kounji

TEL :TEL075-751-7949・FAX 075-950-1010 Address :59 Nanzenji Kitanobocho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto Access :JR Kyoto Station > (city bus100) > Higashitennocho bus stop > 5 minutes walk

Saturday Night Zazen Session

At Kounji Temple, zazen (zen meditation ) sessions are held every Saturday from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. No reservations are required, and you can participate by arriving by 7:50 p.m. Joining midway is not permitted.

When I arrived at the temple, a small door next to the main gate was open.

When I went inside, there was a garden and the main hall in front of me.

At the entrance to the hall, an arrow indicated the location of the zazen session.

There was a desk when I entered the main hall. There was also paper with sutras written on it, so I took one. An English version of the sutra (written in the alphabet) was also available.

Try Zazen!

When I entered the main hall, there was no explanation given. There were cushions lined up, so I sat down and waited.

At 8 p.m., a monk appeared and the zazen began with the ringing of clappers and a bell.

As I was doing zazen, I heard the sound of frogs croaking outside the main hall. As I sat there, breathing slowly, I felt very calm.

The zazen session lasted about 30 minutes, with a break, and then the second session began immediately.

Monk walked around the hall, hitting those who wanted to join with a zen stick . When the monk came before, I also put my hands together and had him tap my shoulders. I felt like I had my focus back.

After the zazen session, we all chanted sutras together. I had a really good time.

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