With palms together,
Good Evening All,
Today I met with the priests that comprise most of the Board of Daibutsuji. We discussed many things, schedules, sangha needs, etc. But most importantly, we agreed to establish our own school of Zen Buddhism in America, severing our links to Sotoshu in Japan.
Our school will be called, "Clear Mind" and our focus will be on the development of Zen as an everyday practice. Our hope is to redefine religion from its western sense of worship of a diety to a sacralization of daily life.
We will practice from a Soto tradition, but not be limited to it.
Zen in America must become a uniquely American experience and practice. To do so means we must leave Japan to the Japanese and walk our own path.
I look forward to this experience and would appreciate your thoughts.
Be well,
May All Beings Be Free From Suffering
So Daiho-roshi
On the web at http://www.daihoji.org/ and http://daihoji.blogspot.com/
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4 comments:
Dear roshi, thank you for sharing your insights! I always appreciate the light!
Dear roshi, wherever the path takes us I'm sure we will gain from it. Wishing you speed and strength on your runs.
My runs are now curtailed due to a servere fall. Decided not to go to a doctor yet as each day my ankle is getting better. Can finally walk unassisted after 13 days.
When I feel like running I just slip on my "Team Zen" shirt and my spirits are lifted. Bye for now from chicagoland.
Bruce
*chuckle*......It seems every practice here is already uniquely American. I was not aware that your center was that tied to the Soto-shu. If whatever ties there were chafed, I am sure the elimination of them will be freeing.
I do not really see how a practice could be any more "every day" than the practice I witnessed in Japan, but I wish you luck and joy on your path.
Be Well,
Fudo
Japan is Japan, America is America.As much as Some Japanese want to be western, in Japan they are still Japanese. As much as many Americans want to be Japanese, they will never be.
Japanese Zen is for the Japanese mind, it is every day life. As my wife (who is Japanese) said Japanese zen is our culture, we do not have to go somewhere to see it, or be in it.
American mind is different as the Japanese Changed Ch'an to Zen for Japan, America must change Zen to American. American minds are not Japanese minds. But if they live by Zen, in Zen is it not already American Zen with out naming it so...
There is only one Zen, as there is only one Tao, There is only one God. All have many manifistations. There are different rivers, but it is still water.
To be true zen it should be alive where it is practiced. But does not the act of changing it, not make it 'true" zen. For it is no longer no-mind it is the mind of change...
It should evolve of it own without the confinds of a path.
The Tao that can be named, is not the true Tao.
Evolution should be of it's own...
Some may say that, the thought to change was the seed of evolution from the Tao, finding root in your heart.
The short of it...if your feel it is your path, then it is your path... the Tao will show the truth.
*deep bow*
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