Fall schedule at Bird Haven Zendo

As August draws to a close, here are the anticipated events with their dates and times for the sangha for the fall season. Let shonin know of errors, omissions and details as needed, and we will follow up. 🙏

Sept. 1     Manzoku-an morning service and zazenkai, 10-11 a.m. Pacific time Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays on Zoom. Two periods of twenty minute zazen. This schedule through December 8th.

Sept. 4   Friday morning zazenkai at 8:30-10:30 a.m. approx. Pacific time, on Zoom. Weekly thereafter.

Sept. 7   Monday afternoon zazenkai at 3:00-5:00 p.m. approx. Pacific time on the Zoom. Weekly thereafter.

Sept. 20 Avowal of karma and renewal of vows. September 20, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Pacific time, on Zoom.

Nov. 26 A reading of the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address at 10 a.m. Pacific time, on Zoom.

Nov. 30 Manzoku-an Ecotonglen and 108 Bells for Lost Species event at 10 a.m. Pacific time, on Zoom.

Dec. 8   Manzoku-an Rohatsu sesshin from 10 am. Pacific time, on Zoom, with a service and three  periods of twenty minute zazen, ending with a recitation of the Fukanzazengi. 

You may generally find out about or join with a Zoom event directly from the calendar. 

Soto Zen Sangha of Florence

Sept. 7 12:30 PM Pacific time. Hybrid session: at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, at the intersection of 19th and Tamarack Streets, or one may attend via SZSF's Zoom zendo. 

Berkeley Zen Center

Our parent sangha has many hybrid attendance opportunities.
 https://berkeleyzencenter.org/

 

Scheduled Events (pinned post)

Scheduled Events 

Monday afternoons zazenkai at 3:00-5:00 p.m. approx. Pacific time, on Zoom, beginning Sept. 7.

Friday mornings zazenkai at 8:30-10:30 a.m. approx. Pacific time, on Zoom, beginning Sept. 4.  

Avowal of karma and renewal of vows. September 20, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Pacific time, on Zoom.

You may generally find out about or join with a Zoom event directly from the calendar.

Monday Afternoon Rotation:

1st Mondays: Topic
2nd Mondays: Eight Great Realizations study
3rd Mondays: Tonglen practice 
4th Mondays: Metta practice
5th Mondays: Topic

Manzoku-an

Morning Service and Zazen 10:00 a.m. Pacific time, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (whenever possible) on Zoom, beginning Sept 1.

Monday, November 30th, Manzoku-an plans to hold an Ecotonglen and 108 Bells for Lost Species event at 10 a.m. Pacific time, on Zoom.

Tuesday December 8, Manzoku-an plans to hold a short Rohatsu sesshin from 10 am. Pacific time, on Zoom, with a service, 3 periods of zazen, ending with a recitation of the Fukanzazengi. https://manzokuan.blogspot.com/p/calendar.html 

Soto Zen Sangha of Florence

SZSF Zazenkai is Mondays at 12:30 PM Pacific time. Hybrid session: 12:30 PM Pacific time at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, at the intersection of 19th and Tamarack Streets, or one may attend via SZSF's Zoom zendo. Florence Zazenkai will be on hiatus in August.

Berkeley Zen Center

Our parent sangha has many hybrid attendance opportunities.
 https://berkeleyzencenter.org/

BHZ Monday Zazenkai

Mondays at 3 p.m. Pacific time in the Zoom Zendo.  

We will be on hiatus in August.

(Doan/Kokyo part is in blue text.)

     Order of Service (Doan/Kokyo's part in blue).

     Three Periods of Zazen 

Doshi rises, goes to altar, places rakusu on head 👏
kokyo: “Robe Verse” (first four lines only, in English)
Great robe of liberation, field far beyond form and emptiness, wearing the Tathagata’s teaching, saving all beings.
doshi makes offering then moves to bowing position
doshi deep bow (No Bells), deep bow,  deep bow
          bows to altar    🔔.    bows to seat     🔔  bows to center  🔔 
3:10  after doshi is settled, doan: “Zazen”
3:30 🔔 🔔 “Kinhin” 🔔
3:40 after doshi is settled, “Zazen” 🔔 🔔 🔔
4:00 🔔 🔔  “Kinhin” 🔔 
4:10 after doshi is settled,“Zazen” 🔔 🔔 🔔
4:30 🔔 signals end of zazen

     Service

doshi rises, goes to altar, makes offering then moves to bowing position
kokyo: “Three bows, in your own way”
🔔 all bow,    🔔 all bow,    🔔 all bow
👏 doshi faces altar in gassho
kokyo announces sutra
sangha recites sutra
👏 at end of sutra
kokyo reads Long Eko:
We dedicate our practice today to: Memorial List
doshi deep bow
And to all those who have died in natural and human-made disasters, racism, extreme weather events, climate change, war, disease, conditions, poverty, and acts of terror, violence, persecution, and indifference.

Recognizing Buddha Nature manifested in their precious lives, as in our own precious lives, we pray that the benefits of their and our own positive actions of body, speech, and mind may continue, and that all harmful karma may be swiftly brought to peace. 

👏 doshi rises

We also dedicate our practice today for the wellbeing of those suffering from the ongoing effects of trauma -- childhood abuse and neglect, systemic racism, climate change, poverty, disease, conditions, war, and acts of terror, violence, persecution, and indifference. And especially for: Wellbeing List

May they, and we, find wisdom and serenity in the midst of difficulties and be free from hindrance.

kokyo chants:
May all beings realize the Awakened Waaay. 🔔
All Buddhas throughout space and time, 🔔
doshi goes to altar
All honored ones, Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, 🔔  
doshi makes offering at altar 
Wisdom beyond wisdom,
doshi moves to bowing position
Maha Prajna Paramita
kokyo drops pitch at last syllable “ta” to indicate end of chant 
🔔 o o o ooooooooo
kokyo announces: “Three Bows, in your own way.” 
🔔 all bow, 🔔 all bow, 🔔 all bow
doshi bows to altar,     🔔    bows to seat,      🔔    bows to camera 🔔

Dharma time

1st Mondays: Topic
2nd Mondays: Eight Great Realizations study
    Short version: "Be undesiring, be content, be tranquil, be practicing, 
    be mindful, be meditative, be discerning, be steadfast"
3rd Mondays: Tonglen practice 
4th Mondays: Metta practice
5th Mondays: Topic

Refuges

I take refuge in Buddha. May all beings
embody the great way, resolving to awaken.

I take refuge in Dharma. May all beings deeply
enter the teachings, wisdom like an ocean.

I take refuge in Sangha. May all beings
support harmony in the community, free from hindrance.

or:

Pali Refuges
 

Buddham Saranam Gacchami
Dhammam Saranam Gacchami
Sangham Saranam Gacchami

Dutiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchami
Dutiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchami
Dutiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchami

Tatiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchami
Tatiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchami
Tatiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchami

 

 

 

Key:
(X) = “Clunk”
(O) = Bell (usually takes place before an action)
Ooooooooooooooooo is called a roll down. Imagine dropping a ping pong ball on the table and imitating the successively shorter intervals between bounces until it kind of dribbles . A rolldown is usually done to indicate an ongoing movement such as the doshi unfurling and laying out their zagu, or the doshi walking from the altar to the head of the mat while the sangha moves into position (e.g. from sitting/kneeling to standing) prior to making bows.

During successive periods of zazen and kinhin, a period of either form of meditation ends with 2 bells if it will be followed by another period of either form of meditation. The doan sounds only 1 bell to indicate the end of a period that will be followed by something other than zazen or kinhin (e.g. Service or a talk.)

BHZ Friday Zazenkai

(Currently, BHZ Friday Zazenkai takes place Fridays at 8:30 a.m. Pacific time in the Zoom Virtual Zendo. We will be on hiatus in August.

Friday Zazenkai Order of Service

 

8:30         Doshi rises, moves to altar, places rakusu on head   

👏 Kokyo announces and recites “Robe Verse (one time):” 

Great robe of liberation, field far beyond form and emptiness, wearing the Tathagata’s teaching, saving all beings. 

Doshi makes offering & moves to bowing position
Doshi bows, (No Bells) Doshi bows, Doshi bows
     Doshi bows to altar,  🔔  bows to seat, 🔔 bows to center 🔔

                                                   

8:32             After doshi is settled, Doan announces: “Zazen”

9:00             🔔🔔    “Kinhin”

9:10             🔔 (to end kinhin); after doshi is settled; “Zazen” 🔔🔔🔔

9:30            🔔🔔    “Kinhin”   

9:40         🔔 (to end kinhin); after doshi is settled; “Zazen” 🔔🔔🔔 
10:00         🔔 signals end of zazen

 

Service:

 

Doshi rises, makes offering, then moves to bowing position

kokyo announces sutra 
sangha recites sutra
👏 at end of sutra

Kokyo recites short Eko:

May the positive energy of our practice pervade everywhere,

And may we, together with all beings, realize the Buddha Waaay.   🔔

All Buddhas throughout space and time, 🔔  doshi goes to altar

All honored ones, Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, 🔔  doshi makes offering

Wisdom beyond wisdom Doshi returns to mat

Mahaa Prajnaa Paramitaaaaa  🔔 o o o ooooooooo

“Three Bows, in your own way.” 

🔔 all bow, 🔔 all bow, 🔔 all bow

Doshi  bows to Altar,  🔔  bows to Seat,   🔔 bows to Center 🔔

     Brief discussion optional

 Pali Refuges

Buddham Saranam Gacchami
Dhammam Saranam Gacchami
Sangham Saranam Gacchami

Dutiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchami
Dutiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchami
Dutiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchami

Tatiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchami
Tatiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchami
Tatiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchami

 

Refuges

I take refuge in Buddha. May all beings
embody the great way, resolving to awaken.

I take refuge in Dharma. May all beings deeply
enter the teachings, wisdom like an ocean.

I take refuge in Sangha. May all beings
support harmony in the community, free from hindrance.

 

The Buddha’s Five Remembrances

I am of the nature to grow old. 
There is no way to escape growing old.
I am of the nature to have ill health. 
There is no way to escape having ill health.
I am of the nature to die. 
There is no way to escape death.
All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. 
There is no way to escape being separated from them.
My actions are my only true belongings. 
I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. 
My actions are the ground upon which I stand.

-- Upajjhatthana Sutta (“Subjects for Contemplation”) 

 

Chants practice