Glossary

– hand position (mudra) - palms pressed together with fingers pointing upward, held at the level of the tip of the nose and about a fist’s width from the nose to the fingertips. The position expresses oneness with all things, and an attitude of gratitude, reverence and respect.

– a ten degree bow from the hips with hands in gassho position as above.

– a solid wooden board with mallet used to announce various events occurring within the zendo or temple. Generally struck by the Ino.

– small bell with striker used to begin and end zazen periods.

– the person who maintains the discipline of the zendo during liturgical services. The Ino strikes the han, leads the chanting, invites bells, gongs and mokugyo to sound, leads kinhin, keeps time during meditation, may appoint a jikido to help with specific tasks, and sits facing the group during zazen.

– a zendo role that is appointed by the Ino. The jikido may keep time during zazen periods, lead kinhin, tend to the tasks of the altar as needed, as well as other duties requested by the Ino.

​– ceremony in which one sews a rakusu and accepts the 10 Grave Precepts.

– a really long time. Described as the time it takes the wings of one butterfly grazing a mountain top once a year to wear the mountain down to nothing.

– Kwan-Yin in Chinese, Avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit - the Bodhisattva who symbolizes mercy and compassion and “hears the cries of the world.”  Like all other Bodhisattvas, Kannon renounces attaining higher levels of enlightenment until all beings have attained enlightenment first.

– O’kesa; a large, rectangular vestment hung on the left shoulder, worn by monks and priests. Modeled after the Buddha’s robe, the kesa is made of panels of cloth patterned after rice fields and represents the teachings of the Buddha. As Buddhism spread to China and Japan, it became more ceremonial in nature while smaller, more compact versions such as the rakusu or wagessa were favored.

– ceremony in which one takes the Three Refuges and vows to do good, stop doing evil and dedicates oneself to doing good for all beings.

– walking meditation done between periods of zazen. The same meditative heart/mind is carried seamlessly into kinhin. It is both an individual practice and one that is performed with the group.

– a paradoxical phrase, question or story that forces transcendence of logic. Used minimally in Soto Zen practice, but has a much larger focus in Rinzai Zen sects.

– awakening stick; long wooden stick employed by a priest, when needed, to improve practitioner’s posture, refocus attention, and relieve tense muscles during zazen.