A (Chinese: ''chih-jih'') is the directing monk in charge of every movement of the monks coming to sit

zazen ''Zazen'' (literally " seated meditation"; ja, 座禅; , pronounced ) is a meditative discipline that is typically the primary practice of the Zen Buddhist tradition. However, the term is a general one not unique to Zen, and thus technicall ...

in the zendo in a Japanese

Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whic ...

of the

Rinzai School The Rinzai school ( ja, , Rinzai-shū, zh, t=臨濟宗, s=临济宗, p=Línjì zōng) is one of three sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (along with Sōtō and Ōbaku). The Chinese Linji school of Chan was first transmitted to Japan by My� ...

. Their position is that of head monk, and they are generally regarded as strict disciplinarians. Their position is considered most desirable to hold in the meditation hall. The ''jikijitsu'' also ensures that the monks get to sleep and wake up on time according to a strict protocol.

History

Originally the name was given to the monk who was assigned to take care of the monastery's robes and bowls. The monks rotated this duty among themselves each day. Today a monk may be appointed to the position for the duration of a ''sesshin'' (possibly more than one consecutive day).

Timekeeper

The ''jikijitsu'' is the

timekeeper A timekeeper is an instrument or person that measures the passage of time. Person A timekeeper is a person who measures time with the assistance of a clock or a stopwatch. In addition, a timekeeper records time, time taken, or time remaining duri ...

for sessions of ''zazen'', ''

kinhin Walking meditation, sometimes known as kinhin ( Chinese: 經行; Pinyin: ''jīngxíng''; Romaji: ''kinhin'' or ''kyōgyō''; Korean: ''gyeonghyaeng''; Vietnamese: ''kinh hành''), is a practice within several forms of Buddhism that involve movem ...

'' (walking meditation), and meals. Times during the daily schedule are signalled with wood blocks called ''han'' and with

gong A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...

umpan An ''umpan'' (, , literally "cloud plate") is a flat gong, usually bronze, which is rung at mealtime in a Zen monastery. Literally translated as "cloud plate," the umpan is also sounded to "signal other events,"Baroni, 364 such as a call to the c ...

s and

handbell A handbell is a bell designed to be rung by hand. To ring a handbell, a ringer grasps the bell by its slightly flexible handle – traditionally made of leather, but often now made of plastic – and moves the arm to make the hinged cl ...

''Keisaku''

During ''zazen'', the ''jikijitsu'' will walk around the ''zendo'' wielding a ''

keisaku In Zen Buddhism, the ''keisaku'' (Japanese: 警策, Chinese: 香板, ''xiāng bǎn''; ''kyōsaku'' in the Soto school) is a flat wooden stick or slat used during periods of meditation to remedy sleepiness or lapses of concentration. This is ac ...

'' (a "staff of admonition" or Zen stick, Chinese: ching ts'e), which is used to strike a student's back when they have lost focus. These strikes are generally not violent, and will often relieve

muscle cramp A cramp is a sudden, involuntary, painful skeletal muscle contraction or overshortening associated with electrical activity; while generally temporary and non-damaging, they can cause significant pain and a paralysis-like immobility of the aff ...

s for the individual being struck. They sound like a loud whack and can terrify newcomers, but they "are not particularly painful". In the

Rinzai The Rinzai school ( ja, , Rinzai-shū, zh, t=臨濟宗, s=临济宗, p=Línjì zōng) is one of three sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (along with Sōtō and Ōbaku). The Chinese Linji school of Chan was first transmitted to Japan by My ...

school, the jikijitsu may strike a student without a student's request if they feel the student has gone astray. In the

Sōtō Sōtō Zen or is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (the others being Rinzai and Ōbaku). It is the Japanese line of the Chinese Cáodòng school, which was founded during the Tang dynasty by Dòngshān ...

school, a student will ask for a blow by placing both palms together in '' gassho'' as the jikijitsu walks in front of them.Gard, 193

Notes

References

* * * {{Buddhism topics Zen

History

Timekeeper

''Keisaku''

See also

Notes

References