Zazenkai

A zazenkai (座禅会), literally meaning "to come together for meditation" is a Zen Buddhist retreat that is usually less intensive and of shorter duration than sesshin. It may comprise a short meeting, without liturgical service, headed by a monastic, or by a group of practitioners without the presence of a teacher.[1][2] It is also sometimes used to refer to a meeting of lay practitioners [3] who practice together regularly without a resident teacher. It can also denote a period of zazen in a temple schedule.

The meeting itself is punctuated and guided through the use of bells – usually the kinhin bell and the wooden clapper known as a taku. Zazenkai may include a short period of rest or kinhin (walking meditation). A tea ceremony may also follow.

At some Zen centers or temples, zazenkai may be followed by social activities or a dharma talk.

References

1. "Zazenkai". Diamond Sangha. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
2. Reader, Ian (1991). Religion in Contemporary Japan. University of Hawaii Press. p. 103. ISBN 9780824813543.
3. Jørn Borup "Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhism: Myōshinji, a living religion" (Brill NV: Leiden, The Netherlands), 2008