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3. Terms

You may hear a number of unfamiliar terms used in the zendo. You should at least be familiar with these most common ones to understand what follows:

Zendo

A zendo is a hall with rows of cushions on which we do zazen, or sitting practice.

Sangha

The sangha is the community that practices in the zendo (and, more generally, the universal community of all beings).

Zazen

Zazen is Zen sitting practice.

Zafu and zabuton

A zabuton is a square flat cushion that is used as a supporting base in zazen. A zafu is a thicker round cushion that sits on a zabuton.

Kinhin

Kinhin is walking practice.

Gassho

Gassho is the position taken by bringing the palms of your hands together in front of your chest with the fingers pointing up.

Jikijitsu

The jikijitsu is the zendo officer who is in charge of starting and ending sitting periods and maintaining order in the zendo.


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