-
Kannon Day • January
Prostrations, chanting, and incense offerings to honor and express gratitude to the Bodhisattva of Compassion.
-
Parinirvana • Mid-February
All-Day sitting or evening zazen which concludes with special chanting service with account of the Buddha’s Parinirvana.
-
Jukai • April & November
Formal ceremony of entering the Buddha’s Way. Repentance Ceremony; chanting; “incense offering”; taking of the Sixteen Precepts.
-
Water-Baby Ceremony • August
Ceremony for infants and fetuses who have died through miscarriage, stillbirth, and abortion. Tiny garments are sewn and placed on Jizo figures in the Jizo garden, with chants and offerings.
-
The Buddha’s Birthday • June
Offerings of sweet tea, flowers and small baby present; story and play of the Buddha’s birth; parade with elephant; Jataka tales; pot-luck picnic with birthday cake; presents for all children.
-
World Peace Day • September
Chanting services devoted to Peace on Earth. All the countries and geographical areas are recited with the peace prayer, May Peace Prevail on Earth.
-
Bodhidharma Day • October
Zazen or all-day sitting; Special chanting service with powdered incense
offering.
-
Thanksgiving Ceremony • Oct
On the weekend before Thanksgiving. Ceremonies of gratitude; offerings; chanting; circumambulation.
-
Hungry Ghost Ceremony • Oct
Special Hungry Ghost Altar; story of Hungry Ghosts; Hungry Ghost chant; trick-or-treating; party.
-
The Buddha’s Enlightenment • December 8
Five- or seven-day sesshin beginning with ceremony, or ceremony during a sitting. Reading of Buddha’s Enlightenment account; chanting; circumambulation; "tossing" of the sutra books.
-
New Year’s Ceremony • December 31
Zazen; full Repentance Ceremony; reading aloud of unsigned resolutions; incense offerings at altars throughout the house; driving out of demons circumambulation with noise-making; Precepts ceremony; candle-lighting ceremony with gongs; New Year’s prayer; music and refreshments.
-
Ceremonies of Aid and Famine Relief Ceremonies • Quarterly
Zazen; chanting; prostrations; circumambulation with incense offering and, if a Famine Relief Ceremony, offerings of dry or canned food and money; Special Eko to return merit to focus of ceremony.
Other services held at the Toronto Zen Centre include weddings,
baby naming ceremonies, memorial services and funerals.
