Prostrations and the Rakusu

[Enjaku]

Funny question...

When I do a full prostration while wearing my Rakusu, it goes all over the place and gets tangled up.
Bowing in this way is one of my favourite practices but, as I bow and lean forward, the Rakusu hangs down then gets loose and twisted. It's quite annoying!

Is there an art to this?
Would any bowing experts care to post a video??

Gassho,
Enjaku
Sat LAH

[Mp]

Hello Enjaku,

I did this little video awhile back talking about such ... I hope it helps. =)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAjN1hVkC90

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

[Jundo]

Nice form, Shingen.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Enjaku]

Genius!
Thank you, Shingen
Deep bows,
Enjaku,
Sat LAH

[Kyonin]

Thank you Shingen!

It's always a good reminder.

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

[Meitou]

Aw Shingen, thank you for showing the variations, you make it look so easy, very confidence inspiring. Deep bows indeed.
Gassho,
Frankie

Satwithyoualltoday /lah

[Mp]

Ahh you are all very welcome, I am happy to know it has helped. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

[Amelia]

I have seen some teachers wrap a cloth around their torso, like a rakusu belt. Rev. Muho seems to do this in his videos.

Gassho, sat today, lah

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[Mp]

I have seen some teachers wrap a cloth around their torso, like a rakusu belt. Rev. Muho seems to do this in his videos.

Gassho, sat today, lah

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Yes Muho wears one, but he is of the Rinzai linage and their Shukin (belt) is different then Soto folks. Theirs is thicker with a very specific knot pattern in the front. You can see the Rinzai here

monks.jpg

and the Soto here

0000shukin.jpg

The Soto Shukin (belt) is much thinner, more like a cord, where the Rinzai is fabric sewn around stuffing.

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

[Jundo]

Yes Muho wears one, but he is of the Rinzai linage and their Shukin (belt) is different then Soto folks. Theirs is thicker with a very specific knot pattern in the front. You can see the Rinzai here

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4388[/ATTACH]

and the Soto here

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4389[/ATTACH]

The Soto Shukin (belt) is much thinner, more like a cord, where the Rinzai is fabric sewn around stuffing.

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

Antaiji Muho? Disciple of Kodo Sawaki and Uchiyama Roshi? He is as Soto as Soto can be.

I gather you mean this string around Muho's Rakusu



That is not the very intricate "pretzel" belt that the Rinzai wear (Shingen's first picture above). That is the Soto "Shukin" belt, sometimes warn for work and like periods. It is actually not so common in the States or to just "wear around town" when not working, but I guess that Muho does when out socializing.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Mp]

Antaiji Muho? Disciple of Kodo Sawaki and Uchiyama Roshi? He is as Soto as Soto can be.

I gather you mean this string around Muho's Rakusu



That is not the very intricate "pretzel" belt that the Rinzai wear (Shingen's first picture above). That is the Soto "Shukin" belt, sometimes warn for work and like periods. It is actually not so common in the States or to just "wear around town" when not working.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

Opps, my mistake, misread ... yes Muho is Soto for sure .... for some reason I had Eshu Martin stuck in my head.

ZENLINE-PHOTO-5-199x300.jpg

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAh

[Jishin]

Very nice Shingen. Thank you.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Anka]

I hope I do not hijack this thread but I also have a question for Shingen on prostrations. What is the "correct" method to use a 108 bead mala to keep going during prostrations? I got a beautiful hand made mala from a coworker but find using during prostrations to be awkward at best. Thanks in advance.

Just sat
James F

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[Jakuden]

Yes Muho wears one, but he is of the Rinzai linage and their Shukin (belt) is different then Soto folks. Theirs is thicker with a very specific knot pattern in the front. You can see the Rinzai here

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4388[/ATTACH]

and the Soto here

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4389[/ATTACH]

The Soto Shukin (belt) is much thinner, more like a cord, where the Rinzai is fabric sewn around stuffing.

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

Another question here:

In the Shukin tying illustration, are those 3 different ways to tie? It looks like that from the numbered order.

I can already see how tying this with the robe sleeves hanging in the way will be good practice!

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


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[Jundo]

I hope I do not hijack this thread but I also have a question for Shingen on prostrations. What is the "correct" method to use a 108 bead mala to keep going during prostrations? I got a beautiful hand made mala from a coworker but find using during prostrations to be awkward at best. Thanks in advance.

Just sat
James F

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Hi James,

The 108 Prostrations is a Korean Practice (perhaps China too), and not so common in Japanese Zen. It is a powerful Practice however, as they do so daily ... go for the muscles too.

I would say that one just holds the Mala in the hand strung in a way that it does not get caught, and one can slide a bead each time. However, I looked online at some Korean groups, and I do not see them using a Mala, which would tend to interfere with the hand movements of the Prostration. So, it appears that they just count inside.

We are not big Mala people in Japanese Zen, and especially in the West. However, here is a past thread ...

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?15113-Mala-beads-in-Zen-Buddhism&p=194472&viewfull=1#post194472

Gassho, J

SatToday