dharma: religious, secular, or natural law; the law of karma; Buddha or Tao; teaching; the Dharmakaya

dojo: the training hall or zendo

dokusan: personal interview with the teacher during formal practice, to talk about student’s practice

hojo: small room where dokusan takes place

kinhin: the formal walk between periods of zazen

kyosaku: a traditional wooden stick used to ritually open and close the dojo, and to mindfully wake up the body and mind, at sesshins

practice: training, endeavours in the dojo, zazen. To take the Eightfold Path; to follow the precepts; to turn the Dharma wheel

roshi: old teacher, mode of addressing a Zen master

samu: building and maintenance of the temple and/or surrounds as part of formal practice

sangha: community, fellowship, harmony

sesshin: to touch, receive and convey the heart-mind; an intensive Zen retreat of two to seven days

sutras: sermons by the Buddha Shakyamuni and those attributed to him; Buddhist scripture

teisho: the roshi’s Dharma talk

zazen: seated practice with focus on a single matter

zazenkai: extended practice period with sutras, zazen, kinhin, dokusan and Dharma talk (half a day or a full day)

zendo: Zen hall, Zen centre, Dojo