Ehou ichinyo 衣法一如: Dharma and nyoho-e are one
In the "Dene" 伝衣 (Transmission of the Robe) and "Kesa kudoku" 装裳功徳 (Merit of the Robe) fascicles of the Shobogenzo 正法目艮藏 (Treasury of the True Dharma Eye), Dogen Zenji makes the point that the that Buddha's robe and Buddha's teaching are one and the same. Dharma leaders in the late Tokugawa (1603 – 1868) period understood that these teachings about the Buddha's robe were an essential element of the practice that Dogen had been transmitting, and they studied not only the Shobogenzo but also the Vinaya, or temple regulations. This set the stage for Sawaki Roshi's 20th century nyoho-e movement.
|
Here's Hoko's summary of the key points of Dogen's Kesa Kudoku fascicle.
|
Here's a summary of Soto School regulations about kesa from Antaiji, included in a broader article about the credentialing process for clergy.
Under construction, with more content coming related to Dogen and kesa, 衣法一如 ehou ichinyo (Dharma and robe are one), robes of the modern Soto school and more.