Gassho all,
Does anyone know what this Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium in Japan in October is about? Is it just the 'official church'?
Gassho all,
Does anyone know what this Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium in Japan in October is about? Is it just the 'official church'?
Here is a link I found about it
http://global.sotozen-net.or.jp/eng/new ... 01110.html
Seems like just a big gathering to be held in Japan...Maybe Jundo and Taigu know more about this....
It appears this is symposium on how to move official church forward in other lands where Soto Zen is already taking off (interestingly, er, well to me, Canada is not listed on their site)Originally Posted by soendoshin
Its free thoughSeems there is little else to the official church's mind then their existence, as outliers, well we just are not so Kosher.
Thank you for the link Seiryu.
Gassho
Shohei
I don't know anything about this symposium but my simple guess is that it is about dessimination and how to develop the growth of Sotoshu structures and/or how to monitor and control Zen outside Japan.
gassho
Taigu
Thanks for the link Seiryu. I wonder, should there be a Treeleaf delegate? Be interesting the reception. What do you think Jundo and Taigu?
Gassho
Soen
I don't think Treeleaf should be prt of it and I really think they would not really appreciate it. The Sotoshu is a respectable church with a clear agenda. We have no link whatsoever with the Sotoshu. We sit and follow Dogen's teachings. But we do it independantly of any institution or organisation. We don't charge fees, perform complicated ceremonies and are not eager to promote a Japanese zen style. We just sit, wear the kesa and try to find the meaning of the Buddha-dharma in our daily lives. We are like distant relatives but don't share the same priorities. I am pretty sure Jundo would agree with this. Jundo, any thought?
gassho
Taigu
Thank you Taigu. I can imagine the reception in any case. I also understand clearly what you say. Still, I can't help but feel, would it not challenge their worldview to show up? I bow to your wisdom in this matter. Maybe nothing would challenge their belief that they have a monopoly on Dogen's way, the Buddhadharma.
Gassho
Soen
The statement on their website reminded me of another big international Zen school, The Kwan Um School. They've grown so big, that I'm sure they hold similar events to promote themselves into yet more regions. But I wouldn't think of them as the only "true" school of Korean Zen.
_()_
Peter
I second that! Thank you for these beautiful words Taigu Sensei _/__()_
Peter
I surprised. In my ignorance I thought we were Soto. As My understanding is we are of Soto Lineage? Not that it really matters, I don't particularly enjoy the political nature of we's and they's. All one, not two? From way back I developed an aversion to hearing about Protestants, Catholics, etc. (not to speak of those Presbyterians down the street) so, innocent question; from whom do Jundo and Taigu take marching orders?
Hi Shokai,
We are indeed a Soto lineage group, not because we are blessed by the Sotoshu but just because:
a) We sit and do this according to Dogen's teachings.
b) The two teachers received transmission in the Soto lineage of Niwa and Nishijima.
Of course, Nishijima decided to break free from Sotoshu giving transmission out of the church; of course Sawaki Kodo could not care less about Sotoshu or anything Soto and used to call his school: the school of the kesa.
What I mean here is there is a great gap between the sociological-cultural reality of a Japanese organisation and real Buddhist practice. Many priests of the Sotoshu are very enthusiastic and dedicated ( the young ones). Many are also just interested in temple business and money making.
What do we do here? We offer the opportunity to many to practice and sit in this tradition that doen't belong to temples or institutions.
As a priest, I am the great grandson of Niwa Zenji, abbot of Eiheiji (Jundo is the grandson). For the Sotoshu, I am a nobody that is not in their files and therfore I have no existence and no authority.
Two lineages are at work here, Shokai. The visible and institutionalised one (Sotoshu), and the other one, out of the business box( a great variety of people ranging from guys like us to Brad and even more colourful guys).
As far as your inocent question is concerned...I don't take marching orders from anybody else than the ordinary people I meet, work, live, laugh and cry with in this life.
My teacher is shikantaza, sewing the kesa, living, making mistakes...
gassho
Taigu
Haha. Wonderful Taigu...absolutely wonderful post!
Sent from my SGH-I897 using Tapatalk
Hello,
somebody mentioned the gathering briefly to one of the teachers during my stay at Shogoji, but it seemed that not too much was known about it outside of the circle of people organising it.
Thank you for your post Taigu.
Gassho,
Hans
This is one of the most wonderful things I've read. Thank you, Taigu Sensei. I will sit on this.
Gassho
Shohei
Dear Taigu-oso;
Thank you Thank you Thank you, it warms the heart to see so many of our Sangha pleased to hear your words. Especially at a time of much discussion of popularization and abuses. And, as we turn our attention to rededicating our interests in the Bodhisattva Principles, may our thoughts and meditations contribute to the harmony of the universe. May all hearts and minds be opened to the present and may we bring peace to sentient beings everywhere so that we all see truth in the way of the kesa.
_/_
The line-up of the symposium looks more like a series of lectures from the various official Soto Zen Regional Officers, rather than a conversation with the wide Soto Zen Sangha around the world. The worldwide map of the Soto Zen Sangha also has a lot of gaps, as Shohei said, no Canada ... and no Ireland.
Where's Ireland?
Really this is all that needed be said... lost all faith and interest after that...
;-)
Gassho,
Shawn (a Canuck)
Actually, when one thinks about it; none of us come from anywhere!! :shock: :roll: :lol:
Speak for yourself. By the way, I found Canada on the map. It's a small Irish colony to the west of the Irish mainland
Oh, did you get that wrong? That's Newfoundland, 746 miles east of Marconi's Tower there's a small gem they call, oh dam, I forgot the name again. :lol:
Hi All,
Good to be back in my own bed, after many days sleeping (and sitting) in a sometimes very leaky tent, or half-seasick on a bouncy ferryboat bunk.
I just saw this thread and, actually, I sent in a request for tickets awhile back to be a "friendly observer" at the event. I (like Taigu and others) am a sometime critic of Soto-shu as a church and large, often conservative and bureacratic institution. Some coming to Japan might be surprised to find that the Soto-shu, as a church, is not unlike the Catholic Church in many ways ... complete with a Vatican (actually two, Eiheiji and Sojiji), Bishops, Cardinals and even someone resembling a Pope sitting atop a vast body of doctrines, focus on arcane pomp and ceremony, authority and orthodoxy ... even inquisitions. I often write some things critical of some aspects of that (such as in this series of essays) ...
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=3927
However, it is a loving criticism, and I sincerely believe that they need critics like us (to give them a kick in the butt) as much as we need their conservative fuddy-duddy, dusty, ceremony and ritual-bound ways of practice. Although they are the giant elephant, and we are the tiny tiny mouse tickling its toes and barely noticed (sometimes trying not to get stepped on), we make each other stronger perhaps. In fact, my Dharma Grandfather (Nishijima's Teacher), Niwa Zenji, -was- the Pope of all Soto-shu.
http://www.treeleaf.org/niwa.html
One of the reasons he gave Dharma Transmission to Nishijima Roshi and a few others like him (Deshimaru Roshi was one) was because he felt that Soto-shu needed the critics and a "breath of fresh air".
We are "Soto" because we practice in the way of Buddha, Hui-neng, Dogen, Kodo Sawaki, Niwa, Nishijima and others who uphold that tradition. Some Soto Zen teachers in the west look to obtain some sanction and authority from the Japanese headquarters, most do not (it is up to the teacher and lineage). We do not. However, I consider that we are all on the same team, and I would like to attend in a friendly and "let's all support each other" way.
An interesting question is whether they will find room for me to have a chair in the audience, because some there are not so happy with my pesky and sometimes very strong criticisms, nor do they like our not looking to them and kissing their ring to do what we do, nor do they like my and Taigu being back in Japan without asking their permission to teach Zazen here (they are fine if the foreigners stay in foreign places, but not so happy with foreigners coming back to Japan without their express permission and submission to their authority). So, I will look forward to a positive response from them.
I second Taigu's lovely words: Who are we?
What do we do here? We offer the opportunity to many to practice and sit in this tradition that doen't belong to temples or institutions. ... My teacher is shikantaza, sewing the kesa, living, making mistakes...
Gassho, Jundo
Thank you Jundo, your response clarifies the subject at least for me.
Jundo-oso;
Thank you, I was pretty sure that's the way things were but, it's good to see the words again
Did they mail them to you yet?Jundo wrote:
I just saw this thread and, actually, I sent in a request for tickets awhile back to be a "friendly observer" at the event
Gassho,
John
An separate conference coming up in my old stomping group of Florida ... I wish I could attend this one too ...
Welcome back Jundo.
I'll be interested to hear how you get on.
Gassho
Soen
I was just told that it (the Dogen conference, no word yet on the Soto-shu conference) will be all recorded and available on the web! What a wonderful age we live in!
Saves on jet fuel too.
Gassho, J
Great! Please keep us posted when you get more detailsI was just told that it (the Dogen conference, no word yet on the Soto-shu conference) will be all recorded and available on the web! What a wonderful age we live in!
Saves on jet fuel too.
Gassho, J
Gassho,
John
Hi,
Just a follow-up on this.
I received a ticket to the October Soto-shu event, and they were very nice about it. No big deal really, and I didn't think it would be.
I anticipate a long day of speeches and presentations.
Gassho, J
That's great to hear! Thanks for keeping us posted on this one.
Gassho,
John
What a beautiful way to put this!
gassho!
Katherine
Jundo,
You could go in disguise. Beard and Groucho Marx glasses?
;-)
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