[AprilFools] Sangha Discussion: Investment Opportunity, TREELEAF Going Public!

[Seiryu]

I got all the way to the sutra based Disney land, before I remembered what day it was....

Sat/Lah

[Shinshi]

I love April 1st at Treeleaf. Another great post Jundo!

Gassho, Shinshi

Sat-LaH

[Kaitan]

I remember two years ago, it was my very first zazenkai when you promoted the trip in the cruise during the Dharma talk I was really considering to make a donation



stlah, Kaitan

[Choujou]

Thank you for the laugh Jundo… I needed it today…

Gassho,
Choujou

sat/lah today

[Shui_Di]

I added these words at the end ...

~~~

PS - The above April Fools was written by me as a bit of protest at the whole world going corporate, all money and franchises, even Buddhism sometimes.

Hi Jundo Roshi,

Same here in Indonesia. Some temple even sell some amulets. Some also rent a Small Buddha Statue, where you can place your beloved ancestors' name there. It can cost even USD 20,000 for big statue. For small one can be cheaper.
It is a pity though. But, some temple's management said they have to "sell" the Buddha teaching because their temple needs money. Because too few people donate there, so they must make a "product" to "sell"

What do you think about this?

Gassho, Mujo

[Jundo]

Hi Jundo Roshi,

Same here in Indonesia. Some temple even sell some amulets. Some also rent a Small Buddha Statue, where you can place your beloved ancestors' name there. It can cost even USD 20,000 for big statue. For small one can be cheaper.
It is a pity though. But, some temple's management said they have to "sell" the Buddha teaching because their temple needs money. Because too few people donate there, so they must make a "product" to "sell"

What do you think about this?

Gassho, Mujo

It is necessary, in moderation. Since the earliest days of Buddhism, in the Buddha's lifetime, somebody had to pay for the food and buildings to house the monks, and the Buddha accepted such gifts. In exchange he provided various things to the donors. Dogen's Eiheiji and all monasteries needed generally wealthy people to pay the costs of building and supporting the place. So, some donations are necessary, even though we wish all was free. It is not really a commercial exchange, however, if the purpose is primarily to support the religious practice.

Almost all temples and shrines I know in Japan, and many big Zen places like Zen Mountain Monastery and San Francisco Zen Center, have shops where they sell Buddhist items to raise money. Temples here in Japan write the donors name on parts of the temple, even a corporate name. They opened this 13th century Buddha Statue a few years ago and found the donor's names who paid for it all placed inside.

image.pngimage.png

Restorers were astonished to discover numerous strips of paper secreted inside that detailed how the wooden object was completed by a Buddhist sculptor within a single day in the hope of fulfilling the wishes of those who made donations for the project ... More than 200 fragments of paper were found inside the statue. The strips specify the name of each donor along with the fact that an entire day was spent to finish the creation from July 17 through July 18 in 1268. The slips are likely from a list of those who made donations for the creation of the Buddhist statue in the hope of forming stronger bonds with Buddha. Buddhist statues are thought to have often been produced based on such donor lists from the Heian Period (794-1185) to the Kamakura Period. LINK

I would not say they are "selling" if people believe that they receive the "Merit" of good Karma in return, or transfer Merit to somebody.

Even here at Treeleaf, we do not really have buildings (I donated our barn in Japan), and our priests get no money or even a meal from here, but we still have costs ... bandwidth, electricity, equipment, Buddhist items, simple robes ... so we do not require any donation, but we accept them ...

There are no charges at all for the activities and teachings provided at Treeleaf Sangha, which are each offered free to all who may benefit. No donations are solicited or required. However, if someone wishes to make a voluntary donation to our community, they may do so at the following link with our gratitude. If you wish to make a donation, we ask you to consider a suggested MONTHLY DONATION OF US$5 or $10 ($60 or $120 PER YEAR), with the understanding that people who have little or no money should know especially that it is fine to donate less than such amounts or nothing at all.

If one has more money, and feels it is right, one can donate more than such amounts. All donations are completely voluntary, without obligation, according to ability, and as one feels in one’s heart. Newcomers should wait some months until making sure they feel at home in our community before even considering to donate. We leave it to each person to decide.
DONATION LINK

So, I cannot criticize such temples and Buddhist priests. If they are using the money for a private jet or BMW or fancy golden Robes ... then, yes, I would criticize.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

[Jundo]

PS - Recently there has been a scandal here in Japan, and the Japanese courts ordered the closure of the Unification Church here (the "Moonies") for selling religious items at extreme costs, often bankrupting donors. It was the indirect cause of the assassination of Prime Minister Abe a couple of years ago ...

According to the network, the number of consultations about damages from spiritual sales and large donations handled by the network and consumer affairs bureaux nationwide totaled 34,537 from 1987 to 2021, with damages claims totaling about ¥123.7 billion [nearly $1 Billion US]. ... A woman in her 60s in eastern Japan who had lost her husband and children became a follower of the group in 2013 after becoming acquainted with a believer who claimed ancestral bonds were the cause of her problems. The woman donated more than ¥6 million, raising part of the funds by liquidating her life insurance. But she was unhappy that she had been forced to buy scripture, and sought a refund of about ¥2 million in 2015. At the time, she was asked to sign an agreement confirming, that “there are no other debts and credits.” The woman did so and the refund was issued. The woman later left the group and consulted with the lawyers’ network. In April 2017, the woman filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court seeking a refund of donations, excluding the fee for the scripture.

... The mother of Abe’s alleged shooter Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, had reached such an agreement with the group. According to their relatives, Yamagami’s mother, 69, donated a total of about ¥100 million after raising funds through such means as selling the family’s house. She filed for bankruptcy in 2002. https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/soci...0220823-53394/

Which shows, I guess, that I am running Treeleaf all wrong.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Jundo]

PPS - Dogen actually had a famous letter for Donors ... He says (in the last paragraph) that they will write the Donors' names in the statue ...
. image.png

https://sofii.org/case-study/eihei-dogen-fundraising-letter-from-1235

[Shui_Di]

Thank you Jundo Roshi,

I think you mention a very important point. All is about the motivation and the purpose. As long as it is for the Buddhism's sustainability. ????

Very interesting that putting the name inside the statue was already practiced since Heian period.

Gassho, Mujo