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Join us for Soto Zen Buddhist practice in Bloomington, Indiana.
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We practice Buddhism within the Soto Zen tradition that comes to us from Japan, following the particular style of our immediate three ancestors: Kodo Sawaki, Kosho Uchiyama and Shohaku Okumura.
Some of us are lay practitioners and some are ordained clergy, but we all engage in the same practices and walk the Buddha Way together. Everyone, whether beginner or experienced practitioner, is welcome. |
Several of the links on this page and throughout this website will connect you to our continually evolving companion-site, Sanshin Source, which serves as an online multimedia library of resources, context, and in-depth information organized around our practice vision. Anyone is welcome to peruse and study our resources as our collection continues to grow.
This week at Sanshin (Mar 17th - 23rd)Click on the boxes below for information and timing related to a given practice activity. All times listed are Eastern Time.
Weekday morning practice (MOn - Fri)
Practitioners are welcome to participate in all or part(s) of morning practice activities as schedules allow, virtually or in-person. monday evening (Mar 17): ryaku fusatsu ceremony
7 - 8 pm Ryaku fusatsu ceremony
Our monthly ceremony of renewing our aspiration to follow the sixteen bodhisattva precepts. Virtual or in-person participation is welcome, whether or not you've formally taken precepts. If participating in-person, please arrive by 6:50 pm, to allow enough time for offering incense and purifying your rakusu or okesa if you have one. 
Wednesday evening (Mar 19): Zazen & Buddhist Essentials series (week 3 handout available)
sunday morning (Mar 23): Zazen & dharma talk
followed by Q & A and informal social tea & snacks
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Throughout this year, we're undertaking an exploration we've named Tangible Thusness, a deep investigation of the teachings of nyoho: things done or made according to the dharma. From January through April, we're focusing primarily on nyoho teachings related to clothing, from traditional Buddhist robes to what we wear to work: how it's made and cared for, what it communicates, and what it can teach us about attachment, impermanence, and interconnectedness. LEARN MORE | ||||||||
For a complete listing of our regular practice schedule and upcoming activities, see our Schedules and Calendars page.
Our practice
Our main activities are zazen, sitting quietly and letting go of thinking; working together on food, clothing and shelter according to Buddha's teachings, and on developing wise and compassionate leadership; studying the teachings of the Buddha and the ancestors of our lineage; and engaging in ritual that brings our community together across space and time. We do all this in the context of our six practice guidelines (see below) and support each other in carrying forward this concentrated experience of interconnectedness throughout our everyday activities and communities.
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Our mission
Sanshin Zen Community enables the investigation of interconnectedness as it manifests in community, by engaging in six guidelines for practice within the Soto Zen tradition:
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• Zazen in a Buddhist context
• Keeping forms simple • Balancing peace and progress |
• Dharma study as a support for zazen
• Work practice as an investigation of community • Deeply inquiring into the teaching of ehou ichinyo: kesa and dharma are one |
LEARN MORE about our six practice guidelines as direct legacies of our twentieth century dharma ancestors, alongside Uchiyama Roshi's seven points of practice.
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We're grateful for the financial support of our many friends and community members worldwide. Coming together as a sangha to take care of our temple and practice in this way is simply an instance of the universe carrying out its functioning. Thank you!
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Got a question?Start with our FAQ, and if you still need help, contact us. |
Sanshin's foreign language sanghas |