[This document can be acquired from a sub-directory coombspapers via anonymous FTP on the node COOMBS.ANU.EDU.AU] [Last updated: 15 October 1995] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 SESSHIN CAUTIONS (Tanto speaks.) At sesshin, we separate ourselves from the concerns and preoccupations of our busy every day lives and sink deeply into the question, "What is my essential nature?" In these special training circumstances we are free to devote ourselves entirely to the practice of realising the Buddha Way. At sesshin we are free to be true to our hearts. We are free to transcend the background chatter of our busy minds and to see into the fact of our own nature. Sesshin offers us the chance to make great progress on the broad path of maturity. The forms and procedures which follow are designed to establish an optimum setting for true Zen training for everyone attending sesshin, a structure which supports each of us in giving full attention to the matter at hand. At the same time, internalising the guidelines, and practising them mindfully, creates an environment for the entire group which fosters and expresses our deepest aspirations. There is a lot to remember. It is all right to make mistakes. You will find that you will pick it up as sesshin continues. Just practice with sincerity. If you have heard all this before, please listen carefully again with beginner's mind. The three essentials of sesshin. l. Don't talk or whisper. 2. Don't look around. 3. Don't greet people or make gestures. If a practice-related problem arises and it is necessary to speak to someone about it, speak only to the Tanto or to the Teacher in dokusan. If a work-related problem arises, speak only to your work leader - the head vegetable chopper, the head server etc, or to the Jisha. Don't speak or write notes to the cooks or to anyone else. Don't give advice or seek help from your fellow students. Let the sesshin leaders and the Teacher handle any difficulties. Your eyes should be kept lowered. Eye contact is distracting during sesshin. Don't signal others with gestures. Don't greet or acknowledge your friends as you come and go in sesshin. Continue your zazen at all times. Keeping your hands in kinhin position whenever possible will help to bring you back to your practice. During work periods, bring all your attention to the task at hand. Schedule and seating arrangements: The schedule and seating plan for the dojos are both posted outside the door. Please keep strictly to your allocated place and don't interfere with anyone else's mats or cushions. Clothing. Clothing should be plain and dark coloured, preferably black. It should be loose-fitting. Don't wear shorts or singlets. You may keep a jumper folded at your place in case of cold weather. Watches. Unless you have a job which requires wearing a watch - leaders and cooks - don't wear one. Sesshin gives us a rare chance to forget time. Perfumes and lotions. Don't wear strong-smelling perfume or aftershave, it can be distracting. Insect repellant lotion and sunscreen is provided on the shelf outside the door. Promptness and attendance. Attend every group function. Always be at your place early. If you are not at your place, someone will have to go looking for you. Don't come in after the bells have rung. Don't go too far away at the breaks or fall asleep in a far paddock, you won't be able to hear the han announcing the next period. Always stay within earshot. Don't leave the dojo until you have the signal to do so. If some emergency arises, speak only to one of the leaders about it. Do not leave a note. Do not ask to leave sesshin just because you are upset. Such times can be important for your zazen. Your absence inevitably would disturb the group spirit. Never leave sesshin wtihout speaking first to one of the leaders and to the Teacher. Doors and windows. Be careful when opening and closing doors to cause the least possible noise. Doors to be left open should be hooked into position. Don't stand about in doorways. Don't touch the windows in the dojo. The leaders will look after them for you. Shoes. The verandah is a shoes-off area to save trekking grass into the dojo. Sit on the edge of the verandah, take your shoes off and carry them to the shoeshelf. Don't leave them higgledy piggledy on the verandah, where they may block the doors. Come to the dojo via the stone step near the double doors to avoid treading around the verandah. Smoking: If there are smokers here, please only smoke during breaks and go far away, taking care when lighting matches or stubbing out butts. Wash your hands afterwards and don't smoke in your sitting clothes. Better still, don't smoke up here at all. Hygiene: Please wash your hands carefully before handling any food, and after work periods. Water is precious here. Don't wash hands, clothes or utensils under running water. Put the plug in the basin. Dehydration: Remember to drink plenty of water if the weather is warm. Don't squirrel mugs away in your tent or there won't be enough to go round at morning and afternoon tea time. Toilets: There are three pit toilets here. Just use them for shitting, ladling out some lime every other time. Put the lid down when you're through, and close the latch on the toilet door as a signal the toilet is unoccupied. Pee outside, discreetly. Just avoid peeing between the dojo and hojo area. Showers: At Gorricks Run there are two open showers and one cubicle and there will be hot showers in the lunch break, alternating dojos every day, tomorrow showers for people in the upstairs dojo, the next day, downstairs. Cold showers may be taken during the other breaks or you may want to take a bucket down to the creek but please soap up and rinse well away from the creek. Dojo Cautions: (Tanto speaks, Jikki demonstrates) Entering the dojo. 1) Step into the dojo, bow in the direction of the altar. This is your bow to the Buddha. Do this every time you come in, even if you are only fetching a cushion. 2) If you are coming in for zazen, place your hands in the kinhin position and walk quietly around the edge of the dojo to your seat as others will be already sitting. 3) Bow towards your seat. This is your bow to the Dharma. 4) Turning in the direction of the altar, face the room and bow. This is your bow to the Sangha. 5) Turning in the direction of the altar, take your seat. Plump up your cushion if necessary. Leaving the Dojo. When you leave the dojo, bow to the Buddha at the door. There are two instances when you do not do this, when you are leaving to go to dokusan and when you are leaving during kinhin (bow as you step out of the line but not at the door.) In the Dojo. Please walk quietly in the dojo and keep your hands in kinhin position. The only exception to this is when you leave to go to dokusan, then your hands should be in gassho and your cushion under your arm. Sit still during zazen, chanting and other activities in the dojo. Ignore minor irritations. If it is necessary to adjust your position because you are in pain, and you must be the judge of this, do so carefully and slowly, keeping your practice going throughout. Be careful though - a single shift in position can set off a chain of moves. Extra cushions, benches and knee pads are stored under the stairs. There are chairs outside the dojo to use if your knees are sore. Please be very careful and aware of your bodies. (Jikki demonstrates use of chair. ) Stay with the chair for an entire block of sitting but remember to be sitting on your cushion or bench for mealtimes. If you feel a sneeze or a cough coming, do not hesitate to cover your mouth., At such times, consideration for others should be your first concern. From time to time during the sesshin day, the Jikki Jitsu will say, "please sit facing in". Those in the centre block cannot do this. Just stay as you are. Kinhin (Tanto speaks, Jikki and other leaders demonstrate:) When you hear the bell ring twice, it is time for kinhin. Still sitting on your cushion, bow. Rock gently from side to side. Turn around on your cushion in the direction of the altar. Stand up and place your hands in kinhin position. If your foot has gone to sleep, be careful when standing. It's all right to stay sitting down until you can safely stand. If you can't join the kinhin line when it begins, wait on your cushion until your place comes back. Then gassho and join the line. Gassho when you hear the Jikki's clappers. Turn to your left and start walking. The Jikki sets the pace. Please keep up with the person in front. Keep your head up and your eyes lowered in kinhin. There will sometimes be extended outside kinhin. Continue your zazen practice during kinhin and at all other times, keying your breath to your steps. The Jikki will clap the clappers before you reach your cushion to let you know kinhin is finishing. Stop at your place with your back to your cushion. Gassho with everybody together then turn in the direction of the altar to face your place. gassho again and take your seat. (Tanto speaks, Jikki and others demonstrate) If you need to leave the dojo during kinhin to get a drink, go to the toilet or attend to some sesshin job, you may leave in the following ways: 1) Go quickly when you hear the bell struck twice for kinhin, especially if you are heading for the toilets. Gassho at the door. 2) If you cannot leave quickly, walk in the kinhin line until you get to the door. Gassho as you leave the line but not at the door. 3) If the person in front of you leaves, maintain the gap. 4) When you return to the dojo, wait near the door until your place in the line comes round. Gassho quickly and step in. 5) Sometimes you cannot rejoin the line. Your place has already passed or you are too late. In this situation, wait near the door until the line has stopped. Bow with the final bow. Only then return to your place. Also if you need to fetch a chair or another cushion you must wait for the final bow of kinhin. The principle is "everyone moves together." Kinhin is not a rest period. Leave the line only to go to the toilet or to get a drink or if you need to attend to some sesshin duty, such as cooking. If you need to go to the toilet, leave promptly so you will be back in the dojo before the bells ring for the next period of zazen. Early Morning Procedures (Tanto speaks, other leaders demonstrate: ) The bell will be rung at 4 am. Get up quickly and go to the dojo. Kentan. The first period of zazen is sat facing in. Towards the end of this, the Teacher will enter the dojo for kentan. The Teacher first bows to the altar and then walks slowly round the dojo. As he/she approaches your place, raise your hands in gassho but do not bow. After the Teacher has passed, lower your hands to zazen mudra again. Kyosaku and Massage I(no speaks, other leaders demosnstrate.) The kyosaku is an effective way to relieve tiredness and tension, in the shoulders or on either side of the lower back. The sound of the kyosaku, as with all other sounds, brings us back to our practice. The kyosaku and brief massage will be offered during this sesshin but only at your request. To request the kyosaku on the shoulders, when you hear one of the leaders walking behind you, raise your hands in gassho. When the leader taps your shoulder, lower your hands to zazen mudra. Do not tense your shoulders but move your head to the side and pull long hair out of the way. If you would like to be hit on the lower back, raise your hands in gassho and lean right forward. To request a brief massage, do a tea ceremony bow with hands on knees. When the leader has finished, gassho. The leader walking the kyosaku may adjust your posture. Sutras. (Ino speaks, other leaders demonstrate.) 1) To request a sutra book, hands are at gassho. 2) When you use the book, hold it well up with your three middle fingers outside and thumb and little finger inside. 3) When you are not using the book, lay it on the mat beside you, not on the floor. 4) Most of the chants are recited with hands in gassho. For the first day or two, watch the leaders. Teisho. (Tanto speaks) There will be a teisho every afternoon. The Jiki will say, "Prepare for Teisho" and everyone stands at their place. When the weather is fine, we will sit under the chestnut tree. Carry your zafu across and wait for the Ino's signals. During the talk, sit formally in zazen position until it is indicated you may sit comfortably. Dokusan. (Tanto speaks) It is important to meet the Teacher in dokusan. Dokusan is a chance for creativity and mutual deepening. The Teacher's intention is to guide us towards realisation of our essential nature, not to judge us. Dokusan is a time to ask questions about our practice. You don't have to have a reason to go. Say what is in your heart. If you have nothing to say, that's all right. Tell the Teacher you have nothing to say. This is your presentation. Dokusan is completely confidential. The Teacher does not discuss it with anyone else and it is requested that you keep your side private. The teaching given to you may be harmful medicine for someone else. (Jisha speaks.) On the first and last days of sesshin, everybody goes to dokusan in turn, tapped by the Jisha. This is called sosan. The Jisha will say, "Sosan - please wait until you are tapped." When you are tapped, take your zafu to your place on the verandah. The Jisha will ring the bell for sosan. At other times, the Jisha will call "Upstairs dokusan" or "downstairs dokusan". Stay seated until the Teacher rings the bell, the Jisha does an accelerando, the Teacher rings again, and finally the Jisha rings twice, the signal for dokusan to begin. You may leave the dojo at this point and take your place in the line outside. You may also leave the dojo for dokusan when kinhin starts, at the end of kinhin, when you hear Jisha's two bells, or when somebody else comes back from dolusan. This helps to cut the coming and going to a minimum. If you are a cook or a leader and you cannot wait in the dokusan line, stand next to the person standing. If it's you at the head of the line and one of the leaders or a cook stands beside you, let them go in first. When the person in front of you leaves the dokusan line, take up the bell-stick and wait for the Teacher's bell. When you hear it, ring the bell twice, pick up your zafu and shoes and move to the edge of the verandah. Continue your practice while you wait. When you next hear the Teacher's bell, leave your zafu behind and set off for the hojo with your hands in kinhin position. Leave your shoes on the verandah and step into the room. Do a full bow at the threshhold, close the door and turning to the Teacher, do a full bow, then sit down in front of the Teacher in any formal zazen position. (Not full bows for apprentice teachers) Give your practice - "I am doing Mu" or "My practice is counting my breath" - whatever. Leaving dokusan (Jisha speaks) 1) When the teacher rings the bell, do a tea ceremony bow as you sit. 2) Stand up and gassho, then move towards the door, which you open, and make a full bow on the threshold again. 3) Put on your shoes, return to the dojo with your hands at gassho, collect your cushion and return to the dojo in the ordinary way, unless kinhin is in progress, in which case follow kinhin procedure. 4) You may wish to use the toilet or drink some water after dokusan. Do this mindfully and return to the dojo without delay. Meals (Ino speaks) Please handle your bowls and utensils quietly. Don't speak to servers or attempt signals other than those specified. Remember a brisk gesture communicates to servers more clearly than a vague wave of your hand. Eat everything you accept. Stay out of the kitchen unless you have an assignment there. People with medically assigned diets will have separate dishes sometimes which will be labelled. Do not take them unless you have notified the planners. Has anybody questions about formal tea and meals? General rules for sesshin: (Tanto speaks) Do not read or take notes in the dojo. There should be no books except sutra books in the dojo. Unless you are working on koans, don't write or read anything during sesshin. Sesshin is a wonderful opportunity to concentrate solely on the matter at hand. If you are writing and reading, do so unobtrusively. It is important to be careful of personal hygiene during sesshin as infection can spread very quickly. There is a supply of basic medicines should you require them. At the end of each day there is a closing ceremony conducted by the Jiki and Jisha. Do not sit up doing zazen after the last gassho but go straight to bed. These rules and procedures provide us with a conversation-free structure that we come to know. This security sets us free to settle into our depths. Sangha Spirit (Tanto speaks) Wholeheartedly joining in is the key to a fulfilling sesshin. If you come from another discipline, please put it aside during sesshin and join with us. Engage in the timetable of activities, and in your free time have a sleep, go for a walk etc. With this spirit, relaxing or working, everything becomes zazen. Join the group. Do everything our way and forget for the time being any other practice. Spend your free time resting, washing or doing zazen or walking meditation. There's a lot to remember. Most of it is learned as you do sesshin. Just do your best and feel free to make mistakes. No one is judging you. The term "sesshin" means "to settle the mind, to touch the mind, to convey the mind". Each day provides a myriad opportunities to continue this practice. Essentially, each moment contains everything we need. Doing zazen moment by moment opens us up to these possibilities, allowing us to settle into our depths. Enjoy your sesshin. Guard every moment as if it were a precious jewel. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- end of file