Taku　柝木

Wooden clappers.

Takuhatsu　托钵

Mendicancy; monastic begging rounds.

Tan　单

A meditation platform in a zendo. Usually there are three or four: the jikijitsu tan (the tan to the left as you enter the front of the zendo), tanto tan (the tan to the right as you enter the front of the zendo), naka tan (an auxilliary tan between the jikijitsu tan and the tanto tan), and sometimes a gaitan (an auxilliary tan outside the main zendo room). The word tan can also indicate a person’s place on the tan, and hence his place in the monastery hierarchy.

Tanbuton　单蒲団

The large cushion upon which Rinzai monks sit during zazen.

Tangazume　旦过诘

The period in which a postulant at a Zen monastery must sit alone in a small room (called the tangaryo) facing the wall, usually for a period of five days. See also niwazume.

Tatchu　塔头

A subtemple located in the precincts of a larger temple.

Teisho　提唱

The roshi’s dharma lecture, usually on a koan, a Zen text, or a sutra.

Tenjin　点心

A meal served to the unsui at the home of a believer. The monks often receive tenjin at the end of the morning takuhatsu rounds.

Tenzo　典座

The monastery kitchen; also the cook.

Toki　汤器

The container for hot water.

Tokudo　得度

To be ordained as a monk.

Unpan　云版

Lit., “cloud plate”; a flat, cloud-shaped gong used to signal mealtimes.

Unsui　云水

Lit., “clouds and water”; a Zen monk in training.

Yako Zen　野狐禅

Lit., “wild fox Zen”; false Zen.

Yakuseki　药石

Lit., “medicine stone”; the Zen monastic supper. In Buddhism it was originally forbidden to eat after noon. However, in China, where Zen developed, it was cold in the winter, so the monks would put heated stones against their abdomens to assuage the pangs of hunger. These stones were called "medicine stones." Later a light meal, consisting of the day’s leftovers, came to be served, and this was named after the stones used to ease hunger.

Yaza　夜坐

Lit., “night sitting”; private zazen done after kaichin.

Yokuju　浴头

The monk that prepares the bath.

Zagu　坐具

The rectangular “sitting cloth,” used during ceremonies at the time of ritual prostrations.

Zanka　暂暇

A permitted absence from the monastery longer than three days and two nights. It is often used at present to indicate the termination of a monk’s sodo training.

Zanmai　三昧

Samadhi.

Zendo　禅堂

A Zen meditation hall.

Zuihan　随意饭

An informal meal.

Zuiyoku　随意浴

An informal bath.

Zuiza　随意坐

Informal sitting in the zendo, with no shijo.

Zutabukuro　头陀袋

A monks bag hung around the neck, used to keep personal effects.