ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

[Risho]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

Congrats to you all!

Gassho,

Risho

[Eika]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

Awesome!!!

Congratulations!

Gassho,
Eika

[Dokan]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving" ORDINATIONS

Thank you all for your commitment to our practice.

Deep bows,

Shawn

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[Hans]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

Hello,

my heartfelt congratulations to all of you. Like watching the acorns of a a real oak tree, it is wonderful to see how something so new like this online based Sangha of ours can lead to the successful ripening of so much dedication.
Thank you so much for your commitment to the dharma.

Deep bows and gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Hogo]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

Congrats, and thank you to all for your dedication, excellent news.
Gassho ~ D.

[Dokan]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving" ORDINATIONS

Just finished reading Kaz's translation of Shobogenzo in relation to "Leaving the Household" and was truly amazed to read the following sections on home leaving:

"Clearly know that the attainment of the way by all Buddhas and ancestors is only accomplished by leaving the household and receiving the precects. ... None of those who have not left the household are Buddha ancestors."

Also:

"...unsurpassable enlightenment is fulfilled at the moment you leave the household and receive the precepts. It is not fulfilled other than on this day"

And Buddha stated in The Treatise on Realization of Great Wisdom:

"Breaking the precepts as a home leaver is better than keeping them as a layperson. You cannot experience emancipation by keeping the precepts as a layperon."

So this is a very big deal...Much moreso than I preciously realized. I in many ways had assumed it was a formality of the religious aspects of the school. Almost like a certification or degree. Not realizing it's foundation had such weight and surprising ramifications.

Beyond the gratitude for what the unsui mean to our little corner of the world...I would also feel congratulations are in order for taking such a large step in your practice. May many follow.

Gassho

S

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[Jundo]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving

Just finished reading Kaz's translation of Shobogenzo in relation to "Leaving the Household" and was truly amazed to read the following sections on home leaving:

"Clearly know that the attainment of the way by all Buddhas and ancestors is only accomplished by leaving the household and receiving the precects. ... None of those who have not left the household are Buddha ancestors."

Also:

"...unsurpassable enlightenment is fulfilled at the moment you leave the household and receive the precepts. It is not fulfilled other than on this day"

And Buddha stated in The Treatise on Realization of Great Wisdom:

"Breaking the precepts as a home leaver is better than keeping them as a layperson. You cannot experience emancipation by keeping the precepts as a layperon."

So this is a very big deal...Much moreso than I preciously realized. I in many ways had assumed it was a formality of the religious aspects of the school. Almost like a certification or degree. Not realizing it's foundation had such weight and surprising ramifications.

Hi Shawn,

Dogen also wrote (in Bendowa, I believe): "[Enlightenment] depends solely upon whether you have a sincere desire to seek it, not upon whether you live in a monastery or the secular world."

It may be more a matter of the time and circumstances in which Dogen wrote each of these passages, and the audience he was speaking to.

The one above from Bendowa was written early in Dogen's career, when he came back from China all eager to spread the Dharma to the whole world, ordained and lay alike. He was very much more open to sincere Zen practice any where, any time, by anyone. The passage was likely written to a lay follower, and was thus very positive on lay practice.

The second was written a bit later, when Dogen had been kicked out of town with his small band of monks, his dreams a bit tarnished, all to have to take retreat in the lonely cold and snow of remote Echizen Province. Dogen was likely speaking these words to his monks. He turned into the "football coach" or army general, trying to keep the sometimes flagging morale up among his "men" who were probably sometimes wondering why they had left the comforts of home life and "civilization" to live and sit in the freezing cold. It was a "pep talk" to monks about the specialness of monk-iness. Dogen's life was now a monastery morning to night, and it is not surprising that he changed his tune a bit.

Dogen often spoke out of both sides of his no sided mouth, depending on the setting and his mood. Frankly, Dogen was a man of many moods and visions, and even he is not the "final word" on what Soto Zen is or is not, and who can practice and who cannot, on what "home leaving" is or is not.

Gassho, Jundo

[Dokan]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

Ah context... Admittedly I suffer from probably a common western biblical mentality of what is written is authoritative and does not have any variance nor discrepancies. I need to keep in mind the humanity of the authorship and the audience for which it was initially written. Thank you.

G,

s

[Heisoku]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

Deep bows to all those undertaking this step...you are an inspiration.
Many heartfelt congratulations.

_/_ _/_ _/_ _/_

[Shujin]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

Congratulations are in order! Well done, y'all.

gassho,
Shujin

[Undo]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

deep bows indeed.
Thanks for deciding to follow this path. I'm sure you all will be an asset to treeleaf and the Dharma.

Gassho

undo

[BrianW]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

Hello all,

I've been meaning to post, but it's that time in the semester and it just slips my mind. How incredibly exciting! When I first started "stalking" around on Treeleaf it was the year for our very first Jukai. It was too late in the year for me to be a part, but I was able to do so the next year. I was quite amazed with last year's Home-Leaving and so glad the tradition is continuing! Congratulations to Dosho, Soen, Shinkai and Heitetsu! I think of all the lives you will touch with your commitment! Deepest gratitude and respect!

Gassho,
Jisen/BrianW

[Govert]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

'Chapeau' for all those with this strong commitment,

Let us hope the dharma is spread by this way around the globe, for many others to benefit from

Gassho

Ensho

[Seishin the Elder]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

My prayers and best wishes are with all the prospective ordinands. The Sangha only gets stronger!

Gassho,

Seishin Kyrill

[ghop]

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our 2012 TREELEAF “Home-Leaving ORDINATIONS

It's wonderful and exciting to see Treeleaf sprouting new branches :wink:

Congratulations to all of you for your courage and dedication.

You continue to inspire.

gassho
Greg