Question for Taigu: why broken nail?

[Shui_Di]

Hi Taigu...

I want to ask you about rakusu.

Why the sign of soto shu is "broken nail"?

I'm really curious about it?

Thanks before...

Gassho, Mujo

[Taigu]

Re: Question for Taigu: why broken nail?

Thank you so much Sui Di...

Broken what? nail? what do you mean? The broken pine needle on the back of the rakusu?

I am curious about what you mean. Just make it clear.

Take great care


Taigu

[Shui_Di]

Re: Question for Taigu: why broken nail?

Ah sorry...

I mean the broken pine needle...

I'm currious whether there is some mmeaning onthe sign?

Thanks

Gassho, Mujo

[Taigu]

Re: Question for Taigu: why broken nail?

Hi Shui Di,

I know very little about our tradition...One day, the first time I made it to Eiheiji temple, Big beautiful majestic whatever thing in the middle of huge forest-mountain landscape. A few hours on train, then bus, then...Well, Dogen, the big guy, the guy next door if you sit, well, he wanted the temple ground to be planted with pine trees. And later on, in Meiji time, when they wanted to make a portable kesa thing, they thought why not making a broken pine needle shape to make clear this is Soto style kesa...That is my very limited explanation. On Rinzai rakusus , it is a triangle. Does it make it any different, better? I don't know. I like that riangle thing ( three jewels maybe) I like that broken pine needle too. Just like me. Broken. Needle.

gassho


Taiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ii-----------------------------------------------gu !

[Shui_Di]

Re: Question for Taigu: why broken nail?

Thanks very much Taigu, for you explaination...

Gassho, Muuuuuuuuuuuuu......................jo. :P

[Jundo]

Re: Question for Taigu: why broken nail?

This trivia came up during our preparations for the Jukai ... Here is the post ...

Could someone please expalin why the pattern we sewed on the back of the bit of the Rakusu that goes round your neck is a pine needle? It's probably just me (or maybe it's the pines we have in Norfolk!) but I can't see it. I faithfully sewed it, but to me it just looks like one of those shapes we used to get in maths exams when one had to work out the various angles and measurements etc (which I couldn't do either). If this has been explained before, apologies.

Gassho

Martin

Well, I found this drawing of casuarina needles ... and it seems not so far off ...



John Tarrant Roshi wrote this explanation ...

On the back of the rakusu are crossed casuarina needlesneedles from
an ancient Buddhist treesignfying that this is a mountain path,
signifying that it takes you deep into the journey into the true self.
As Rilke said, so that we walk into the silence, for hours meeting
no-one. Also the needles are the green shoots of the Way, the manner
in which the Way will spring up like dandelions in a pavement in the
city. Somewhere, no matter what state you are in, you can always find
a little green trace of it. There are two needles crossed with each
other. Every time you are caught in an opposite, at bottom there is
always some unity there, if you can find it. Theres always some way
to hold the two together. And that is the enlightened task. So that
we can find the true action.
ftp://coombs.anu.edu.au/coombspapers/ot ... nter-b.txt

viewtopic.php?p=18574#p18574

[Shui_Di]

Re: Question for Taigu: why broken nail?

Thank you Jundo.......

Gassho, Mujo