Serve with us
Doan instructions
The doan keeps the bells and the time, so everyone else can simply sit. Here is the whole job, start to finish. Read it before your Sunday, and keep it open beside you if that helps.
Keep the small bell with you at your zabuton, so that you can carry it with you during kinhin. You can keep the big bell in an accessible spot in the room and go to the bell when it is time to ring it, or you can keep it at your zabuton.
Have a timer or phone set so that you know when to ring the bells. You can write the times down or keep them in your phone. Whatever works for you.
Zazen should begin at 8:15, but it depends on how long the intro takes. Kinhin is ten minutes. Sitting should end by 9:15. So given ten minutes for kinhin, divide the rest of the time between the two sittings so that both sittings are somewhat equal in length. Sometimes we may end earlier if we have a speaker, so the increments may change.
Typically twenty-five minutes zazen, ten minutes kinhin, twenty-five minutes zazen. If we are on time:
- 8:15Three bells. Zazen begins.
- 8:40Two bells. First zazen ends, kinhin begins.
- 8:50Little bell. Kinhin ends, back to your seat.
- 9:15One bell. The practice period ends.
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Begin zazen
After everyone is seated, three big bells to start zazen. Take your time between hits. Let the bell have a chance to resonate before you hit it again.
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Begin kinhin
Two big bells to end the first zazen and to indicate kinhin. Keep the little bell with you for kinhin.
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Rise together
After you ring the bell two times for kinhin, gassho bow in your seat, turn clockwise on your zafu, and plump up the zafu. Stand and wait for all to stand. When everyone is standing, all gassho bow to the center. Begin kinhin.
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Walk kinhin
Walk clockwise, one half-step for every breath. At ten minutes, ring the little bell, then everyone stays in order but walks quickly back to their seats.
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Begin zazen again
When you arrive at your seat, stand facing the group until everyone else has reached their own place, then bow together in gassho and sit for zazen.
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End of zazen
One bell signals the end of the practice period. At the sound of the bell, bow on your seat, then fluff and brush off your cushion, standing gassho bow to your cushion, then turn clockwise and face the group. When everyone is standing, bow in gassho together.
Before the reflection, begin with the opening sutra, unless the speaker is going to do so.
The unsurpassed, profound, and wondrous dharma is rarely met with, even in a hundred, thousand, million kalpas. Now we can see and hear it, accept and maintain it. May we unfold the meaning of the Tathagata's teaching.
Always end by giving back the merit, unless the speaker is going to do so. If there is no speaker or reflection, end with giving back the merit.
- Doan
- May the merit of this practice
- All
- May the merit of this practice
- Doan
- benefit all beings
- All
- benefit all beings
- Doan
- and bring peace.
- All
- and bring peace.
