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OUR PRACTICE OUR PRACTICE The key elements of practice at the Chicago Zen Center are that stock of training tools come down from the time of the Buddha and refined over centuries. Philip Kapleau called them the "three pillars" of Zen: zazen, dokusan, and teisho. All are important, and each strengthens the others. We engage in them because they have proven themselves effective in uprooting the cause of our sorrow: the pervasive and relentless attachment to self. Through them, our spirit of aspiration is guided skillfully to the realization of the liberating promise of the Dharma. The practice life of the Center is therefore rather simple and straightforward. We do not offer classes, host guest speakers, arrange excursions, engage in activism, or otherwise embellish the core practice. What we do offer is a unique setting to get down to the business of dedicated spiritual work for those who are eager to do it, along with appropriate support and guidance through it all. Here, we roll up our sleeves and squarely face the matter at hand, though always with a warm smile and an easy laugh—a kind of straight-up, Midwestern Zen, if you will. ZAZEN Zen gets its name as the "meditation only" school of Buddhism, and zazen, or seated meditation, is our primary—though by no means our only—practice. Zazen differs from other forms of meditation in that it calls for energy, determination, and courage as it opens us up both to the depth of our delusions and to the prospect of genuine insight. As Philip Kapleau put it, "The uniqueness of zazen lies in this: that the mind is freed from bondage to all thought-forms, visions, objects, and imaginings, however sacred or elevating, and brought to a state of absolute emptiness, from which it alone may one day perceive its own true nature." In this, all of the other components of the Eightfold Path—particularly moral uprightness and an aspiration to insight—come squarely to bear on the quality of one's zazen. While practicing zazen we maintain stillness through all the aches and pains, the emotional ups and downs, and the oscillations between enthusiasm and boredom that arise along the way. Only by so doing can we begin to see that we are not defined by what we experience or how we happen to feel. While one can certainly practice zazen at home, doing zazen with others in the zendo helps keep us on task without the usual distractions of everyday life and offers us an opportunity to bolster one another though the highs and lows of practice. DOKUSAN Because Zen practice is much more than just "meditation," dokusan is offered at every scheduled sitting, and everyone—new or established, member or not—may make use of those opportunities. Dokusan is a private, one-on-one meeting with a teacher to take up matters related to practice. For the beginner, dokusan helps one establish practice by receiving pointers on one's zazen and addressing any issues, concerns, or mind states that arise in conjunction with it. For many, it is through dokusan that they begin to glimpse the mind of awakening and orient their zazen accordingly. For those with an established practice, dokusan helps focus the aspirational mind, and, depending on the student, koan work may be taken up as a way to hone and deepen one's insight by cutting through the lingering bonds of attachment, aversion, and ignorance. Daisan is similar to dokusan. Offered by a senior student, it takes up matters of practice except koan work and the confirmation of insight. TEISHO Teisho is a living presentation of the Buddhadharma delivered by a teacher. Its primary purpose is not to impart information, provide instruction, or even edify, but simply to give voice to the Dharma today. Through the words of teisho, we find a framework for our practice and get a hint of where that practice can lead. While material may be drawn from recent articles or scholarship, the koan collections, the sutras, or everyday life, in the end, what is offered is the teacher's grasp of the truth for the possible benefit of those hearing it. Teisho is offered most every Sunday and every day during sesshin. Occasionally, a dharma talk, generally given by a senior student of the Center, is offered instead . KOAN WORK Zen doesn’t purport to dispense the truth; the truth is the birthright of each of us, embodied in our living experience. The teacher can do little more than use whatever means are at hand to direct the student’s attention to this self-revealing reality. As generation after generation of teachers found creative ways to nudge students toward a realization of the inner truth, records of these improvised teachings were passed forward in the form of “koans." These brief texts are widely used in Zen training as a prod to move the student beyond conceptualization, beyond the confines of ego-attachment, and toward a direct experience of the same living truth that those ancient masters were thrusting before their students. For those who are ready and willing to undertake an uncompromising inquiry into our true nature, koan work is an unparalleled vehicle. Our temple is heir to a long tradition of rigorous koan training, carefully preserved in all of its vitality. Once a student has developed a degree of stable, focused attention, koan work may be taken up as a way to harness that attention in a dynamic way.

ANGO From the earliest days of the Dharma, periods of intensified practice were built into the annual schedule. In ancient times, these coincided with the rainy season, when roads were impassible and the monastics were stuck together for several months anyway. Later, in Zen circles, these were reformatted as two 90-day periods a year known as ango , or peaceful abiding, when time on the mat was increased and other practices that helped cultivate and hone insight were taken on. No one can deny that there is a connection between the time and effort we put into our practice and the depth and extent of our insight. Of course, there is a danger in treating that connection as it it were equivalent to adding more quarters to the gum ball machine and expecting to get more gum balls as a result. (It just doesn't work like that , as anyone who has practiced for any length of time will tell you.) Still, undertaken with right understanding and right aspiration there is value in upping our game from time to time in order to fuel our effort, expose our egos to some much needed further abrasion, and bolster our determination going forward. And while we certainly are able to deepen our practice on our own, undertaking such intensification knowing there are others doing the same can only help fortify that bond we share as plain practitioners of the path set forth by the Buddha. Here at the CZC we schedule two ango periods a year, six weeks each, one in late winter/early spring and one in the fall. They are intended as opportunities to take dead aim at the grounds of ego-delusion by engaging more concertedly in the Center's practice offerings. What might one undertake during such a period? Here are some suggestions: • If you are in town and have never come on a Sunday (missing out on chanting and teisho), you might commit to some particular number of Sundays to take part in the full range of practice. • If you are in town and do not come during the week (when there is just some solid sitting, especially on Thursdays when the practice block is longer), you might consider committing to some particular number of weeknights or mornings. • If you have been attending sittings with any frequency but have not availed yourself of dokusan much (or at all), you could commit to making dokusan a more integral part of your practice. • If you live out of town and are not in the koan collections, you might commit to some particular number of zoom dokusans. • If you live out of town and are in the koan collections, you might consider committing to one or two zoom dokusans a week. • If you feel that tending to the temple might strengthen your dedication to your personal and our collective practice, you could commit to some hours of volunteer work around the place. • If you'd like to hone your understanding of the Dharma you could commit to reading a key text from the tradition and arranging to discuss it with the teacher at times scheduled outside of dokusan. (This option is limited to those who have an established—i.e., more than a year or two—practice already; reading and discussion are not substitutes for, but rather a means for deepening and sharpening what one has come to know for oneself.) • Finally, if you have never attended sesshin (or haven't attended in quite a while, or have not yet attended a sesshin from start to finish) you could sign on for the sesshin that falls during the ango period. Whatever your commitment, make it known to the teacher before ango begins using this form . No one but you and the teacher will know what you are up to (thereby guarding against the temptation, however subtle, for comparing your practice with others). Don't bite off more than you can reasonably chew, but don't be shy about gently pushing some limits, either. Above all, be unflinchingly h onest about both your intentions and your practice. If you find your commitment flagging, get yourself back on track or else inform the teacher that you are tapping out. Upcoming ango periods will be announced with an email and indicated on the home page and the CZC calendar as they approach. TEMPLE NIGHT & JUKAI

Chicago Zen Center is a Zen Buddhist temple in the Rochester (Kapleau) lineage offering the full range of Zen training and practice. Chicago Zen Center The doors of the Chicago Zen Center are open to all who wish to know and live the Dharma of the Buddha in an atmosphere of sincerity and trust. We welcome all who wish to join us in this great undertaking. COMING UP Intro to Practice Tues, Feb 3, 7:00pm Spring Ango Sun, Feb 22–Sat, Apr 4 4-Day Sesshin Weds, Feb 25, 7:30pm—Sun, Mar 1, noonish Registrations Due Fri, Feb 20 Center Closed Tues, Feb 24 for set-up Center Closed Mon, Mar 2 Intro to Practice Tues, Mar 3, 7:00pm Intro to Practice Tues, Apr 7, 7:00pm Temple Night/Jukai Fri, May 1, 7:00pm Vesak Celebration & Potluck Sun, May 3, 10:00am Intro to Practice Tues, May 5, 7:00pm 4-Day Sesshin Weds, May 20, 7:30pm—Sun, May 24, noonish Registrations Due Fri, May 15 Center Closed Tues, May 19 for set-up Center Closed Mon, May 25 STARTING PRACTICE SESSHIN SUPPORT & MEMBERSHIP Receive CZC Email Notifications First name Last name Email I want to subscribe to your mailing list. Submit Thanks for submitting! Chicago Zen Center 2029 Ridge Ave Evanston, IL 60201 contact@chicagozen.org

WORK PRACTICE While the residents are charged with general upkeep, larger projects that require many hands at once do crop up from time to time. On such occasions, members are encouraged to give of their time and energy to the extent to which they are able. SANGHA WORK DAYS Projects that require many hands and some hours of dedicated effort may be scheduled periodically on a weekend day or two. Check the calendar for any upcoming work days. VOLUNTEERING There are always more jobs to do than there is time to do them. If you have a couple of hours of your time you'd like to spend on upkeep, maintenance, or gardening, contact the Abbot or Head of Zendo to see what needs doing.

CHANTING While the bulk of our common practice is carried out in silence, chanting is an integral part of the total practice package. Far from a departure from the stillness of the zendo, it is that stillness now maintained with the use of the voice. In this respect, it is simply another form of zazen. The words are not as important as our ability to throw ourselves completely into the chant, surrendering the ego in the rhythm of the instruments and the blend of our voices. We are helped in this regard by the fact that there are only a few chants that we do, and the chant lineup remains rather invariant week to week, year in and year out: Sunday Chanting Service The Three Treasures Prajna Paramita Hridaya (Heart of Perfect Wisdom) Kannon Sutra Shosai Myokichijo Dharani Return of Merit Sesshin Morning Chanting Service The Three Treasures Affirming Faith in Mind (Xin Xin Ming) Full Ancestral Line Sesshin Afternoon Chanting Service The Three Treasures Prajna Paramita Hridaya (Heart of Perfect Wisdom) Kannon Sutra Daihishin Dharani Return of Merit The Four Vows There are chant books available in the Buddha Hall, so there is no need to memorize the chants ahead of time. If you'd like to look at them on your own, download this pdf of the chant book.

SUPPORT & MEMBERSHIP We are able to offer the Dharma to all only because of the generous support of so many. If you find it important to you that a place such as this is able to do the work it does, you might be moved to contribute financially to its support. Electronic contributions may be sent via the Donate button below (PayPal) or via Zelle using czc.business.mgr@gmail.com as the recipient (preferred). If your employer matches your charitable donations, our business manager can help you with the necessary filing information. At the end of each calendar year, the Center sends out contribution statements for you to use when filing your taxes. CONTRIBUTIONS Our temple is a community resource, and we offer the Dharma freely to anyone sincerely looking for support on their path to awakening. In keeping with the long Buddhist tradition, there is no charge for anything the Center has to offer. The only exception is sesshin, since it involves expenses connected with food and lodging, but even sesshin fees may be underwritten by resources from the Abbot's Fund in cases where one is unable to afford them on one's own. MEMBERSHIP When the Chicago Zen Center begins to feel like an integral part of your spiritual work, you might consider becoming a sustaining member. Dues are modest ($50/month or $600/year for regular individual membership; $75/month or $900/year for regular couples membership; $10/month or $120/year for students or those who are underemployed). They can be paid in cash at the Center, by check through the mail or at the Center, or electronically via the Donate button above (PayPal) or through Zelle to czc.business.mgr@gmail.com (preferred). Membership dues count towards your charitable donations for tax purposes. Be sure to fill out the Membership Form below so we have an accurate census and your contact information should we need it. Membership Form PLANNED GIVING One way to ensure the continued teaching presence of the Center is to include the Center in your estate planning. Even modest endowments can go some distance to help secure the building and programming of the Center into the future. For information on our tax identification number and the like, please consult the Center's business manager (czc.business.mgr@gmail.com ).

ZENDO JOBS Drum Play the taiko drum at the start of sesshin and before teisho. Han Strike the han that signals the beginning of the rounds of zazen and calls to teisho or chanting. Greeter Welcome new visitors and give them a brief orientation to practice. Lead Chanter Conduct the chanting services and assist at other ceremonies such as Jukai. Mokugyo Keep time during chanting on the mokugyo. Offices Offer incense at the Center's altars, chanting and ringing a small handbell between them, before morning sittings. Timer Ring the big bell, strike the clappers, and keep time with the inkin bell during formal rounds. When there is no monitor, the timer also announces and kicks off dokusan. As an essentially lay, non-residential sangha, we have to rely on each other's readiness to step up and commit to the work of making formal practice a reality. Not only is this a way to keep the temple functioning, it also provides yet another occasion for one to learn to step out of the way and let things just as they are unfold. One place to begin is demonstrating a willingness to train at the various instruments and jobs that sustain our common practice. Some of the instruments and jobs almost anyone can be trained to play or do. Others require particular skill sets. Talk with the Abbot or the Head of Zendo if you'd like to take a stab at training up at any of these:

ORDAINING The Dharma continues from one generation to the next because it is carried on the shoulders of those who have offered to devote themselves to keeping it alive. As one's practice deepens, one may come to be grateful for those who have carried it to this moment, and one might begin to sense an eagerness to pay it forward by taking their place and upholding the Dharma for those who will follow. In such a case, one might consider ordaining as a priest. In our lineage priesthood ordination is relatively rare, for it is relatively rare to find a person with the depth of practice and insight, the soundness of character, and the strength of commitment to undertake it. Still, they are to be found, and our tradition has continued because we have been fortunate to have men and women who have stepped up to do what they can to pass it on. Ordination in our lineage is an offer of dedication and responsibility, not a marker of rank. It is entirely distinct from sanctioning as a teacher. It is an entry into a life of selfless service to the Three Treasures out of a wellspring of compassion for all still subject to dukkha. If one begins to feel a tug in the direction of ordaining, a first place to start is the description of ordination and the ordaining process here .

POLICIES & BYLAWS Dedicated spiritual practice can only occur in an environment of confidence and trust. As members of a Buddhist community, the administrators and staff of the Chicago Zen Center strive daily to live in accordance with the Sixteen Bodhisattva Precepts. We are aided in that effort by the Bylaws and Guidelines we have established as a sangha. These mark a clear line of ethical behavior, and they lay out procedures by which lapses in that behavior can be addressed and remedied. The Chicago Zen Center is proud to make its Bylaws and Ethical Guidelines known to any who care to review them.

TAKING THE PRECEPTS (JUKAI) Zen is a particular expression of the Dharma of the Buddha. As such, it shares with all schools of Buddhism a commitment to the Path the Buddha taught as the sure path to liberation. While Zen puts great store in the practice of concerted meditation, it cannot dispense with the other elements of the Path—moral sensitivity and an aspiration to wisdom—without utterly losing its bearings. In union with all of the sons and daughters of the Buddha, we therefore take the precepts. They function as a guide because they straightforwardly describe the comportment of the awakened and awakening ones. We check our body, speech, and mind against them in order to see where we still need to apply greater effort and resolve—and cultivate greater insight and wisdom—in our practice. In our tradition we take the Sixteen Bodhisattva Precepts: The Threefold Refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha The Three Resolutions to do good, to avoid evil, and to liberate sentient beings The Ten Cardinal Precepts: I resolve not to kill, but to cherish all life I resolve not to take what is not given, but to respect the things of others I resolve not to misuse sexuality, but to be caring and responsible I resolve not to lie, but to speak the truth I resolve not to cause others to abuse alcohol or drugs, nor to do so myself, but to keep the mind clear I resolve not to speak of the faults of others, but to be understanding and sympathetic I resolve not to praise myself and disparage others, but to overcome my own shortcomings I resolve not to withhold spiritual or material aid, but to give them freely where needed I resolve not to indulge in anger, but to practice forbearance I resolve not to revile the Three Treasures, but to cherish and uphold them They are taken/renewed twice a year (spring and fall) in a ceremony called Jukai. In keeping with the long tradition of the Dharma, anyone who presents themselves that evening may take them (there is no preliminary catechesis involved). Anyone with questions about them is certainly free to bring them up in the context of dokusan, and occasionally they are the subject of teisho. The importance of the precepts for Zen practice is highlighted by the fact that they are taken again in conjunction with ordination and with sanctioning as a teacher. Indeed, they are often incorporated into wedding ceremonies held at the Center. The incomprehensible profundity of the precepts is highlighted by the fact that towards the end of one's koan training they are taken up as koans in their own right.

ROBES Anyone taking part in a scheduled sitting will notice any number of people in brown robes. These are lay robes (as distinct from the blue or black one a priest wears). They are worn for several reasons. Fist, they are comfortable. Second, they help the mind settle into the practice (think of gearing up for sports or dressing for work). Finally, they introduce a degree of commonality and plainness to the atmosphere of the zendo. While no one is required to wear one (except during sesshin), many will find that they wear a robe for any or all of the above reasons. A lay robe does not mark any degree of distinction (they are not a sign of rank ), and anyone may wear one. We have men's and women's loaner robes available in the men's and women's changing rooms. If you find that you are interested in wearing one while here, ask someone to help you get into one the first time (there is some business with the string ties that is not intuitively obvious). As you come to make regular practice at the Center an integral part of your life, you might want to have your own, custom-made one. They are available through the source the Vermont Zen Center uses for theirs ( vermontzen.org/ticorobes ) at a reasonable price. They are well-crafted and will last a lifetime of practice. RAKUSUS The rakusu is an abbreviated form of the kesa (kasaya ), the outer robe worn by the Buddha and his disciples. One wears it as a reminder to oneself of one's own commitment to practice; it is not worn as a display to anyone else. In keeping with the tradition, one sews one's own rakusu. Kits, including material and instructions, are available at the Center. Once sewn, the person gives the rakusu to the Head of Zendo, who stitches the mark of our lineage on the neckpiece before passing it on to the teacher, who inscribes it with one's Dharma name. Then, in a very short ceremony, often in conjunction with Temple Night, the teacher presents it to the student. Kits are available for anyone who has become a formal student (or has been a Center member for at least a year) and who has taken or is about to take the precepts. Speak with the teacher or Head of Zendo if you have questions.

OUR LINEAGE Practice at the Chicago Zen Center has from the very beginning been built upon a strong teaching tradition. Philip Kapleau, the Center's founding teacher, is widely recognized as one of the major contributors to the establishment of an American Zen in the Harada-Yasutani tradition. His Three Pillars of Zen continues to serve as a sure guide for anyone interested in getting to know something of Zen from the inside out. At its founding in 1974, the Chicago Zen Center was an affiliate of the Rochester Zen Center, where Kapleau was abbot. When Kapleau passed on the abbotship of the RZC to his Dharma heir, Bodhin Kjolhede, responsibility for the CZC was passed on as well. Both Kapleau and Kjolhede would travel to the Midwest (Chicago or Madison, WI) at least twice a year for short sesshins, and CZC members often made the trip to Rochester to attend longer sesshins there. Their dedication to the Chicago sangha helped the Center to grow, and by 1996 the CZC was large and established enough to warrant its own resident teacher. Sevan Ross, who had trained extensively in Rochester, moved to Chicago that year and was made its first autonomous teacher in 1997. At the same time, the CZC became financially and administratively independent of Rochester, but the CZC continues to maintain Dharma ties with RZC and the other sanghas throughout the world that have their roots in the Kapleau teaching tradition. After almost a decade and a half of tireless service, Ross decided the time was right for a new teaching generation to guide the Center. Yusan Graham was sanctioned as a teacher in 2009, ordained a priest in 2010, and installed as the new abbot that same year. Under his leadership the sangha stabilized and grew both in numbers and in the spirit of dedicated practice. In 2021 Yusan sanctioned Shodhin Geiman, a priest of the Center since 2010, as a teacher in his own right. In 2023 Yusan retired as abbot and designated Shodhin as his successor. Philip Kapleau Bodhin Kjolhede Sevan Ross Yusan Graham Shodhin Geiman