[This document can be acquired from a sub-directory coombspapers via anonymous FTP on the node COOMBS.ANU.EDU.AU] [Last updated: 30 March 1992] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This document describes organizational details of sesshin (a Zen meditation retreat) as practiced by members of the Sydney Zen Center of the Diamond Sangha tradition SCHEDULE FOR TRADITIONAL SEVEN-DAY SESSHIN DETAILING LEADERS' ROLES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. TIME LEADER ACTION ___________________________________________________________________ 4.00 A.M. JIKI Rings bell to wake up everybody. (Jiki has map of people/tents) 4.l5 A.M. JIKI Rings bell x l - all stand up. "Spread out for exercise" 4.20 A.M. JIKI Clap x l and form kinhin line. Kinhin should last for 5 minutes. Clap x l when approaching own zafu. JIKI Leads silent bow. 'Sit facing in for tea.' Open cups/cloths. Servers enter dojo on own initiative and serve tea. When servers leave, INO Inkin x l Bow, drink, wrap cups. INO Inkin x l (Don't wait for slow ones) Bow, return cups behind zabutons. TANTO Lights incense, picks up kyosaku, bows to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, then stands with stick down showing calligraphy. JIKI Clap x l just as Tanto puts stick down, ready to walk. TANTO Stick down, calligraphy facing into dojo, Tanto walks once around dojo; stick up return to starting point, again bow to Sangha, Dharma, Buddha and replaces stick on altar. JIKI As soon as Tanto bows to Buddha, Jiki hits 3 bells for beginning of zazen. Everybody should be in dojo by now. If anybody is missing from their place, Tanto should go get them. 4.53 A.M. TANTO Lights second candle, breaks one piece of (hears Roshi coming) incense in half, puts one on either side of incense holder, lit (waiting incense). Takes out stick of long incense for teacher. 4.55 A.M. TEACHER Enters dojo for Kentan. Tanto lights incense and hands to teacher. JIKI On teacher's final bow at exit, Jiki picks up striker, waits until teacher out of the dojo, then hits bells for end of period. Kinhin then zazen for three periods with dokusan/shosan. 6.20 A.M. COOK Hits han x 3. SERVERS Exit to kitchen, to prepare trays. 6.30 A.M. HEADSERVER Accelerando on umpan. JIKI Be ready with inkin and hit as soon as accelerando finishes. Everyone rises with bowls. JIKI Hits inkin x l to bow with bowls. Sit. INO Leads meal ceremony as per cards. During meal, if anything slows down, Ino says, "Pass fruit salad along" etc. INO & JIKI At very end of meal sutras, Ino hits inkin x l and Jiki hits clapper x l twice. (Important to do this briskly.) JIKI Hits inkin x l, we bow with wrapped bowls, tidy cushions then Jiki hits final inkin. 7.l5 A.M. SANGHA Samu. LEADERS Leaders meeting with teacher. 8.00 A.M. SANGHA Tea and bikkies on verandah. 8.20 A.M. JIKI Hits han as per instructions. 8.30 A.M. INO Hits inkin after last hit on han for three bows. Sit facing in for sutras. JIKI Hands out sutra books briskly. Down- stairs leader does likewise. INO Lead morning sutras (no "Song of Zazen") and include "Dedication for morning at sesshin". If it is necessary to announce page number, don't wait to start. At end of sutra service, Great Vows, then 3 bows. JIKI Collects sutra books, then leads kinhin. 9-ll.30 A.M. ALL Zazen for five periods. Probably outside kinhin around l0 a.m (check Roshi). ll.20 A.M. COOK Hits han x 3. Servers leave dojo. Brings in lunch offering for altar. ll.30 A.M. HEADSERVER Accelerando on umpan. JIKI Hits inkin straightaway, all rise. INO Meal sutras as per card. At end of meal, Ino hits inkin x l, JIKI Jiki hits clapper x l, repeat, then stand Jiki hits inkin, bow with bowls, tidy up cushions, then Jiki hits final inkin. NOON SANGHA Rest period. (Removal of offering) l.00 P.M. SANGHA Tea on verandah l.20 P.M. JIKI Hits han. 1.30 P.M. JIKI Hits clappers once then 3 bells to start period. l.55 P.M. JIKI Hits bell x l "Prepare for Teisho". Goes straight out and hits han x l as signal to teacher. JISHA Sees everything is ready: Roshi's mat, water, tape-recorder, en route to the chestnut tree TANTO Lights stick for Jisha to take to teacher. JISHA Walks towards Tanto who is holding incense on thumbs, gasshos and takes incense in same manner, leaves dojo without bowing at exit and goes to teacher's quarters, carries his papers. JIKI Hits drum 3 times. INO "Please stand". Hits clappers, with five second intervals, first loud, then soft, ending on a loud clap when teacher reaches dojo entrance. JISHA Bows to teacher, follows him in, bow to altar, places papers at teacher's place, goes straight to altar. Teacher bows, Jisha hands him incense, and as teacher bows on placing incense... INO Hits inkin for 3 bows, then standing bow to altar, then when teacher in place, Ino hits inkin x l to bow to each other, then all sit formally. When teacher's hands to gassho, Ino starts "On opening the Dharma" on big bell. Dharma talk follows. At end of talk, teacher's hands to gassho, Ino starts "Great Vows" then 3 bows. At final bow to altar, teacher leaves. JISHA Picks up notes and follows Roshi. INO Hits inkin when Jisha/teacher gone. All return to dojo. JIKI Claps for kinhin as usual. Four periods of zazen follow, with dokusan starting around 3.05 pm. 4.30 P.M. JIKI Hits bell x l and says, "Prepare for reading" then hands out books. INO Announces page number, hits bell, "Shodoka", starts reading. JIKI Wait five minutes after reading to collect books. (Make sure there is time for kinhin before evening meal.) 4.50 P.M. COOK Hits han x 3. Servers exit dojo. Cook enters dojo with offering. 5.00 P.M. HEADSERVER Acceleranda on umpan/han. JIKI Hits inkin x l at end of accelerando. All stand with bowls. Jiki hits inkin and all bow, sit. INO Leads silent bow to unwrap bowls. SERVERS Enter dojo after bow. (No bells) INO Bow to start offering, and when servers have left dojo, clap x l to eat. Clap x l for seconds. SERVERS Bring in tea. All wash bowls. INO Bow to pass offering jug along. Wrap bowls. Ino hits inkin x l, JIKI clap x l, repeat, stand, inkin x l, bow tidy cushions, inkin x l, bow. 5.30 P.M. ALL Rest period. 6.20 P.M. JIKI Hits han. 6.30 P.M. JIKI Rings inkin x 3 - no clapper. Normal zazen, dokusan until last period. JIKI Judges when last kinhin will be by checking dokusan line - should begin 8.30 - 8.35 P.M. At end of kinhin, says, "Sit facing in." 8.40 P.M. TANTO Holding kyosaku up for first round of dojo, and down for second, Tanto closes dojo. JIKI Clap x l as Tanto holds stick up to start walking, and when Tanto does final bow to Buddha, Jiki hits bell x 3 to signal start of zazen period. JISHA At end of interviews, Jisha rings last bell. TANTO Lights incense and candle. TEACHER Comes in and bows to altar. INO Have inkin ready in hand to hit as teacher is at bottom of bow, then accelerando for 3 bows. Sit facing in. JIKI Hands out sutra books. INO Lead evening service, Song of Zazen, Evening Dedication, Great Vows - no accelerando at end of this. JIKI & JISHA Leave dojo at end of second round of Vows for closing ceremony. (see notes for details) INO At last hit of closing ceremony, inkin x l, then three bows. TEACHER Final words for the night. Leaves. INO Hits inkin x l, all bow, tidy up. JIKI Hits inkin x l, bow at waist, leave. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- end of file -- Barry Kapke, director | "All that we are | INTERNET: dharma@netcom.com DharmaNet International | is the result of | FIDONET: 1:125/33.0 P.O. Box 4951 | what we have thought." | BBS: (510) 836-4717 Berkeley, CA 94704-4951 | (BUDDHA) | VOICEMAIL: (510) 465-7403