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Quote by Koji Sato

“The Zen life is not something which remains unchanged in spite of changes in customs, time periods, nationalities, cultures, and traditions. On the contrary, it is exactly in its adaptation to such changes that Zen expresses its creativity. It for this reason that there is room left for new growth on the part of Zen in the present age as well.”

Quote by Koji Sato

Book:The Zen Life
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The Zen Life

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Koji Sato

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“The hardest training that takes place in a Zen monastery during the year is known as the rohatsu dai sesshin, an intensive period of Zazen lasting from the first of December to the morning of the eighth, that commemorates the enlightenment of the historical Buddha, Sakyamuni. The word "sesshin" means to concentrate one's mind. This is accomplished through day and night practice of zazen and private interviews with the roshi during the week-long period.”

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Book:The Zen Life
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“The normal daily routine varies somewhat according to the monastery, but, taking Kyoto's Sokoku-ji as an example, the monks schedule generally follows this pattern. The monks rise at 3 A.M., quickly rinse out their mouths with one scoopful of water, wash their faces and immediately begin the morning sutra recitation. Following this they have an opportunity to have a private interview with the roshi; those monks not doing so practice zazen. Breakfast is next, followed by zazen and daily cleaning. On days set aside for them, lectures begin from 7 A.M. in the summer and 8 A.M. in the winter. On days for mendicancy, the monks leave the monastery immediately after the daily cleaning. The midday meal is served at 10 A.M. on lecture days and at 11 A.M. when the monks have been out practicing mendicancy. Following lunch the monks may do zazen individually until 1 P.M., when the manual labor period begins. This manual labor, continuing until 3 P.M. in winter and 4 P.M. in summer, is followed by the evening sutra recitation. The evening meal is eaten at 3:30 P.M. in winter and 4 P.M. in summer. As dusk falls, evening zazen begins, and the monks once more have the opportunity to visit the roshi in his room. The day formally ends at 8 P.M. in winter and 9 P.M. in summer, although not until 10 P.M. during sesshin. Truly, a monastic day is a full and earnest one.”

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Book:The Zen Life
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“No. Silence is something. This is nothing. Why couldn’t I hear it before? I think it has been there always. From the beginning of time.’ He put out his hand and stubbed it on my arm, stared at it. ‘At the end of the world, at the beginning of the world; under the sea and over the sky; at the root and crown of the universe: nothing. At all. That’s what I heard. What I hear.’ He leaned forward. ‘Do you understand?”

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Book:Listening at the Gate
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