Practice
Zen
Zen is a Buddhist tradition in which teachers have, for generations, guided students to realization. The Japanese word "zen" comes from the Sanskrit word "dhyana" and means meditation. Zen practice raises the compassionate question of how to live in harmony with the world around us. The Buddhist worldview offers millennia of experience in this regard.
Zazen
Zazen (坐禅) is Japanese and means seated meditation. It is our central practice. In zazen, we sit in silence and focus on being fully present in our own bodies and in the world around us.
Guided zazen
The core of our activities is organizing formal guided zazen sessions. Sitting together supports the practice in many ways. You can participate in formal zazen after completing an introductory course or by otherwise gaining equivalent experience.
One round of zazen generally lasts 40 minutes. A bell rings halfway through, at which it is possible to change your posture. The beginning and end of the round are signaled by various instruments, such as the inkhin bell and wooden clappers. At the end of practice, we recite the four vows and make three prostrations.
Zazenkai and sesshin
We regularly offer zazenkai, full-day meditations, at our city centers on weekends. Sesshins, or longer retreats, are offered at Sanneji in Karjaa.
Dokusan – personal guidance
The Zen tradition emphasizes personal meetings between teacher and student. The traditional teaching setting is dokusan, a one-on-one meeting with the teacher. Dokusan is offered regularly at our centers and the times are listed in the calendars on each center’s page.
Chanting
Chanting is a form of meditation. A typical chanting session lasts about 15–20 minutes and includes key Zen Buddhist texts. Some of the texts are in Finnish translation, others in Sino-Japanese. You can read our chant booklet here.
Samu - work practice
Work practice is the dynamic expression of Zen practice. The work includes, for example, cleaning, cooking, gardening and other outdoor work at the Zen temple. We also have regular cleaning sessions at our city centers, during which we maintain our shared spaces. Samu gives us the opportunity to test and deepen what we have learned in the zendo amidst our daily activities.
Dharma talks
Dharma talks are offered during zazen sessions and sesshin retreats. They shed light on the Zen tradition’s perspective on the phenomena of life. A teacher’s Dharma talk is called a teisho. You can listen to Sangen Salo Sensei’s teishos on the Sanneji Zen Temple Teisho podcast.