Dharma Rain Zen Center - FAQs

Dharma Rain Zen Center
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 

What are the main weekly events?

Our most heavily-attended events are Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. See our regular weekly schedule. We start promptly on time. Newcomers are always welcome, and we recommend that you arrive 15-20 minutes early, so we can give basic instruction and orientation. Check the Events page for the current schedule, as it can change slightly at different times of the year.

Wednesday Evening

On Wednesdays, evening service and zazen (sitting meditation) begin upstairs in the Zendo (meditation hall) at 7pm. The service is a recitation of the Fukanzazengi (or Kyojukaimon in February and March), and takes about 10 minutes. From 7:10 to 7:40pm is zazen. Then there’s a break for tea and cookies.

Classes begin a few minutes before 8pm and go to about 9pm in the downstairs lecture room of the Zendo following zazen and evening service. Wednesday night classes are open to all, and are particularly useful for people new to Zen practice. There is no charge, though donations are gratefully accepted.

Sunday Morning

Sunday morning services begin at 8:30am and include two 30-minute periods of zazen with 10 minutes of kinhin (slow walking meditation) between them, followed by a chanting service at 9:40am, informal tea about 10:15am, and either a dharma talk or a discussion led by a senior member beginning around 10:30am.

Other weekly meditation and services

Click to see the regular schedule, a description of other weekly meditation and services, or the current calendar of events.

 

How much does it cost?

Most of our classes and events are free. If we have to charge something (because it costs us, for food, lodging, utilities, etc.), we keep the fee as low as possible. The Center is supported primarily through membership and donation, and donations to free events are always appreciated. If you have questions about membership, please contact us. Donate to our general fund or to our Capital Campaign.

 

What should I wear?

Wear something comfortable and loose but not be so sloppy as to be disrespectful or distracting. Since we sit in rows, bright colors and patterns, tie-dyes, Hawaiian prints and slogans can distract someone sitting behind you. When in doubt, dark and/or neutral colors work best. Please do not wear shorts, short skirts or tank-tops in the zendo, even on hot days. Don’t wear anything likely to jingle or make other noise. The Zendo is a place for meditation, reverence and mindfulness. It takes each of us to create and sustain this special space for others.

 

Where is the Center?

Located in inner southeast Portland, the main temple building is on the corner of SE 25th and Madison, one block north of Hawthorne. For more detailed information about location, see the Contact page.

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How can I learn more about Zen practice?

Each month Dharma Rain Zen Center offers introductory workshops on Zen practice that are open to all without charge. There is no need to register or bring anything. Wear comfortable clothing. Workshops are usually offered at the Dharma House. “Zen Meditation” covers the essentials of zazen (sitting meditation). “Starting A Practice” describes how to bring zazen practice into daily life with an explanation of the forms used in the zendo and during services. Each is a two-hour presentation. Learn more about our workshops. Learn more about zazen. See the current schedule. In addition, the Wednesday classes often include basic instruction in basic Zen practice. Becoming a serious practitioner is something that develops over time with consistent practice.

 

What are all those foreign-sounding words?

Because our ancestral lineage of teachers comes through Japan, we use several Japanese terms. Some Sanskrit terms have come through various languages, some transliterated several times. It is often useful to use the original words rather than translating them. See a glossary of terms we use.

 

Is Zen the same as Buddhism?

Zen is a branch of Buddhism, which began in India about 500 B.C.E. (Before the Common Era). Read more about Buddhism and Soto Zen. Buddhism also travelled to other countries, most notably Tibet, China, and Southeast Asia, before coming to the United States. The practices from those countries can look different, and different aspects are emphasized, but all Buddhists follow the same basic teachings. In addition, whatever unique characteristics Buddhism may have, it respects other paths. People have differing spiritual needs, and many paths exist to help them meet those needs. Other religions and most non-religious paths to fulfillment are approached in a spirit of collegiality rather than competition.

 

How do I become a Buddhist?

The different branches of Buddhism approach this slightly differently, though all emphasize taking refuge in the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha). At Dharma Rain Zen Center, we do a ceremony called Jukai Lay Ordination once a year that involves taking the 16 Bodhisattva Precepts. Participating in this ceremony makes one a Buddhist of the ten quarters, which just means Buddhists, everywhere (the ten directions are the eight compass points, plus up and down). Lay Ordination is not required for membership in the Zen Center, nor is membership required to receive the Precepts.

 

What is the significance of wagessa and rakusu?

When someone takes the precepts the first time, formally becoming a Buddhist, he or she is given a wagessa, which is a strip of cloth worn around the neck and joined at the bottom with a decorative knot. When someone becomes a formal student of one of our teachers (which can only happen after building up a relationship over a number of years), he or she takes the precepts again and becomes a “lay disciple.” Then they make and then wear a rakusu, which looks like a square bib hanging on two strips of cloth and is also worn around the neck.

 

What’s the difference between rebirth and reincarnation?

In Zen Roots, Kyogen Carlson quotes A Manual of Buddhism (Narada Thera, The Buddhist Missionary Society, Kuala Lumpur, 1971, pp 94-96) as follows: “According to Buddhism, apart from mind and matter which constitute this so-called being, there is no immortal soul or an eternal ego which man is either gifted with or has obtained in a mysterious way from a mysterious Being or force. The Buddhist doctrine of rebirth should be distinguished from the theory of re-incarnation or transmigration, for Buddhism denies the existence of an unchanging or eternal soul.”

In Zen we talk about rebirth in this lifetime. One way to see this is to think of yourself at a much younger age. Are you the same person you were then? Not really. And yet, something of that person led to who you are now. In a way, the self you were then died, and you have been reborn to be the self you are now. The person who sat down at the computer a few moments ago is not quite the same person who is here now. You can mentally put those events of birth and death closer and closer together until you realize that the process happens over and over again each thought-moment. Karma is a word that expresses the process of how the way you live in this moment affects what happens in the next moment, or the next year, or the next decade.

This is a very brief introduction to some complex matters. We explore some of these kinds of questions in our Wednesday classes.

 

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