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Thread: Oryoki-Bowls

  1. #1

    Oryoki-Bowls

    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

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by peter.goettler View Post
    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%...w=1536&bih=750

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

    https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...l=1#post211381

    Gassho, Jundo

    STLAH



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

    Last edited by Jundo; 05-04-2019 at 03:16 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  3. #3
    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
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by peter.goettler View Post
    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
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  5. #5
    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

  6. #6
    Beautiful work Peter!
    Gassho
    Meitou
    Satwithyoualltoday lah
    命 Mei - life
    島 Tou - island

  7. #7
    Treeleaf Unsui Shugen's Avatar
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    Redding California USA
    Very nice Peter!

    Gassho,

    Shugen

    Sattoday/LAH


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    Meido Shugen
    明道 修眼

  8. #8
    Lovely bowls, Peter!

    Gassho
    Washin
    st-lah
    Kaidō (皆道) Every Way
    Washin (和信) Harmony Trust
    ----
    I am a novice priest-in-training. Anything that I say must not be considered as teaching
    and should be taken with a 'grain of salt'.

  9. #9
    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
    Attached Images Attached Images

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by peter.goettler View Post
    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
    Wow 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


    Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    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
    Attached Images Attached Images

  12. #12
    I will say that, for our Oryoki lessons here at Treeleaf, and in order to really do things "right" ...

    https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/foru...ractice-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)



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

    Last edited by Jundo; 05-05-2019 at 11:20 PM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  13. #13
    Very nice bowls, thanks for sharing pictures of your pottery!

    Gassho
    Souchi

    SatToday

  14. #14
    Thank you Souchi,

    greetings from Berlin to the south.

    Gassho,
    Peter

  15. #15
    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

  16. #16
    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

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by peter.goettler View Post
    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

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Jakuden View Post
    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
    Attached Images Attached Images

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by peter.goettler View Post
    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
    空道 心志 Kudo Shinshi
    I am just a priest-in-training, any resemblance between what I post and actual teachings is purely coincidental.
    E84I - JAJ

  20. #20
    I thank you Shinshi!

    sat
    gassho,
    peter

  21. #21
    I cannot find the documentary that folks mentioned, but this is very close ...



    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  22. #22
    Here's a craftsman doing the carpentry work:



    gassho,
    Peter

  23. #23
    Those video's are fascinating! Thanks for posting.

    Gassho, Shinshi

    SaT-LaH
    空道 心志 Kudo Shinshi
    I am just a priest-in-training, any resemblance between what I post and actual teachings is purely coincidental.
    E84I - JAJ

  24. #24

    Oryoki practice

    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

  25. #25
    Lovely!


    Gassho
    Kokuu
    -sattoday-

  26. #26
    Ooh that's exciting! Congratulations.

    Gassho
    Jakuden
    SatToday/LAH

  27. #27
    Well done

    Gassho
    Washin
    sattoday
    Kaidō (皆道) Every Way
    Washin (和信) Harmony Trust
    ----
    I am a novice priest-in-training. Anything that I say must not be considered as teaching
    and should be taken with a 'grain of salt'.

  28. #28
    Peter, your bowls are beautiful!

    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.

    Gassho

    Nenka

    ST

  29. #29
    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

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