Glossary of Zen Terms
Mu!
Because Zen is an Asian tradition, many of the words used in the practice environment are Japanese or, in some cases, Sanskrit. To give you a quick start with this vocabulary, we provide you with the following little glossary of terms you’re likely to hear around the Zendo.
Ango. “Dwelling in Peace”; intensive training period usually lasting three months.
Bodhisattva. Literally “Enlightened Being.” Bodhisattvas compassionately put helping others to be enlightened ahead of their own enlightenment.
Daisan. Personal interview/instruction with a Zen master with the title of Sensei.
Dokusan. Personal interview/instruction with a Zen master with the title of Roshi.
Dana. Giving. Gratitude. Often expressed by donation of money to a Zen center.
Dharma. The Teaching of the Buddha, or more generally, the universal law or truth.
Dharma talk. Talk or lecture given by a senior student on a Buddhist topic.
Gakki. Memorial service for important teacher in the lineage.
Gassho. Hand position with the palms of the hands pressed together; the tips of the fingertips should be about one hand’s width from the lips. Thumbs are against the side of the index fingers. No space between the hands means no space between our life and the life of the Buddha.
Hanamatsurai. Jap. “Flower Festival.” Traditional Zen and secular holiday ostensibly commemorating the birth of the historical Buddha. Celebrated in April or May, depending on the nation. (Compare Theravadin celebration of Vesak.)
Jikido. Officer responsible for keeping time in the zendo, signaling the beginnings and endings of periods of meditation with the han ( wooden striking board) and the kesu (large bell). Note: If you practice alone and you have a PC, you may want to take advantage of Great Wave’s beta version shareware Jikido. Jikido will measure out time with synthetic han and bells for you. We do ask that you make a $10 tax-deductible donation to help us cover the cost of development and hosting. Click here to download Jikido.
Jukkai. Receiving the precepts ceremony. This ceremony marks one’s commitment to the Zen Buddhist path.
Kanzeon. AKA Kannon, Kwan Yin, etc. The bodhisattva of compassion.
Kinhin. Walking meditation. The mind is absorbed in the activity of walking.
Koan. Literally “public document.” In Zen tradition, a record of a short dialogue or encounter between a student and teacher given by a teacher to help students go beyond discriminative, conceptual understanding to a more direct, experiential wisdom.
Mudra. Hand gesture or position. The position of the hands changes depending on what type of meditation or activity is being carried out.
Oryoki. Formal or ritual eating style used in Monasteries during retreat, or Sesshin. (If you’re learning how to do oryoki, you may want to get our “cheat sheet” to help you remember details. It has been formatted to fit exactly onto a single sheet of paper (front and back), so may be set on the floor near you during oryoki meals as a crutch. Click here for the revised .pdf document.
Rohatsu. December 8, the day on which the Zen tradition commemorates the enlightenment, or nirvana, of the Buddha.
Roshi. Literally “old teacher.” Honorific title bestowed on elder Zen master/teacher. It is customary to address the teacher simply as “Roshi.” (Great Wave’s teacher is Susan Myoyu Andersen, Roshi.)
Samu. Work period. Usually spent in cleaning the zendo and associated rooms, buildings, and grounds. It is usually considered a form of meditation.
Sangha. Congregation of Buddhist practitioners, or more generally, the harmony of the Buddha and Dharma treasures.
Seiza. A traditional Japanese sitting posture in which one sits on one’s shins, knees together, ankles under the buttocks.
Sesshin. Literally “Gathering of Mind.” An extended and intensive meditation retreat, varying in length from two or three days to one week. (See a typical weekend retreat schedule.)
Shashu. Common mudra for kinhin. Formed by making a fist with the left hand, thumb inside. The fist is held over the heart, and the right hand is held over the left. Forearms are parallel with the floor.
Shikantaza. “Just sitting.” Refers to Zazen without any specific focus or technique and is characterized by intense non-dual awareness.
Shiho. Dharma transmission. The act by which a master affirms that a students’ training is complete and that he or she is ready to begin to teach the Dharma independently.
Shusso. Head monk trainee. Usually responsible for the overall practice environment during ango.
Soto. Zen lineage founded in China by Masters Tung-shan Liang-chieh (Tozan Ryokai) and Ts’ao-shan Pen-chi (Sozan Honjaku) and established in Japan by Zen Masters Dogen Kigen and Keizan Jokin.
Teisho. Zen lecture given by a Sensei or Roshi (elder Zen teacher).
Tokudo. Shukke Tokudo. “Leaving Home” ceremony. Ordination ceremony for a monk or nun.
Zabuton. Large square, padded mat on which the Zafu (meditation cushion) is placed.
Zafu. Small circular cushion upon which practitioners sit when meditating.
Zazen. Literally, “seated Zen.” Because there is no object of meditation in zazen, it is more appropriately and commonly translated as “sitting.”
Zazenkai. One-day retreat. (See our zazenkai schedule.)
Zendo. The Zen meditation hall.
- Posted in: More About Zen