Japanese Hossenshiki(Dharma combat celemony)

[Guest]

Hi

Today,we have meeting about Hossenshiki at Kyoto.

Lots of people come here,monks,lay person come here.
I was very busy today.So I can take this short video.

And celemony is for member of temple.
So normally we can not share this for internet.
So I share only Treeleaf member,for your practice.

Knowing this tradition is impotant,we think.
Normally this thing can not allow to share.

Because I am not head monk.

This is special case.

Please keep manner.Do not share out side.
Please.Only for Treeleafer.

Gassho
Sat today
LAH
Kakunen

[Jundo]

Our Hossenshiki at Treeleaf. I feel it is time for another this year ...

https://youtu.be/qMoWaF9BJa4

We are pleased to announce another first for Treeleaf Sangha ... also a first in Zen Buddhist history, Soto Zen History, World History, perhaps in Universal History!!

The Shuso Hossenshiki is an ancient ceremony of Soto Zen Buddhism, going back centuries. It marks a midway milestone in the training of novice monks, embodied by their service as the "Shuso" (首座 Head Seat) who guides an Ango 90-Day Special Practice Season. As you know, our priests-in-training at Treeleaf, this year and in prior years, have each served as helpful Shuso to keep our Ango on track, and to make sure that all participants are helped as they need.

'Hossenshiki' (法戦式) literally means "Dharma Combat Ceremony," although we prefer to call it "Dharma Inquiry." In this case, "Dharma" means the Teachings expressed in old Zen Koans. In the "Dharma Combat," the Shuso is seen to take away the "Shippei" (竹箆), a kind of baton carried by a Zen teacher, and the Shuso temporarily assumes the role of teacher. The Shuso is presented a traditional Koan case, and is bombarded with some questions about it. The Shuso responds with expressions meant to illuminate the truth of the Koan. The scene within the ceremony is meant to recreate the scene in many of the old Koan stories themselves in which a student spontaneously and unhesitatingly expresses the Wisdom and Compassion of the Koan with words and poetry coming naturally from the monk's heart in response to challenges from his teacher or another monk. Sometimes the monk might respond with some seemingly mysterious words, somehow seeking to express emptiness and transcendence and immanence, or a poem, or a shout or by drawing a circle in the air. I assure you that this is not done without meaning behind it (at least, it should not be so).

Except, that is not actually how the Hossenshiki is performed in Japan.

In fact, in Japan, the Soto Zen version is anything but spontaneous. In reality, it is totally pre-scripted and well rehearsed for days, a fact due in part to the ceremony being conducted in an antiquated form of medieval Japanese language that even modern Japanese cannot well understand. The monk's questions and answers are all predetermined and memorized. In that way, the ceremony is more like a piece of theatre than an actual combat. However, that is not seen as a bad thing because, in many aspects of Zen training in Japan, it is believed that by assuming a role ... even if scripted ... one actually can pour oneself into the role and become the role (something like saying that, if an actor plays Hamlet with enough sincerity, the actor can actually come to embody Hamlet. In this case, by acting and speaking the words of a Buddha or Zen Master, one can imbibe their spirit.) The Japanese ceremony is generally very serious and stern. The intricate moves of the ceremony, and the precision, mean that the steps must be mastered much as a classical ballet. However, as in dancing an actual ballet, the dancer can literally pour herself into the dance and become the dance.

But our Treeleaf Hossenshiki is a bit different from all that .. and just a bit different in other ways too!

First, portions of our ceremony try to actually bring back some spontaneity to the Q&A, with the participants expected to speak from the heart. (They were informed of the Koan in advance, and the first question, but not the rest after that. The rest was a surprise.) We are not alone in this, as many other Soto Zen Sangha in the west are also trying to have a bit more spontaneity too. In order to do so, we also are willing to walk the fine line of being serious yet light hearted, stern yet smiling or laughing when the time is right. That is actually a good thing because the Koans themselves, when we examine them, are also typically combinations of serious teaching and a good bit of jesting and humor mixed in. Many of the old Koans are quite funny for all their serious meaning too. Yes, we have rehearsed the dance, but we must admit that we come no where near the grace and precision of flowing Japanese monks. We also try to keep things simple and natural in our movements, more like children at play than trained ballet dancers. At Treeleaf, we are rather minimalist in our attitude toward ceremony and ritual. The ceremony is a celebration among family, and we are not so concerned about elegance as we are about our warm hearts and sincere feelings.

Second, our ceremony is unique for some other reasons:

As far as we know, it is the first time that such a ceremony has ever been conducted across the planet by modern media, with participants simultaneously in Japan, Mexico, Canada, USA and England, and witnesses in other places too. That is why I said that it is a first in Zen Buddhist history, if not the universe! It is important that such a ceremony be done 'face-to-face,' and I assure you that I know well the faces and inner hearts of the priests who are part of the ceremony, and have each now been part of this community and training with me for years. Seeing a face, whether in the same room or across galaxies, is light traveling across space, entering through the senses resulting in an imperfect image between the ears. That is not the actual "seeing" which is a matter of resonance and understanding in the bones.

Third, our ceremony is also unusual because some of the participants have already received Dharma Transmission as teachers, and the ceremony actually recognizes their service as Shuso in past years when we did not conduct a ceremony to mark that fact. It is okay because Zen People are not bound by time and the calendar, so we are bending time today. In other words, the past becomes the present, and we will deem that this ceremony is something which happened way back then for them. No problem. Our ceremony is also a group affair, while the traditional ceremony is done for one Shuso at a time. That is not a problem either, because Zen folks know that one is many, many just one.

Finally, and most importantly, our ceremony is unique for the reason that Treeleaf's training program for priests is unique: It includes participants who are ill or otherwise physically handicapped or challenged, and who rarely if ever would have had an opportunity for this kind of ceremony, let alone priest training, in a traditional setting. I have told some of our participants to recline if they need, or to limit their movements if difficult. It is okay.

So, here is our ceremony. I will separately post below the Koans that each is addressing, and the poems that each participant composed in response to their Koan. The Ceremony actually begins about the 13:30 mark, after a recital of the Heart Sutra, a Dedication and a little Zazen. The ceremony was held this past Sunday.

Please enjoy and, if you have any questions or comments about this, post them below.

Gassho, J

Gassho, J

STLah

[Kakunen]

I will share Hossen-shiki at Antai-ji.

Shuso is Myogen(from Germany) who practice him with Tosho-ji.

This is kind of traditional style,but not traditional.

Gassho
Sat LAH
Kakunen

[Kakunen]

This is normal Japanese style of Hossen-shiki at Soto Univ(Komazawa)

I think we need to accept lots of style.

Hope to have good practice.

Gassho
Kakunen

[Jundo]

Kakunen,

As a native Japanese, how much understanding do you have of the text which you are memorizing for the ceremony? The language and Koans are arcane (ancient Japanese), so I guess that you really do not understand most of the words except in your heart.

Even so, it is beautiful. I often compare this kind of acting to my friend, a Zen fellow who is a Broadway actor who plays Willie Horton (a famous character from an American theatre play called "Death of a Salesman.") Even though it is a kind of acting, memorizing lines, he BECOMES "Willie Horton" by playing that character.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Kakunen]

Kakunen,

As a native Japanese, how much understanding do you have of the text which you are memorizing for the ceremony? The language and Koans are arcane (ancient Japanese), so I guess that you really do not understand most of the words except in your heart.

Even so, it is beautiful. I often compare this kind of acting to my friend, a Zen fellow who is a Broadway actor who plays Willie Horton (a famous character from an American theatre play called "Death of a Salesman.") Even though it is a kind of acting, memorizing lines, he BECOMES "Willie Horton" by playing that character.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

No problem Jundo.

I will do Hossen at October.

And I am teached basic of Hossenshiki today,and already learned lots of place and teacher.

In this time 本則(Honsoku)kind of main theme choise by Ryushin Azuma(head monk at our
3rd temple Daijyoji).He Shukke(home leaving) at Jomanji (城満寺）

I was at Jomanji.Head monk Koya (always support me)he always teached
about meaning about Hossen,and about master Azuma.

This time Honsoku,is Honsho(本章）.大地有情非情同時成道.

So I accept traditional way as Shuso.In Hossen,head monk try to trust to role as head monk
to Shuso.

So I make Mondo（問答） by myself.Normally not,but lots of monks can not make questions.

And I will try to answer at Hossen-shiki.

I think about Treeleafer's practice.

I am sorry.
Sometimes I can hear kind of your joke.
But I have kind of fate to be strict monk,as DOGEN.

I know Jundo learn lots of things and do strict practice.

But I am little bit sad.

I will try to do my best Mondo(Q&A) .Real Mondo.

あなたは私のこと、そして日本の仏教のことを馬鹿にしていると感じます。これについて反省
してもらいたいと私は感じています。

I KNOW THE REAL MEANING OF HOSSENSHIKI.
IN JAPAN NOBODY TRY TO DO SUCH LIKE SO.
BUT I WILL TRY,BY LOTS OF HELP OF JAPANESE MONKS.

I THINK YOU SAY TOO MUCH.I THINK.

I AM VERY SAD.
BECAUSE YOU ARE MY FIRST TEACHER.

Sorry for my bad English.
If I write in Japanese,so easy to express.

But I respect here and Jundo.So I write in English.

From AINU Jewish(This is kind of Joke but I think fact)
Kakunen Cohen Kominamidate.

Gassho
Sat today
LAH
Kakunen

[Jundo]

I will try to do my best Mondo(Q&A) .Real Mondo.

Many groups in America that I know are trying to make the Soto-style Hossenshiki more alive and spontaneous by making it a real Mondo (Question and Answer). They do not just do memorization of answers, but make real questions creatively, and respond quickly without preparing. It is good.

The present Soto way is to memorize a script in ancient language that few people really understand. So, it sounds like your teacher is letting you be creative and spontaneous. That is good.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Kakunen]

Hi

I am at Tenryu-ji.

Now,we have new another monk,who did Shuso at Eihei-ji(1st temple)

I learned lots of things from him.

I am very lucky.

Gassho
Sat today
LAH
kakunen