Vowz Band

[Jundo]

A little taste of the the priest-rockers in the incredible Vowz Band ...

The name of the song is "Somosan Seppa" ... In a Zen Mondo or Hossenshiki "Dharma Combat," "Somosan" is used to refer to the person asking the question, and it means something like "what's up!?" In response to "Somosan," it is common for the person being asked to respond with "Seppa" (meaning something like, "disruption.") The lyrics of the rest of the song say things like "The Super Super Question, Life, this World, is ALL a Zen Mondo" "Saving All Sentient Beings, Ya know" and "If you meet the Buddha, Kill the Buddha; If you meet Death, Kill Death," "If your finger points at the moon, cut it off and let it fall," "Put your hands together, What's the Sound of One Hand Clapping?" At points, they pick up a fortune telling box (pulling out the fortune sticks), and a cocktail mixer (see below: Vowz Bar, this is the house band). The guy in white is a lay pilgrim, and the woman is (I think, subject to further research) a Dakini in a Diadem Crown (a Hindu Goddess incorporated into Buddhism):

They are associated with the Vowz Bar in Tokyo ... (How can priests manage a bar, given our Precepts and all? The basic idea is that one goes to where the suffering people are to reach the suffering people, and that the Mahayana Precepts can thus be kept in spirit (and spirits) if to save Sentient Beings. Japanese Buddhism is rather, shall we say, open minded ... ) ...

https://matcha-jp.com/en/8641

More Vowz Band (They are not all Zen priests, by the way, and the one fellow in the Wagesa, round Kesa, is Pure Land) ... set sometime in the future, in a dystopian world (probably right after somebody tried my Buddhist crispr idea ), this one says "Everything is Empty, Just a Temporary Form ... there is nothing that does not change ... Give voice to the Perfection of Wisdom, you'll probably get it ... The only important things is NAMU! ... So, AWAKEN! OPEN YOUR EYES! Let's get liberated (GEDATSU) from this world by this rhythm, GET GEDATSU!" The rap continues the theme that all is empty, so lets not get sucked into the Bonnos (Mental Obstructions, Desires, Illusions) ...

And as an added bonus, an event at the Vowz Bar ... SPEED HANNYA SHINGYO (Heart Sutra)! We have to try that around here!

Gassho, J

STLah

[Washin]

Thank you, Jundo!

Gassho,
Washin
stlah

[Tokan]

Why should I be surprised??? The dharma expressed in all forms surely!

Gassho Jundo

PS: I'm happy to volunteer to take last place in the hannya shingyou race (as if I'd come anywhere else!), but how do you give out the medals since there first is neither first or last and last is neither last nor first???

satlah

Tokan

[Chikyou]

This is awesome!

Gassho,
SatLah
Kelly

[Jundo]

I just picked up the phone and called Vowz, spoke to the singer! Looks like I will be helping them make an English version of Gedatsu, Mondo and maybe more!

Hey, I'm now in the music world! Grammys, here we come!

Gassho, J

STLah

[Artien]

Haha, This is amazing

Can't wait for the english version.

Gassho,
Artien
SatLah

[Kaisho]

Very nice. Definitely a good bit of fun.

Gassho
St

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[Erik de Heiden]

Love the sense of humor of these guys. Als loved, quote: " The basic idea is that one goes to where the suffering people are to reach the suffering people, and that the Mahayana Precepts can thus be kept in spirit". An important lesson to keep in mind, thanks for that,
Gasho.

StdLah

[Onrin]

Good bit of fun there, thanks for posting Jundo, and welcome to the music industry where good ideas go to perish. Though we know there is no perishing therefore it shall be worth it!
Gassho,
Chris

[Byokan]

Wow wow wow! Love these guys!

Gassho
Byōkan