Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

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  • Taigu
    Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Priest
    • Aug 2008
    • 2710

    Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

    Hi everybody,

    If all goes to plan, I should be visiting Jundo this summer and start the kesa project online. What is it about? As you know, wearing the kesa is a very important point in Zen practice in our tradition. We already have a complete set of videos about sewing a rakusu that we designed prior to the last Jukai, the rakusu being the small version of the kesa. Many of you would like to sew a kesa now. A couple of very adventurous, bold and courageous sitters already did it and I am both amazed and very proud of their work. So, let's start!

    Let's make it clear that only the people with the experience of sewing a rakusu are invited to sew a kesa. You actually need that experience to really be able to pull it together by yourself, without any direct instruction.
    Sewing a kesa (big or small) should only be for the people receiving Jukai. It is not another toy. It has a profound meaning connected to shikantaza and the understanding of the Buddhist path. And please, read this excellent teaching of Kishigami roshi: http://www.zen-road.org/index.php?optio ... 27&lang=en
    You have three ways to go about it, go to my blog and fish the information there... http://nyohoekesa.blogspot.com/2006_02_01_archive.html , go at the bottom of the page and read all the way up, please.This blog is designed following the instructions left by Sawaki Kodo.
    You also may get the book of Tomoe Katagiri, the wife of the late Katagiri roshi: Study of the Okesa, Nyoho-e, Buddha's robe published by Minnesota Zen Meditation Center in Minneapolis. It is a great book following Hashimoto Roshi's instructions ( a bit different from Sawaki Kodo). I shall stick to Sawaki's original teachings and measurements as explained on my blog but please, feel free to go for Hashimoto Roshi's method, particularly if you get hold of the book and relate well to written instructions. The book is also very precious for it has detailed drawings about stitches, how to fold the corners and so forth...
    I will also need the help and active participation of some of you, three people come to mind : Jinho for her great experience and expertise, she is our best ruler and iron teacher, no doubt; Shohei for his experience of sewing freelance and brilliantly succeeding and Dosho for his kindness and devotion to the process. Sorry if i have left somebody out...But basically, we all have to help each other.
    Let me know of your observations. Ask any question you would like.


    gassho


    Taigu

    Attached files
  • Hans
    Member
    • Mar 2007
    • 1853

    #2
    Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

    Wonderful News Taigu!

    Thank you for your commitment.

    Gassho,

    Hans

    Comment

    • Shohei
      Member
      • Oct 2007
      • 2854

      #3
      Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

      Hi
      Indeed wonderful news!
      I will gladly help in any way possible. I will be sewing along as well.
      A wonderful opportunity - Thank you Taigu, Jundo and everyone for it!

      Gassho, Shohei

      Comment

      • Eika
        Member
        • Sep 2007
        • 806

        #4
        Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

        Thanks, Taigu. Still grinding away at mine slowly (we were away on holiday for a bit).

        Looking forward to it,

        Gassho,
        Bill
        [size=150:m8cet5u6]??[/size:m8cet5u6] We are involved in a life that passes understanding and our highest business is our daily life---John Cage

        Comment

        • Dosho
          Member
          • Jun 2008
          • 5784

          #5
          Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

          Hi all,

          Wonderful news indeed, indeed! I will do whatever I can to help, even if it is providing an example of what not to do! At times I have felt stalled on my kesa, being about 6 months in and only having just short of 4 stripes sewn together. However, my wife says, "Not stalled...steady." You can see why I love her so.

          Things will get a bit tougher in the coming days with the baby coming (1 week from tomorrow if not sooner!), but as is often the case Shohei has blazed that trail already and done quite well. In any case I shall be sewing with all of you and I am looking very much forward to the discussion.

          Gassho,
          Dosho

          Comment

          • Jundo
            Treeleaf Founder and Priest
            • Apr 2006
            • 40133

            #6
            Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

            [quote="Dosho"]
            Things will get a bit tougher in the coming days with the baby coming (1 week from tomorrow if not sooner!), /quote]

            Keep us posted. We are all uncles and aunts.

            Gassho, Uncle Jundo
            ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

            Comment

            • tonyyeung
              Member
              • Jul 2009
              • 40

              #7
              Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

              hi

              do taigu sensei mention that the kesa or rakusu colour before?

              priest -> black
              teacher -> brown
              shagha lay -> blue

              also do we do the half kesa?
              ?????????)

              gassho, tony

              Comment

              • Shohei
                Member
                • Oct 2007
                • 2854

                #8
                Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

                Hi Tony
                Thank you for the meaning of the colours. Good to know especially if visiting zendo/temple in person and they follow that stucture.
                In the Rakusu sewing thread colours and such were discussed, if i remember correctly - which often i do not! . The colours, here at Treeleaf, I think were not emphasized to be As important to indicate rank or role, more, just stay with in the recommended muted darker colours(the one i sewed and recieved is still brown and blue patches - perhaps it should have been dyed prior to sewing ops: ).
                Those who took Jukai earlier on this year have sewn their rakusu and now can sew the Kesa. those who are taking part in the Jukai ceremony this year are to sew the Rakusu and not the Kesa.

                Gassho, Shohei

                Comment

                • miheco
                  Member
                  • Dec 2007
                  • 69

                  #9
                  Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

                  I've been waiting for this and checking the forum for the words Kesa OKESA, several times a week. Now I can prepare my sewing area, mind and spastic hand for this, can't wait to get started.

                  In reference to colors mentioned above I clipped this quote this from Taigu's Blog:

                  The kesa is the robe of sitting Zen. It is not only the robe of monks, nuns, priests, abbots and the likes. Everybody can wear a kesa. There is no requirement. In Dogen’s ligneage, one sits wrapped in the kesa, and that’s it.

                  You may find in various Sangha the belief that the true kesa of the monk is black, that brown or light-coloured kesa are for teachers and so forth… These rules do apply in the Soto sect. In the tradition of the Nyohoe kesa, these rules simply don’t apply.
                  Gassho,
                  Michael

                  Comment

                  • Taigu
                    Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Priest
                    • Aug 2008
                    • 2710

                    #10
                    Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

                    Hi all,

                    If you don't mind, a quick word about colours. As I said previously, pitch black is not an option, this is not accepted in the Nyoho-e tradition although you'll find it all over Japan for novice monks. The colours we accept are dark brown, dark blue, grey and that's it. You may also dye the material mixing shades.
                    I strongly recommand people to seek for Jinho'advice for anything to do with the needle. Jinho, are you around? Could you please remind us of your wonderful instructions as too how to dye fabric? And give everybody excellent guidelines?

                    Thank you all, Dosho and Shohei, welcome in the sewing sensei team.

                    gassho


                    Taigu

                    Comment

                    • Taigu
                      Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Priest
                      • Aug 2008
                      • 2710

                      #11
                      Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

                      Hi Tony,

                      We don't do this kind of kesa very much used for lay practice or ceremonies and visiting temples. It is not a nyoho-e type of kesa.

                      And the color system you mention seems to become the norm in the USA...Not here. In the nyoh0 e tradition, the rule is muted, dull, mixed, earthy,dirty color so black is excluded. As the lighter the shade, the higher rank the teacher is...forget about it too.

                      The greatest kesa is called funzo e and is made of scaps of disregarded fabric, old pans and kimonos, stuff you would pick up in the garbage. Here are two examples of it:



                      gassho

                      Taigu

                      Attached files

                      Comment

                      • tonyyeung
                        Member
                        • Jul 2009
                        • 40

                        #12
                        Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

                        hi taigu:

                        i heard that there are three kinds of kesa is the good one in china:

                        one from the emperior(in acient time in china or india) usually is purple colour
                        one from like what you say, the clothes collected from dirty or be used
                        one from your own roshi

                        is that true?

                        gassho, tony yeung

                        P.S. by the way can you wear that colourful kesa and walk around?

                        Comment

                        • Taigu
                          Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Priest
                          • Aug 2008
                          • 2710

                          #13
                          Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

                          Here is what the kesa will look like, front and back:



                          We will be making a seven stripes kesa.

                          gassho

                          Taigu

                          Attached files

                          Comment

                          • Taigu
                            Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Priest
                            • Aug 2008
                            • 2710

                            #14
                            Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

                            Hi Tony,

                            It is true that a purple ceremonial kesa was offered to Dogen and he always refused to wear it...
                            Walking with the kesa? Well. the kesa is the robe of sitting, the bones and marrow of Buddha. You may do takuhatsu (begging) wrapped in the seven or better, in a nine stripes kesa. But walking around in Toronto or any other city, I don't see why we should do it. For travelling or moving around, monks generally wear the small kesa, the rakusu.

                            gassho

                            Taigu

                            Comment

                            • tonyyeung
                              Member
                              • Jul 2009
                              • 40

                              #15
                              Re: Kesa OKESA, it is about time!

                              Dear taigu sensei:
                              thank you for your answer, now i really know what is it now. And i know you practice takuhatsu in japan, i hope one day i can do the same thing too.

                              gassho, tony yeung

                              Comment

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