Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

[Shohei]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

Gassho

Shohei

[Shokai]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

Dear Taigu-oso;
Thank you Thank you Thank you, it warms the heart to see so many of our Sangha pleased to hear your words. Especially at a time of much discussion of popularization and abuses. And, as we turn our attention to rededicating our interests in the Bodhisattva Principles, may our thoughts and meditations contribute to the harmony of the universe. May all hearts and minds be opened to the present and may we bring peace to sentient beings everywhere so that we all see truth in the way of the kesa.

_/_

[Myozan Kodo]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

The line-up of the symposium looks more like a series of lectures from the various official Soto Zen Regional Officers, rather than a conversation with the wide Soto Zen Sangha around the world. The worldwide map of the Soto Zen Sangha also has a lot of gaps, as Shohei said, no Canada ... and no Ireland.

[Shokai]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

Where's Ireland?

[Dokan]

Re: Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

no Canada ...

Really this is all that needed be said... lost all faith and interest after that...

;-)

Gassho,

Shawn (a Canuck)

[Shokai]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

Actually, when one thinks about it; none of us come from anywhere!! :shock: :roll: :lol:

[Myozan Kodo]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

Speak for yourself. By the way, I found Canada on the map. It's a small Irish colony to the west of the Irish mainland

[Shokai]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

Oh, did you get that wrong? That's Newfoundland, 746 miles east of Marconi's Tower there's a small gem they call, oh dam, I forgot the name again. :lol:

[Jundo]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

I don't think Treeleaf should be prt of it and I really think they would not really appreciate it. The Sotoshu is a respectable church with a clear agenda. We have no link whatsoever with the Sotoshu. We sit and follow Dogen's teachings. But we do it independantly of any institution or organisation. We don't charge fees, perform complicated ceremonies and are not eager to promote a Japanese zen style. We just sit, wear the kesa and try to find the meaning of the Buddha-dharma in our daily lives. We are like distant relatives but don't share the same priorities. I am pretty sure Jundo would agree with this. Jundo, any thought?

gassho

Taigu

Hi All,

Good to be back in my own bed, after many days sleeping (and sitting) in a sometimes very leaky tent, or half-seasick on a bouncy ferryboat bunk.

I just saw this thread and, actually, I sent in a request for tickets awhile back to be a "friendly observer" at the event. I (like Taigu and others) am a sometime critic of Soto-shu as a church and large, often conservative and bureacratic institution. Some coming to Japan might be surprised to find that the Soto-shu, as a church, is not unlike the Catholic Church in many ways ... complete with a Vatican (actually two, Eiheiji and Sojiji), Bishops, Cardinals and even someone resembling a Pope sitting atop a vast body of doctrines, focus on arcane pomp and ceremony, authority and orthodoxy ... even inquisitions. I often write some things critical of some aspects of that (such as in this series of essays) ...

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=3927

However, it is a loving criticism, and I sincerely believe that they need critics like us (to give them a kick in the butt) as much as we need their conservative fuddy-duddy, dusty, ceremony and ritual-bound ways of practice. Although they are the giant elephant, and we are the tiny tiny mouse tickling its toes and barely noticed (sometimes trying not to get stepped on), we make each other stronger perhaps. In fact, my Dharma Grandfather (Nishijima's Teacher), Niwa Zenji, -was- the Pope of all Soto-shu.

http://www.treeleaf.org/niwa.html

One of the reasons he gave Dharma Transmission to Nishijima Roshi and a few others like him (Deshimaru Roshi was one) was because he felt that Soto-shu needed the critics and a "breath of fresh air".

We are "Soto" because we practice in the way of Buddha, Hui-neng, Dogen, Kodo Sawaki, Niwa, Nishijima and others who uphold that tradition. Some Soto Zen teachers in the west look to obtain some sanction and authority from the Japanese headquarters, most do not (it is up to the teacher and lineage). We do not. However, I consider that we are all on the same team, and I would like to attend in a friendly and "let's all support each other" way.

An interesting question is whether they will find room for me to have a chair in the audience, because some there are not so happy with my pesky and sometimes very strong criticisms, nor do they like our not looking to them and kissing their ring to do what we do, nor do they like my and Taigu being back in Japan without asking their permission to teach Zazen here (they are fine if the foreigners stay in foreign places, but not so happy with foreigners coming back to Japan without their express permission and submission to their authority). So, I will look forward to a positive response from them.

I second Taigu's lovely words: Who are we?

What do we do here? We offer the opportunity to many to practice and sit in this tradition that doen't belong to temples or institutions. ... My teacher is shikantaza, sewing the kesa, living, making mistakes...

Gassho, Jundo

[andyZ]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

Thank you Jundo, your response clarifies the subject at least for me.

[Shokai]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

Jundo-oso;

Thank you, I was pretty sure that's the way things were but, it's good to see the words again

[Hoyu]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

Jundo wrote:
I just saw this thread and, actually, I sent in a request for tickets awhile back to be a "friendly observer" at the event

Did they mail them to you yet?

Gassho,
John

[Jundo]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

An separate conference coming up in my old stomping group of Florida ... I wish I could attend this one too ...

[Myozan Kodo]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

Welcome back Jundo.
I'll be interested to hear how you get on.
Gassho
Soen

[Jundo]

Re: Soto Zen Buddhism Symposium October

An separate conference coming up in my old stomping group of Florida ... I wish I could attend this one too ...

I was just told that it (the Dogen conference, no word yet on the Soto-shu conference) will be all recorded and available on the web! What a wonderful age we live in!

Saves on jet fuel too.

Gassho, J