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Thread: What does the tree the image of broken pine needle on the rakusu look like?

  1. #1
    Member Hoseki's Avatar
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    What does the tree the image of broken pine needle on the rakusu look like?

    Hi folks,

    I was just wondering what the tree inspired the broken pine needle on the back of our rakusu's looks like? Does anyone know what they are call?

    Thanks!

    Gassho
    Sattoday
    Hoseki

  2. #2
    I think it's the classic pine, lat. Name "Pinus"
    Afaik, the pine is in the asian area a symbol for a long life, sanity and strength. So the broken one may points towards the impermanence of even this ?!

    Here's a picture of one:
    https://www.conifers.org/pi/pi/j/jeffreyi02.jpg



    Gassho


    Ben / Horin / hishiryo


    Stlah



    Enviado desde mi PLK-L01 mediante Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Member Hoseki's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hishiryo View Post
    I think it's the classic pine, lat. Name "Pinus"
    Afaik, the pine is in the asian area a symbol for a long life, sanity and strength. So the broken one may points towards the impermanence of even this ?!

    Here's a picture of one:
    https://www.conifers.org/pi/pi/j/jeffreyi02.jpg



    Gassho


    Ben / Horin / hishiryo


    Stlah



    Enviado desde mi PLK-L01 mediante Tapatalk
    Cool! Thanks!

    Gassho
    Sattoday
    Hoseki

  4. #4
    Ah, the pine needles on the maneki (back collar) of the Rakusu.

    Quote Originally Posted by hishiryo View Post
    I think it's the classic pine, lat. Name "Pinus"
    Afaik, the pine is in the asian area a symbol for a long life, sanity and strength. So the broken one may points towards the impermanence of even this ?!
    That is very nice.



    I came across this nice comment on the Pine Needles by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi ... he seems to agree, and just take it "as it is" a bit ...

    Student A: What is the meaning of the design on the maneki?

    Suzuki-roshi: Hmm? Yeah?

    Student A: Yeah. The design?

    Suzuki-roshi: Oh, that is-I don't think that it-that is just to keep, you know, keep two-two parts tied together. It is pine, you know, pine leaf. That is, you know-in Japan, pine symbolize-pine is-pine tree is-is supposed to be-first of all, it is always green, and pine tree lives long long time, and it doesn't change its color all year round. So we have some special feeling about pine, and that pine leaf we use in various way, you know, that design. When you make some-some furoshiki,[a square piece of cloth in Japan used for wrapping items such as gifts] you know, we put pine leaves [on them], you know. I think that is why maybe better to ask Yoshida-roshi [laughs]. He may have some reason-she may have some reason, but I think that is more very common, you know, for Japanese in Japanese culture to use pine leaves. You notice, you know, many-we have many pine-tree design or pine-leaves design. We like bamboo also. Bamboo.

    http://suzukiroshi.sfzc.org/archives...emore=y#_ftn12
    I am not sure if Yoshida Roshi had a better answer.

    A Teacher who I don't know, Judith Putman, adds this comment ...

    On the neck piece is a continuous line of stitching representing a Casuarina needle. In the West we call it “pine needle.” It represents the green shoots of the Way. Each needle is a different length all coming from the same source.
    John Tarrant once said this ...

    On the back of the rakusu are crossed casuarina needles from an ancient Buddhist tree signfying that this is a mountain path, signifying that it takes you deep into the journey into the true self. As Rilke said, so that we walk into the silence, for hours meeting no-one. Also the needles are the green shoots of the Way, the manner in which the Way will spring up like dandelions in a pavement in the city. Somewhere, no matter what state you are in, you can always find a little green trace of it. There are two needles crossed with each other. Every time you are caught in an opposite, at bottom there is always some unity there, if you can find it. There's always some way to hold the two together. And that is the enlightened task. So that we can find the true action.
    I found this drawing of casuarina needles ... and it seems not so far off ...



    A photo of casuarina needles



    The Rinzai folks have a different mark ... a triangle ...




    Gassho, J

    SatToday
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  5. #5
    Member Hoseki's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    Ah, the pine needles on the maneki (back collar) of the Rakusu.



    That is very nice.



    I came across this nice comment on the Pine Needles by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi ... he seems to agree, and just take it "as it is" a bit ...



    I am not sure if Yoshida Roshi had a better answer.

    A Teacher who I don't know, Judith Putman, adds this comment ...



    John Tarrant once said this ...



    I found this drawing of casuarina needles ... and it seems not so far off ...



    A photo of casuarina needles



    The Rinzai folks have a different mark ... a triangle ...




    Gassho, J

    SatToday
    Neat! Thanks!

    Gassho
    Hoseki
    Sattoday/lah

  6. #6
    Thanks for that explanation jundo. Very interesting!



    Gassho


    Ben (hishiryo)

    Stlah

    Enviado desde mi PLK-L01 mediante Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Have always suspected it was to keep malevolent yokai from getting in through the back of one's neck.

    Gassho
    Doyu sat today
    Visiting unsui: use salt

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Doyū View Post
    Have always suspected it was to keep malevolent yokai from getting in through the back of one's neck.

    Gassho
    Doyu sat today
    Ah, that too!



    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  9. #9
    Very kool 'Thread' this is !


    Gassho,

    Ippo

    SatToday

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