Question About Traditional Butsudan Arrangement

[Taiji]

In exploring what goes into an official Soto-shu butsudan setup on the Soto-shu website (see https://www.sotozen.com/eng/practice/service/butsudan/), I noted that to either side of Shakyamuni Buddha, we see the Two Founders, Dogen Zenji and Keizan Zenji. However, I have also seen some setups elsewhere that appear, at least to my untrained eyes, to depict Dogen Zenji and Bodhidharma instead. A video I saw on YouTube of Gudo Wafu Nishijima Roshi also seems (again, to my inexperienced eyes) to show this arrangement in the background (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsFlrdXVFgo).

Assuming I'm not mistaken about who is depicted, what is the significance of the inclusion of Bodhidharma instead of Keizan Zenji here? Is it a subdivision of Soto-shu, a preference in certain lineages, something else? And if one were to consider a traditional butsudan-style setup at some point, would one of these be more appropriate than the other?

Many thanks in advance, and apologies if the topic has been covered before and I missed it in searching for it.

Gassho,
Vic
Sat/LAH Today

[Jundo]

Okay, this is big subject.

Basically, Japanese Butsudan is for ancestor worship mainly. I usually write this.

Here are instructions direct from the Soto School "Head Office" in Japan

https://www.sotozen.com/eng/practice/service/butsudan/
.
However, those appear to have first been written directed at Japanese lay families, then translated directly into English. Please remember that, in Japan and China, Zen and all schools of Buddhism are largely encountered by lay people as a means to honor, remember (and appease the spirits of) their deceased ancestors. Thus, the Japanese home altar is meant primarily as a place of Confucian ancestor worship (and thus the emphasis on "memorial tablets of our ancestors" and such). The Soto-shu webpage is recognizing that fact, yet trying to say "Hey, that's not all it is."

Now, in my opinion, one may place within one's home altar whatever speaks to one. There is no reason to follow the Japanese pattern.

But as to your questions ...

Most Soto-shu altar arrangements show Dogen Zenji, at the right, and Keizan Zenji on the left.

image.png

They are considered in Soto-shu the two "Founders" of Soto-shu in Japan even though Dogen brought Soto Zen from China to Japan, but Keizan was three generations later (with two generations in between). Why? It is a bit political.

So, Dogen brought Soto Zen, and was very serious about Shikantaza and the Dharma, but was not a big "populatizer" and proselytizer for Soto Zen. In contract, Keizan was a real salesman , mixing in practices to appeal to the common people more, converting lots of temples to Soto temples. The result is that temples affiliated to Keizan are thousands more in Japan than temples linked to Dogen. The two groups competed for centuries about who should lead Soto-shu, with Dogen's group having a claim based on being linked to the actual founder, while Keizan's group had sheer numbers. Finally, about 150 years ago, they agreed to be joint leaders. Now, the "pope" of Soto-shu is chosen alternatively from the Dogen/Eiheiji faction and the Keizan/Sojiji faction.

My grandfather, Rempo Niwa Zenji, was "pope" for some years, and came from the Dogen/Eiheiji faction. Moreover, Nishijima Roshi thought Keizan kinda "watered down" Dogen's teachings in his popularizing, and was a purely "Dogen" fellow. Nishijima did not care for Keizan. That is why Nishijima refused to hang Keizan's picture next to Dogen, and put Bodhidharma instead.

I used to agree with Nishijima, and was a pure Dogen guy too. I still am mostly a Dogen fan. However, I have come to respect more and more Keizan in recent years for making these teachings available to many people.

Now, back to the topic of "orthodox" Butsudans ...

I advise folks to make their own spaces that speaks to them. Even an empty space is fine.

In fact, most foreigners cannot tell one Buddha from another (which is fine), so tend to have on their altars all kinds of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. For example, if you have a Buddha statue where the hand mudra is this ...

image.png

... it is Amida Buddha of the Pure Land folks. If the mudra is this ...

image.png

... like we sit Zazen, it tends to be (but is not always) Shakyamuni.

It is fine, a Buddha is a Buddha. I once wrote that even an old coke bottle or a rock or a rusty tin can is "Buddha" ...

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

[IanSmith]

Hi Vic
Steve Hagen Roshi at Dharma Fieid has a big rock as their centerpiece. But I don't think you will get that through the door.
Gassho
Ian
SatLah
2020-10-22.jpg

[Bion]

Hi Vic
Steve Hagen Roshi at Dharma Fieid has a big rock as their centerpiece. But I don't think you will get that through the door.
Gassho
Ian
SatLah
2020-10-22.jpg

Related to this, in early buddhist art, the Buddha was represented by symbols of his presence and key life events, rather than in human form, so we find an empty seat or foot prints..

Gassho
sat lah

[Jundo]

Oh, yes ...
.
adv1.jpg


Gassho, J
stlah

[Ryumon]

Hi Vic
Steve Hagen Roshi at Dharma Fieid has a big rock as their centerpiece. But I don't think you will get that through the door.
Gassho
Ian
SatLah
2020-10-22.jpg

I love that!

Gassho,

Ryūmon (Kirk)

Sat Lah

[Taiji]

Thank you, Jundo, for the clarification on things, and particularly on the use of images of Bodhidharma vs. Keizan Zenji! I will bear all of this in mind as my altar space slowly evolves.

Also many thanks to Ian and Bion for the rockin' extra info! The depiction of Shakyamuni Buddha through symbols of his presence and life rather than an actual image of him intriguing.

Gassho,
Vic
Sat/LAH Today

[LieLo25]

Sometimes I feel we are all walking altars on display, some decorated better than others, but is it the decorations that really matter? ????????

[Hoshuku]

Hi Vic
Steve Hagen Roshi at Dharma Fieid has a big rock as their centerpiece. But I don't think you will get that through the door.
Gassho
Ian
SatLah
2020-10-22.jpg

That feels so right.

Gassho
SatLah