Ruth Fuller Sasaki - Her Zendo at Ryosen-an

Her Zendo At Ryosen-an

At Ryosen-an, a subtemple just inside the northern boundary of Daitoku-ji, Ruth Fuller Sasaki maintained a small but beautiful zendo (a hall where people could practice zazen, or sitting meditation) named Zuiun-kun, which had room for about 15 people. Only Westerners (no Japanese) practiced zazen here. Each person sat on a padded cushion on a raised platform for about 25 minutes. Then there was a bell. Everyone stood up, walked slowly (kinhin) around the outside of the hall, then returned to sit 25 more minutes. After four sittings (two hours), all of the people went to bow to an American teacher named Dana Fraser (and sometimes Ruth Fuller Sasaki) in her workplace near the zendo, then they went home. The zendo was full for most of each summer. Many Westerners first learned how to practice zazen in this zendo.