Traditional Practice Path

With deep gratitude, at FCZ we carry forward the Soto Zen tradition of lineal transmission from warm hand to warm hand, from mind to mind, of the Dharma, our practice.

Zen Initiation
Zen Initiation (jukai in Japanese) is an opportunity to deepen one’s commitment to the Soto Zen tradition and to formally receive the precepts and go for refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. FCZ members who have a sustained commitment to the practice and community, a teacher, and have completed at least two year's retreat and class offerings are welcome to ask about the prospect of initiation. Initiation requires a mutual commitment, and ultimately the authority and decision to initiate a student is solely in the hands of the teacher.

Ordination and Priest Training
Ordination is a path of giving oneself to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, a path of practice for the liberation of all beings everywhere from suffering.
Ordination and training as a Soto Zen priest require a long-term commitment to zazen, the precepts, Dharma, personal development, an individual teacher who has received Soto Zen Dharma transmission, ritual, service to the community, and the liberation of all beings from suffering. There are many steps to the path, and it is a demanding commitment. Ordaining teachers have broad authority over the training of their students, and work together with others to provide a healthy and beneficial training process.
The first step to the path of ordination is to commit to Soto Zen practice, the FCZ community, and a teacher with Dharma transmission. The next step is to talk to one’s teacher about the possibility of ordination. It is quite common for a teacher to decline to begin the process of ordination with an interested student for any number of reasons. If the teacher accepts, they will outline the next steps in the process. Ordination requires a mutual commitment, and the authority and decision to ordain, train, end training, or give Dharma transmission is solely in the hands of the ordaining teacher.