Sanshin Zen Community exists to enable the practice of shikantaza in the style of Uchiyama Roshi, deep study of Dogen Zenji’s teachings, and commitment to beneficial action. These three elements—zazen, study and work—are the foundation of Sanshin’s practice vision and calendar of activities See this page for more on the Sanshin style and spirit and the deeper meaning of our mission,
Sanshin is an international sangha founded in 1996 by Shohaku Okumura, a Soto Zen priest and respected translator of the thirteenth-century Japanese Zen master, Eihei Dogen Zenji. We're based at Shobozan Sanshinji 正法山 三心寺 in Bloomington, IN, where we offer opportunities for daily practice, weekly dharma talks, sesshin and retreats, and a three-month ango (practice period). Activities are open to anyone with a sincere interest in the practice of Soto Zen. We're largely a lay sangha, with most regular activities happening on weekday and Sunday mornings as well as occasional evenings in order to accommodate lives of work and family.
Sanshin is an international sangha founded in 1996 by Shohaku Okumura, a Soto Zen priest and respected translator of the thirteenth-century Japanese Zen master, Eihei Dogen Zenji. We're based at Shobozan Sanshinji 正法山 三心寺 in Bloomington, IN, where we offer opportunities for daily practice, weekly dharma talks, sesshin and retreats, and a three-month ango (practice period). Activities are open to anyone with a sincere interest in the practice of Soto Zen. We're largely a lay sangha, with most regular activities happening on weekday and Sunday mornings as well as occasional evenings in order to accommodate lives of work and family.
Okumura Roshi on sanshin as a founding principle
Ichiza, nigyou, sanshin 一坐, 二 行, 三心
One sitting, two practices (vow and repentance), three minds (magnanimous mind, nurturing mind, joyful mind)
This is the expression Uchiyama Roshi used in his last lecture at Antaiji. He retired from Antaiji in 1975, many years ago. I was 26 or 27 years old, so it was more than 40 years ago. He said that what he has been keeping in mind while he was the teacher or abbot of Antaiji was that these three things are the most important, and he transmitted these three points to his disciples. After that, I had to come to this country and practice without my teacher, so this teaching has been my teacher. To me, sanshin is the conclusion of his teaching.
Of course, most important is zazen, but sanshin is how our zazen works in our daily lives, whether we are living in a monastery or in society, with our families, in our workplaces or in society at large. When we live together with other people we need these three minds. For Dogen the three minds is a practical teaching for monks within the monastery, but Uchiyama Roshi said that this teaching is not only for monks in the monastery but for anyone who lives with others. Whether it’s a Buddhist sangha or whatever kind of community, we need these three minds.
Likewise, the teachings in Dogen’s Eihei Shingi (Pure Standards for the Zen Community), according to Uchiyama Roshi, are an introduction to how our zazen practice can work outside the zendo in our daily lives. Originally these were instruction for monks in the monastery, but Uchiyama Roshi says they are not only for monks who live in the monastery but are important for anyone who lives in a community with other people. In the part of this text called Tenzo Kyokun (Instructions for the Cook), Dogen writes about the three minds. The tenzo, like all bodhisattvas, must keep these three minds as he or she prepares meals for the community.
I taught at Minnesota Zen Meditation Center from 1993 to 1997 (to 1996 as head teacher). In 1996 I established Sanshin Zen Community and I used this word sanshin as the name of the community. Often American Zen centers use the name of a place as a part of their names, for instance San Francisco Zen Center, Minnesota Zen Center, and there are many more. But at that time we didn’t have a place; only four people got together and made the decision to create a Zen community. There was no way to put a place in our name. We were looking for a suitable place to locate this community and we didn’t know where we would be. That’s why I used this word sanshin to indicate a community in which the members practice together with three minds.
To me, these three minds are really important and that’s why we studied the Eihei Shingi in the Wednesday dharma study group for the first few years after I established this temple in Bloomington in 2003. We read the entire Eihei Shingi. I knew that this is not a monastery; I didn’t intend to establish a monastery, so monastic regulations don’t make sense as a study topic. Still, in a monastery there is a structure—the abbot who has ultimate authority, the officers and teachers who can lead the practice and who can teach the training monks, experienced training monks, and young training monks. There is a hierarchy, and if it’s a good community, new monks are taught by the elders based on Dogen’s instructions. The teachings in the Eihei Shingi are actually transmitted within the monastic community, generation after generation. But because Sanshin is not a monastery, there were no such people in such a system. I was the only teacher and although there were several ordained people, basically this was a new community and people were not familiar with monastic structure or formal practice. Therefore I thought it was important that each person understand the spirit of monastic or community practice. That’s why I decided to study the Eihei Shingi at the very beginning of the history of this temple. I’m not sure whether it worked well or not, but at least that was my intention.
One sitting, two practices (vow and repentance), three minds (magnanimous mind, nurturing mind, joyful mind)
This is the expression Uchiyama Roshi used in his last lecture at Antaiji. He retired from Antaiji in 1975, many years ago. I was 26 or 27 years old, so it was more than 40 years ago. He said that what he has been keeping in mind while he was the teacher or abbot of Antaiji was that these three things are the most important, and he transmitted these three points to his disciples. After that, I had to come to this country and practice without my teacher, so this teaching has been my teacher. To me, sanshin is the conclusion of his teaching.
Of course, most important is zazen, but sanshin is how our zazen works in our daily lives, whether we are living in a monastery or in society, with our families, in our workplaces or in society at large. When we live together with other people we need these three minds. For Dogen the three minds is a practical teaching for monks within the monastery, but Uchiyama Roshi said that this teaching is not only for monks in the monastery but for anyone who lives with others. Whether it’s a Buddhist sangha or whatever kind of community, we need these three minds.
Likewise, the teachings in Dogen’s Eihei Shingi (Pure Standards for the Zen Community), according to Uchiyama Roshi, are an introduction to how our zazen practice can work outside the zendo in our daily lives. Originally these were instruction for monks in the monastery, but Uchiyama Roshi says they are not only for monks who live in the monastery but are important for anyone who lives in a community with other people. In the part of this text called Tenzo Kyokun (Instructions for the Cook), Dogen writes about the three minds. The tenzo, like all bodhisattvas, must keep these three minds as he or she prepares meals for the community.
I taught at Minnesota Zen Meditation Center from 1993 to 1997 (to 1996 as head teacher). In 1996 I established Sanshin Zen Community and I used this word sanshin as the name of the community. Often American Zen centers use the name of a place as a part of their names, for instance San Francisco Zen Center, Minnesota Zen Center, and there are many more. But at that time we didn’t have a place; only four people got together and made the decision to create a Zen community. There was no way to put a place in our name. We were looking for a suitable place to locate this community and we didn’t know where we would be. That’s why I used this word sanshin to indicate a community in which the members practice together with three minds.
To me, these three minds are really important and that’s why we studied the Eihei Shingi in the Wednesday dharma study group for the first few years after I established this temple in Bloomington in 2003. We read the entire Eihei Shingi. I knew that this is not a monastery; I didn’t intend to establish a monastery, so monastic regulations don’t make sense as a study topic. Still, in a monastery there is a structure—the abbot who has ultimate authority, the officers and teachers who can lead the practice and who can teach the training monks, experienced training monks, and young training monks. There is a hierarchy, and if it’s a good community, new monks are taught by the elders based on Dogen’s instructions. The teachings in the Eihei Shingi are actually transmitted within the monastic community, generation after generation. But because Sanshin is not a monastery, there were no such people in such a system. I was the only teacher and although there were several ordained people, basically this was a new community and people were not familiar with monastic structure or formal practice. Therefore I thought it was important that each person understand the spirit of monastic or community practice. That’s why I decided to study the Eihei Shingi at the very beginning of the history of this temple. I’m not sure whether it worked well or not, but at least that was my intention.
More History
Click here for Lion's Roar's profile of Sanshin Zen Community.
Sanshin Zen Community was founded in 1996 in Iowa City, IA under the guidance of Shohaku Okumura and Taiken Yokoyama. Thanks to the efforts of sangha members, the land in Bloomington, IN was purchased in 2001, and construction work began in winter of the next year. By August 2003, all community activity had moved to Bloomington. In 2005, Sanshin received approval from the Soto school of Buddhism as an overseas temple, and accordingly is now able to fulfill its role as an official center for annual practice retreats.
Sanshin Zen Community was founded in 1996 in Iowa City, IA under the guidance of Shohaku Okumura and Taiken Yokoyama. Thanks to the efforts of sangha members, the land in Bloomington, IN was purchased in 2001, and construction work began in winter of the next year. By August 2003, all community activity had moved to Bloomington. In 2005, Sanshin received approval from the Soto school of Buddhism as an overseas temple, and accordingly is now able to fulfill its role as an official center for annual practice retreats.