Audio Files for Practice

You'll need: Zen Sutras, Chants, and Songs.

Below are links to audio files for your home sitting practice. The files provide musical opening and closing verses with which to sing along, 25 minutes of silence, and bells to signal beginning and end of Zazen. The "Morn" practice (which, of course, can be used at any time of day) also includes Dedication, a timed period for kinhin, and ends with 10 minutes of silence during which you recite Sutra Service for the week and then the Closing Verse. The "Eve" practice is more streamlined, without dedication, kinhin, or Sutra Service.

For the "Morn" Practice:

• Before starting audio: Three bows to altar, get settled in seated posture; on your own, chant the appropriate Opening Verse from pp. 3-6 of Zen Sutras, Chants, and Songs.
• Begin playing audio for "Morn" (click on the appropriate link below)
• Along with the recording, sing Day-of-the-Week Opening Song (p. 38).
• Chant along with Dedication on p. 2 of Zen Sutras, Chants, and Songs. Following Odd-Numbered Days on Mon, Wed, Fri; follow Even-Numbered Days on Sun, Tue, Thu. Bow during the words that follow, and whisper your dedications, then chant along with the Universal Dedication ("All Buddhas throughout space and time . . . ")
• 25-minutes of Zazen. Each "Morn" audio has 25 minutes of silence. Three bells sound at the beginning of Zazen and two bells when Zazen time is up.
• Stand for Kinhin. Clappers will signal you the beginning and end of your 5-minute kinhin.
• After Kinhin, take your seat, and read aloud the Sutra Service for this week (as indicated in Zen Sutras, Chants, and Songs. You can leave the audio going, as each "Morn" audio has 10 minutes of silence at the end.
• After reciting the Sutra Service, continue with the appropriate Closing Verse from pp. 39-42 of Zen Sutras, Chants, and Songs.
• When finished with the Sutra Service and Closing Verse, begin the audio for the Day-of-the-Week Closing Song (p. 38 for Mon-Fri; p. 42 for Sun).
• Inkin bells at the end of the Closing Song will signal you to rise, give one bow to the altar, and then a bow to the (imagined) sangha.

For the "Eve" Practice:

• Get settled in seated posture.
• Begin audio for "Eve" (click on the appropriate link below)
• Along with the recording, sing Day-of-the-Week Opening Song (p. 38).
• 25-minutes of Zazen. Each "Morn" audio has 25 minutes of silence. Three bells sound at the beginning of Zazen and two bells when Zazen time is up.
• Sing along with the Day-of-the-Week Closing Song (p. 38 for Mon-Fri; p. 42 for Sun).
• Inkin bells at the end of the Closing Song will signal you to rise, give one bow to the altar, and then a bow to the (imagined) sangha.

Mon MORN
Mon CLOSING SONG
Mon EVE

Tue MORN
Tue CLOSING SONG
Tue EVE

Wed MORN
Wed CLOSING SONG
Wed EVE

Thu MORN
Thu CLOSING SONG
Thu EVE

Fri MORN
Fri CLOSING SONG
Fri EVE

On Sat, meet and practice with your sangha. If you sangha meets another day of the week, use the audio for that day on Sat.
OR: on Saturdays with an odd-numbered date, repeat the Fri audios; on Saturdays with an even-numbered date, repeat the Sun audios.

Sun MORN
Sun CLOSING SONG
Sun EVE

Directory for all Audio files (including Sutra Service recordings, should you want to also use them): HERE