Understanding Sanshin style sesshin
Leave others alone. Individuals must engage in their own spiritual practice. Everything must be done in silence. There must be no audible sutra reading or greetings.
-- Sesshin instructions posted at Antaiji
-- Sesshin instructions posted at Antaiji
Sesshin at Sanshin is an opportunity to practice zazen without distraction in a refined, shared practice container. It's one of the core activities for us in this dharma family, and we pay a lot of attention to it. We set aside the usual activities – or entertainments – of temple life, like work periods, meetings with teachers, liturgy and dharma talks, and approach the whole sesshin as one seamless period of zazen, inclusive of the basic practical tasks and ritual forms that support us in functioning together without trouble. We practice in complete silence following a 4 am to 9 pm daily schedule that consists simply of fourteen 50-minute periods of zazen with one-hour periods for oryoki meals and a bit of personal time. This sesshin-without-toys style of practice was created by our founder's teacher, Kosho Uchiyama Roshi, and practiced at Antaiji in Kyoto, Japan. We carry on and offer this tradition of our lineage here at Sanshin.
Actually, I think during sesshin each one of us is relying on others and other people are supporting all of us. Even as a teacher, I rely on other people sitting. It's very difficult to sit sesshin by myself. Actually, I never sat a five day sesshin by myself. I did three days. Fortunately, on Saturday someone came and sat, which was a great relief to me. But sitting alone 14 periods a day, no matter how much experience we have of zazen and practice, is very difficult. We are actually relying on others. That means we can do sesshin because there's support from other people. When we see this sangha as one thing, then there's no reliance, but within no reliance, there are many desires. That is compassion of our sangha. Dogen said, don't practice alone, practice within the sangha. He didn't recommend being pratyeka buddhas, practitioners who live and practice by themselves in the deep mountains. No reliance, without reliance, and within reliance are all interpenetrated.
-- Shohaku Okumura |
Context and approach:
Uchiyama Roshi's Opening the Hand of Thought, particularly Chapter 4: "The World of Intensive Practice" Purpose of sesshin Origin of our style of sesshin The sesshin day Sesshin "downtime" No one is forcing you to practice Not being in relationship Enduring sesshin What we're really doing Your role in sesshin Sesshin is not for the fragile Zazen That Amounts to Nothing
Shundo Aoyama Roshi describes her experience of sesshin at Antaiji led by Uchiyama Roshi |
