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Following this, you will sit in 30-minute rounds with a round of kinhin between sitting rounds
until your meal is served. Please use the clock to time your sitting rounds and be sure to adhere to
this format.
Evening Meal
Your supper will be brought to you on a tray at 6:00 p.m. and a bell will sound to indicate that it
is at the rear door of the Hatto. Please consult the instructions concerning breakfast for a
description of the forms used for meals.
Evening Free Period
After you have washed your dishes, you will have a free period until 7:25.
Preparation for the Evening Sitting
Please go to the Hatto at 7:25 to prepare the room for your evening sitting by following the
instructions under preparation for the Afternoon Sitting. You will not need to set up the tape
player as no teisho is played during the evening sitting.
7:30 Evening Sitting
There are no scheduled sitting on Saturday evenings, and so if you are sitting a retreat alone, you
will be by yourself for the evening.
Please follow the instructions for opening the Butsudan under Opening the Butsudan in
the Hatto included in the instructions for the afternoon sitting.
Teisho Tape or CD
There is no tape or CD played during the evening sitting.
Conclusion of the Sitting
At approximately 9:05 a monastic will enter the Hatto and will instruct you to end your sitting
round. The monk will extinguish the candles and light a stick of incense in preparation for the
Evening Chants (Shushin-ge). Residents will come into the room and you will be told where to
stand. Unless Roshi is in hermitage, he will normally come into the Hatto to lead the chants at
9:10.
Following the chants, there may be a brief discussion between Roshi and residents if
there is anything that needs to be discussed. And during this time, he may ask you a question or
direct a comment to you and you can respond simply and honestly.
Your retreat ends with the closing of the Butsudan after the Closing Chants (Shushin-ge)
unless you are continuing your retreat over a few days.
If you are staying overnight to continue your retreat the next day
Immediately following the Evening Chants please set up your bedding in the Undo (the
guest room in the basement).You may arrange two or three zabuton to lay your sleeping bag on.
You should arrange your bedding so that your head is towards the Butsudan (altar) rather than
your feet. Lights should be out at 10:15 p.m., but before going to sleep, chant the Shushin-ge:
Closing Chant.
As we enter into sleep this night,
may all beings
calm all things
and uncover the Stainless mind of clarity.
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