Lotus Zen Temple offers various training programs for spiritual growth, personal enrichment or temple related functions. These programs offer practical education, in which students can experience a combination of studies and hands-on training. It is designed for people, who aspire to become more advanced Zen students. Before acceptance, each candidate is carefully evaluated and, if admitted, will be given a personalized learning plan.
Preliminary Remark
Many people desire to become meditation leaders, teachers or priests for personal reasons, which are obviously not adequate. There must be a dominant desire to serve the temple, associated sanghas and outreach. Someone can easily be able to memorize sutras, perform ceremonies, coach people in meditation, etc., but still be an empty shell or an intellectual dude when it comes to serving the Dharma. It is the inner realization that must determine readiness. As a very general rule, a candidate should have a long history with Lotus Zen Temple before candidacy can be considered. It is our burden, as leaders of Lotus Zen Temple, to do our best to filter out the wheat from the chaff as best we can. In short, the essential element is that the candidate understands Zen, which means that he or she has had sufficient deep spiritual experiences, is of high moral and ethical integrity, and is devoted to serving the Dharma, having consistently demonstrated all of these.
(I) Formal Morning and Evening Practice
Spiritual studies will fail unless they are incorporated in the day-to-day demands of living. Turning work and private life into personal Dharma practice is the start for a meaningful life. Conscious breathing, awareness and mindfulness serve as the foundation for maintaining inner stability and peace of mind. Additionally, students should set aside a minimum of three to four hours dedicated to personal study time every week.
(II) Keeping a Practice Journal
All Dharma students keep a practice journal by following the guidelines for journal entry. You can write your journal entry directly after evening practice or before bed time.
The guidelines for journal entry are:
List your formal morning and/or evening practice indicating the approximate time spent.
Reflect upon the following three points: What made you happy? What troubled you most? How much time did you waste in idle talk, worrying about things needlessly, getting angry or upset, or watching too much TV or videos?
Reflect on your Dharma student life of the day in a few sentences. What did I learn today? What, if any, did I realize?
(III) Student Meetings (Dokusan)
Dharma students, who cannot attend Dokusan in person, email their practice journals and hold Dharma student meetings by phone with their teacher.
(IV) Home Shrine
Dharma students are asked to set up a home shrine with a seated or standing statue of Buddha Shakyamuni in any of the traditional postures. Furnishings should include a cloth, a candle, an incense burner, flowers. A small sutra desk placed before the shrine is ideal for studies. Your mat and cushion can be placed in front of the desk for prostrations and meditation. Keep your shrine neat and tidy.
(V) Ethical Standards for Dharma Students
1. Always remember that you are a direct descendent from Gautama Siddhartha Shakyamuni, the Buddha, and the inheritor of his right Dharma. Do not fail to honor your teacher and serve your Dharma friends free from worldly thoughts. 2. Our original body-mind is a great liberated being untainted by defilements and the cycle of birth and death. Therefore, cultivate yourself, trusting that your original face is no other than the pure and perfect mind. It is a true Dharma student with an awakened heart who trusts in his/her original self and develops big mind. Shake off conditioned behaviors, feelings and thoughts pattern that arise from conceit or self-pity with the awareness that your own original mind is Buddha. 3. Always cherish your beginner's mind. The purity and strong feeling of your first mind have the Dharma power to convert your difficulties and troubles into a valuable gift and joy. 4. Nothing fails to inspire and enlighten the true Dharma student. Please keep in mind that the harder the work and the more daunting the task you face, the better it is for your Dharma strength. 5. The three karmic deeds (body, thought and speech) are the guiding light of your life. Always speak the truth and be truthful like a mirror. 6. As you strive for enlightenment you follow the Zen Buddhist Precepts**, so that you are able to offer comfort and hope to those, who are distressed and troubled. Give love and joy to those who are sick and tired. 7. The key towards an enlightened life lies in the practice of compassion. It is easy to make mistakes and difficult to remain completely free from faults in a life that is full of conflicts. Therefore, Dharma students should be willing to learn from their mistakes and misdeeds through moral discipline and practice. True and sincere spiritual practice helps develop a compassionate heart towards the wrongs of others. One learns to understand and forgive other fellow beings through one's own awakening to mistakes and misdeeds.
(VI) Daily practice
1. Perform your formal meditation faithfully every day. Your meditation practice is the place of your awakening that you are the living embodiment of the Buddha through your response to Gautama Siddhartha Shakyamuni, the Buddha, and spiritual communion with his tradition of wisdom and compassion. 2. Sense of duty: Follow your weekly Dharma schedule; be fully accountable of your duties in the best way possible. 3. Life of no delusion: Enlightenment and truth are always before your eyes and within your reach. Enlightenment is the pure and sincere heart of practice itself, and the truth is the spirit of practice that all sentient beings are Buddha. Accordingly, there is no enlightenment or truth apart from the common ordinary person and the everyday task. It is illusionary to seek or anticipate truth and enlightenment from the outside. The mind of the Dharma student will let go of this delusion. 4. Repentance: Seek forgiveness and restore yourself right away if you had caused trouble to others, committed wrongdoings or made blunders through carelessness and inattention. Keep your mind free from guilt, remorse and avoid retribution, such as hatred and enmity. Remain in a constant awakening state. 5. Hidden Virtue: The body-mind of the Dharma student should be sober and clear. Care for goods and articles mindfully. They are the properties of the Three Jewels. Use them responsibly and sparingly, so that they will last. Recycle what is no longer useful. Try to manage with less; but be generous and helpful to others as much as possible. 6. Environment: To take good care of your home environment is to take good care of the body-mind of your training. Cleaning and keeping our environment free from pollution and disorder is Zen practice. 7. Renewal: It is unbecoming for a Dharma student to critizise others or to be judgmental, in order to build a self-defense or to reinforce one's own position. It would be the downfall of a Dharma student to become jealous of other people's prosperity or gloat over others' misfortunes. If such a feeling or thought arises, you should surrender your weakness right away, as well as renew your Bodhisattva vows. Pray for the happiness of all beings (Metta Prayer) and/or make prostrations (full bows). 8. Helpful: A Dharma student is a mindful and energetic Buddhist, ready to lend a helping hand at any time.
(VII) Requirements for Acceptance into a Program
You are at least 18 years of age.
You should have a High School Diploma, G.E.D. or foreign equivalent
You agree to the Daily Practice Standards and the Buddhist Ethical Conduct (both as outlined above). Spiritual formation is an integral part of dharma studies.
You practice regularly at the temple (i.e. at least once a week).
You keep a daily journal.
You complete the three basic Units offered at LZT.
You agree to be in contact with your teacher at least once a week (Dokusan).
You attend all necessary or related classes.
You have a valid email address, where you can check email daily. LZT will provide you with a free, user-friendly and commercial/spam/sam-free email address for that purpose, if wanted.
You take the Zen Buddhist Precepts, either publicly or privately.
Application
Please ask for an interview with the temple priest. Upon acceptance, please be prepared to present your Résumé.
Tuition
With the exception of rare workshops and retreats, all activities, events and programs at Lotus Zen Temple are free of charge. Lotus Zen Temple is entirely dependent on your free-will donations and other supporters.
Programs offered
Upasaka Training Program
This program is to offer advanced training in Zen meditation and Zen Buddhism for those, who plan to start and/or lead a Zen mediation group. Module The program consists of both personal study elements and practice classes at the temple. Generally, Upasaka training should take between no less than one year up to three years, depending on the student’s prior practice, commitment and spiritual growth. A Certificate of Completion (for personal purposes only) or a Certificate of Upasaka is issued by the master at the end of the program, depending on the student’s aim.
Curriculum
1. Complete successfully all three Training Units at LZT. 2. Begin the program with an initial one-day retreat at the temple, to be arranged between student and teacher. 3. Commit to daily practice of zazen and communicate with the teacher how the practice is progressing. 4. Enter an email or in-person Dokusan with the teacher about Zen realization in daily life. 5. Study an assigned number of books, one at a time, as determined and directed by the teacher, and discuss the contents of each chapter with the teacher. 6. Compose two dharma talks per year in essay form; 7. Lead a dharma talk at the temple under the preparation, guidance and supervision of the master. 8. Attend at least two retreats or events (other than regular meditation) per year as offered at the temple. 9. Attend at least one sitting (zazen), including Dokusan, per week at the temple. 10. The master may add additional tasks and requirements as deemed useful for the student’s progress. Completing the curriculum requirements does not necessarily entitle the student to be certificated for Upasaka. All final evaluation, assessment and decision rest with the master and/or the temple council. Tuition
There is no set tuition for this training. It is appreciated and appropriate when students make a commitment to the program with a monthly temple support at their discretion.
Fâshí Training Program
This program is to offer training in advanced Zen Buddhist teaching for those, who plan to teach classes or give individual instruction.
Module
The program consists of both personal study elements and practice at the temple. Generally, instructor training should take between no less than one year up to three years, depending on the student’s prior experience, commitment and spiritual growth. A Certificate of Fâshí may be issued by the master at the end of the program, depending on the student’s aim. Please note that being authorized to give instructions in Zen or to teach Buddhist classes does not make one a Zen master or priest.
Curriculum 1. Complete successfully all three Training Units at LZT. 2. Begin the program with an initial one-day retreat at the temple, to be arranged between student and teacher. 3. Commit to daily practice of zazen and communicate with the teacher how the practice is progressing. 4. Enter an email or in-person Dokusan with the teacher about Zen realization in daily life. 5. Study an assigned number of books, that can be used for instruction, as determined and directed by the teacher, and discuss the contents of each chapter with the teacher. 6. Compose two class curricula per year. 7. Teach a class at the temple under the preparation, guidance and supervision of the master. 8. Attend at least two instructional events (other than regular meditation) per year as offered at the temple. 9. Attend at least one sitting (zazen), including Dokusan, per week at the temple. 10. The master may add additional tasks and requirements as deemed useful for the student’s progress. Completing the curriculum requirements does not necessarily entitle the student to be certificated. All final evaluation, assessment and decision rest with the master and/or the temple council.
Tuition There is no set tuition for this training. It is appreciated and appropriate when students make a commitment to the program with a monthly temple support at their discretion.
References
*The Three Refuges:
I become one with Buddha
I become one with Dharma
I become one with Sangha
The Three Pure Precepts:
To do no harm
To do good
To live for benefit of others
**The Ten Precepts:
1) A follower of the Way does not kill, but rather cultivates and encourages life.
2) A follower of the Way does not take what is not given, but rather cultivates and encourages generosity.
3) A follower of the Way does not misuse sexuality, but rather cultivates and encourages open, honest and acceptable relationships.
4) A follower of the Way does not lie, but rather cultivates and encourages truthful communication.
5) A follower of the Way does not intoxicate self or others, but rather cultivates and encourages clarity.
6) A follower of the Way does not slander, but rather cultivates and encourages respectful speech.
7) A follower of the Way neither extols self nor demeans others, but rather cultivates awareness of the interdependent nature of self.
8) A follower of the Way does not attach to anything, even the teaching, but rather cultivates mutual support and shares the dharma with all beings.
9) A follower of the Way does not harbor ill will, but rather cultivates loving-kindness, understanding and forgiveness.
10) A follower of the Way does not turn away from the Three Refuges, but rather cultivates and encourages taking refuge in them.
Last updated: 02-16-2010