The gold plated Buddhist cell phone for monks

[Jun]

The "gold plated Buddhist cell phone for monks" - http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/gol ... nology.php

[Kelly M.]

But it goes with his robe!

:roll:

[Gregor]

Silly, makes me want to return my Zen membership card.

[Jundo]

Silly, makes me want to return my Zen membership card.

Well, we don't have membership cards.

But actually, colorful Kesa have been part of Buddhism in Japan since the very beginning. These folks are from the Kegon Sect, one of the earliest sects of Japanese Buddhism (centuries before Zen came to Japan). Here is a photo of some modern Kegon priests ...



If you read many of the early works of Japanese literature, such as Tale of Genji, you will see the importance placed on costume and elaborate ceremony.

The Zen Sects tend to be more reserved in the costumes( the fellow in the photo from the fashion show is not a Zen priest) but the higher monks (the equivalent of the Pope and Cardinals) can be a bit colorful (this fellow, Ohmichi Kosen Zenji, is the current head of Soto-shu) ...



The gold-dipped telephones are new though.

Gassho, Jundo

[Ankai]

Well, we don't have membership cards.

Nonsense! I have an official Zen membership card!
It's easy to get. Easier to make. go to Staples, get some blank white busness card stock that wll work with your printer at home.
Be sure you have plenty of ink. there's really nothing worse than being in the middle of a print job and running out of ink. Something always comes up missing.
Decide on a font to print with, and maybe on a piece of blank paper write out what you want... name, Dharma name, lineage, rank, maybe even a phone number and the name of your zen center.
Oick a good graphic... something eyecatching. A "Zen" kanji, an Enso, a picture of Boddhidharma, etc...
Now. Load the business card stock in the printer with the correct side up.
Delete your work... all of it... and stick a blank business card in your wallet. THAT is a really Zen membership card. AND, if you want to be REALLY zen, pass them out, telling people who ask that there's no info because you don't exist anyway.
Keep a blank card on you. As long as you and the card exist.
Or don't.

[Gregor]

I was referring to the phone, and other commercial uses of the word "Zen", I've got no problem with the colorful Kesas.

[Eika]

Somewhat off topic, but I didn't think it deserved a heading of its own, is this picture I found on The Onion:









Bill

[PapaDoc]

That is too funny. The Onion is generally good at satire. Thanks for putting this in this particular thread.