A Modest Call for A Reformation of Ordained Zen Leadership

[chicanobudista]

Monkey Mind Blog Post

Always with a thoughtful post by James Ford.

[Shugen]

Re: A Modest Call for A Reformation of Ordained Zen Leadership

Very interesting article.

Thank You,

Ron

[Tb]

Re: A Modest Call for A Reformation of Ordained Zen Leadership

Hi.

A very intesresting article and it shows that we live in interesting times.
One thing one might take out is this

Let our Zen clergy do some of the many things that might actually help as Zen takes root here in the West.

And out of all this let these priests go into the world establishing sitting groups while also working in the fields of need.

Could do a world of good.

But i would rephrase that to say all zen practitioners.
If we work as one, we are innumerable in the effort.
The longer post is here.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

[Hans]

Re: A Modest Call for A Reformation of Ordained Zen Leadership

Hello and thank you for pointing out this interesting article!

It might take me a while to thoroughly digest it though.

Gassho,

Hans

[Hans]

Re: A Modest Call for A Reformation of Ordained Zen Leadership

Hello again,

just a few thoughts regarding this article.

On the one hand, it is important to focus in on modern day Soto practice, which is our tradition...on the other hand, I can't help but think that the question is actually a bigger one involving Buddhism in the West in general.

My personal prediction is that in 50 years time, less than half a dozen buddhist organisations and/or slightly more clearly defined movements in the west will represent more than 80 percent of all practitioners (in the West). If you're not part of that half a dozen, one's views about how Buddhism should be practised/ what a monk/priest/minister is... will refer to only a handful of people anyhow. If you have no definition-power in terms of numbers of people somehow accepting/adhering to that definition, issues such as the nature of Zen priesthood are of little significance to the wider world IMHO.

Obviously this whole question opens up yet another can of worms, which is the question regarding the boundary between "spreading the dharma" and proselytizing.... and every shade of grey in between.

Gassho,

Hans