Daily Monastic Schedule
The schedule at Great Vow ebbs and flows with the seasons and retreats. Below you will find an approximate schedule for sesshin and non-sesshin times. Feel free to contact the registrar or residency coordinator for specific questions involving the schedule.
Tuesday
2:00 Work practice
5:15 Chanting Service
5:30 Dinner (buffet)
7:30 Zazen
9:20 Closing chant
10:00 Closing rounds; lights out in dorms
Wednesday through Saturday
4:50 Wake-up bell
5:30 Zazen (Meditation)
7:00 Chanting Service
7:30 Temple Caretaking
8:00 Breakfast (Oryoki)
9:30 Work period
12:30 Short Chanting Service
12:45 Lunch (informal)
3:00 Work period
5:20 Short Chanting Service
5:30 Dinner (informal)
7:30 Zazen*
9:20 Evening chants
10:00 Lights out & closing rounds
Sunday
5:50 Wake-up bell
6:20 Zazen
8:00 Breakfast
10:00 Sunday program
12:15 Community lunch
2:00 Free time
*On Friday evenings, there is a class rather than zazen. This class is usually led by one of the teachers or ordained sangha, and is on a wide variety of different Buddhist themes.
4:20 Wake-up bell
4:50 Zazen
7:00 Chanting Service
7:30 Breakfast (oryoki)
9:15 Work period
11:00 Zazen
1:00 Lunch (oryoki)
3:30 Zazen
6:00 Dinner (informal)
7:30 Zazen/Sanzen
9:20 Formal tea/Evening chants
10:00 Lights out & closing rounds
Tuesday
5:50 Wake-up bell
6:30 Zazen
7:30 Temple caretaking
8:00 Breakfast (oriyoki)
9:30 Sutra class
10:40 Work practice
12:30 Short Chanting Service
12:45 Lunch (oriyoki)
3:00 Body practice
4:15 Zazen
5:15 Chanting Service
5:30 Dinner (quiet, informal)
7:00 Zazen
9:20 Closing chant
10:00 Closing rounds; lights out in dorms
Wednesday through Saturday
3:50 Wake-up bell
4:30 Chanting Service/kinhin
5:10 Zazen
7:00 Temple caretaking
7:30 Breakfast (oriyoki)
9:00 Work period
12:30 Chanting Service
12:45 Lunch (oriyoki)
3:00 Body practice (Wed/Fri)
Study period (Thur/Sat)
4:15 Zazen
5:15 Chanting Service
5:30 Dinner (quiet, informal)
7:00 Zazen (Thurs Class 7:30)
9:20 Closing chant
10:00 Closing rounds; lights out in dorms
Sunday
5:50 Wake-up bell
6:20 Zazen
8:00 Breakfast
10:00 Sunday program
12:15 Community lunch
2:00 Free time
From 2:00 p.m. Sunday until 6:00 a.m. Tuesday there are no scheduled activities, and residents are welcome to leave the monastery grounds or stay at the monastery.
