Note f143 — THE MEDITATION HALL, AND THE IDEALS OF THE MONKISH DISCIPLINE

I cannot tell how early this “Sesshin” originated in the history of the Zendo. It is not in Hyakujo’s Regulations, and did not start in China but in Japan probably after Hakuin. The Sojourn period generally being a “stay at home” season, the monks do not travel, but practise “Sesshin” and devote themselves to the study of Zen; but in the week specially set up as such, the study is pursued with the utmost vigour.