Eiheiji

[Hoshuku]

Eiheiji - my first time to visit it in a few weeks. Any recommendations / suggestions? (I won’t be staying in the temple accommodation as I’m traveling with my husband and he has only so much tolerance.) I’ve read Jundo’s interesting post on the ghost of Lord Hatano’s concubine, so I’ll look for the pond.

Bows
Hoshuku
Satlah

[Jundo]

They have (or used to have) a quick morning Zazen, a single period, for visitors followed by the HUGE morning "Choka" ceremony. I would catch both if at all possible. I do not know how to arrange that when staying outside the temple, as I stayed inside at the time in the visitor's dormitory.

If you would like to know the content of the Choka, here is the version at Sojiji which I believe to be substantially the same at Eiheiji (which I was honored to participate in as a visiting priest that morning) ...
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The details ...

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Let me list what is being seen in the long video from Sojiji ... This is the morning service　(朝課 Choka) at Sojiji

It starts (from 4:25) with 荒神諷経（こうじんふぎん）Kojin Fugin, Sutra Chanting for the Protective Guardian of the Three Treasures (Sambo Kyojin) ... D.T. Suzuki explains ...

Of the many protecting gods of Buddhism the following may be
counted as belonging more or less exclusively to Zen, and they have
each his or her own special quarter where they perform their several
official duties for Buddhism. ...

Sambo Kojin seems to be a Japanese mountain god in the form of
an Indian god. He is found outside the temple buildings. As the
monasteries are generally located in the mountains this god who is
supposed to preside over such districts, is invited to have his
residence in the grounds so that he would be a good protector of the
Brotherhood against the inimical influence of evil spirits.

... which immediately moves to the Heart Sutra (Hannya Shingo) and Dedication (Eko), then (from 9:10) the "tendoku" ritual reading of the 600-fascicle Large Prajña Paramita Sutra (Dai Hannya Kyo), (from 11:00) the Protective Deity Dharani (Kojin Shingon ... Onken Baya Ken Baya Un Batta So Wa Ka ... don't ask what it means, and it derives from esoteric Buddhism ... ) followed by Eko ...

Sanbokojin was considered to be the same as Kenbaya, which was a deity of earthquakes ... The etymology of Kenbaya was "Kampa" (seismic wave) in Sanskrit.


Next portion (from 16:45) is 伝灯諷経 (Dento Fugin ... Sutra Chanting for the Transmission of the Lamp) for all the ancestors from India, China etc. That consists of the Sandokai (Relative & Absolute) and Eko then (from 20:20) the Names of the Ancestors & Eko then (from 24:35) at a very slow rhythm picking up toward the end, the Daihishin Dharani (Great Compassionate Heart Dharani ) ...

http://sarasotazen.org/daihi-shin-dharani/

... and (from 34:30) Eko with Prostrations to Founders Ancestors of Sojiji (御両尊諷経・五院尊諷経)...

http://www.stanford.edu/group/scbs/sztp3/translations/gongyo_seiten/translations/part_2/morning_service/kaisan_rekiju_fugin.html

You can see the Master visit the mortuary tablets for the dead at 37:45. Then Eko.

Then (from 40:00) Mortuary Hall Sutra Chanting (Shido Fugin 祠堂諷経) for deceased monks with chanting of Verse of the Life Span of the Tathâgata Chapter of the Lotus Sutra (Juryôbon ge) ...

http://www.stanford.edu/group/scbs/sztp3/translations/gongyo_seiten/translations/part_2/morning_service/shido_fugin.html

http://www.stanford.edu/group/scbs/sztp3/translations/gongyo_seiten/translations/part_1/juryobonge.html

http://www.eugenezendo.org/romajiuploads/Myo%20Ho%20Rengekyo%20nyorai%20juryohon.pdf

finishing at 45:45 with a nice 3 Bows (Sanpai). All retire.

It is said the ceremony has been performed without missing a morning for the 700 years of Sojiji. Certainly longer at Eiheiji.

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