office), or 52 Princes St, Onehunga, Auckland.