Silky Oak Zen


Silky Oak Zen - Australia

滑 楢 禅

We are a small community devoted to awakening the heart of wisdom and compassion. Our Sangha has a common commitment to cultivate our practice in our daily lives, in society and in all our relationships. We offer support for meditation and mindfulness, whether at home, work or at the centre. We are a non-profit organisation which offers a setting for people of various backgrounds to simply cultivate the practice of Zen.

We offer our Zen practice in the context of Western culture, as well as incorporating traditional Eastern forms and teachings. Our practice is derived from the Soto and Rinzai schools of Zen, but we also adopt specific Buddhist teachings and other related sources to bring about effective relief of suffering and continued inner peace.

Zen and Recovery

A number of members of the Silky Oak Zen Community, offer peer support for people who are suffering because of addiction problems, substance abuse, depression, stress, burnout, or other forms of obsessive behaviour. We offer a learning space for those who would like to work on relieving their stresses and anxieties. In a large sense we are all in recovery and from this position of recovery, our practice lies in awakening the heart of wisdom and compassion. This heart is our own true heart—the essence of peace, harmony and joy—and it is not separate from the heart of all beings.

Resident Teacher

Fa Zhāo Jishin Hoka (Hoka Matt) is an ordained and transmitted teacher in the lineage of Hsu Yun and an ordained member of "The Order of the Boundless Way" (Mugendo Zen Kai). He is also a Buddhist Chaplain, registered with The Buddhist Council of NSW, Australia.

Hoka Matt has studied in Japanese, Korean and Chinese Buddhist traditions and has a degree in Buddhist studies from The World Buddhist University through Dong Bang College and the Korean Taego Order. He is particularly interested in the contemporary use of Zen Dharma in Western culture.

Saturday Mornings 8.00 am:

We sit every Saturday from 8.00am to 9.45am. This is simply Zazen and Kinhin followed by a Dharma Talk and short discussion. We then meet for social coffee/breakfast at a local cafe.

The Saturday format is:-

8.00 Traditional wooden fish tapping (Moktok) and bell

8.05 Seated Practice 1 (Zazen)

8.35 Walking Meditation (Kinhin)

8.40 Seated practice 2 (Zazen)

9.10 Pouring of tea

9.15 Dharma Talk (Teisho)

9.45 Closing Gatha

9.50 Short discussion on the Dharma Talk

10.00 Social "coffee and tea"


Thursday Mornings 7.00 am:

We sit every Thursday from 7.00am to 7.35am. This is simply Zazen and then we meet for social coffee/breakfast at a local cafe.

The Thursday format is:-

7.00 Three Oms and bell

7.05 Seated Practice (Zazen)

7.35 Social "coffee and Tea"

Beginners Classes - Times and dates to be advised.


This is simply instruction and sitting meditation (Zazen).


The format is:-

• Instruction

• Traditional wooden tapping (Moktok) and Bell

• Seated Practice and discussion (Zazen)

• Closing Bell and Finish

Events

We also have some special events throughout the year. Each year may vary in activities from the following list.


• Zazenkai (One day retreat) dates to be advised (TBA)

• Sesshins TBA

• Rohatsu Celebration of "The Buddha's" life, Awakening and Nirvana (Early December)

• Important dates on the Soto Zen calendar

• Chanting and Mantras to Music TBA