2020-10-04

Home Practice

Practicing every day, or nearly every day, is a crucial aspect of the Zen path. Other central aspects include sangha (meeting weekly or so to practice with a group), and sesshin (going on occasional week-end or week-long Zen retreats).

Home practice ideally includes Zazen, study of zen text (or listening to a recording or podcast of a dharma talk), and chanting/reciting some of Zen's central texts.

Recommended:
  • Sitting supplies: A zabuton (mat) and either a zafu (round cushion, usually of kapok or buckwheat hulls), or a seiza bench (kneeling bench); or a chair that is your meditation chair
  • A dedicated space: A corner of a room that is used only for Zen practice, where your sitting supplies and a small altar reside
  • An altar: a small table with a Buddha statue and maybe an incense holder, candle, or sacred items.
There are many ways to structure home practice. Here's one:
  • Light a candle, stick of incense, or both, on your altar.
  • Standing in front of altar, facing it, make three bows (prostrations or standing bows) to Buddha.
  • Recite "Gatha of Atonement" (odd-numbered dates) or "The Three Refuges" (even-numbered dates);
  • Recite Dedication and Opening Verse (see Sutra Book)
  • Zazen (25 mins)
  • Recite the Sutra Service Readings for the week (see Sutra Book)
  • Dharma Study time: reading a dharma book or listening to a dharma talk recording (15-30 mins). (Check out "A Quarterly Study Plan" on the Reading/Videos page.)
  • Recite Closing Verses (see Sutra Book)
Sutra Book for printing (double-columned pages):
CLICK HERE. (Page references below are to the double-column version.)
Sutras for reading on your computer screen (single-column pages):
CLICK HERE.
Chant Along with these Audio Files:
CLICK HERE.

Sutras for Autumn Week 3: Oct 5-11

Opening
8th Fourweek since Vernal Equinox: Mon Oct 5 - Sun Nov 1 (AUDIO for Even)(AUDIO for Odd)
  • Gatha of Atonement (odd-numbered dates), or The Three Refuges (even-numbered dates)
  • Dedication
  • Menju -- "Face-to-Face Transmission," p. 5
Sutra Service
Week 3: Oct 5-11, section Sep 28-Oct 4, section 3A (AUDIO)
  • Heart Sutra, p. 11
  • The Record of Linji, p. 12
  • Lotus Sutra's Fulfilling the Buddha Way, p. 12
Closing Verse
8th Fourweek since the Vernal Equinox: Mon Oct 5 - Sun Nov 1 (AUDIO)
  • Hope in the Dark, p. 40
  • Save All the Beings, p. 42

Sutras for Autumn Week 4: Oct 12-Oct 18

Opening
8th Fourweek since Vernal Equinox: Mon Oct 5 - Sun Nov 1 (AUDIO for Even)(AUDIO for Odd)
  • Gatha of Atonement (odd-numbered dates), or The Three Refuges (even-numbered dates)
  • Dedication
  • Menju -- "Face-to-Face Transmission," p. 5
Sutra Service
Week 4: Oct 12-18, section 4A
  • Song of the Jeweled-Mirror Samadhi, p. 14
  • Coming and Going, p. 15
  • Shantideva's Way of the Bodhisattva, p. 15
Closing Verse
8th Fourweek since the Vernal Equinox: Mon Oct 5 - Sun Nov 1 (AUDIO)
  • Hope in the Dark, p. 40
  • Save All the Beings, p. 42

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