Ordination Tribulation

[Risho]

"PLEASE ACCEPT MY RESIGNATION. I DON'T WANT TO BELONG TO ANY CLUB THAT WILL ACCEPT PEOPLE LIKE ME AS A MEMBER". -- Marx (Groucho , not Karl :mrgreen: )

Seriously, who cares? I love it here. I've learned so much and my practice has deepened. Thank you for everyone here and for our awesome teachers. I don't thank you enough for everything you've given me. My daily practice's foundation rests on the back of the efforts of everyone here. In fact I only have a daily practice because of Treeleaf; otherwise, this would have been probably just another hobby.

Gassho,

Risho

[chuck13]

Wait! Mexico is in North America!

As a matter of fact a giant chunk of Mexico is even in the United States! I prefer to call it "occupied Mexico".

[murasaki]

Jundo,

You stated the Treeleaf case eloquently and graciously. It is their loss that they will not listen with an open and inquisitive mind.

Gassho for all that you do for us.

Julia

[Koshin]

Wait! Mexico is in North America!

As a matter of fact a giant chunk of Mexico is even in the United States! I prefer to call it "occupied Mexico".

:mrgreen:

[KellyRok]

Hello all,

So many of you have already spoken what's in my heart on this issue. Treeleaf is indeed my home too! So I guess I feel, if it ain't broke...keep practicing and doing what we are doing.

Thank you so much to Jundo for your hearfelt words in defense of this place we all love; and thank you to Taigu, all ordained priests, and members here. We don't need anyone to tell us what is real or sincere...we only have to keep experiencing it for ourselves.

_/_

Kelly/Jinmei

[threethirty]

It may be my tendency to dislike/distrust authority but the fact that some stuffy BS authenication board doesn't like what we are doing means to be that we are doing the right thing.

I say we give them a certan finger and keep walking the path

[Amelia]

My only question would be "does this serve the Dharma?"

It's kind of the Buddhist version of "What would Jesus do?", and I think the answer to that question, where we are concerned, is "Yes!".

Like stated by some of you, if it was not for Treeleaf I would have probably given up on practice due to lack of sangha to practice with.

Same goes for me. I used to be very prone to picking and choosing, and only with (mostly Taigu's) insistence that we deepen the one practice that we have have I begun to really understand what I am doing here.

As a matter of fact a giant chunk of Mexico is even in the United States! I prefer to call it "occupied Mexico".

I believe that I live in 'occupied Mexico'. 8)

It may be my tendency to dislike/distrust authority but the fact that some stuffy BS authenication board doesn't like what we are doing means to be that we are doing the right thing.

I say we give them a certan finger and keep walking the path

Eh, just because 'big brother' doesn't approve doesn't immediately make us right... although I am not trying to argue that we are wrong. Just that perhaps we might avoid this kind of dualistic thinking. I might also avoid giving off that finger. However, you are free to do whatever you wish.

[Jundo]

I say we give them a certan finger and keep walking the path

Hmm, in the interests of Right Speech, free of resentment, animosity and such ... perhaps better to offer Gassho and keep walking. 8)

[Shogen]

Dear All,

It is hard to be ground-breaking, because not everyone appreciates the new ground.

Ground breaking efforts will always have its detractors no matter how good the intentions. They have their opinions and we ours... so be it. By the way what's that loud roar? Oh, another monastery wall tumbling!
Thank you Jundo( the monastery wall destroyer) Cohen
gassho, Shogen

[Shokai]

[Nenka]

I don't know if anyone here ever posted about this; if so, I certainly missed it. But here's a group that ordained someone online:

http://beforethought.com/?p=385

Because we are a sangha that depends upon technology, we have two on-line seminaries and many of our teachers meet weekly with their students via Skype, it was a natural evolution. When I attended the Buddhist Geeks Conference earlier this year, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche asked the group of attendees if anyone had ever heard of an organization granting precepts over the internet. I called out several times that Jundo Cohen has been doing this for a while, but because I was in the back of the hall he didn’t hear me. Rinpoche then said that he had asked the Karmpa if giving Tibetan Empowerments over Skype could be the same as doing them in person. He said that the Karmpa replied, “If the teacher transmitting the empowerments had the intention of transmitting them over Skype then they would be considered valid.

8)

Gassho

Jen

[Hoyu]

I don't know if anyone here ever posted about this; if so, I certainly missed it. But here's a group that ordained someone online:

http://beforethought.com/?p=385

Because we are a sangha that depends upon technology, we have two on-line seminaries and many of our teachers meet weekly with their students via Skype, it was a natural evolution. When I attended the Buddhist Geeks Conference earlier this year, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche asked the group of attendees if anyone had ever heard of an organization granting precepts over the internet. I called out several times that Jundo Cohen has been doing this for a while, but because I was in the back of the hall he didn’t hear me. Rinpoche then said that he had asked the Karmpa if giving Tibetan Empowerments over Skype could be the same as doing them in person. He said that the Karmpa replied, “If the teacher transmitting the empowerments had the intention of transmitting them over Skype then they would be considered valid.

8)

Gassho

Jen

Awesome story Jen. Though I think they may be hearing from the Treeleaf Legal Team for copyright infringement :lol:

Gassho,
Hoyu

[Seiryu]

The SZBA reaction is understandable...the internet, skype, facebook, and all of these systems that help connect people is still relatively new in this world. And it seems easy to forget that teachings, testing and recognizing the wisdom of a student has been done without being face-to face in letter for years!

Zen Master Seung Sahn would test his students understanding of a koans via letters

in the three pillars of zen book there is a chapter of the enlightenment letters of yaeko...

Even in the history of our linage you can find stories of teachings and communications being done not through face-to face interactions...

I'm sure if the technology that we have today was available in Buddha's time...he would have had his own youtube channel...

some useless thoughts of mine...

[willow]

The SZBA reaction is understandable...the internet, skype, facebook, and all of these systems that help connect people is still relatively new in this world. And it seems easy to forget that teachings, testing and recognizing the wisdom of a student has been done without being face-to face in letter for years!

Zen Master Seung Sahn would test his students understanding of a koans via letters

in the three pillars of zen book there is a chapter of the enlightenment letters of yaeko...

Even in the history of our linage you can find stories of teachings and communications being done not through face-to face interactions...

I'm sure if the technology that we have today was available in Buddha's time...he would have had his own youtube channel...

some useless thoughts of mine...

Seiryu - this is so true. All down the ages we have relied on the written word to communicate over vast geographical distances - and the notion of Buddha having a you tube channel is 8)

[markkemark]

Well put Jundo. You stood up for progress and a medium that wasnt even around 25 years ago. I have allot to learn and am proud having you lead the way.

Gassho,

Mark

[lorax]

Shokai
Love the year book page!

Thanks

Jim

[gilles]

wonderfull! thX all

gassho
gilles