Lotus Zen Temple provides opportunities for anyone (not only monastics) to take the Precepts and lay ordination, to become a Dharma teacher (Fashi), or an Upasaka (meditation leader). Since Lotus Zen Temple is not a monastery, our teachers and practitioners engage in Zen practice while leading an ordinary domestic life.
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 into a training program, each candidate is carefully evaluated and, if admitted, will be given a personalized training plan.
Some individuals desire to become meditation leaders, teachers or priests. For some, the motive is for personal empowerment – to gain status, influence, dominance in a group. This is not an appropriate motivation for anyone with spiritual aspirations. Instead, first and foremost there must be a dominant desire for spiritual growth. With sufficient spiritual labor an interest naturally arises to serve others. Such service may include assisting in the temple affairs, performing outreach ministries, and helping others in their spiritual pursuits.
Suggested Practice Elements
Formal Daily Practice
Zen requires that we learn to integrate spiritual awareness into all our daily activities, all the time, not just when we�re in the temple or practicing meditation. Turning work and private life into personal Dharma practice is at the heart of a meaningful Zen life. Conscious breathing, awareness as well as mindfulness serve as the foundation for maintaining inner stability and peace. Students will work on bringing spiritual consciousness to daily activities, starting out with small things, and expanding until the entire day is integrated into a mindful life.
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?
Student-Master Meetings (Dokusan)
Dharma students, who cannot attend Dokusan in person, email their practice journals and hold Dharma student meetings by phone with their teacher.
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.
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.
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).
Initiation
Please ask for an interview with the temple priest. Upon acceptance for an ordination program you need to to present a short Curriculum Vitae or your Résumé, as well as other pertinent background details. For taking the Buddhist Precepts, you only need to present is your identity details.
Taking the Precepts
If not a formal Zen student, a candidate will have been at least an active member with Lotus Zen Temple for an extended period of time
before the Five Zen Buddhist Precepts** (listed below) ought to be taken.
A candidate should have general knowledge about Buddhism, a sincere desire to meditate in the style of Zen, readiness to follow the Five Precepts as best as possible, demonstrate moral integrity.
Though not required, candidates may wish to make a commitment with a monthly pledge or a one-time offering at their discretion. The Khata1 is given to the brief ceremony.
Please note that taking the Five Precepts is not the same as full lay ordination.
Candidates will have demonstrated -- after having taken the Buddhist Precepts -- advanced personal meditation practice and a desire to devote themselves in the service of the Triple Gem: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
Upasaka
This program offers advanced training in Zen meditation and Zen Buddhism for those, who intend to lead Zen mediation groups as an authorized Upasaka (meditation leader), also referred to as Doan in our temple.
Module The program consists of both personal study elements and practice classes at the temple. Generally, Upasaka training could take between a few months to a year, depending on the student’s prior practice, commitment and spiritual growth. A Certificate of Completion (for personal purposes only) is issued by the temple at the end of the program.
Curriculum
1. Enter the specific training program outlined for Doan or Upasaka. 2. Commit to daily practice of zazen and communicate with the teacher how the practice is progressing (regular Dokusan). 3. 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. 4. Lead a dharma talk at the temple under the preparation, guidance and supervision of the master. 5. Attend at least two retreats or events (other than regular meditation) per year as offered at the temple. 6. Attend at least one sitting (zazen), including Dokusan, per week at the temple. 7. The teacher 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. 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.
The newly ordained Upasaka will receive either a one-paneled Kesa or a Rakusu during the ceremony. Please see theMembers Area page for details.
Fâshí
This program provides training in advanced Zen Buddhist teaching for those, who plan to give individual or class instruction as an ordained Fashi (Dharma teacher). Please note that Fashi is not identical with Zen priest.
Module
The program consists of both personal study elements, experience 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 Fashi Certificate may be issued by the master at the end of the program or at ordination, 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 Five 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.
***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 Web Site Update: 11-09-2010 Report corrections to: Web Site Designer
Last Web Site Update: 11-09-2010
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