Okesa, nothing special ( for you)

Hi all,

I would like to clarify an important point about the kesa. Wearing a kesa is in Dogen's view what sentient beings should do when they practice shikantaza, so lay folk as well as anything else can wear a kesa. It is not connected to a special rank, doesn't give anybody the right to boss, teach or be above other people. Quite the opposite, wearing a kesa, means serving the kesa, looking after it, mending it, washing it and also serving what it stands for, what it represents: this boundless universe. It does not make us king or queen, but mere servants. Of course, these days, in Japan, the kesa represents the rank of a monk, the lighter the shade the higher in the hierarchy...This does not apply to the Nyoho e tradition that we are following. So wearing a kesa doesn't mean we become priests, in order to do so, we have to be trained and receive the precepts during a specific ceremony(shukke Tokudo, the one that Dirk, Fugen and Hans will soon experience).

One more thing, once the vids done and the written instructions polished, unlike the rakusu course, everything will be made available but not to everybody.A pass worded youtube channel will be given to those willing to study and sew. It is important to make it available to people outside Treeleaf but the same rules will apply: show credentials, bring evidence of teacher's agreement and explain why one is willing to undertsake this journey. The vids will be free of charge, but I put a lot of work in them and my responsibility is that it doesn't fall into the wrongs hands.

That's all for now.

Please, if you are willing to sew...get in touch with Jundo or taigu.

gassho


Taigu

Attached files http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/image...226151862.jpeg

If it's not restricted to priest or priest trainees, why the protection? I'm a smidge confused.

Chet

Hi Chet,

In Dogen days, everybody sitting in a Zendo had to wear a kesa. You are right, it is not restricted to priest or people who received Jukai, the lay ordination. It is also opened to lay people, but if they have a teacher, they need the teacher's greenlight to start the process, and if they don't, they need to explain why they want to do it. I am not prepared to openly share this tradition with guys who would later use this in a very inappropriate way, making claims and stuff. I hope you understand where I am coming from. My blog is hard to read and requires a lot of input and homework to make sense out of it, the vids will make things much easier and faster. I feel really responsible teaching this stuff. And I don't want to make things too easy. This is not cheap, something easily at hand. That's the message Jundo and I want to put across.

I hope it is clearer now.

Bows


Taigu

Oh yeah, that sounds prudent - especially with an online Sangha where people can drift in and drift out...and then you may end up with a 'BGS' (Barry Graham Situation).

Chet

Taigu,

I very much look forward to your videos and preparation..

Gassho,

SZ

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to say I'm glad that we all have the possibility to sew and study the kesa of the Buddha!
And I'm even more happy that you've found a way to "protect" these teachings from people who might use them "wrongly"! I mean, We can't know if someone will not sew himself a kesa and then claim to be a buddhist teacher...
Anyway, thanks for giving us this possibility, for all your work and your attention!

gassho,
Luis/Jinyu

Thank you for your further clarifications, Taigu. While the Buddha's teachings should be available to all, some objects/processes/teachings should be reserved for those who at least strive to make the effort of reverence to said objects/processes/teachings.

Gassho

The sanctity of objects.
some times i feel all is scared and deserves the utmost respect. so i think i get what you mean by not wanting people to use it in a way that is disrespectful and without understanding of its meaning, even though it is only a kesa.... it is a kesa!
i feel the same thing every time i walk in to a synagogue or a church, even though i dont really believe i act with the utmost respect to the belief and tradition of the place i am in... even though i am quite against the orthodox craziness of religion here in israel.

Chet you wrote

Quote:

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you may end up with a 'BGS' (Barry Graham Situation).

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i am not familiar with the situation please explain?

Gassho, Daniel.

Ah...

You know who knows a lot about this? Chugai. But the long and short is that Barry Graham has been (likely) faking his Buddhist teaching credentials for years now.

Chet