Jikoji, Compassion Light Temple, is a Soto Zen residential and practice center, and also a retreat center available for retreats, seminars, and classes.
It serves a community of Zen practitioners, as well as individuals and groups of diverse backgrounds.
Jikoji's teaching objectives and practices were initially established by Kobun Chino Otogawa Roshi, its founder, and will be passed on within his lineage of teachers of Soto Zen.
Based on the Bylaws, decision-making authority at Jikoji is vested in its Guding Teacher, now Shoho Michael Newhall, subject to the overall authority of the Board. He sometimes appoints others to assume responsibility or oversight management for various aspects of Jikoji's operations.
Committees have been set up to manage tactical aspects of Jikoji. Standing committees currently include: Residents, Facilities, Finance and Practice committees. Ad Hoc and new committees may be set up from time to time by the Board or Guiding Teacher, who also has authority to appoint and remove committee members.
Jikoji's Residents are responsible for its ongoing operations.
Some matters are reserved to the Board in the Bylaws. such as approving the annual budget and unbudgeted expenditures, holding meetings, and a few others. In addition to the matters reserved to it under the bylaws, the Board continues to have important fiduciary duties under California Law. These include the duty to preserve and protect Jikoji's assets, to take appropriate action in the event of illegal or improper conduct by officers or agents of Jikoji, and the duty to maintain Jikoji's non-profit status.
To get the pdf version of the Bylaws, click on Current Bylaws (Amended 2011) (.pdf)
To get the current version of the Jikoji Consensus Guidelines, click on Consensus Guidelines (browser, html) Consensus Guidelines (pdf)
All materials on this web site are property of Jikoji.