Curious about the training

[Ester]

Hi!
I'm very curious about the training that Treeleaf unsuis undergo.
Appart from studying the Dharma and learning how to conduct ceremonies I believe that novices are trained to be able to support their communities and individuals in different ways. Is that correct?
Do you learn how to support people that are struggling with their daily lives?
Do you learn specific things like caring for the dying or supporting people that struggle with addictions?

Thanks so much!
Gassho,
Ester
Satlah

[Ester]

Hi!
I'm curious about what do zen priests wear in Japan and in the rest of the world when you are in your daily lives.
And, what do you wear when you are not at home cooking, or shopping or at your jobs, you are not with the sangha either but doing other kind of "priest stuff" like caring for the dying, giving a talk at a school or joining a demonstration about some social issue?
I'm curious about the colors of the attire in our sangha and others too.

Edit: I just realised that this thread is for questions about Jukai, Ango and Rohatsu.
Should I move it somewhere else?



Thanks!
Gassho
Ester
Satlah

[Bion]

Hi, Ester! First of all, I moved your 2 post to the Zen Practice section.
To answer your question: we do have dharma study, and quite a hefty list of reading materials, which we also comment on and can discuss with Jundo and amongst ourselves, we learn all the forms that pertain to ceremonies, zendo activities etc, and we actively learn how to support the sangha by supporting the sangha right here, on and off this forum, through live events, meetings, private discussions, organising and hosting retreats, attending sesshins outside of Treeleaf when possible, and taking special courses as well whenever there is a chance. Pretty much whatever presents itself to us. Hopefully you all can see the active involvement and fruits of this training.
Hope that answers your first question

As for the second one: it depends on the person and location. My friends in Japan are usually in samue (monk's work clothes) or if really informal, in regular clothes. Many of them wear a rakusu quite often, not just in formal settings. In the west, I think folks are more western. I won't speak for anyone but myself. I usually wear samue, jinbei in summer, I have a few robes that I wear that come from the chan tradition... If I'm off to the supermarket or to see friends, I might be in samue or regular clothes. I wear the rakusu whenever appropriate, for example when I work on making podcasts for the sangha, if I'm off to the park in spring for zazen, I carry the rakusu with me whenever I'm traveling anywhere...

Gassho
sat lah

[Kotei]

Hi Ester,

Dharma, History and Ceremony studies are the more formalized part of training.
The part you are mentioning is learned less formal in discussions and individually, outside of Treeleaf.
In the past, several Unsui attended external ethics and boundaries courses and trained individually for chaplaincy work.
Some are (mental) health professionals, some do voluntary work on help lines, work with folks with addictions and more and join courses to do so.
Myself, I am volunteering in a refugee camp/home and a hospice, where I needed to join courses and supervisions in order to be allowed to do so.

I think the chaplaincy work is more accentuated in the West and maybe not so much for priests in Japan? Hmm.
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Ester]

Thanks!!
How interesting! I'll ask a couple more of questions later.


I've been in Treeleaf little time so far and I have directly interacted with only 4 of the unsuis and priests. I've read some others' texts too. I see a common pattern of careful and compassionate communication style, each with their own personal style, of course.
But I don't know how much of it comes from your individual natures or to how much from the training. I guess it's a mix of both?

Gassho,
Ester
Satlah

[Kotei]

...
But I don't know how much of it comes from your individual natures or to how much from the training. I guess it's a mix of both?

I think a general attitude of wanting to be helpful and act compassionate and careful, not putting oneself front and center, is something Jundo is looking for when deciding whom to ordain.
So I believe it is something that needs to be there individually.
Reflecting on this and defining it as part of being a Priest here, is also a constant in the training.

edit: and to the clothing part... In home and garden I am wearing Samue out of pure comfort.
Outside of formal Zen practice out there in the world, I wear normal business suits when working and preferably black jeans and such when not.
I don't think I would be seen as a Zen Priest. Bald head and black clothes are not that unusual over here.
I sometimes wear a Rakusu when doing voluntary work, but mostly not, as I don't want the mainly christian folks, I am caring for, to feel alienated.
On the other hand, you could say I am wearing the Rakusu/OKesa all the time. Not the piece of fabric, but the Buddhas teachings.

Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Benjamin Gieseke]

Just want to pop in and say thank you to Ester and Bion and Kotei for their responses, this has been something I've been interested to know more about as well. Also, as I'm not sure if there are any chaplain-unsuis currently in the mix, I have served as a chaplain intern in the US and can speak to that experience somewhat if there are questions that come up about that specifically.

Gassho,
Benjamin
SatLah

[Bion]

Just want to pop in and say thank you to Ester and Bion and Kotei for their responses, this has been something I've been interested to know more about as well. Also, a I'm not sure if there are any chaplain-unsuis currently in the mix, I have served as a chaplain intern in the US and can speak to that experience somewhat if there are questions that come up about that specifically.

Gassho,
Benjamin
SatLah

I kind of like the fact that you all are curious and interested. It also makes me aware that you are observing and watching, so it awakens a sense of accountability and responsibility. So, thank you for that!

Gassho
sat lah