Daily practice at the Zen temple Serene Light
Banshô-san Wakô Zenji
"Zen temple Serene Light welcomes all beings"
founded by Dokushô Villalba Roshi
"It is in ordinary practice, lived with the totality of oneself, where Dharma and the real soul of masters are truly fulfilled. The key point is the way of doing, the secret of Zen. If you are satisfied with a rational understanding, your experience in the Awakening Path will be superficial and little effective. Nevertheless, if you understand through a regular and faithful practice of little every day actions, you will be able to deeply understand through all your body, through the whole nature, and you will be able to progress in a natural way".
Taisen Deshimaru Roshi
Index
Map
Starting point
Basic attitude
First step: taking refuge in the Three Treasures
The Three Pure Rules
The Ten Principle Rules
This is Serene Light: Bodhimanda, enlightenment place
Dilution in the Serene Light
To be time, to be beyond time
Flowing in the stillness of eternity: timetables
We are interdependent
Our relationship with the Earth
Our relationship with Water
Our relationship with Air
Nuestra relación con el Fuego.
Our relationship with Fire
I am you, you are me
Relationship with the managers
Relationship with the spiritual master
A day in the temple
Rules at Serene Light Temple
The map
In Serene Light we are trying to carry out a good way of living. A way ofliving, of doing, of being, that allows us to experiment the Happiness, Peaceand Harmony that every one of us wishes from the very bottom of our heart.
Luckily, we have the example and education our ancestor in the Path,Buddhas, masters and Zen Tradition patriarchs have passed on to us.
We also have the example and experience of many other wise men and women whohave lived here before us or who are still living now.
Serene Light is a holy place, a temple. This means that we try to live herebeing aware that every single instant is holy. Every thought, every word, everyaction is holy. Holy means: fully enlightened by self-awareness.
Our Being is holy. All our life and every action become holy when we realiseabout them, moment by moment.
Buddhas and Zen patriarchs have taught us, and our own experience says so,that we all are aware of the holy nature of our existence, in one way oranother, even though we sometimes we forget this awareness when we are underthe effect of dark mind states.
Serene Light Rules are our way of living, trying to live according to ourtruly original nature. These Rules are the skin, flesh, blood, bones and thespinal cord of the old Buddhas and Bodisatvas. They have been updated to thisprecise time and place.
See these Rules with the light of your heart. Do not lose your timerebelling against them. These Rules do not intend to limit your freedom, theytry to show you the way to truly Freedom, in which you will be able to fly withno obstacles, further than the fictitious image you have about yourself, theworld and the others. To follow these Rules you need humility, confidence anddevotion. Do not worry. You have nothing to lose just a lot to gain.
Starting point
The first Rule in Serene Light is To Be Happy, or at least to recognise thatwhat you are looking for is Happiness. Happiness for you and the ones aroundyou. You are not here to continue feeding your worry, your misfortune, but todiscover the way of planting the appropriate seeds which will give youHappiness, Peace, Harmony and an Enlightening Awareness.
All the following comes from this starting point.
Basic Attitude
In order to live and practice at Serene Light you need a honest aspirationand a strong determination. Aspiration to reach the Awakening for the Good ofall living beings. Awakening is “to realise of what you and the others reallyare, that is to say, Buddhas, Light beings whose basic motivation is naturalKindness”.
Strong determination means not to allow that any other way of selfperception or perception of others nests in your mind. Searching personalbenefit (egotist recognition, personal enrichment, power…) is totallydiscarded in this space.
If you feel this matches what you have in your heart, you can take one stepforward and come in. If not, we have to admit this place is not appropriate foryou yet.
The first Step: taking refuge in the Three Treasures
If you are humble enough to perceive your current situation, you will beable to recognise that your wish to come to Serene Light is, somehow, a requestfor help. You are looking for something you feel and need. This something canadopt many shapes, but what you are basically trying to find is reconciliationwith yourself, inner peace and soul relief. You are looking for yourself tryingto discover who you are.
Ancient Buddhas and Bodhisattvas tell you that you are Buddha, this is,Light and Goodness. Trust this, even though you may not feel it entirely.Meanwhile you are here take refuge in the Buddha you are. Trust your innerinborn Light and your original Goodness. Do not identify yourself with anythought of your mind and your uncertainty will become crystal clear as adiamond certainty.
This means to take refuge in the Buddha´s Trasure. Accept humbly thisrefuge that life is offering you and escape, in this way, of your own illusoryperception.
On the other hand, you are clearly realizing that you have arrived to a ZenBuddhist Temple. The practice of Buddha´s Path is the spinal cord in this holyplace. This Path is here for you, for your confidence to become iron faith, andfor your faith to crystallize in real experience.
Meanwhile you are here, take refuge in the Dharma, the Path you are steppingon. This is, follow the Path as it is being transmitted to you. This Path isjust and now here, under your feet. Follow the footprints our ancestors haveleft. Do what they did and you will feel what they felt.
And once here, you have to recognise that you are not alone. Only no one isnobody. Our life is interdependency. You live thank to other living beings, inthe same way other living beings live thank to you. We are together. Your beingcannot be separated from the being of the others. Here, we are one bodyaltogether. Let yourself be in the others and let the others be in yourself.Melt in this body that lives, breathes, practices and rests together.
Take refuge in the Sangha, in this community of hearts, and rest, even foronly some days, from your feeling of loneliness. This is the way for us to openour hearts and welcome you to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
The Three Pure Rules
From the moment you walk through the door, no matter if you have receivedthe Sixteen Boddhisattva Rules or not, you must always remember these ThreePure Rules in your heart:
1.Avoid evil.
2.Do Good.
3.Help all living beings.
Your rational mind will inmediately wonder what is evil, what is Good, whatdoes it mean to help others. The answer will never come from your rationalmind. Address these questions with all your heart to your own heart and thereyou will find the answers. As an orientation, you may consider that:
1.Avoiding evil means not to consciously damage yourself or others.
2.Doing Good means consciously working for your own and the othersHapiness.
3.Helping all living beings means always acting following your heart naturalGoodness.
This is the way of doing in the in this Serene Light space.
The Ten Main Rules
During your stay here we ask you to strongly agree to follow this TenRules:
1.Refrain from killing with the body, word or thought.
2.Refrain from taking what has not been given to you.
3.Refrain from having sexual relations that are disturbing for you or othermembers of the community.
4.Refrain from lying.
5.Refrain from alter your conscience with alcohol or drugs.
6.Refrain from judging yourself or others.
7.Refrain from praising yourself or denigrate others.
8.Refrain from having any feeling of possession.
9.Refrain from getting worked up with the fire of anger.
10.Refrain from damaging the Three Treasures: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.
This is Serene Light: bodhimanda, an enlightenment place.
If you feel this is your place, be welcome.
Open your eyes, ears and heart.
Traditionally, in the Zen Temples there are three especially holy placeswhere silence (san mokudo) is compulsory:
-Sodo, or dôjô, the room where zazen meditation is practised, where foodis eaten, and where we traditionally sleep.
-The kitchen, where food for the Three Treasures is prepared.
-The toilets (bathrooms and wc´s) where we wash ourselves and we purify ourbody and soul.
Both inside and outside those places silence and concentration arecompulsory.
The same careful and silent behaviour must be observed in the rest of theTemple.
When body and soul are perfectly unified, every place –from the top ofHeaven to the deepest part of the Earth- becomes a truly and perfectbodhimanda.
In Serene Light we have a meditation and ceremony room, dorms, dinning room,camping area, toilets, showers, wc´s, kitchen, tools room, power and wellroom, some houses and the Master´s house. All these places are bodhimanda,holy places where the conscience light must bright.
Dissolution in the Serene Light.
The practice of zazen meditation is the cornerstone of our life here. Thereare many kinds of meditations. We practice zazen. To live in Serene Light youneed to exactly know the way of practising zazen meditation. Loving zazen andaspiring to devote heart and soul to the bright silence of zazen are essentialrequirements to be part of this community.
The name of this temple is another way of calling zazen. Ancient people usedto call zazen also “silent enlightenment” (mokushô).
Wakô (Serene Ligt) can also be translated as ´Ligth Peace´. This LightPeace develops from the deepest of our zazen meditation, the demonstration ofthe Clear Light of our real Being.
Zazen is, by excellence, the expression of the Light of our soul and theSerenity of our heart. Thanks to zazen all the darks and disturbances can bedissolved, so the original Peace of our nature reigns in our heart and itradiates to all living beings.
Attendance to zazen periods is compulsory for all resident members of thecommunity and for temporary visitors. If at any moment you do not feel wellenough to attend to the dojo, please report it to the general manager and askhim/her to authorise you not to attend to the zazen.
To be time, to be beyond time.
Our ancestors in the Awakening Path have transmitted us that our realoriginal nature is innate, eternal, beyond time. They have also taught us thatthis original nature is shown by its power in the world of phenomenon, in thecreation of time and space. Our true being participates in not only in the timebut also in the eternity.
Daily life in Serene Light goes by flowing beyond time. We want toexperience eternity. In order to do that there is nothing better thanpenetrating deeply in the conscience of time until finding its true nature.
Time means rhythm, pace. Life in Serene Light is rhythmic with specificsounds. These sounds help us to live paying attention to the conscience oftime, and at the same time, they drive us to jump to the timeless.
Shinrei, it is the little bell that in the morning wakes us up from thenight sleep.
Moppan, it is the wood that calls us to go to the meditation room.
Umban, it is the metal that announces the moment to eat.
Inkin, it is the little bell that announces that the master is coming andmoving.
Keizu, it is the big ceremony bell.
Mokugyo, it is the drum played to the rhythm of sutras.
Taiko, it is the big drum that announces the time or moment of the beginningand end of the work.
Kaishaku, it is the clapperboard that keeps the rhythm during the recitationin the meals.
Kaichin, it is the clapperboard that announces the end of the day and theextinction of lights and voices.
We do not have to see these instruments only as material objects. Actually,they are the true body and soul of the Buddhas and patriarchs, and their soundsmust be learned as the real lesson beyond words.
Flowing in the calm of eternity: timetables.
Eternity is “now and here”. “Now and here” after “now and here”.Every “now and here” is different. Every moment is unique. Losing thepresent moment is losing the time, losing the eternity.
The timetables of an average day in Serene Light follow this basicrhythm:
06:30 Wake up
07:00 Zazen
08:00 Morning ceremony
09:00 Breakfast
10:00 Samu (hand work)
13:30 Personal hygiene
14:00 Lunch
15:00 Break, private time
16:00 Samu
18:00 Study
19:30 Zazen
21:00 Dinner
23:00 Rest
This timetable changes depending on the seasons and needs of the Temple. So,for example, during sesshin periods, the time devoted to zazen increases, andtime for work decreases. In periods when there is a big amount of work the timeto do it increases.
The timetable indicates the activity done in that moment. The principle issimple: when it is time to eat, we eat. When it is time to work, we work. Whenit is time to do zazen, we do zazen. It is especially important to respect thetimetable of the Temple. We have to be punctual when doing zazen, in the meals,work, and the moments of break and rest. In the same way, we have to respectthe time for personal hygiene and the moment to use the toilets. Practising inthis way, each of every action is transformed into the expression of theawakening of Buddha. Actions are done as a way of practising the Path.
We are interdependent
Practising altogether is one of the essential aspects of the way of Zen, inthe life of this temple and in the sesshin. Together, we follow the dailypractice of sitting in zazen, working, washing, resting…There is not anyDharma out of what we do, nor out of the objects or brothers in the path.
This is why you have to harmonize yourself with the others in every action.Acting in harmony, at the same time, is the action of the body of Buddhas andPatriarchs, it is a pure body action beyond hopes and disappointments. Thisaction will be then Absolute Practice and Spontaneous Awake. The search forenlightenment will then become unnecessary, because every action will becomeenlightenment.
Group practice expresses faith and respect to the Three Treasures: Buddha,Dharma, and Sangha. Buddha is, obviously, Sakiamuni Buddha, historical founderof Buddhism, but also your own true original nature; Dharma is his lessons, thepath you have chosen to follow; Sangha is the harmonious community of peopleunited in their fidelity to Buddha and Dharma. In the Buddha´s Dharma, theTreasure of the Sangha is the most valuable one, because it implies the othertwo Treasures.
Our life is relation. We are nothing without our relationships. In thisSerene Light space we must focus properly our mind and heart in order todevelop harmonious relationships with ourselves, with the four elements of thelife of phenomenon, with the objects surrounding us, with the other members ofthe community, with the managers and with the spiritual master of thetemple.
Our relationship with the Earth.
The Earth is supporting us. It is the material base of our life. It is ourMother. We can walk on this world thank to the Earth, thank to the groundelement. The ground element is in our body, skin, flesh, bones…In SereneLight we try to respect our body and the Earth’s body. Do not throw butts,papers or rubbish over our Mother’s body. Try to respect plants, stones,trees. Every of your steps should be a grateful pray to this being that everymoment is feeding your life.
Our relationship with Water.
Water is Source of Life. It is, as the Earth, an element, a living being,very holy. Observe your relationship with Water, both internal and external.Use with moderation, gratitude, and respect the gift Water offers you, eitherin the shower, basin, when watering, drinking or in the wc´s. Your own body is80% Water. You are floating in water in a huge river of vital energy. Letyourself flow and let Water washes inside you all you do not need.
Our relationship with the Air.
Air is the Life´s Breath. This Breath is all over, in and outside of you.Inspire taking all the Air you need. Exhale and let all you do not want to goaway. Breathing cleans the emotional, mental and spiritual body in the same waywater cleans the material body. Enjoy your breathing. Do not lose sight of yourbreathing rhythm.
Our relationship with the Fire.
The Fire is the Life´s Heat. Your own heart is the altar where Life haslightened the holy flame of Love. Life is Love. Love is the very substance ofLife. Be responsible of keeping your Heart Fire well lighten and kept. Neithertoo lifeless nor too flaming. Rage, anger, jealousy, envy, resentment,aggressiveness can scorch you and devastate all your relations when their firelights and spreads without any control.
Sadness, depression, melancholy, lack of self-esteem, are indicating thatyour internal fire is dying. Do not condemn yourself to that cold hell! Takecare of you internal fire and keep yourself vigilant of the external fire. Weare in the middle of the forest, in a very dry climate during the summer. Ifyou smoke, use only the smoking areas. Do not smoke on the paths or in theforest. Be careful with lightened candles and every kind of fire that can putanimal and vegetal life surrounding us in danger.
I am you, you are me.
You, and me, and all of us, are what we are because we are together. Ourrelationship is important. Do not do, do not say, do not think anything thatmay do harm to me or to you. Your pain is my pain. Your happiness is myhappiness. Offer your happiness, your joy, your pity, your support to the restof the people and you will get back all that a thousand times. What you givewill be what you receive. What you put will be what you take. You have comehere pursuing your own happiness, pay attention not to plant yourmisfortune’s seeds.
Relationship with the managers.
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The oldest practitioners who carry out responsibilities in the temple areoffering their lives and vital energy for this place to be the Buddha´s PureGround that we all want. They should be respected. As far as you can you shouldhelp them to develop their duties effectively. Rebelliousness is discardedhere, as it happens with the abuse of power and confidence.
We all follow a path of service. We are here to serve one each other, eachof us in the dharmatic position corresponding to his/her karmic position. Weare all valuable and we all have to respect the responsibility and mission thathave been given to us.
Go to these old practitioners to dissolve your queries, to ask forinstructions, to look for help and accept the instructions they give you abouthow to live and properly practice here.
The relationship with the spiritual master.
The spiritual master is the Buddha-Dharma´s Fourth Treasure. Without anspiritual master neither the Buddha, nor the Dharma, nor the Sangha, would bepossible. Therefore, he is a Treasure that must be respected and valued.
In the Buddha-Dharma each walker is responsible for his/her own spiritualprogress. You cannot delegate this responsibility to the master. The master isa guide, a friend of goodness. Only you can walk the way in front of you.
Do not over consider the spiritual master’s function. Do not underconsider it either. Discover his true value and importance and use correctlythis Treasure Buddha is giving you.
The spiritual master is the living heart of this community and as so must beprotected from mental projections born in your mind according to your personalbackground.
Open your eyes and look well: present is present. This is this. Zen lessonis transmitted from heart to heart, from master to disciple, from being tobeing. Try to develop a receptive heart, in a way that your rational mind doesnot prevent this transmission without words.
If you need to speak to the master, say it and ask for a private interviewto his assistant. If you knock at his door he will receive you.
Every day is a good day
The following is a free and adapted to Serene Light translation of “TheRule of a Day” (Juni hôgo) from the Zen master Daichi (XIV century). Everyone entering into Serene Light must abandon the outside world and come into theworld of Buddhas. He/she must live exactly following the inspiration of Buddhasand masters from ancient times. Nobody should think in his/herself, in his/herown person. Now, I am going to describe who did this Buddhas and masters fromthe past live, and the Rules they followed without thinking in honour, money orthe superfluous material joys of life.
Awakening (shinrei)
In the morning we have to wake up fast to the first sound of the awakeningbell. Do not get attached to the bed. It is a lack of respect to your mates.Recitate the morning prays. Make the bed and get dressed in absolutesilence.
Go to the toilet to wash up your face, teeth, hands, eyes and ears. Wait foryour turn patiently if necessary. According to Buddha’s lessons, you mustwash up your face, eyes, nose, ears and mouth in a way that all your sensorialconsciences are totally purified. Pay attention to your expressions and do notwaste water. Try to be gentle and do not splash your mates nor make strongnoises.
Leave the washbowl and the place where you have washed yourself up clean inan act of unselfish love.
Washing up your face before daybreak is an excellent practice in theBuddhist path.
This is the first action in the day done by a Buddha.
Dawn zazen ( kyoten zazen )
Go quietly and fast to the meditation room for the dawn zazen. Do not wearthe Kesa nor the Rakasu. Enter in the dojo holding them in front of you. Bowwhen entering and each time you pass in front of a Buddha or any oldpractitioner. You must enter in the dojo with the second hit of the wood andimmediately sit down in zazen. All practitioners must be still when the masterenters. Nobody can enter after him.
During zazen it is totally forbidden to close your eyes. If you close themyou can fall asleep. Try to keep them constantly open, in this way the morningbreeze can wake you up easily. You must always keep in mind that time flieslike an arrow and you are far away from understanding the Path.
Real Buddha´s zazen is only zazen (shikantaza). This implies to sit downproperly. ¿How? Sit down with you legs crossed, with the spine right. Do nottry to focus your mind on anything, not even on Buddhism or enlightenment. Ifyou grow this attitude, your soul will match the true Buddha´s soul. You donot need to think neither about life nor about death, neither about karma norabout samsara. During zazen you have the opportunity to get your karma to bequiet and to be exactly like Buddha. At the end of zazen recitate the verse ofKesa. Then put it on and get ready for the morning ceremony.
The morning ceremony ( choka fugin )
After you occupy the right place for the ceremony, greet Buddha in gasshôand greet the centre of the room, this is, your mates in front of you, insasshu. Be all time respectful and focused. Tidy your clothes and, when themoment arrives, sit down in seiza position, in a properly and elegant way.
During the sutra recitation, the book of sutras is hold vertically in frontof your eyes. Do not think in anything else other than the recitation ofsutras. This is an excellent opportunity to dissolve your own karma and to risetowards the Buddha state.
Harmonize your voice with the others´. Recitation rhythm is set by theresponsible of the mokugyo and tone is set by the ino, responsible for theintonation. In both cases it is necessary to follow his guidelines.
After the ceremony, you can leave the room for a short break. In this momentyou have to be careful not to be distracted chatting or with futile talks. Usethis time to do all the little details that cannot wait for later.
Breakfast ( cho shuku gyô hatsu )
The kitchen´s metal calls for the first meal of the day.
Forget about anything else when you are eating. Do not think about zazen,sutras, the past or the future. Only concentrate in the act of eating. Unifyyour body and soul during this act. Now you can reach the Awakening and accessto the Buddhas and masters´ spiritual stage, because the act of eating isitself the Awakening.
Eat the food with conscience and gratitude. Many beings have died for you tocontinue living. Offer your own life too and the results of your practice forall beings to participate in the Awakening with you.
Body work (samu)
The sound of drum calls you to body work after breakfast. Get changed fastand go to the duty that has been assigned to you.
During work you have the opportunity to practice the soul of Buddha: thebody moves with freedom in all directions and covers all time, past, presentand future.
Nobody can rest during the others work, except for those who are ill. Theopposite would be a lack of respect.
Pay attention to your relationship with the physical space and the objectsin it. Develop a solid attention and see in the tools you may use (shovels,rakes, wheelbarrows, pans, computers, etc.) the expression of Buddha’s mindcovering all. Be tidy and pay attention to your way of working. Pay attentionto your breathing and the position of your body. Do not lose your time infutile chats. Do not use time to seduce others, show your knowledge or inpointless talks. This very moment is the only one you have, the only moment inwhich you are.
Experiment the pleasure of devoting yourself to do something right. You areworking for your own happiness, do not forget it. Do not forget to generatehappiness when working and, at the same time, look for efficiency, this is:maximum outcomes with minimum waste of time and energy. Only you can do whatyou are doing. Nobody can do it for you.
Personal hygiene ( senmen )
After body work, once the drum has indicated the end of the time devoted towork, you can go to the hygiene area to wash all your body. Be careful with thesilence. Purifying your body is a holy and essential task. The aim is not onlyto change dirt from one place to another, but to transform any impurity into adirect and vivid experience of Original Purity of the Being. It is a purifyingand transmutation ritual. Silence is essential. Respect others´ silence. Hearthe water flowing towards your body, around your body, until the MotherEarth’s body. With this dirty water send all your blessings to this earththat is always willing to take what you send her. Observe her example.
Wait patiently for your turn when showers are occupied; in silence,considering life and all its activity as a dream, as a burning twilight that isslowly dying.
Be careful with the silence and the gentleness of your behaviour. Do notsplash others by accident. Do not waste water. Do not mix sounds with noises.Pay attention to the sound of water that flows from the infinite towards youand from you towards the infinite.
Midday zazen (soshin zazen), or teaching.
After hygiene, wear the habits again and come back to the meditation roomeither to sit down again in zazen or to receive the teachings or instructions.You have to be in your zazen place before the third round of wood soundsfinishes.
During this period do not think in Buddha, your good or bad karmaconditions, or anything else other than zazen. Abandon your body and soul. Giveit to the Power that has given it to you temporarily. Do not discriminatebetween right and wrong. Do not judge anything. Zazen practiced in this way isIllumination. And you are Buddha, further than any idea you may have about whatBuddha is or what is not, or what you are or you are not. This is the highestpractice.
If you are receiving the teaching, pay absolute attention. Be thankful forthe treasure you are receiving and do not make the master or the instructor torepeat his/her instructions.
Be as an empty bowl, able to receive it all, as a limitless container ableto cover the endless teaching of our ancestors.
Midday meal ( gozai )
Again, the Umbam will indicate the moment of midday meal. Leave whatever youare doing and go to the dining room, prompt and quiet. The soul attitude duringlunch is the same kept during breakfast.
Do not discriminate food. Do not see them as appetizing or disgusting. Askfor the exact amount you need and eat what you are given, without leaving asingle piece of food in the bowls. Use Buddha’s bowls with respect andattention. You are using your own life, your ancestors´ and yourdescendents´.
The rest (yasumi)
After lunch and until mid-afternoon zazen you may rest a bit, or have timeto study, walk or attend your personal issues.
Keep silence during this time. If you are resting do not think in anythingelse other than to rest. Concentrate in rest and study, without living yourmind to digress. Do not waste your energy. To rest is also to practice Dharma.You are not resting from Dharma. Actually, whatever you do, you are never awayfrom Dharma. You are never exempt from keeping the right attitude towards yourlife.
During the rest, same as at any other moment, generate kind thoughts towardsyour Path mates, towards all living beings, and towards you. Be your heartalways in peace. Do not allow hostility or rejection thoughts in your mind.Send love and salvation thoughts to those who are ill, weak, in jail, old,dying. Consider all beings as your own sons and daughters.
Sakiamuni Buddha said that when all bodhisattvas practice together they mustsee and consider each other as they were seeing and observing the Buddha. Wehave to care about language and behaviour as a way to identify ourselves asBuddhas and Bodhisattvas, and act accordingly.
If you have to speak, do it softly. Your words have to be kind,enlightening, and compassionate. Do not use language as a weapon to attack.Always, and in all circumstances, bear in mind your own death. You do not knowneither when nor how it is going to happen. It may happen right now, whilesleeping, while working. Observe your life from the point of view of your ownextinction.
Always, and in any circumstance, act as an honourable disciple of Buddha,this is, with kind and attention. During the rest, and in any other moment,avoid perturbing others. Keep in mind that there is a total and completereciprocity between you and the others. Avoid, for instance, having a showerwhile the others are sleeping, or perturbing their rest speaking loudly intheir bedroom or nearby, or making noises when closing doors…
If you find in the tracks or corridors any monk or old practitioner wearingthe Kesa, join your palms and greet with respect. Avoid walking by the centreof paths or corridors. Walk always on your right to avoid running intosomeone.
Do not call others aloud, neither shouting nor running. Our acts set therhythm and quality of time. Do not rush. Always keep calm and naturalself-control.
Leave the common world and deep dive into the experience you are havinghere.
If you can’t attend zazen, or work, or any other daily activity, if youfeel sick, tell the general manager. He will take care you receive the care youneed.
Consulting the Temple responsibles each time it is necessary is a valuableway to express your respect to both the community practice and the harmony ofall its members.
Afternoon zazen ( hoji zazen )
After resting we enter again into the meditation room for the afternoonzazen. The attitude must be the same as described before.
Hand work (samu)
After the afternoon zazen, and depending on the temple requirements, thereis a period of work. Do not think now neither in zazen nor in resting. Zazen isnot different from body work; body work is not different from zazen. Actually,the mirror of conscience keeps the same during zazen and during work. Youcannot neither enter nor leave into the mirror of conscience. It does notchange from one activity to other. Body moves but mind keeps still, alwaysidentical to itself.
Put the tools, buckets and brooms carefully in order after body work. Do notleave them around. Tidy and leave in order the place where you have beenworking. Each of these actions is a demonstration of the Path.
Lessons about Dharma ( teisho )
After afternoon zazen or after work, the Master of the Temple or someone inhis place may give a conference about Dharma. Go quietly and pay attention tothe teaching given.
You have to consider that it is very difficult to be born as a human, it isvery difficult to have the opportunity to find the Buddha’s Dharma, it isvery difficult to find a spiritual Master. You have all these opportunities. Donot waste them.
This moment can also be used to practice or learn about some aspects of theBuddha-Dharma. Be vigilant, receptive and in good disposition.
Dinner ( yaku seki kittô )
At nightfall, before entering again into the meditation room, we usuallyhave some light food. Yaku seki kittô means in Japanese “medicinal stone”.We consider dinner as an appropriate medicine to calm stress, mind eagerness,and to keep the body healthy. Have your food with gratitude and conscience.
Last zazen of the day ( y aza zazen)
After dinner, and before a reasonable period of time, we go back to themeditation room to sit for the last zazen of the day.
A thousand actions have been done. There is nothing else to do. You can sitand rest in peace in the silent of the night. Pay attention to your mind´sthoughts and let them get quiet as waves that die on the beach of yourstillness. Mix in the Still Clear Light that remains further than yourthoughts.
After finishing zazen, the Ino says:
“Those who practice Dharma, listen to me:
Life and Death are the essential issues.
Time goes by fast as an arrow.
To you, Path seekers,
I humbly tell you: be aware of the present moment”.
Evening rest (kaichin)
In this way, being aware of the grandeur and fleetingness of the presentmoment, comes the moment to switch off the lights and the moment for theevening rest. Keep the conscience of the impermanence in your heart. Your lifewill also die, same as happens with the current day. In this moment, when theextinction clapperboards sound, all the doors and lights are switched off. Goto your room quietly, keep away from trivial chats, and maintain a harmonious,fraternal and sympathetic spirit.
While you sleep, keep Buddha’s body position: stretch your body over yourright side, put your left hand over your left thigh, your right hand under theright cheek, your finger stick together. The legs are together, the left foot alittle bit behind.
Now, do not think about Buddhism, neither about zazen nor about the thousandissues you might have in your mind. Think kindly on your Path mates, the Templemanagers, the Master, your parents, your beloved ones, all the living beings.Ask all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to protect you during your evening rest andclose your eyes in peace, without being afraid of death.
An ancient master said:
“After practising the Dharma for a day,
You can die in peace at night”.
Every instant lived with no attention is useless. We must pay attention toevery instant. When you eat you must pay attention to the fact of eating. Whenyou recite sutras you must pay attention to the fact of reciting sutras. Whenyou sleep, you must pay attention to the fact of sleeping.
Sakiamuni Buddha taught:
“Those paying attention to the present moment will never die. Those whonever pay attention to the present moment are already like dead.”
And waking up again
When the moment of waking up arrives, it starts a new day of practice in theEmancipation Path, same as the followed by Buddhas and masters in the past.
A day lived in this way is an example to follow for 10, 20, 30 years, forall your life.
It is a very simple life model, in which our body and soul get similar toBuddhas´and enlighted beings´ ones.
Living like this we can dissolve our hellish karma. We can reward ourparents for their efforts. We can change the world’s pain into the NirvanaEverlasting Peace.
Rules of Serene Light Temple
1. Practice and life in this holy place is only allowed to those who have ahonest aspiration to live in a full light of Conscience, and to those who havea strong determination to do it, no matter the difficulties they can find.
2. Nobody can enter here trying to obtain personal benefit, honour, fame,power, nor an egotistic recognition.
3. Nobody can enter here if his/her aspiration is other than reaching theComplete Awakening of all living beings.
4. If you feel that entering here has been an error, you must leaveimmediately. Comfort and personal benefit lose their importance if you look forthe Path.
5. Here we look for a Path of Harmony with the others. We want to mix likemilk and honey, and altogether we will try to open our eyes to the SupremeWisdom.
6. If you practise properly following the learning transmitted, your initialposition of “beginner” will change with the time into a “Master”,“Buddha” or “Bodhisattva”.
7. Here you can find soul friends difficult to find in the ordinary World.Here you can do different things to those you normally do.
8. Try to cultivate always a purpose linked to an action. Be as a travellingcloud (light) and like the running water (fluid).
9. Pay attention to your words, your actions and your thoughts.
10. Be your aim the enlightenment of all beings for their Good.
11. Do not leave the Temple without purpose, and do not do it with out theauthorization of the general manager.
12. Cultivate your loneliness with discretion.
13. Here and now is the best moment to save your mind from fire, so do notworry about the futile things in the world. Our life is temporary and it isimpossible to know when it will finish. Do not lose time with pointlessreadings; follow the Buddha’s Truth by doing a precise practice.
14. Inform the general manager about your problems and difficulties.
15. Do not criticize others. Hide their errors but do not imitate them.Cultivate your own integrity. Be severe with yourself and indulgent with theothers.
16. Do not take communal objects or goods to your room, no matter howirrelevant they are. Inform the general manger about your actions andinitiatives.
17. Avoid speaking loud neither inside nor outside the meditation room, andavoid chatting in groups.
18. In the meditation room you cannot wear rings, earrings, bracelets,necklaces, watches, or other ornaments. Do not enter or leave with the armsalong the body.
19. Only recitate sutras when it is the appropriate moment.
20. Do not make weird noises with the mouth or nose. Keep always in mindthat the time is very brief.
21. Every moment use proper and simple clothes.
22. Do not consume alcohol, drugs or musical devices. There are certainplaces where smoking is permitted during breaks or free time.
23. Do not argue. Arguing keep you and the others from practising the Path.If you persist in arguing you will have to leave.
24. Those who do not follow the Rules of the Temple will be invited toleave.
25. Do not disturb other’s practice inviting people from outside to came,other than in the designated moments.
26. Practice zazen in the meditation room and listen carefully the teachinggiven by the Master or authorised people.
27. Be careful of the rhythm, times and right places. Pay attention to theproper way of doing every moment.
28. Be extremely respectful to the meditation cushion (zafu) and Buddha’sbowls (oryoki). Pay attention not to drop them.
29. The kitchen is one of the three holy places in the Temple. It is totallyforbidden to enter without the kitchen manager (tenzo) or the general managerauthorization. If you are working in the kitchen, be quiet. Do not chat in apointless or gross way. Concentrate only in the food cooking process.
30. Toilets, showers and WCs are also holy places. Silence must be preservedhere as well. Be careful and pay attention. Do not forget your personal objectsand do not leave them anywhere to the sight of everybody. The Gasshô soul mustbe kept in these places.
31. During all the time you are here you must study and practice peacefullyand freely the Buddha’s Path.
32. In the daily life of this temple there is precise way of doing at everymoment. If you are new here, ask someone older.
33. Always choose Happiness, Harmony, Peace and the Happiness of your ownmind.
Welcome to Serene Light!
This rules have been inspired by the Jundo-shiki, or ´Regulations for theRoom of Travelling Clouds´ of Master Eihei Dôgen (13th Century).