Table of contents

1 The Zendo 1.1 Zendo Etiquette 2 Disambiguation 3 External Links

The Zendo

In Zen philosophy, a zendo is a meditation hall, a spiritual dojo where zazen (sitting meditation) is practiced. More generally, any place where people go to practice or learn Zen. For the enlightened, the entire world is a Zendo.

Zendo Etiquette

From the alt.zen FAQ (where some of the Japanese terms below are also explained):

Zendo Manners

• In a zendo the altar is placed in either the sodo or hondo position.
• Enter the zendo on the left side of the entry, left foot first.
• Gassho and bow to the altar.
• Walk forward across the room past the altar and go to a seat turning corners squarely (cross in front of the altar only during kinhin).
• Gassho and bow toward the seat, greeting the people to both sides.
• The people on both sides respond to greeting.
• Turn clockwise and face front.
• Gassho and bow to those directly across room, greeting them.
• They respond with a gassho-bow in greeting.
• Sit down on the zafu.
• Turn clockwise toward the wall. (If in a Soto style zendo, Rinzai style is to sit facing in from the wall.)
• Always turn or move clockwise as viewed from above the zendo.

Disambiguation

• Zendo is also a game of inductive logic designed by Kory Heath, using the Icehouse system.