Kafu　家风

Lit., house wind”; the customs and “atmosphere” of a certain monastery.

Kaichin　开枕

Bedtime at the monastery, marked by a short sutra-chanting and the unrolling of the kashiwabuton.

Kaihan　开板

Striking of the wooden han.

Kaijo　开静

Morning wake-up at the monastery.

Kaiko　开讲

The occasion of the first teisho of the ango.

Kaisei　解制

The monastic off-season. Roughly synonymous with seikan.

Kaiyoku　开浴

Monastic bath time.

Kanban bukuro　广告牌袋

The bag used by the monks during menicancy. The name of the monk’s temple is usually written on the front of the bag.

Kanna Zen　看话禅

Koan Zen.

Kansei　闲栖

A retired priest.

Kansho　唤钟

The small hanging bell rung by the monks to signal entrance to the master’s room during dokusan. It has thus come to be synonymous with sanzen itself.

Kashaku　挂锡

To formally enter a monastery for training.

Kashiwabuton　柏蒲団

The large square-shaped futon used for sleeping in the monastery. The futon is folded in half, and the unsui sleeps inside. In the morning the futon is rolled up and stored for the day.

Katan　加担

To help with work, either in general or at another temple.

Kato　挂搭

To formally enter a monastery for training. See kashaku.

Keisaku　警策

The “warning stick,” used to encourage monks during zazen.

Kekka fuza　结跏趺座

The full lotus sitting position.

Kenge　见解

The response to a koan, presented during sanzen.

Kensho　见性

“To see self nature.” Kensho is roughly synonymous with satori, although the latter is generally regarded as indicating a deeper experience.

Kentan　检单

The formal checking of the sitting monks in the zendo by the roshi or the jikijitsu.

Kesa　袈裟

The Buddhist liturgical robe usually translated as “surplice.” It is the stylized form of the original Indian Buddhist robe, worn around the body, over the left shoulder and under the right shoulder.

Kesa bunko　袈裟文库

The luggage bundle carried by unsui during their angya, containing their kesa, razor, jihatsu, sutra book, and rain poncho.

Kiku　规矩

The monastic regulations.

Kinhin　经行

Walking meditation.

Kitan ryushaku　起单留锡

The occasion at the end of the training period when a monk notifies the monastery whether he will be staying for the next training period or leaving to continue his angya.

Koban　香盘

The incense holder in which sticks of incense are burned by the jikijitsu during zazen.

Koji kyumei　己事究明

“The investigation and clarification of the self.” The purpose of zazen.

Kokuho　告报

An announcement by the head monk to the community, usually setting out the schedule for that day.

Konsho　昏钟

The evening ringing of the large temple bell.

Kosoku　古则

A synonym for "koan".

Kotai　交代

The changing of monastic duties at the end of the training period.

Kotan　高单

A senior monk.

Koza　讲座

A lecture by the roshi to the monks. See teisho.

Kufu　工夫

To maintain one’s practice during stillness and movement. In the Zen monastery it has generally come to mean something like something like “creative inventiveness” during work.

Kuri　库里

The monastery kitchen, or, more generally, the living quarters.

Kyogai　境界

The state of mind, usually expressed in a person’s actions and presence, attained through training.

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