Tag: Winter 2020

Rohatsu is the traditional peak of the practice year and commemorates the Buddha’s enlightenment.  The classic story is that after his years of ascetic practice the Buddha sat under the Bodhi Tree vowing to sit there until complete awakening. Nine days later on seeing the morning star (Venus) he penetrated to the depths.  Rohatsu Sesshin commemorates this with an eight day sesshin that models a single day of practice. We play the Han as we sit on the first day and not again until on the eighth morning we conclude this one long single day with the Kaimei Han. The amount of sitting increases as the sesshin wears on and it is expected that one sits through the night on the final day.  

Tahoma will hold a Virtual Rohatsu Sesshin on the traditional days, December 1st through 8th.  While we are not able to gather in person, we can all dedicate ourselves to an extended week of zazen. This is an intense schedule and while participating virtually one is not as held by the social pressure we encourage those who can to take full advantage of this opportunity. The broadcast simply provides a structure just as attending a sesshin in person does. The commitment is up to the individual.  If one is able commit to doing the entire sesshin, prepare yourself a space where you can minimize distractions. Have your meals planned out and the shopping completed. Work out a way to do kinhin and physical practice. Then just flow along with the schedule.

Dharma Talks will be from Torei Enji’s Discourse on the Inexhaustible Lamp of the Zen School. This text is rarely engaged with in the west but presents a complete description of Rinzai Zen Training in the Hakuin tradition. If you’d like your own copy you can purchase the book here (scroll down) or download a free PDF of it here (45MB pdf).

Before taking part in a Virtual Event at Tahoma please read these posts:
Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.

Schedule Notes
Monday November 30th: No evening zazen
Sunday December 6th: No Zazenkai
Wednesday December 9th: No scheduled events

Sesshin Schedule

Tuesday, December 1st – Monday, December 7th

5:00am	Choka (morning sutras); sampai
5:40am	Zazen [short period]; Kinhin
6:00am	Zazen; Zazen
7:00am	Breakfast / samu / cleanup
9:30am	Uninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
10:30am	Zazen;Zazen; Kinhin
11:30am	Zazen
12:00pm	Lunch / break
2:00pm	Dharma Talk; Kinhin
3:00pm	Zazen; Zazen; Kinhin
4:00pm	Banka (afternoon sutras); sampai
4:30pm	Outside/Physical Practice
5:00pm	Dinner / Break
6:00pm	Uninterrupted Zazen; Kinhin
7:00pm	Zazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8:00pm	Zazen; Zazen;
8:45pm	Kaichin / Yaza

Tuesday, December 8th

5:00am	Choka (abbreviated sutras); sampai
5:40am	Zazen [short period]; Kinhin
6:00am	Zazen; Zazen
6:50am	break
7:00am	Bodhi Day Ceremony
7:30am	Closing Remarks

Download the full schedule here: Rohatsu Sesshin Schedule.
Updated for Rohatsu Sutra book: Virtual Sutra book

To receive the links for the Virtual Events by email:
Tahoma Virtual Events mailing list.

There is no fee for participating in this event but do be mindful that virtual events also utilize resources and the monastery does have regular expenses in order to keep open. We wish to facilitate the practice and promote the dharma as widely as possible, thus our practice of putting on these events without cost. This is especially important in these times with so many out of work and confined to home. For those who are able to offer support, we appreciate your including us in your consideration. Thank your for your continuing support and please email us with any questions: Contact Information.