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, for each strengthens the others. Taken together they prove 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 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 along the way. 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 so much more than just "meditation" (as it is generally understood in the spiritual marketplace), dokusan is offered at every scheduled sitting. Dokusan is a private, one-on-one meeting with a teacher to take up matters related to practice, and everyone—new or established, member or not—may make use of these opportunities. 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. Through this open back-and-forth with the teacher the student might begin to glimpse the mind of awakening and orient one's zazen accordingly. Koan work might then be taken up as a way to hone and deepen 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 all 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 broad orientations 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.

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.

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, which include all materials (except needle and thread) and instructions, are available at the Center to those who have been a Center member for at least a year or who have become one of Shodhin's formal students. 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 then inscribes it with one's Dharma name. Finished rakusus are presented to their wearers in a short ceremony, generally held in conjunction with Temple Night/Jukai, emphasizing the connection between wearing the rakusu and living in line with the refuges and precepts.

YOUR FIRST VISIT We welcome everyone who would like to get to know more about Zen practice in general and our Center in particular. Anyone may take part in any of our scheduled sittings, though because of the nature of the practice (one cannot just be a spectator) we ask that you plan for your first visit. The first option is to attend one of our Intro Nights, held on the 1st Tuesday of most months (see below). If you cannot make that, or if you want to get started before the next scheduled Intro Night, we ask that you arrive a full half hour (30-40 mins) before the start of any listed sitting to get oriented before formal rounds begin. Though it is not necessary, an email alerting us that you will be coming is helpful on this end (contact@chicagozen.org ). INTRODUCTION TO ZEN Held on the 1st Tuesday of most months, our "Intro Nights" offer a chance for persons with little or no experience of meditation to get a feel for practice here at the Center. These are led by one of the Center's ordained members, and they provide an overview of the practice, help getting established in a workable sitting posture, and time for questions before participating a round of zazen (two 25-minute periods of sitting with 5 minutes walking meditation in between) with Center regulars. Intro Nights begin promptly at 7:00pm . There is no charge, and no registration is required. After your first visit you are free to take part in all scheduled sittings, ceremonies, and the like. On Sundays and weekday evenings there is always someone in the front room 30 minutes before the start time; don't hesitate to ask them any questions about the practice structure or procedures that are not yet clear. Anything related to your personal practice should, however, only be brought up in dokusan.

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 one six-week ango period a year in late winter/early spring. It is intended as an opportunity 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 this time? Here are some suggestions: • If you are in town and never (or rarely) 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 are on subsequent koans; reading and discussion are not substitutes for, but rather a means for deepening and honing, 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. Ango periods will be announced with an email and indicated on the home page and the CZC calendar as they approach. TEMPLE NIGHT & JUKAI

ABBOT EMERITUS YUSAN GRAHAM In 1989, having just moved to the Chicago area with his young family, Yusan took his search for direction in his budding meditation practice to the Yellow Pages (kind of like the internet, but tree-based), and found the Chicago Zen Center. Yusan took on lay ordination (a formal commitment to greater service) in 2004, followed by full ordination by his teacher, Sensei Sevan Ross, in 2010. Later that year he succeeded Sevan Ross as abbot of the CZC. He stepped down from the role of abbot in 2023. Yusan and his wife Debbie are now empty nesters, following with great interest the adventures of their two kids. At present they live in Texas caring for elderly family members. Prior to his retirement, he worked in the field of Assistive Technology at a local university.

MEMBERS All are welcome to practice here, but membership in the Chicago Zen Center opens up opportunities for practice that go beyond mere attendance that help to sustain the CZC as a thriving, dynamic center. While the ordained of the Center make a particular commitment to the Dharma and those who practice here, it can truly be said that the life of the Center rests on the eager dedication, service, and support of its everyday members. The subheadings contain information on extra offerings available to those who have become pledging members of the Center. To become a member, refer to the "Support & Membership" page .

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 Noble Path the Buddha taught as the sure means to liberation. To be sure, Zen puts great store in the practice of concerted meditation, but one cannot dispense with the other elements of the Path—and in particular moral sensitivity and an aspiration to wisdom—without utterly losing one's 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 and in our lives. 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, nor is there any charge. 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 as a priest 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.

SESSHIN SCHEDULE The structure of the sesshin day is designed to create a framework for throwing oneself completely into practice. While demanding, it is not onerous. While it looks constricting, it actually opens up a liberating space where everyday concerns can be set to the side. A "Round" is 50 minutes of zazen with a posture change at the halfway mark, followed by 10 minutes of kinhin. Dokusan is offered in Blocks I, III, and IV. BLOCK I 0430 Wake-Up 0445 Outdoor Kinhin 0500 Round 0600 Half Round 0625 Chanting Service 0650 Breakfast 0710 Work Period 0810 Rest Period BLOCK II 0930 Half Round 1005 Open Block 1155 Half Round 1220 Lunch 1230 Rest Period BLOCK III 1330 Round 1430 Round 1530 Chanting Service 1545 Calisthenics 1640 Half Round 1705 Dinner 1720 Rest Period BLOCK IV 1900 Round 2000 Teisho 2100 Half Round 2125 Bedtime/Yaza ROHATSU SESSHIN SCHEDULE Rohatsu Sesshin commemorates the Buddha's awakening on the eighth day of the twelfth month. Held around that date according to our calendar, it offers an opportunity to enter even more deeply into practice. Added time in the zendo and a redoubling of our effort signals our trust in the inevitability of our own awakening. BLOCK I 0400 Wake-Up 0415 Outdoor Kinhin 0430 Round 0530 Round 0630 Chanting Service 0650 Breakfast 0710 Work Period 0810 Rest Period BLOCK II 0930 Round 1030 Open Block 1155 Half Round 1220 Lunch 1230 Rest Period BLOCK III 1330 Round 1430 Round 1530 Chanting Service 1545 Calisthenics 1640 Half Round 1705 Dinner 1720 Rest Period BLOCK IV 1900 Round 2000 Teisho 2100 Half Round 2125 Bedtime/Yaza

CALENDAR If you have any questions about a given scheduled event, contact the Center at contact@chicagozen.org You are seconds away from getting this done. 🤩 
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BECOMING A FORMAL STUDENT From its earliest days, the Dharma has been transmitted from individual teacher to individual student, and Zen makes that one-on-one encounter the foundation and backbone of practice. Here, one is not just a member of a large congregation engaged in a common, communal activity; instead, one engages in deeply personal spiritual development in a relationship with a teacher built on candor and openness. While anyone who comes to the Center may freely avail themselves of everything the Center and its teacher have to offer, f or some, formally establishing that teacher-student relationship may emerge as a skillful way to make the best use of these resources. B ecoming a formal student marks a new phase in one's practice life. From the side of the student, it signals in concrete terms one's aspiration for awakening and the recognition that realization is come to more surely in an environment of open, selfless honesty with a trusted guide. From the side of the teacher, it implies an even deeper commitment to the student along with the student's express permission to utilize whatever skillful means are fitting for the task at hand. The move to become a formal student is initiated by the student. A teacher does not solicit students, nor should anyone ever feel pressured to become a student. When one is ready to take that step, one simply brings it up with the teacher in dokusan. Soon thereafter, the teacher will arrange a brief ceremony that marks the formal beginning of the student-teacher relationship. The student-teacher relationship is spiritually intimate, as over time one comes to see with the same eye with which the teacher sees. The student-teacher relationship is never personally, sexually or otherwise intimate, and the Chicago Zen Center has developed a set of policies and an oversight structure to insure that the profoundly liberating space the student-teacher relationship opens up is cherished and protected as far as it can possibly be.

GROUP VISITS The Chicago Zen Center is more than happy to welcome interested school and other groups. A teacher or professor or leader may wish to bring the whole group at once; in other cases, individuals may be required to visit the center on their own time as part of an individual paper or project. The Center is able to accommodate both kinds of visit. A group visit to the Center will generally take place in the morning or early afternoon and involve a short talk on Zen and this temple, a tour of the building including a description of the various procedures that take place, and an introduction to the sounds of the Center (bells, drum, mokugyo, kesu, etc.). After that, the group proceeds to the zendo, where everyone receives basic meditation instruction and posture demonstrations. A short (usually 20 minute) period of zazen followed by questions wraps up the visit. If you are a teacher, professor, or group leader, and you would like to bring the group all at once for an introduction to the Center and Zen practice, email the center at least six weeks in advance of the tentative date to schedule your visit. There is no charge for such visits, although a donation to the Center is wholly appropriate. GROUP VISITS INDIVIDUAL VISITS FOR CLASS A group visit allows a large number of people the easiest exposure to practice at the Center, but it takes place outside of normal practice times. To experience practice in the company of sangha members, students or group participants might be asked to attend a sitting individually or by twos or threes. Anyone taking part in such a visit will be expected to participate in the formal rounds of meditation without fidgeting or distraction. If you are a teacher, professor, or group leader, and you would like your students or participants to come individually or in very small groupings, email the Center at least one month ahead of time to determine the advisability of such visits for your particular students or participants. Again, while there is no charge for such visits, a small donation to the Center is wholly appropriate. INVITE A SPEAKER If your school, community group, or religious institution would like to have a representative of the Center address your group on Buddhism, Zen, interreligious dialogue, or any of our particular practices, contact the Center to see about availabilty.