Audio Files for Practice

You'll need this document: "Zen Sutras, Chants, and Songs".

This post provides links to audio files for your home sitting practice. The files for the Morn practice (which, of course, can be used at any time of day) provide:

• Han sequence (7 mins)
• Inkin sequence (for offering incense and three prostrations -- 1:40)
• Verse of Kesa (p. 42 -- 2 mins)
• Opening Verse (from pp. 3-5 -- about 1 min)
• Opening Day-of-Week Song (p. 38 or 42 -- 1-2 mins)
• Dedication, including Gatha of Atonement or The Three Refuges (about 3 mins)
• Silence for Zazen (25 mins)
• Kinhin (4-5 mins)
• Sutra Service (7-9 mins)
• Closing Verse (from pp. 39-42 -- about 1 min)
• Closing Day-of-Week Song (p. 38 or 42 -- 1-2 mins)

The Morn practice, from the end of the Han sequence, is about 50 minutes.

The Eve practice consists only of:

• Opening Day-of-Week Song (p. 38 or 42 -- 1-2 mins)
• Silence for Zazen (25 mins)
• Closing Day-of-Week Song (p. 38 or 42 -- 1-2 mins)

The Eve practice takes just under 30 mins.

Morn Practice

Getting Started. For four weeks, Sep 9 - Oct 6: Starter #7
You may wish to load this audio file into your favorite Alarm Clock app so you can set the time you want to be called to practice.
Starter #7 is 12 mins + 3 mins silence at end, in case your alarm app auto-dismisses at 15 mins.

(Serving suggestion: Set starter to play starting at 5:53am).
Starter includes:

• Han sequence (7 mins) to call you to get ready for practice.
• Inkin sequence (for offering incense and three prostrations -- 1:40)
• Verse of Kesa (p. 42 -- 2 mins) for singing along. Don kesa (if you have one) at end of 2nd repetition.
• Starter #7: Opening Verse 7, "Clear Mind" (p. 3, about 1 min)

(NOTE: The "Starter" files are to be used for four weeks at time. They differ from each other only in having different Opening Verses at the ends of the files.)

Day of Week (35 mins). After chanting the Opening Verse (at end of Starter), select the file for the day of the week. (Suggestion: set this file to play at 6:05am. Set auto-dismiss at 45 mins.)
These files include:

• Opening Day-of-Week Song (words on p. 38)
• Dedication (pp. 2-3). Mon-Wed-Fri uses the Dedication for Odd-Numbered Days. Tue-Thu-Weekend uses the Even-Numbered Days Dedication. The Dedication includes a sequence of inkin bells for bowing forward from seated posture and whispering your personal dedications.
• 25 mins of silence for zazen. The zazen time is introduced with 3 bells. At the end of the 25 mins, you'll hear two bells, signalling you to rise and stand in gassho.
• At the sound of clappers, bow and begin 4-5 mins for kinhin. At second clappers, return to place, standing in gassho. At third clappers, bow and be seated.

Monday Morn
Tuesday Morn
Wednesday Morn
Thursday Morn
Friday Morn
Saturday Morn
Sun Sep 15 Morn: Repeat Sat Morn

Sutra Service (8-10 mins). After the Morn file concludes (with clappers signalling the end of kinhin), be seated and select the Sutra Service. (Suggestion: download these files to your device and set your alarm app to play them at 6:40am. Set auto-dismiss at 10 mins.)

Sutra Service for Week 12 of summer (Sep 9-15)
Mon-Wed-Fri: Sutra Service 12A
Tue-Thu-Sat-Sun: Sutra Service 12B

Sutra Service for Week 13 of summer (Sep 16-22)
Mon-Wed-Fri: Sutra Service 13A
Tue-Thu-Sat-Sun: Sutra Service 13B

Closing Song (about 2 mins)
Lastly, select the closing song for the day of the week. Bells at the end prompt you to stand, bow to your altar, then bow to anyone else practicing with you -- or toward the door, symbolizing the world of beings.
Sun & Mon Closing Song (p. 38)
Tue Closing Song (p. 38)
Wed Closing Song (p. 38)
Thu Closing Song (p. 38)
Fri Closing Song (p. 38)
Sat Closing Song (p. 42)

Eve (Shorter) Practice

This Han Sequence audio file includes only the 7-min Han sequence. You may wish to load it into your favorite Alarm Clock app so you can set the time you want to be called to evening practice.

• Get settled in seated posture.
• Begin audio for "Eve" (click on the appropriate link below)
• Sing the Day-of-the-Week Opening Song along with the recording (p. 38 for Mon-Fri; p. 42 for Saturday).
• 25-minutes of Zazen. Each Eve audio has 25 minutes of silence. Three bells sound at the beginning of Zazen and two bells when Zazen time is up.
• Sing the Day-of-the-Week Closing Song along with the recording (p. 38 for Mon-Fri; p. 42 for Saturday).
• Inkin bells at the end of the Closing Song will signal you to rise, give one bow to the altar, and then a bow to the sangha.

Sun & Mon Eve
Tue Eve
Wed Eve
Thu Eve
Fri Eve
Sat Eve

Directory for all audio files: HERE

AUDIO CREDITS

Spoken recordings by Meredith Garmon and LoraKim Joyner. "Universal Dedication" also includes voice of Allie Freed.
From Youtube:

• "Jizo Darani," and "Sho Sai Myo Kichijyo Darani," from Francisco Casaverde, "Canticos Budistas."
• "Shigu Seigan Mon," from Maheyo Music.
• "Buddha Vandana," from Be Nhat Trung.
• "Filled with Loving Kindness," from UUCC Music Director Anna Hamilton; performed by Tapestry: Anna Hamilton and Elizabeth Harris.
• "Dedication of Merit" from Rev. Heng Sure and Friends, "Paramita: American Buddhist Folk Music"
• "Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo" from Chris Burrows, "Zen Buddhist Chanting"

"Gate of Sweet Nectar" by Krishna Das, sung by Starry Mountain Singers for Amidon Community Music.
"The Four Bodhisattva Vows" and "Diamond Sutra Gatha": music composed and performed by Meredith Garmon.
"Save All the Beings": music by Boundless Way Zen; performed (piano, guitar, and vocals) by Meredith Garmon.
"Verse of the Kesa" and "Shantideva's Way of the Bodhisattva": music by Soten Lynch; vocals by Soten Lynch, Kosho Ault, Maggie Medlin, and Eric Hertz. Recorded at Great Vow Zen Monastery, Clatskanie, OR, 2020.

For credits for the words/lyrics, see "Zen Sutras, Chants, and Songs".