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.