Oryoki-Bowls

[peter.goettler]

Dear friends of treeleave zendo,

I have a question regarding oryoki-bowls. Does it have a background that they are mostly black?
I made oryoki bowls for myself, and for members of our sangha here in berlin from earthenware myself. They are dark gray or natural / dark brown. That's OK for us.
How important is it to you that the shells are black?

Thanks for the attention, gassho,
Peter

[Jundo]

Dear friends of treeleave zendo,

I have a question regarding oryoki-bowls. Does it have a background that they are mostly black?
I made oryoki bowls for myself, and for members of our sangha here in berlin from earthenware myself. They are dark gray or natural / dark brown. That's OK for us.
How important is it to you that the shells are black?

Thanks for the attention, gassho,
Peter

Well, "in Japan," if it is the "official" style that would be used for monks in monastic training, they would be black lacquer over wood, with very special design (such as the fact that the large "Buddha Bowl" has a round bottom so needs to sit in a little stand that looks like a tiny dish) .... see pictures below ...

But you are not in Japan, yes? And they are for lay folks? So, in my mind, they can be any "broken color" (a natural or dark brown or gray, for example) much like a Rakusu. We don't use a bright color for the same reason, as too sensory stimulating.

However, every Sangha is different. Some are trying to be very "orthodox" and "more Japanese than the Japanese." Others are more flexible. So, you have to ask the Teacher of that particular Sangha. Do as he/she feels best.

Even in Japan, for lay folks outside the monastery, the Oryoki bowls come in many colors ... scroll down here ...

https://www.google.com/search?q=%E5%BF%9C%E9%87%8F%E5%99%A8&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiPrZmUtoDiAhUXFogKHY-1D9IQ_AUIDigB&biw=1536&bih=750

Here, by the way, we make them out of items around the house.

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?15743-Make-your-own-Oryoki-set&p=211381&viewfull=1#post211381

Gassho, Jundo

STLAH

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/51b35caee4b087d92d542877/t/54e0fd51e4b0f4a6ba317219/1424030905395/JapanSuite_Oryoki_BK2.jpg

This is a picture of the full, Soto set. Rinzai is a bit different ...

http://www.shojin-project.com/_src/sc1622/DSC_0909.JPG

[peter.goettler]

Thank you Jundo!


To use things around the house is a really nice idea.
Here's an example of the ones I made.


Gassho,
Peter

sat

[Jundo]

Thank you Jundo!


To use things around the house is a really nice idea.
Here's an example of the ones I made.


Gassho,
Peter

sat

Beautiful!

Do you make much pottery?

Gassho, J

STLah

[peter.goettler]

Hello Jundo,

per se, I studied visual arts, but there was a basic workshop in pottery too. At the moment I manufacture oryoki-bowls for the sangha here ( trying to expand the offer, therefore the above question ...) and planting ceramics for my girlfriend, who is gardener :).
On https://www.3schalen.de ( which means 3 bowls -.-) you can see a little bit. Thank you for your interest!

Gassho,
Peter

[Meitou]

Beautiful work Peter!
Gassho
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday lah

[Shugen]

Very nice Peter!

Gassho,

Shugen

Sattoday/LAH


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Washin]

Lovely bowls, Peter!

Gassho
Washin
st-lah

[peter.goettler]

Thank you Washin, thank you Shugen, thank you Meitou,

my heart leaps a bit when I read the recognition.

I've only now noticed that there is a separate thread just about oryoki on treeleave. Much is new to me, for example, that the Buddha bowl should be round at the bottom.
In contrast, I once made a set that even has a "pronounced foot". I thought I'm doing something in Far Eastern style. Maybe it should rather be called artistic fantasy.

Gassho,
Peter

[Junkyo]

Thank you Washin, thank you Shugen, thank you Meitou,

my heart leaps a bit when I read the recognition.

I've only now noticed that there is a separate thread just about oryoki on treeleave. Much is new to me, for example, that the Buddha bowl should be round at the bottom.
In contrast, I once made a set that even has a "pronounced foot". I thought I'm doing something in Far Eastern style. Maybe it should rather be called artistic fantasy.

Gassho,
PeterWow those a beautiful bowls Peter!

I got my set from www.stillsitting.com when a friend was ordering a set. He offered to order a set for me as well. Perhaps in the future I will get a set of bowls from you!


Gassho,

Junkyo
SAT
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190504/50fb4b61c6a82206cf37b7aef3ed2372.jpg

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

[peter.goettler]

Hello Junkyo,

I know Sarah from stillsitting. She once asked me if my bowls are suitable for wholesale. I had to tell her that I work alone and I can not make the necessary quantities. Finally, the shipment of large quantities of stoneware seemed them too risky too.

Most bowls that I make are not posted on the internet. I give them to the members of the Sangha for a donation. So it is here with the friends of AkazienZendo Berlin. If you want to have bowls someday, just ask me what I have in the house right now. All members of the Sangha are always welcome.

Enclosed an impression of today's work :) ... go sit right now.

Gassho,
Peter

[Jundo]

I will say that, for our Oryoki lessons here at Treeleaf, and in order to really do things "right" ...

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?109-Oryoki-Practice-Circle

... I do favor having or making a kit that has all the pieces ... the placemat, the "waterboard," little nesting items, for example ... rather than a simplified or abbreviated kit. Even to pretend that the "Buddha Bowl" has a round bottom, and to put a "holder" underneath to support it. Otherwise, it is like playing Scrabble without all the letters, piano without the black keys, or baseball with 2 bases (is that what Cricket is? :) ) Yes, now is your chance to finally learn chop sticks if you struggle with those ... no forks (absent true medical need).

First, they are easy to make (a placemat can be a piece of folded child's construction paper, for example, and a water board any piece of wood of right size). Second, if one is going to learn the ballet, then learn the ballet. Oryoki is a form of ballet.

You can see in my photos above all the missing pieces.

Even the "made at home" kit we use at Treeleaf from "stuff around the house" has all the pieces.

Gassho, Jundo the Oryoki Referee

STLAH

PS - Here, by the way, is the full nesting Soto style set. The smallest dish, at the bottom right, is actually the stand on which the round bottom Buddha Bowl rests. They all fit together when wrapped. The long stick next to the long handled spoon and chopsticks is the cleaner, and there is a special way to fasten a cotton end at the bottom (although here, I am fine with medical gauze or the like being substituted)

https://shop.r10s.jp/auc-designshop/cabinet/2135/041z_m1.jpg

You can see the white tip of the cleaning stick, and the placemat, here ...

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/5c/34/c1/5c34c1c44573e6eac6d599a26391dbb6.jpg

[Souchi]

Very nice bowls, thanks for sharing pictures of your pottery!

Gassho
Souchi

SatToday

[peter.goettler]

Thank you Souchi,

greetings from Berlin to the south.

Gassho,
Peter

[Jakuden]

There is something about your handmade bowls, Peter, that makes them especially beautiful. It must be the love and generosity that goes into them. Deep bows!

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

[peter.goettler]

Thank you a lot Jakuden!


it really gives me a lot of pleasure to make the bowls. I sometimes wonder what the difference to my painting is. Maybe it's 'the definitely obvious' ... because they can accompany everyday life? Sometimes I'm not sure if my English can describe the exact circumstance ... there is something in the mixture between handicrafts and art.

Deepest bow and greetings to New York.
Gassho,
Peter

[Jakuden]

Thank you a lot Jakuden!


it really gives me a lot of pleasure to make the bowls. I sometimes wonder what the difference to my painting is. Maybe it's 'the definitely obvious' ... because they can accompany everyday life? Sometimes I'm not sure if my English can describe the exact circumstance ... there is something in the mixture between handicrafts and art.

Deepest bow and greetings to New York.
Gassho,
Peter
Yes! We live in a world where not very much is handmade anymore. Does anyone here in the forum have the link to the video about the Japanese man that did/does the laquered bowls? This reminded me of that. The bowl, its maker and its user are one 🙏

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

[peter.goettler]

Yes! We live in a world where not very much is handmade anymore. Does anyone here in the forum have the link to the video about the Japanese man that did/does the laquered bowls? This reminded me of that. The bowl, its maker and its user are one 🙏

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

Hello Jakuden,

I would like to see the video, maybe it will be. Does the man sign his bowls?
At first I signed with the imprint of a snail. Meanwhile, I have returned to the ego and have a stamp with the initials -.-.

sat
gassho,
peter

[Shinshi]

Hello Jakuden,

I would like to see the video, maybe it will be. Does the man sign his bowls?
At first I signed with the imprint of a snail. Meanwhile, I have returned to the ego and have a stamp with the initials -.-.

sat
gassho,
peter

You do lovely work Peter. Thank you for sharing.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[peter.goettler]

I thank you Shinshi!

sat
gassho,
peter

[Jundo]

I cannot find the documentary that folks mentioned, but this is very close ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UdigpVGHt8

Gassho, J

STLah

[peter.goettler]

Here's a craftsman doing the carpentry work:

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

gassho,
Peter

[Shinshi]

Those video's are fascinating! Thanks for posting.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[peter.goettler]

Dear friends, dear Zen practitioners,

this week, the »arts.craft.living magazine« published a report about the Oryoki practice.
I am very happy that "arts.craft.living" gave me the opportunity to talk about my handmade bowls:

https://www.aclmagazine.com/oryoki

Gassho,
Peter

[Kokuu]

Lovely! gassho2


Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

[Jakuden]

Ooh that's exciting! Congratulations.

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

[Washin]

Well done :encouragement:gassho1

Gassho
Washin
sattoday

[Nenka]

Peter, your bowls are beautiful! gassho1

I've been considering asking someone to make me a set of wooden bowls kind of like the ones in the video above. I never considered pottery, though! Now I'm starting to think about taking a pottery class at the local art center where I make silver jewelry.

In the end though, I'm kind of sentimentally attached to my strange little home kit which consists of a Pyrex bowl, a smaller bowl that looks like a grapefruit, and a condiment jar with a little lid that I use for the hungry ghosts' offering. :D

Gassho

Nenka

ST

[peter.goettler]

Dear Nenka,

I am happy that my bowls could inspire you. Maybe you want to sent a photo of your new ones, when they are ready?

Gassho, Peter