, aka , means going to a
Zen master
Zen master is a somewhat vague English term that arose in the first half of the 20th century, sometimes used to refer to an individual who teaches Zen Buddhist meditation and practices, usually implying longtime study and subsequent authorizat ...
for instruction. In the
Rinzai school
The Rinzai school ( ja, , Rinzai-shū, zh, t=臨濟宗, s=临济宗, p=Línjì zōng) is one of three sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (along with Sōtō and Ōbaku). The Chinese Linji school of Chan was first transmitted to Japan by Myōan E ...
, it has the same meaning as ''
dokusan
Some Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term. Below are given a number of important Buddhist terms, short definitions, and the languages in which they appear. In this list, an a ...
'', which is specifically a private interview between student and master,
[Fischer-Schreiber 1989, pg. 306] often centering on the student's grasp of an assigned
koan
A (; , ; ko, 화두, ; vi, công án) is a story, dialogue, question, or statement which is used in Zen practice to provoke the "great doubt" and to practice or test a student's progress in Zen.
Etymology
The Japanese term is the Sino-Jap ...
. If the master rings a bell to dismiss the student, this means the student's understanding is not right and that their work with the koan must continue. It is typically held twice a day in a
monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
, though during a week-long
sesshin
A ''sesshin'' (接心, or also 摂心/攝心 literally "touching the heart-mind") is a period of intensive meditation (zazen) in a Zen monastery.
While the daily routine in the monastery requires the monks to meditate several hours a day, duri ...
sanzen may take place as often as four times in one day.
[Omori, 145]
See also
*''
Jikido
In Zen Buddhism, it is the job of the to run the '' zendo'' according to the rules prescribed by the teacher, and maintain the zendo's schedule. The jikido makes a commitment to run every regularly scheduled sitting and each monthly ''sesshin''. I ...
''
*''
Jikijitsu
A (Chinese: ''chih-jih'') is the directing monk in charge of every movement of the monks coming to sit zazen in the zendo in a Japanese Zen monastery of the Rinzai School. Their position is that of head monk, and they are generally regarded as s ...
''
*''
Keisaku
In Zen Buddhism, the ''keisaku'' (Japanese: 警策, Chinese: 香板, ''xiāng bǎn''; ''kyōsaku'' in the Soto school) is a flat wooden stick or slat used during periods of meditation to remedy sleepiness or lapses of concentration. This is ac ...
''
Notes
References
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Zen
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