US Marine to Zen Monk!

[Anshu Bryson]

Being former career military myself (22 years) and then a corporate 'suit' afterwards (12 years), this really caught my eye...!

https://vimeo.com/122070896


Gassho,
Anshu/Bryson

sat today

[Mp]

Thank you Anshu, this is a lovely film. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday

[Kyotai]

Very good. Thank you.

Gassho, Kyotai
sat today :)

[Yugen]

Anshu,
Thank you for this. I've been a "suit" in the public and private sector so I can very much relate to this..... What really spoke to me was his reason for becoming a zen monk : "to find out the truth about [our] selves..."

Deep bows
Yugen


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Byokan]

Thank you Anshu, gassho1

A great little film!

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

[Myosha]

Hello,

Thank you for the moment.


Gassho
Myosha sat today

[Jundo]

Thank you. Wonderful.

Gassho, Jundo

Oh, I just recognized his Teacher and the Temple ... Annonji. There are subtitles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APjXpUnHw20

[Byrne]

This one really touched me. Thank you so much for sharing.

Gassho

Sat Today

[Anshu Bryson]

Thank you. Wonderful.

Gassho, Jundo

Oh, I just recognized his Teacher and the Temple ... Annonji. There are subtitles.


Yes, apparently in Iruma. That's not far from my Sensei's karate dojo in Oume... :)

Gassho,
Anshu/Bryson

​sat today

[Joyo]

Thank you, Anshu. This was a great video.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Cumminjd]

Just got around to watching this. I really enjoyed the sentence about "The Me before my mother and father met". That was very thought provoking.... which may be a bad thing in a place of no thoughts haha.

Gassho
James
Sat Today

[Josan]

Thank you Anshu. I was struck while watching it with the similarity with the late Myogen Steve Stucky - particularity the smile.
Gassho,
David

sattoday

[Kyotai]

Im curious if takuhatsugasa is something only practiced in certain regions. I've never heard of this being practiced in Canada or the U.S.

Gassho Kyotai
Sat today

[Jundo]

Hi Kyotai,

Unlike in India, Thailand and other places in South Asia, "Takuhatsu" (travelling door to door accepting donations in one's bowl, usually of food in South Asia) was never widely accepted in the general culture in China and Japan when Buddhism arrived there. The general population in those countries generally did not understand or support the custom ... Thus, the monks there typically would only go out sometimes, and then as primarily a special or symbolic practice. It is still so in Japan (as can be seen in the video of the Monk Marine, most Japanese just walk past).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j52f-wMQQ8

(The "Ho" heard recited in the video means "Law" or "Dharma," as in the Laws of the Universe and Buddha's Teachings on such. As you can see, not too many people are rushing out of their houses to give offerings as might be seen, for example, in Burma or Thailand)

I would say that the practice of Takuhatsu is even less understood culturally in America and Europe, and even more infrequently Practiced for that reason, although a few groups will go out from time to time. In fact, mendicancy may violate laws on "panhandling" in many jurisdictions.

Personally, I support and would like to develop a form of "Takuhatsu" to fit Western culture, and it would be a Buddhist version of "Trick or Treat for Unicef" or "Salvation Army Collections" and the like which Zen groups might engage in at certain holiday seasons. It is a lovely Practice of humility and generosity, in which Giver, Receiver, Gift and Giving are One.

("Takuhatsugasa", which you mention, refers to the traditional straw hat you see the monk wearing).

Gassho, Jundo

PS - New York, Paris, Tokyo and other major cities have been plagued by "fake monks" from the Chinese mafia and various religious cults who hit tourists for money. I am sure that Scott in the video (Taigu practices Takuhatsu too from time to time) also is judged a fake by some folks, simply by being a foreigner doing so here! Most Japanese would not know what to make of a Caucasian monk in the first place, let alone one collecting money.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/06/nyregion/panhandlers-dressed-as-monks-confound-new-yorkers.html?_r=0

[Shinzan]

Thank you very much, Anshu. Just the encouragement I needed today.

_/st\_ Shinzan

[Jika]

Sorry,
could somebody via PM or openly (for other sangha members) please explain what "being a suit" means?
I've never heard it.
Is it somebody who's job makes him wear a suit? Or is it something really different?
Nishijima is shown in suit and okesa, so suit as clothing can't be what one leaves behind as a monk?

I'm curious about this TL takuhatsu thing.
Monks in some countries have their robes as a sign of integrity.
In my town, lots of people are asking for money, for children afflicted by cancer, for victims of war.
And I almost always notice my fear, will they really do the good things they promise.

I'd like to know what we can do, and in what ways it is different from the social projects Treeleaf regularly initiates.

Thank you.
Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Jishin]

Danny,

A suit houses a lump of red meat that is usually involved in white collar work. :)

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Byrne]

Danny,

A "suit" is derogatory slang for someone who works a job that requires them to wear a suit. You are correct. The term mocks white collar work.

Gassho

Sat Today

[Kyonin]

Hi Danny,

A "suit" is someone who wears a suit, a tie and works for a corporation or government.

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[Kyonin]

Hi! Thank you for this video.

Made me cry because I too was a suit for many years and it was scary to see the things that happen in the corporate world.

I'm glad I have this super simple life now.

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[Myosha]

Dear D,

'White collar' is occupation requiring a button-front dress shirt.

Stay safe.


Gassho
Myosha sat today

[Jika]

Thank you all for your answers.

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Anshu Bryson]

Hi everyone,

I reached out to Scott (Enkaku Daruma) to let him know how much his story resonated with me. He immediately invited me to come sit with him and Jinen san in Iruma when I am next in Tokyo (hopefully this summer, if all the planets align!). Very much looking forward to it!

Gassho,
Anshu/Bryson

​sat today

[Jundo]

:encouragement:

[Mp]

Hi everyone,

I reached out to Scott (Enkaku Daruma) to let him know how much his story resonated with me. He immediately invited me to come sit with him and Jinen san in Iruma when I am next in Tokyo (hopefully this summer, if all the planets align!). Very much looking forward to it!

Gassho,
Anshu/Bryson

​sat today

Wonderful ... can you stuff me in your suitcase? LOL [claps]

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday

[Yugen]

Anshu, that's awesome!

Gassho
Yugen


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jinyo]

Thank you. Wonderful.

Gassho, Jundo

Oh, I just recognized his Teacher and the Temple ... Annonji. There are subtitles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APjXpUnHw20

Thank you,
I think we may have shared this video before - anyhow I recall watching it.
Zen Master Jinen has such a wonderful smile and laugh - it's as though he's expressing the joy of finding 'the truth without concept'.
It's a lovely exposition of the difference between talking about/conceptualizing meditation and the purely experiential sense of Zazen.

Gassho,

Willow

Sat Today

[Yugen]

Thank you for your descriptions of the word "suit." Pretty much captures things brilliantly....!

Deep bows
Yugen
(Who is more useful in jeans and fleece)


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[Talib]

While I only did five years all together. As a former Soldier.
This hit the spot I completely understand.
The looking everywhere. Zen is the only thing that makes life somewhat make sense.
Gassho

Sent from my SM-G360P using Tapatalk

[Getchi]

THankyou for this.

Ive been involved helping returned personnel cope with "life" again, it can be hard or it can be easy but its never dull. The best help I could be was to refer mindfulness and loving-kindness practices to them, these videos remind me of doing that.

Lovely, thankyou.

Gassho, Geoff
Sat2day.

[Troy]

Very nice. Thank you for sharing


..sat2day•合掌

[Jundo]

Just a note that Bryson is in Japan for his Karate, and will be sitting with Scott (the priest in the film) and Jinen Roshi sometime during the coming days. Bryson is then coming to visit Treeleaf Tsukuba on the 17th-18th of this month, and I believe that he is bringing Scott along to stay with us and sit our Zazenkai!

I hope that everyone will join us.

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

[Anshu Bryson]

Just a note that Bryson is in Japan for his Karate, and will be sitting with Scott (the priest in the film) and Jinen Roshi sometime during the coming days. Bryson is then coming to visit Treeleaf Tsukuba on the 17th-18th of this month, and I believe that he is bringing Scott along to stay with us and sit our Zazenkai!

I hope that everyone will join us.

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

Crises notwithstanding (!), that is the plan! [morehappy]

See you soon!

Gassho,
Anshu

-sat today-

[Kaishin]

Great!

[Banto]

How very cool! Enjoyed this video and the Jinen Roshi video much. How neat that you will be there to visit Anshu Bryson!
Looking forward to Scott and Anshu and all at that Zazenkai
Gassho,
SatToday -> Rodney

[Yugen]

Just a note that Bryson is in Japan for his Karate, and will be sitting with Scott (the priest in the film) and Jinen Roshi sometime during the coming days. Bryson is then coming to visit Treeleaf Tsukuba on the 17th-18th of this month, and I believe that he is bringing Scott along to stay with us and sit our Zazenkai!

I hope that everyone will join us.

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

This is tremendous - looking forward to it!

Deep bows
Yugen


sat2day

[Heigan]

What a beautiful video. Thank you for sharing. It really spoke to me today.

Gassho,

Kansho

sat today​

[Seishin the Elder]

Actually the Franciscans were the premiere practitioners of "Western Takuhatsu", since the 13th Century. They were one of the few "Mendicant" religious orders of the Western Church, that begged their living. Unfortunately this did not last much past the demise of St. Francis , their founder.

Gassho,

Seishin/Kyrill

[Geika]

Looking forward to meeting him! --live or otherwise!

Gassho, sat today

[Jundo]

Hi Fr. K! Our Christian Soldier of Peace!

How are you?

Gassho, J

[Seishin the Elder]

Hello Jundo, et al....

Just being my ole hermit-self, even with the "bit' of activity the Bishop gives me in serving a church.

I had some warm fuzzies about you yesterday....I went to pick up some folks at a train station who were coming in for a Spiritual Retreat at the Abbey, and, as you would have it the train's arrival kept getting delayed (2.5 hrs late altogether). So I strolled the platform for a while silently chanting the Prayer of the Heart and doing KinHin and then sat on a bench outside, with all the noise of busses, and cars and people and sat Zazen for about 45 minutes. Just as I sat down, I thought.."Ha, Jundo you don't know how much you have influenced me!!!"

Gassho _/\_


Seishin/Kyrill

[Mp]

I had some warm fuzzies about you yesterday....I went to pick up some folks at a train station who were coming in for a Spiritual Retreat at the Abbey, and, as you would have it the train's arrival kept getting delayed (2.5 hrs late altogether). So I strolled the platform for a while silently chanting the Prayer of the Heart and doing KinHin and then sat on a bench outside, with all the noise of busses, and cars and people and sat Zazen for about 45 minutes. Just as I sat down, I thought.."Ha, Jundo you don't know how much you have influenced me!!!"


Wonderful thank you Seishin. =)

Gassho
Shingen

#sattoday

[Shokai]

_/\_

[Sekishi]

I love this thread. You all help awaken faith in this sometimes barren heart.

Gassho,
Sekishi
#sattoday

[Yugen]

Sesshin,
Thank you. It's wonderful to see you. Deep bows
Yugen


sat2day

[Yugen]

I love this thread. You all help awaken faith in this sometimes barren heart.

Gassho,
Sekishi
#sattoday

Sekishi,
Nine bows to you. I am speechless. You describe my humanity exactly.

Yugen


sat2day