I certainly would be able to raise donations around here if I could threaten people with fire and brimstone, or offer rebirth in one of the god realms like in Buddhist days of old.
Alas, I cannot bring myself to do it! Soto-shu priests of the past used to offer to rescue women from what was known as the "Blood Pool Hell" based on their unclean nature. Of course, there was a small charge for services.
I should clarify, for folks not familiar with their Japanese Buddhist history, that for many centuries before and after Dogen and up to modern day, all Buddhism ... including the Zen schools ... at the local parish and popular level became primarily focused on such activities to appease the spirits and improve the fortunes of people. Neither local priests nor their parishioners were much concerned about Zazen or what Dogen had so say (in fact, Dogen and his writings were almost forgotten for several centuries until coming to enjoy a revival of interest since the 19th century). It is only in modern times, and especially with the coming of Zen and Buddhism to the West, that there has been a powerful revival of interest in the "higher" aspects of Buddhist philosophy and practice, Zazen for ordinary people and the like.
These days in Japan, it is still the case that most people only go to their local Buddhist temples ... including Zen temple ... for ceremonies related to the spirits of their deceased ancestors. Very few go to practice Zazen, and even only a minority of priests (in a survey a few years ago, I believe only about 20%) report that they sit Zazen. This is mostly do, I believe, to the fact that most Zen and other Buddhist Priests in Japan these days only became priests to inherit the family temple from their fathers and, once their training in the monastery was over, they left much of it behind. Further, not everyone now ... or in centuries past ... had the education or personal interest to delve into the "higher" practices and beliefs even of their own sect in which they were priests!
This is true, by the way, not only in Japan but almost any place in Asia, where "day to day" Buddhism was centered mostly on the concerns of ordinary folks in this world and any rebirth, and most priests and monks do not even known aspects of the teachings of their own sects that many westerners now know reading a copy of Tricycle! The aspects of Buddhism (the philosophy and practices) that most westerners are interested in are often unfamiliar even to ordinary priests in Asia from Thailand to Tibet! (A book on the subject):
Many Japanese, Chinese, Korean and other Buddhist temples still make a good portion of their "income" from ceremonies not unlike those in the past. One common now in Japan is the "Mizuko Kuyo", a series of ceremonies and other spiritual services to appease and help the spirits of deceased, stillborn or aborted children. Some temples, unfortunately, have been known to quite aggressively play upon the guilt of the parents. However, these ceremonies also have a very positive side for many participants, and many of the priests who lead the ceremonies are doing so for positive reasons too.
Many of the Japanese priests who brought "Zen to the West" like Shunryu Suzuki, Maezumi and our own Nishiijima, were rebelling from much of the above, and hoping to restore the focus of Zen Practice back upon Zazen. What we practice may be "Buddhist Modernism", but many of the reforms ... the equality of women, greater emphasis on lay practice, avoidance of some extremes of superstitious belief, for example ... are actually all positive changes in my book!
Anyway, I wandered off the topic.
Money. like a hammer, can be used for construction or destruction, to build or as a weapon. Money can be put to positive purposes (building something) or negative (as an object of attachment). I do not see anything wrong in clergy being paid a living wage for their activities, especially if married with family. However, there must also be checks and balances to make sure the funds are not misused or gathered for the wrong reasons.
Gassho, J
Alas, I cannot bring myself to do it! Soto-shu priests of the past used to offer to rescue women from what was known as the "Blood Pool Hell" based on their unclean nature. Of course, there was a small charge for services.
I should clarify, for folks not familiar with their Japanese Buddhist history, that for many centuries before and after Dogen and up to modern day, all Buddhism ... including the Zen schools ... at the local parish and popular level became primarily focused on such activities to appease the spirits and improve the fortunes of people. Neither local priests nor their parishioners were much concerned about Zazen or what Dogen had so say (in fact, Dogen and his writings were almost forgotten for several centuries until coming to enjoy a revival of interest since the 19th century). It is only in modern times, and especially with the coming of Zen and Buddhism to the West, that there has been a powerful revival of interest in the "higher" aspects of Buddhist philosophy and practice, Zazen for ordinary people and the like.
These days in Japan, it is still the case that most people only go to their local Buddhist temples ... including Zen temple ... for ceremonies related to the spirits of their deceased ancestors. Very few go to practice Zazen, and even only a minority of priests (in a survey a few years ago, I believe only about 20%) report that they sit Zazen. This is mostly do, I believe, to the fact that most Zen and other Buddhist Priests in Japan these days only became priests to inherit the family temple from their fathers and, once their training in the monastery was over, they left much of it behind. Further, not everyone now ... or in centuries past ... had the education or personal interest to delve into the "higher" practices and beliefs even of their own sect in which they were priests!
This is true, by the way, not only in Japan but almost any place in Asia, where "day to day" Buddhism was centered mostly on the concerns of ordinary folks in this world and any rebirth, and most priests and monks do not even known aspects of the teachings of their own sects that many westerners now know reading a copy of Tricycle! The aspects of Buddhism (the philosophy and practices) that most westerners are interested in are often unfamiliar even to ordinary priests in Asia from Thailand to Tibet! (A book on the subject):
Many Japanese, Chinese, Korean and other Buddhist temples still make a good portion of their "income" from ceremonies not unlike those in the past. One common now in Japan is the "Mizuko Kuyo", a series of ceremonies and other spiritual services to appease and help the spirits of deceased, stillborn or aborted children. Some temples, unfortunately, have been known to quite aggressively play upon the guilt of the parents. However, these ceremonies also have a very positive side for many participants, and many of the priests who lead the ceremonies are doing so for positive reasons too.
Many of the Japanese priests who brought "Zen to the West" like Shunryu Suzuki, Maezumi and our own Nishiijima, were rebelling from much of the above, and hoping to restore the focus of Zen Practice back upon Zazen. What we practice may be "Buddhist Modernism", but many of the reforms ... the equality of women, greater emphasis on lay practice, avoidance of some extremes of superstitious belief, for example ... are actually all positive changes in my book!
Anyway, I wandered off the topic.
Money. like a hammer, can be used for construction or destruction, to build or as a weapon. Money can be put to positive purposes (building something) or negative (as an object of attachment). I do not see anything wrong in clergy being paid a living wage for their activities, especially if married with family. However, there must also be checks and balances to make sure the funds are not misused or gathered for the wrong reasons.
Gassho, J
), among other things.
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