Sesshin Leadership: Ino Role
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[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
SESSHIN LEADERSHIP: INO ROLE
4.25 a.m. Strike inkin to signal time to drink tea. When all have finished, hit inkin again to signal return of wrapped teacups to place behidnd zabutons.
6.30 a.m. Ino leads meal chants (after Jiki has responded to umpan with inkin). After the 2 clap-dings (Ino on clappers, Jiki on inkin) which end meals and which are followed by a standing bow, bowls at eye level, participants replace bowl sets, straighten places, turn and stand with hands in kinhin position until Ino rings final inkin to dismiss sangha.
8.30 a.m. Morning sutra ceremony. All sutras are done in order, except
Hakuin Zenji's Song of Zazen and the dedication which follows it.
(Note: there are 2 dedications following Sho Sai Myo Kichijo
Dharani. We use the First Sutra Dedication during sesshin, the other one during daily practice at Annandale. There are 3 dedications following Kanzeon, "In the purity and clarity of the
Dharmakaya" is used at the closing ceremony on the last day of sesshin. "Infinite realms of light and dark" is the daily dedication and "The Buddha and his teachers" is the right one to use during sutra service.)
ll.30 am Ino again leads meal sutras.
l.55 pm Teisho is announced. When Jiki hits drum 3 times at 2.00 p.m.
Ino says, "Please stand" and hits clappers full sound, length-to- length, then muted sound, length-to-end, at 5 second intervals, ideally arriving on a full hit to coincide with arrival of teacher in dojo. As he bows, Ino bows, teacher reaches for incense
(Tanto will offer it), Ino puts down clappers and picks up inkin. Hits inkin as teacher bows and begins accelerando for 3 bows,
4th standing bow when teacher is at his seat. He will come to gassho to signal "On Opening the dharma". Then, after teisho, teacher's gassho signals "Great Vows".
4.25 pm Approx. Jiki will say "Sit facing in for the reading" and Ino will lead the Shodoka. If it is a large sesshin, the Ino should go early to dokusan to be sure to be back in time for this.
5.00 pm Supper. No sutras. Clappers are used to signal the beginning of meal and seconds. Meal ends with the usual clap-dings.
8.50 pm Closing ceremony. Once again, the Ino initiates the 3 bows, timing the inkin to coincide with the teacher's personal bow following his incense offering. When all are seated and sutra books have been passed out, Ino leads Hakuin Zenji's Song of
Zazen, followed by "The sky of samadhi" dedication, then Great
Vows. The ceremony ends with the Jiki on han and Jisha on densho and Ino on inkin (Bok, Bong, Ding- accelerando) initiating final 3 prostrations. Teacher says his final words, departs, Ino hits inkin, cushions are straightened, then final Inkin to dismiss for the night is hit by Jiki. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- end of file