Virtual precepts retreat with Shohaku Okumura
This retreat focuses on the study of the Bodhisattva precepts that Buddhists receive as guidelines for living a life of practice. This year's group of precepts recipients will be in the zendo in person engaging in zazen, lectures, work practice and silent meals. A precepts ceremony (jukai) is held during the last day of the retreat in which those practitioners will receive the Buddhist precepts and a rakusu, or lay robe, which they have sewn beforehand. Outside of these recipients, all participation in the retreat will be virtual; it will not be opened for general in-person registration.
Please note that Hoko will give the precepts in 2021 and 2023; Okumura Roshi will give them in 2020 and 2022. All spots are taken for 2020; we are now taking applications for 2021. If you would like to take precepts in this lineage before 2021, you may contact Shodo Spring at Mountains and Waters Zen Community in Minnesota or Shoryu Bradley at Gyobutsuji in Arkansas to see about doing it with one of them. For opportunities in Europe, please see our Sanshin Network page.
Those interested in receiving the precepts at Sanshin must fill out and submit the request form on the right side of this page to begin this process. Please allow time to arrange for an in-person meeting with Okumura Roshi or Hoko at which you will both decide whether to proceed; if so, instructions for sewing retreat registration will follow. Full attendance at the April sewing retreat and the precepts retreat are expected; partial attendance is not an option.
The cost of registration two weeks before the start of the retreat is $400; within 2 weeks the cost is $460. Registration will not be accepted within one week of the start date.
Daily Schedule:
Wednesday
5:00 Zendo forms training/review for those who wish
6:00 Supper
7:30 Orientation
8:00 Zazen
8:50 End of Day
Thursday - Sunday
04:40 Wakeup
05:10 Zazen
06:00 Kinhin
06:10 Zazen
07:00 Breakfast
07:30 Soji (temple cleaning)
08:00 Break
09:00 Dharma talk
10:30 Question & answer
10:50 Break
11:10 Zazen
12 pm Lunch/break
01:00 Work period *
02:50 Tea
04:00 End of work/break
05:10 Zazen
06:00 Supper/break
07:10 Zazen
08:00 Kinhin
08:10 Zazen
9:00 End of Day
"For precepts recipients, work period will frequently be devoted to preparing for jukai. Complete attendance is required.
Monday
04:40 Wakeup
05:10 Zazen
06:00 Kinhin
06:10 Zazen
07:00 Breakfast
07:30 Soji (temple cleaning)
08:00 Break
09:00 Preparation for jukai
10:00 Jukai
11:00 Temple cleaning
11:30 Sangha gathering
12 pm Lunch/cleanup
End of Retreat
We receive the precepts from a preceptor, but they really come from the Buddhas and ancestors. The preceptor is a person between the recipient and Buddha Our traditional belief is that the precepts are transmitted from Bibashi Buddha, the first Buddha, from the very beginning. The reality to which Buddha awakened is the source of these precepts. That's our faith. I can't "give" the precepts to anybody. They aren't my possessions; they were transmitted to me from my teacher, and his teacher transmitted them to him. The recipient does not become "my" possession either. Even Buddha sad that he had no disciples.
-- Shohaku Okumura
Please note that Hoko will give the precepts in 2021 and 2023; Okumura Roshi will give them in 2020 and 2022. All spots are taken for 2020; we are now taking applications for 2021. If you would like to take precepts in this lineage before 2021, you may contact Shodo Spring at Mountains and Waters Zen Community in Minnesota or Shoryu Bradley at Gyobutsuji in Arkansas to see about doing it with one of them. For opportunities in Europe, please see our Sanshin Network page.
Those interested in receiving the precepts at Sanshin must fill out and submit the request form on the right side of this page to begin this process. Please allow time to arrange for an in-person meeting with Okumura Roshi or Hoko at which you will both decide whether to proceed; if so, instructions for sewing retreat registration will follow. Full attendance at the April sewing retreat and the precepts retreat are expected; partial attendance is not an option.
The cost of registration two weeks before the start of the retreat is $400; within 2 weeks the cost is $460. Registration will not be accepted within one week of the start date.
Daily Schedule:
Wednesday
5:00 Zendo forms training/review for those who wish
6:00 Supper
7:30 Orientation
8:00 Zazen
8:50 End of Day
Thursday - Sunday
04:40 Wakeup
05:10 Zazen
06:00 Kinhin
06:10 Zazen
07:00 Breakfast
07:30 Soji (temple cleaning)
08:00 Break
09:00 Dharma talk
10:30 Question & answer
10:50 Break
11:10 Zazen
12 pm Lunch/break
01:00 Work period *
02:50 Tea
04:00 End of work/break
05:10 Zazen
06:00 Supper/break
07:10 Zazen
08:00 Kinhin
08:10 Zazen
9:00 End of Day
"For precepts recipients, work period will frequently be devoted to preparing for jukai. Complete attendance is required.
Monday
04:40 Wakeup
05:10 Zazen
06:00 Kinhin
06:10 Zazen
07:00 Breakfast
07:30 Soji (temple cleaning)
08:00 Break
09:00 Preparation for jukai
10:00 Jukai
11:00 Temple cleaning
11:30 Sangha gathering
12 pm Lunch/cleanup
End of Retreat
We receive the precepts from a preceptor, but they really come from the Buddhas and ancestors. The preceptor is a person between the recipient and Buddha Our traditional belief is that the precepts are transmitted from Bibashi Buddha, the first Buddha, from the very beginning. The reality to which Buddha awakened is the source of these precepts. That's our faith. I can't "give" the precepts to anybody. They aren't my possessions; they were transmitted to me from my teacher, and his teacher transmitted them to him. The recipient does not become "my" possession either. Even Buddha sad that he had no disciples.
-- Shohaku Okumura