noun
temple work; Zen monastic labor
Refers to daily manual work performed by monks in a Zen temple, such as cleaning, gardening, or farming, considered part of spiritual practice.
禅寺では、作務も修行の一つとされている。
In Zen temples, manual labor is also considered a form of practice.
修行 is broader training or ascetic practice, while 作務 specifically refers to physical work duties in a Zen context.
Composed of 作 (make, work) and 務 (duty, task). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term is conventionally associated with Zen Buddhist monastic labor.