Useful Words to Know

bodhisattva: someone who forgoes complete awakening until all beings are saved. A bodhisattva is guided by compassion and offers active help to others.

dana: a voluntary offering or gift. Dana, understood as generosity, is one of the perfections of a bodhisattva

dharma: This is an important word with multiple meanings. Sometimes it refers to the teachings of the Buddha; sometimes to universal truth; sometimes to the cosmic law of the universe; sometimes to ethical and moral norms; sometimes to a manifestation of reality.

dokusan: a private meeting with the teacher

gassho: the gesture of joining hands before the face (in respect, gratitude, reverence)

jikijitsu (sometimes shortened to jiki): the room monitor and timekeeper at the zendo 

joriki: the strength of the concentrated mind

kensho: "seeing one's true nature"; an awakening experience (also satori)

kinhin: walking meditation

koan: usually a saying or story involving Zen exchanges between Zen masters and students or other Zen masters. Koans are tools to help practitioners cut through conceptual thinking and break through to or deepen another way of understanding.

sangha: a community of Zen practitioners

sesshin: a meditation retreat that lasts for several days

teisho: a talk by the teacher, usually related to some aspect of the practice and often focusing on a koan

zabuton: the sitting mat

zafu: the sitting cushion

zazen: sitting meditation

zazenkai: a day-long meditation retreat

zendo: the room or space set aside for zazen