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 laypeople 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 context and in-depth information about our style of practice. Anyone is welcome to peruse and study our resources as our collection continues to grow.
This week at Sanshin (Feb 10th - Feb 16th)Click on the boxes below for information and timing related to a given practice activity. All times listed are Eastern Time.
Quiet February: Simplified practice schedule
During February and August at Sanshin, the regular practice schedule becomes quieter, less busy, and more focused on zazen. We let go of chanting services and Shobogenzo Zuimonki readings on weekday mornings, most Sunday dharma talks (which are replaced by one more period of zazen), and all evening practice activities (except for our Getting Started in Zen Practice sessions, to keep open a meaningful access point during this quieter time for folks who are new to the practice or community). This seasonal practice rhythm is related to Uchiyama Roshi's sesshin schedule at Antaiji, where a sesshin was held each month except for February and August, marked as the coldest and hottest months of the year. Though we have access to centralized heating and air conditioning in the zendo at Sanshinji and likely at home, we can acknowledge the facts of winter and summer by deeply settling into these two months of quieter, simplified practice activities. We can approach our activities in the zendo with a similarly quiet and focused attitude as maintained during sesshin, with a less intensive schedule -- and we can carry this attitude into our day to day activities and reflections outside of the zendo. In the overall rhythm of our practice year, we might think of these two months in terms of deeply 'breathing out,' in contrast to the 'breathing in' of the busier, more highly scheduled 3-month ango (practice period) in the spring and of the activities in the fall quarter leading up to our longest sesshin of the year (Rohatsu), commemorating Shakyamuni Buddha's awakening in December. See a further description of Sanshin's calendar year as a whole on our Schedules and Calendars page. 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. Tuesday evening (Feb 11): Getting started in zen practice session
7 - 8:30 pm Getting Started in Zen Practice (facilitated by Esho)
sunday morning (Feb 16th): Zazen, Dharma talk, nirvana day ceremony & potluck
For a complete listing of our regular practice schedule and upcoming activities, see our Schedules and Calendars page.
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Throughout 2025, 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 and interconnectedness. LEARN MORE |
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.
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:
• 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 |
Got a question?Start with our FAQ, and if you still need help, contact us. |
Sanshin's foreign language sanghas |