The Doanryo is a group of practitioners (called “Doans”) who have are trained in the various ceremonial roles of the temple. They make a commitment to support practice on particular days and times, and their practice supports everyone who comes to practice at AZC by helping to create the ritual container that is our zendo.
Practicing with zendo forms and participating in ceremonial roles enriches and deepens our practice, both individually and collectively. Doans care for the altars, sound instruments that call us to the zendo, keep track of time and ring bells to signal the beginning and end of zazen. They lead the chanting, and ring bells during the ceremonies that signal us to bow. And they carry incense for the priest who leads zazen and service. We take responsibility for our communal practice with others, which strengthens our community and our shared container for practice. Doan practice is also a wonderful opportunity to notice our own states of mind/being – nervousness, perfectionism, distractedness, and also joy, devotion, connection: all that arises dependently with all phenomena.
Doanryo training may be offered by the Ino, Head Doan, or Guiding Teacher. In traditional Zen training all temple residents would be trained in each of the positions. At AZC, Doanryo training is available to any member who regularly attends services and zazen and is interested in deepening their practice by supporting the practice of others. For more information, send an email to Choro at choro@austinzencenter.org.
Doanryo Roles:
Members of the Doanryo are all called “doans” and there is also a particular role called “the doan”.
- Chiden: the person who cares for the altars and all of the ceremonial implements; from dusting altars to sifting ash to maintaining flower arrangements.
- Jiko: the ceremonial attendant; carries the incense for and attends the officiating Priest.
- Fukudo: the person who sounds the Han (wooden block), or the Densho (big bell), which calls people to the Meditation Hall for Zazen, ceremonies, and lectures. The Fukudo also plays the drum or mokugyo (wooden drum) during service to keep the pace of chanting.
- Doan: the person who keeps time and rings bells during service and zazen. The doan also begins and ends walking meditation (kinhin) with clackers (kaishaku).
- Kokyo: chant leader; announces and leads the chant and invokes the dedication (eko).