Welcome to the Buddhist Peace Fellowship Chicago chapter!

Our chapter, part of a network that has been active for over 32 years, brings together Buddhist practitioners working collectively for peace and justice. Coming from a variety of Buddhist traditions, we are a community of activist friends trying to engage more directly in social action and service for the benefit of all beings. We work with Chicagoland organizations and other BPF chapters, and we are participating in an ongoing series of activities. We meet monthly and have additional committees on selected topics.

We embrace diversity and invite anyone to join our meetings. For more information, please contact: deankaufer (at) mac (dot) com, or call (773) 465-4279. Or visit the national chapter at http://bpf.org

Current meeting time and place: Third Thursday of every month, 7:15 pm meditation (optional), 7:45-9:00 pm meeting. Ancient Dragon Zen Gate Temple, 1922 W. Irving Park Rd. (near Damen and the Irving Park Brownline station), Chicago.

BPF Chicago chapter recent activities:
- Meditation and walking presence at Occupy Chicago
- Buddhist social ethics forums at local universities
- Sponsored speaker Sarah Weintraub, director of BPF National
- Ongoing Burma awareness public events and video showings
- Ongoing opposition to military recruitment at area high schools
- Sponsored speaker Hozan Alan Senauke (Clearview)in 2009
- Pro-monk and pro-people of Thailand and Tibet activities
- Sponsored speaker David Loy in 2007 and 2008
- Anti-war and anti-death penalty meditation vigils

Our practice of contemplation and social action is guided by our intention to:
- Recognize the interdependence of all beings
- Meet suffering directly and with compassion
- Appreciate the importance of not clinging to views and outcomes
- Practice nonviolence
- Use participatory decision-making
- Protect and extend human rights
- Work for economic justice and the end of poverty
- Oppose the militarization of our society