Wearing of lay practictioner robe

[Ishin]

Thank you for this post, that kind of clears things up. For myself I think I find myself a bit in both camps. I definitely see how we must not get hung up on garb and be able to wear the heart of the matter regardless. I also can see how wearing some type of formal clothes during zazen can help give a sense of "special" to the time.

I am wondering regarding rakasu and kesa colors. I originally sewed my rakasu out of a dark blue material, but now I am kind of thinking I might like to sew one ,or both, out of a dark green color in order to symbolize pine. Or, is it inappropriate to think in "team colors" like this?

Gassho
Ishin
Sat today/ lah

[Jundo]

Also recall that there are some Sangha that do give special meanings to colors, although there doing so is completely their own "in house" invention. For example, if you are going to suddenly move to California and sit with some of the San Francisco Zen Center folks, my understanding is they say "brown/green is for teachers" or some such, but that is just something they decided for themselves.

Here, the only rule on color is as Shingen guides.

Gassho, J

ST+Lah

[Amelia]

...*now realizing that I wore a brown rakusu inside SFZC*... O_O

Gassho

Sat today, lah

[Meredith]

By the way, I guess we should wear CLOTHES, although even that is optional. I sometimes mention the time I was invited to teach at the nudist Zendo in Florida ...

Skyclad Zendo


Follow teachings of Toni Packer and Springwater Center. The Skyclad Zendo is a naturist Zen meditation group which follows a non-traditional approach of open inquiry through awareness, mindfulness and attention. We meet every Sunday morning for two hours of zazen au naturel, from 10 A.M. to noon in the yoga room at Paradise Lakes Resort, 2001 Brinson Rd., Lutz, FL 33558-8367. We also offer seven-day silent meditation retreats with various teachers.

No, I never actually got to go, as things just were left hanging. I woulda gone. They said to just bring my own towel!

I coulda worn my Rakusu with the --extra-- long straps.

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

Was not expecting this tangent! The things I learn in this comm.

Gassho,
Meredith
_/st\_

[Ishin]

As I now recall I guess that is why I had chosen Navy blue for my Rakasu in the first place.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Gassho
Ishin
Sat Today lah

[Shonin Risa Bear]

IMG_1042.jpg

I'm active with a brick and mortar sangha in the Shunryu Suzuki lineage, and our sewing teacher's teacher was at Berkeley Zen Center and hers was at SFZC. Here we have, foreground, a navy blue rakusu of dyed muslin; the blue basically means to us a layperson. It has temporary white patches over the joro; the patches are a nod to my roshi's time at a monastery where that is done to indicate one is a postulant to become a novice priest. It might be the only rakusu with those patches outside that lineage!

The rakusu under construction in the background is of the same bolt of muslin dyed black, and is for a novice priest (same person; everything changes). It's since completed and is awaiting shukke tokudo, along with the other stuff currently being sewn. Yes, Roshi wears a brown rakusu or robe; but if a layperson were to visit wearing the same color that should be just dandy.

I have seen one green rakusu with a ring on it, and did not quite hear all of what it was about, but gathered it had something to do with lay teaching and possibly also environmental activist stuff. I was envious of it and had to give myself a good preceptual talking to.

We had someone at zazenkai a few times who has a robe with about nine colors -- cloth donated by each of his friends and family -- Glassman lineage, I think -- and we all surrounded him and went "oooohhh" and "aaaahhh."

If someone shows up having forgotten their rakusu and wants one, we run get a spare -- any color -- and it's theirs for the day. Or they can do without, quite happily -- the robe chant is for every being, yes? _()_

gassho
doyu sattoday

[Onka]

Thank you Shingen, Ishin and Doyo

Gassho
Anna

Sat today

[Kevin M]

I’m really looking forward to sewing my Rakusu and seeing how it turns out. (Didn’t think I’d ever utter a sentence beginning with “I’m looking forward to sewing ...” lol)

I decided Dark Green just because I loved the eco and Treeleaf connotations and it’s a beautiful color and couldn’t see any definitive standard of meaning online. Plus, Shingen approved the fabric and thread colors privately.

Gassho
Kevin
#SAT




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jakuden]

...*now realizing that I wore a brown rakusu inside SFZC*... O_O

Gassho

Sat today, lah

Haha yes and I wore a green one! When we were outside taking our picture on the steps, I had my coat on I think, and one of them ran up to adjust my Rakusu to make sure it was over top. I figured that putting it underneath coat edges must be a Zen faux pas.

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

[Jundo]

Haha yes and I wore a green one! When we were outside taking our picture on the steps, I had my coat on I think, and one of them ran up to adjust my Rakusu to make sure it was over top. I figured that putting it underneath coat edges must be a Zen faux pas.

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

Oh, I am sure that nobody there cared for just a visit! However, if somebody was training or visiting there longer, well, when in Rome wear what the Romans wear (no green togas!)

In Europe, for Deshimaru Lineage folks, I heard that "only teachers have rings on their Rakusu."

NONE of this is the rule in Japan. Just stuff that people come up with.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Jundo]

I was given a Chinese style kesa many years ago, but I'm left-handed so it's a pain in the butt. In general, practice wear is whatever I have on at the time. Today, I recite the nembutsu in a Deadpool t-shirt.

ST
Rod

Rakusu would be very easy to put on with one hand.

Maezumi Roshi's brother (Junyu Kuroda Roshi) puts on his priest robes each day, eats Oryoki (I had the privilege once of sitting next to him at his temple, with Maezumi Roshi, for a meal), is a calligrapher, and he lost all his fingers on both hands in a fire many years ago. I am sure that he also asks for help when he needs. That's him below ...

I was severely burned twenty-six-or-seven years ago and lost all ten fingers. I have only the back of my right hand left. I cut lines in it to make it look like a hand. Half of my body suffered third degree burns. So it was a kind of miracle that I could survive. Yet I went to Mt. Godai in China with my both hands swathed in bandages. It is very inconvenient to live without ten fingers. It is particularly agonizing to be fed by someone at every meal. It is also agonizing to be attended to all my personal needs. ... Bodhidharma had several disciples. Eka was one of them. There is a famous story of him cutting off his arm at the elbow. On a snowy day, Eka cut off his arm and offered it to Bodhidharma, asking, "Please show me the truth. Please pacify my mind." Bodhidharma said, "If your mind is not at peace and ease, then bring that mind to me." Eka meditated deeply on these words and answered, "I can't find it." Bodhidharma said, "That's it! That is a peaceful mind."

And a Koan: What is the Kesa one puts on with no hands?

Gassho, J

STLah

delete hojo2.png

PS - Who gave you your Kesa? It should not just be worn.

[Emmet]

The Atlanta Shambala Center held a memorial service for my brother, and I attended in my full robes, the first time I've worn them in four years, since we moved away from our sangha. It felt very comforting to me, in an intimately familiar, right-brained, subconscious sort of way; as if the cloth had somehow retained a faint echo of my teacher and sangha's embrace. It imparted to me a measure of peace.
Wonderous is the robe of liberation,
A treasure beyond form and emptiness.
Wearing it I will unfold the Buddha's teachings,
For the benefit of all sentient beings.

Deep bows to all undertaking jukai in the coming season.

Sat today.

[Shonin Risa Bear]

Wonderful, as to the robe, Emmet; metta to you and may your brother's path shine a light on yours. _()_

gassho doyu sat and lah today

[Washin]

Thank you Emmet, and metta for all

Gassho
Washin
st/lah

[Meian]

Gassho2
Kim
St lh

Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk