about practicing

Zen Buddhism is an ancient tradition that has its origins with the teachings of Buddha. A story is told that he was asked to give a talk to a number of people. Instead of speaking, he held up a flower. Tradition tells us that this was the beginning of Zen. The simplicity, directness, practicality, compassion and peace of this little story conveys the spirit of Zen. Buddha's teaching   is the same teaching given at the Montreal Zen Center for more than twenty five years.

"Vigilance is the path to life eternal, and thoughtlessness the path to death. The vigilant do not die, the thoughtless are as dead already."

(Buddha)

The center of gravity of our practice is our everyday life. Members are expected to have a regular practice at home.   They must also realize that the value of the practice is expressed in their everyday lives with their families and friends, in their activities at work, and in all other dealings that they have with people. One of the more celebrated Zen sayings is: "Everyday mind is the Way."

We do not look for any special spiritual experience, vision, revelation or ecstasy. We can awaken; we can come to see that we are not a thing, a body, a soul, a person, or even a spirit. Fundamentally we are beyond all forms and ideas. This freedom is called satori and satori, seeing into our true nature, is the teaching of our tradition.  

The Way may well be long and difficult.   Along the Way we must develop care and attention in everything that we do.   The following quotation, which stresses this need for care and attention, is taken from a talk given by Zen master Dogen, a 12th Century Japanese Zen Master. Although it was addressed to the monks working in the monastery kitchen, it is equally applicable to all our activities:

"When washing the rice, remove any sand you find. In doing so, do not lose a grain of rice. Pay full attention to your work in preparing the meal; attend to every aspect yourself so that it may turn out well. Clean the forks, ladles and all other utensils; handle them with equal care and awareness, putting back everything where it naturally belongs. Keep your mind on your work and do not throw things around. When you prepare your food never view the ingredients from some commonly held perspective, nor think about them only with your emotions. Maintain an attitude that tries to build great temples from ordinary greens, that expounds the Buddha dharma through the most trivial activity. Handle even a single leaf of a green in such a way that it manifests the body of Buddha. This in turn allows the Buddha to manifest through the leaf. This is a power which you cannot grasp with your rational mind. It operates freely according to the situation, in a most natural way. At the same time, this power functions in our lives to clarify and settle activities and is beneficial to all living beings. "

Local members can attend daily practice at the Center which take place both in the mornings and the evenings.

The morning sittings start at 6:30 and continue until 7:30 from Monday to Friday.

On Monday and Tuesday evenings the sitting begins at 7:30 and continues until 9:30. The two hours are divided into three 35 minute periods of zazen, with kinhin (walking meditation) in between. On Wednesday evening the sitting begins at 7.30 and continues until 9.00.   In this case the one and half hours are divided into three 25 minute periods of zazen, with walking meditation in between the periods. The evenings all end with chanting and prostrations.

During the evening sittings the teacher, Albert Low, gives personal instruction (dokusan) to those who wish to have this instruction.

Once each month, except for July and August, a sesshin is held. "Sesshin", a Japanese word, which means roughly "one mind" gives the members an opportunity to join together for an intense period of zazen, a kind of retreat. These sesshins last 2,3, 4, or 7 days. Albert Low presides over the seven day sesshins, while the two and three day sesshins are presided over by assistant teachers. The two-day sesshin is an introductory sesshin and all who wish to attend sesshin must first have been to a two-day sesshin.    The sesshins are very intensive and silence is maintained throughout the entire time.

To become a member one must attend an introductory workshop. These   are given by Albert Low and a senior student four times a year (see the Calendar).   Workshops are followed by Beginners' Courses which are given on Thursday evenings.

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