Rohatsu 7-Day Sesshin
December 8-14, 2025
Shakyamuni Buddha said, “Living beings all are buddha nature.”
Buddha nature is not a secret or a puzzle to solve. It is already all living beings, nothing to be attained. But do we realize it? Does our life directly indicate it?
To realize Buddha nature we need great doubt, great faith and great determination. The mind of great doubt, great faith and great determination, the Beginner’s Mind that realizes Buddha nature, is not-knowing.
Enter Rohatsu through the great not-knowing. Here nothing is hidden. Nothing extra is added. We directly experience not hidden in every aspect of sesshin – seated meditation, walking meditation, silence, chanting, oryoki meals, bowing, washing our hands, cleaning the floor, discovering the wind, the zendo walls, the dharma teachings. We directly realize nothing is added by setting aside everything to enter the sesshin container and practice zazen.
To receive the full benefits of Rohatsu is recommended that you attend the entire sesshin. If full attendance is not possible you may attend a minimum of two consecutive days. Medical exceptions will be considered for attending partial days.
Teachers will offer dokusan (going alone to the teacher). Dokusan an essential ingredient of sesshin.
Register and pay by Wednesday, November 19.
$350 general, or $280 for pledging sangha members. A partial work-exchange scholarship may be available to pledging sangha members.
It is our tradition to express gratitude to the teacher through a dana offering. For this purpose a bowl will be out during Rohatsu for donations.
Once you register you will receive more information about sesshin: what to bring, what to leave behind, and guidelines to support you in receiving the full benefits of sesshin.
Settling, white dew
does not discriminate,
each drop its home. - Sōin
Print out and return the form below. There are also copies of the registration form on the Zen Center bulletin board.
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