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Sesshin: Notes for Jikijitsu (DS)
[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]
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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
Additional notes for Jikijitsu during sesshin.
All periods are 25 minutes long exactly (unless the teacher specifies something different). If, due to this rule, the last period of a block is only 5 minutes long, it is 5 minutes long.
Jiki hits han before all but the early morning block. The diagram for this is with the han, but it is important to have practised it prior to sesshin.
- 4.00 a.m. Jiki rings wake-up bell. Don't get up more than a couple of minutes before this. Head server may ask Jiki to start the water for tea. Light candle on altar and incense. Light the lamps at Gorrick's Run.
- 4.15 a.m. Jiki hits inkin once, stands with it, a second hit, bow and lead to morning exercise area (if this is somewhere other than dojo) If the group is large enough to be split in two, Jisha leads second group in exercise.
- 4.25 a.m. Hit inkin for fast kinhin, slow down after a couple of minutes. If out of dojo, hit inkin again as Jiki crosses threshhold. When all are at places, hit inkin again, bow and sit facing in for tea.
- 4.55 a.m. Following kentan, when Roshi bows on threshhold just as he is about to leave the dojo, Jiki bows and reaches for bell to end period. If Roshi has not entered dojo by 4.55, end period anyway.
- 6.30 a.m. Head server strikes han with accelerando, Jiki answers with inkin All stand up with bowls, Jiki hits inkin, all bow. At the end of the meal, following last sutra, Ino hits clappers, Jiki hits inkin, Ino clappers, Jiki inkin, all rise with bowls at eye level, Jiki hits inkin, bowls put away, cushions straightened, Jiki dismisses on inkin.
- 10.00 a.m. Jiki leads long kinhin, outside if Gorrick's Run.
- 1.55 p.m. Teisho: Jiki hits shijo once, says "Prepare for teisho" then goes out to hit han once as signal to teacher, and waits there.
- 2.00 p.m. Jiki hits drum 3 times (if by some mishap the Jisha is still in the dojo at this time, Jiki should delay drum until Jisha is ready outside dokusan door.)
- 4.30 p.m. Around this time the Shodoka reading begins. This depends on the time of kinhin. If a period began at 4.20 p.m., sit for 5 minutes. Jiki hits shijo once and says, "Prepare for reading" and hands round sutra books. Ino begins. Always sit for about 5 minutes after Shodoka reading. If kinhin ends between 4.25 and 4.35, then at the end of kinhin, Jiki says, "Sit facing in" and hands out sutra books. In this case, after reading, continue zazen for l0 minutes, then do kinhin. (Shdoka usually takes approx l5 minutes to read.) Be sure there's enough time for kinhin before meal bell
- 8.30 p.m. At the end of last kinhin, Jiki says, "Sit facing in". If dokusan is over, and Roshi is not in the dojo by 8.55 p.m., go ahead with evening ceremony.
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