Buddha’s Enlightenment Ceremony Tonight, Tuesday, December 8

Tonight’s sitting will begin at the usual time, 7:00pm, with a one-hour round (bell at the halfway point for change of posture). After kinhin, with everyone facing their devices, the ceremony will begin with chanting: Prajna Paramita (p.11 in the chant book); Ten-Verse Kannon Sutra (p.13); and the Return of Merit (p.18). Next, Roshi will read a dramatic account of the Buddha’s Enlightenment. We’ll end with a Special Eko (dedication verse), the Four Vows, and a seated bow to one another.

Normally, in the Before Times, this was one of the most complicated ceremonies to orchestrate, with six readers circumambulating the darkened zendo, each reading by candlelight from a different sutra. Unfortunately, there just isn’t a way to include this part of the ceremony online while doing it justice. But we can get back to that on December 8, 2021, if we all follow the “three W’s” – wearing masks, washing hands, and watching social distances.

(Tonight’s sitting and ceremony will be broadcast only on Zoom, using the usual Zoom meeting ID and password. If you need these, contact Dené Redding, dagrange@syr.edu.)