How to Practice Zazen at the Temple
General Information | Zendo Etiquette
Zazen is conducted on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from
7-8:45 pm and Tuesday through Friday mornings from 6-7:10 am.
Doors are opened a half-hour before sittings begin, and locked
five minutes before the start, so arrive before then. Those attending
a sitting should wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing of a
subdued color. Please do not wear shorts, short skirts, revealing
clothing, clothes with printed messages, or strong scents. Cell
phones and pagers should be turned off, or set to vibrate mode.
Those coming to the temple to sit for the first time should attend a Tuesday evening sitting, arriving no later than 6:45 p.m. to receive instruction. Instruction is available only to those 18 years and older with a personal interest in Zen meditation. We are no longer able to accommodate school students during our evening meditation periods. A person known as the Jisha (wearing a blue sash) greets people at the door, and will answer questions. Instruction in the fundamentals of Zen meditation is provided beginning at approximately 6:50 p.m. A donation of $5 to help support the Zen Center is requested for the initial Tuesday evening instruction, and a donation of one’s own choosing is requested thereafter when attending meditation at the Zen Center. After you have received instruction, you are welcome to attend any evening, morning, or Sunday sittings you wish. It is not necessary to receive instruction every time you come unless you would like a refresher course. On occasion, the Center is closed for holidays or retreats (sesshin), so please contact the office or check the calendar before coming. Information about Sunday sittings can be found in Zen Talks.
Zendo Leaders
Tanto: oversees the zendo, adjusts posture, leads
chanting during regular sittings, and makes announcements.
Jisha: Teachers attendant, greeter, provides
instruction to newcomers.
Jiki: Timekeeper, signals beginning and end of
zazen, leads kinhin, plays bells.
Anja: Altar attendant, lights candles and incense.
Ino: Lead chanter during chanting services and
ceremonies
Gassho (Formal Bow)
The gassho is one of the most important and frequently used gestures
in Zen. When done wholeheartedly it evokes feelings of respect,
gratitude, and humility.
The gassho is formed by holding your hands and fingers firmly
together, palm-to-palm, a few inches away from the body, with
fingertips at chin level. Hold elbows up, slightly away from your
body.
To make a standing bow with hands in gassho, incline your trunk
from the waist at about a 45-degree angle. The bow should be natural—neither
mechanical nor lax, neither extreme nor rigid.
In a situation where one hand is full or otherwise in use, such
as when carrying support cushions, one may gassho using one hand.
Raihai (Prostrations)
Raihai, if done no-mindedly—unselfconsciously with full
attention—will diminish ego, deepen faith in your True Nature,
and strengthen your karmic bond with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Raihai are done in sets of three after the Great Vows for All,
at the beginning of the morning meditation period and chanting
services, and during ceremonies.
Raihai are done as follows: Stand up during the accelerando played
on the inkhin bell (timer’s bell) or keisu (lead chanter’s
bell) and face the Buddha with hands in gassho. At the first strike
following the accelerando, bend down on your knees, buttocks on
heels. Touch the tops of your feet and forehead to the floor.
Place your hands palm down on the floor slightly in front of your
ears. Slide the hands, palms down, in line with your ears. Then
turn hands up and raise them a few inches off the floor, keeping
them level and close to your ears.
At the bell’s deadbeat, lower your hands and rise with
hands in gassho, by pushing back on your toes. If necessary, use
one hand for balance, keeping the other in a half-gassho. Stand
with hands in gassho until the next raihai or bow is signaled.
Evening Sittings
Most evening sittings have three 25 minute rounds of zazen, with
five minutes of kinhin (walking meditation) in between. It is
not necessary to stay for the entire evening; if you plan on leaving
early, write a note to the tanto (one of the zendo leaders, sitting
next to the timer) before the sitting, and leave during kinhin.
Be sure to close the door tightly behind you for security reasons.
On Thursday evenings, unless a ceremony is scheduled, a chanting
service is held during the third round. Use the chant book and
follow along as well as you can. Ceremonies, discussions, and
question and answer periods are sometimes scheduled. These take
place during the third round.
At the end of the third kinhin, the jiki (time keeper) says,
“Please sit facing in.” Everyone sits facing the center
of the room. The evening ritual begins. The text for this can
be found in the chant book under your mat. The evening concludes
with the “Great Vows for All”, followed by three prostrations.
Morning Sittings
Morning sittings begin with three prostrations and the morning
ritual. After the prostrations, everyone sits facing the center
of the room. The text of the morning ritual is in the chant book
under your mat. Following the morning ritual, everyone rises and
makes a standing bow, then turns and bows to their places, and
takes their seat for zazen. Two rounds of zazen follow. In the
morning, there is no kinhin; a bell is rung to signal the end
of the first round. People change posture and resume sitting.
At the end of the second round, a bell is rung three times. The
“Great Vows for All” are chanted, followed by three
prostrations.
