Shohaku Okumura

Virtual genzo-e on Shobogenzo Bussho (Buddha Nature), Part 3 (May 3 - 8):  Okumura Roshi taught about the first and second parts of this text in the May and November 2022 Genzo-e.  However, no prior knowledge of the text is required, so if you missed the previous genzo-e you will have no problem following along. This retreat is Okumura Roshi's final offering of genzo-e before he steps back from day to day leadership at Sanshin.  All zazen periods and lectures will be shared on Zoom, and we encourage participants to participate in the full schedule if possible.  Visit the virtual genzo-e page to learn more and to register. 

​June sesshin (May 30 - June 4): Sesshin at Sanshin is an opportunity to practice without distraction.  We set aside the usual activities -- or entertainments -- of temple life, like work periods, meetings with teachers and dharma talks, and focus completely on zazen.  We practice in complete silence following a 4 am to 9 pm daily schedule that consists simply of fourteen 50-minute periods of zazen with one-hour periods for meals and a bit of personal time.  This sesshin-without-toys style of practice was created by our founder's teacher, Kosho Uchiyama Roshi, and practiced at Antaiji in Kyoto, Japan.  We carry on and offer this tradition of   our lineage here at Sanshin. Learn more here. 
​

Virtual visit to Grove City Zen:  Hoko gave a virtual talk for Grove City (OH) Zen's February practice day, held in partnership with the Central Ohio Center for Pragmatic Buddhism.  The theme of the day was taking practice off the cushion, and she talked about practicing peace.

Upcoming events in Minnesota:  Shodo notes that Mountains and Waters Zen Community has one event and two residential practice opportunities coming up:
April 14-16 is a land care retreat in our traditional style, about half meditation, half work, plus open time for exploring the land or for visiting. Registration is required, and there is a fee.  The first residential practice opportunity is to join us for weeks or months beginning any time, on a work exchange basis.  We have a resident who is a permaculturist and will be actively working with the land, and your work would be mostly with him.  Zen practice includes morning zazen, weekly online class, occasional discussion groups,and Antaiji-style retreats at least quarterly.  The second residential practice opportunity would be longer-term residence. Unfortunately, we're not able to offer work exchange, but can help you find leads for part-time jobs.  By fall there will be two spaces open with private rooms.  Email Shodo for more information or check the website.

Work days: The sangha held two work days over the last month, mainly devoted to painting in the stairwell and continued finishing work in the zendo as well as general groundskeeping.  There's a lot to do to get ready for the ango and for the anniversary and leadership transition activities happening this spring and summer.  Everyone is welcome at work days, which generally happen on the second Sunday of the month.  

Five-day sesshin in honor of Uchiyama Roshi (March 7 - 12):  Sesshin will be held as usual but will end with a memorial service for Uchiyama Roshi, who died on March 13, 1998.  Uchiyama Roshi is one of the most important influences on Sanshin's practice today.  For links to works by and about him, go to this page. ​

Ango (April 3 - July 9): Ango, or practice period, is an opportunity to focus a bit more intensively on our practice and perhaps to make a commitment to ourselves to stretch a little -- to sit a little more, attend a little more frequently, learn something new or take on a particular activity.  We invite you to consider how you might deepen your practice during this time.

Ango at Sanshin is designed to include the three activities of our practice: zazen, work and study.  This three-month period includes sesshin, genzo-e, the precepts retreat and several work days in addition to our regular daily and weekly practice.

During ango we have the additional leadership of a shuso, or head novice, who takes on various responsibilities in the sangha as an opportunity to develop clergy skills.  Our shuso for this ango is Shinko Hagn from Vienna, who was ordained by Hoko in 2019.  His theme for the ango is Four Embracing Actions.  He will be supporting our practice and we will be supporting his growth as a leader.  Shinko will be giving a series of nine Sunday talks, serving as doshi for monthly World Peace ceremonies, serving as ino for monthly ryaku fusatsu ceremonies, assisting with sesshin and retreats, and working with the sangha in myriad other ways while he's in residence here.  In June, we will recognize the coming completion of his term as shuso with two ceremonies in which he will demonstrate his dharma mastery to the sangha and his readiness to teach and serve independently.

Lay precepts:  Three places remain in the runup to this year's jukai-e activities with Hoko, set for July 9.  If you're considering sewing a rakusu and taking lay precepts at Sanshin this year, it's time to finish your discernment and make a decision about whether or not to go forward.  If the answer is yes, go to this page to learn more about the process, the required retreats and other information, and to submit your request to participate.   

Colombia's first official Soto Zen temple:  Okumura Roshi and Shoryu Bradley were on hand at Comunidad Soto Zen de Colombia in Bogota for Densho Quintero's shinsanshiki, or mountain seat ceremony.  A shinsanshiki marks the official installation of the abbot of a temple, and these events were part of the official establishment and recognition of the temple within Sotoshu.  The community includes ten novices ordained by Densho and also has practice centers in Medellín, Armenia and Salento, and in Caracas, Venezuela.  See more photos and a press release on the sangha's Facebook page.

Zuise around the network:  Onryu Kennedy, who received dharma transmission from Eido Reinhart in Minnesota in 2021, has completed zuise ceremonies at Sotoshu's two head temples, Eiheiji and Sojiji, in Japan.  The ceremonies are required for official recognition and authorization by the denomination as a dharma teacher.  Kyoku Lutz (Germany), who received transmission from Hoko in 2020, and Mokusho Depreay (Belgium), who received transmission from Okumura Roshi in 2022, are making plans to complete their zuise ceremonies within the next few months.  There has been a tremendous waiting list for zuise for some time due to the pandemic, and now that travel to Japan is possible once again our network members can carry out their training and credentialing.

Hoko in Europe:  Hoko spent a week each in Vienna and Hannover visiting and working with the leaders and sanghas of Daijihi and Fruhligsmond Zendo.  In addition to regular daily practice, several rounds of sightseeing and fellowship activities, she participated in a special ceremony in each place.  In Vienna, joined by Doryu and Gyoetsu from Anshin Centro Anshin in Italy, sangha leaders held a little purification and blessing ceremony on the land which will shortly become the site of a campus containing a new temple as well as housing for people making the transition from incarceration or homelessness.  In Hannover, joined by Shoju and Shogen from Zendo L'eau Vive in France, sangha members held a brief ceremony at Aegidienkirche, which was bombed during WWII, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.  Daijihi is led by Shinko Hagn, who was ordained as a novice by Hoko in 2019.  Fruligsmond Zendo is led by Kyoku Lutz, who received dharma transmission from Hoko in 2020.

Just a few hours before sesshin was to begin, a water leak from the zendo ceiling inundated floorboards, under-floor heating, tatami and cushions.  Mops, buckets and fans were the order of the day as the great drying-out began.  Clearly practice in the zendo would not be possible for awhile.  

Hoko hastily constructed a makeshift zendo in the common room which just fit the size of the group and practice was held there for the first day and a half.  Kinhin was held outside, and practitioners had the opportunity to practice with the distraction of the bright moon, singing birds, winter breezes and uneven paving stones.

With the zendo and its contents relatively dry, the group moved back but soon discovered that one of the two toilets near the zendo was leaking, rendering it off limits for the duration.  It meant a quick dash next door to the residential facility during kinhin for some when the sole remaining restroom was in use.

Nonetheless, the sesshin wrapped up successfully with the usual Sunday practice with the rest of the sangha and a talk by Okumura Roshi.  ​

February abbreviated schedule:  As usual in February, Sanshin will lighten its practice schedule for the month.  There will be no chanting services or Zuimonki reading following weekday morning zazen, and no weekday evening zazen.  The Wednesday evening discussion group has chosen to continue to meet during this time.  See the complete schedule here.

Shohaku Okumura

Members of the Sanshin community filled key roles in this national and international anniversary celebration and jukai-e in November in Los Angeles.  Okumura Roshi served as a sekkaishi, or teacher of the precepts; Hoko, Shoryu and Hosshin made up the ino ryo, responsible for leading chanting and shomyo; Eido Reinhart was a member of the ryoban ryo, the group of clergy on the platform during ceremonies; board member Zuiko Redding served as a gosendoshi (main officiant's escort) and Mark Fraley, Gene Elias and Mark Ahlstrom were kaitei, or precepts recipients.  The week-long event was in preparation for several years and became a valuable opportunity for continued transmission of the dharma to the West.  Additional images are available on our Facebook page.

Three novices take vows:  Immediately following the close of the Rohatsu sesshin on December 8, Misaki Kido from California and Sanshin residential practitioner Kikuko Morimoto completed shukke tokudo ceremonies, taking their vows with Okumura Roshi and becoming novices.  Each received the traditional robes, bowls, lineage paper and dharma name, as well as the precepts.  Misaki is now known as Jikei and Kiku is now Esho.  

Two days later, Stefanie Wachowitz from Germany completed the same ceremony with Hoko and is now known as Jinryu.  She practices with Kyoku Lutz at Fruhlingsmond Zendo in Hannover but will be returning to Sanshin in April for a term of residential practice.  The addition of these three new members of the Sanshin Network brings the family to nearly three dozen ordained sangha worldwide. 

Board President Mark Fraley says:  As our sangha looks to welcome a new head dharma teacher in June of 2023, Sanshin’s board of directors is preparing to ensure our community’s continued capacity to cultivate Zen practice in the Midwest.   We are currently in the process of revising the mission statement, preparing for 20th anniversary events, and nurturing an inclusive and ecologically sustainable sangha.  We are also planning to raise funds so that we can renovate our facilities, expand programming, support the Dogen Institute, and ensure the Okumura family has a safe and stable living environment.   If you have an interest in supporting our sangha to meet these goals, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. 

Podia site offers genzo-e content and e-books:  Dōgen Institute has launched a subscription site for access to audio and video content related to our mission.  With a monthly subscription, you will receive access to a collection of Okumura Roshi’s genzo-e lectures. We are offering a variety of audio and video recordings of various genzo-e given over the years. These genzo-e focus on the study of Dōgen Zenji’s Shobogenzo. Each genzo-e generally consists of 9 or more individual lectures. When available, a printed translation of the text being studied is also provided.  The subscription is $10 per month, or $100 for a full year, and you will receive a free, 5-day trial with your subscription.  For more information, please see this page.

Two e-books are also available on the Podia site.  One is Okumura Roshi's e-book, The Structure of the Self in Mahayana Buddhism.  Okumura Roshi writes: “In my original dharma talks on Opening the Hand of Thought, I mentioned no-self, but the relation among these three perspectives of the self (conditioned self, no-self and universal self) was not clearly explained. That relation, within the context of Mahāyāna Buddhism, became the focus of this article.”  Also available for download is Hoko's Understanding Sanshin Style.

Virtual genzo-e:  Okumura Roshi's penultimate genzo-e at Sanshin covered part two of Dogen's Bussho fascicle.  Eighty practitioners attended the five days of lectures, with most listening remotely and a small group of residents and workers took part in person.  The final genzo-e at Sanshin will take place in May.

Sesshin and Genzō-e: Continuities and Communities
Sawyer Jisho Hitchcock
 
A few days into the recent November genzō-e on Shōbōgenzō Busshō, Okumura Rōshi introduced the story of Nagarjuna’s “manifesting the form of the round moon,” sitting zazen before an assembly of eager seekers. Nagarjuna’s first quoted words to his soon-to-be fellow practitioners are, simply:
 
 “If you want to see buddha-nature, you should first eliminate self-clinging.”
 
As Okumura Rōshi went on to say, in his humble and amused way, many of us Buddhists tend to view this “elimination of self-clinging” as, in a sense, a kind of endpoint of Buddhist practice – so that to call this our first task towards “seeing buddha-nature” seems like a bit much to ask!  Nevertheless, in Dōgen’s slightly altered retelling of this story for his fascicle Busshō, it appears
that all those assembled are soon sitting perfect shikantaza together with Nagarjuna. Dōgen has the assembly intone in unison:
 
“At this moment, we are not seeing anything with our eyes; we are not hearing anything with our ears; we are not discerning anything with our minds; we are not experiencing anything with our bodies.”
 
In other words, the community has dropped off body and mind, so that separation between “sense-organs” and their “objects” – and between individual practitioners clinging to their own selves – in some sense falls away.
 
In a related story, during the informal teatime following September sesshin, Dōju asked Owen and me that mischievously innocent question, “How was your sesshin?” I gave him a kind of sour look and shook my head to convey a tired (and achey...) body and mind, and then something like the following exchange ensued:
                       
Dōju (still grinning mischievously): Do you feel your ‘beginner’s mind’ refreshed?  Okumura Roshi always used to say there’s nothing like sesshin to remind us we’re all still beginners...
 
Me: It’s kinda funny... just before this sesshin I was thinking, ‘Ah, I think I’m starting to understand sesshin...’
 
Dōju (smiling still): Sesshin can never be the object of our understanding.
 
Right away, I felt a kind of raw disappointment in the plain, quick truth of what Dōju said. Now, connecting this small post-sesshin exchange to Dōgen’s take on Nagarjuna’s sitting assembly reminds me of the liberating aspect of that truth. For the duration of our temporary assembly as a ‘loose-knit’ yet intimate sesshin community, our shared activity is not something to be put to later use, in some way we can definitely “understand.” Though reflection on what transpires can be helpful, Hōkō reminded us at our breakfast gathering following this past Rohatsu sesshin that “Doing sesshin is studying sesshin.” After just a few days, this particular
practice structure dissolves, and each of us continues along some trajectory, having, very simply, lived together – each of us having fully occupied a space.
 
On many occasions over the past eight months living and practicing in residence here at Sanshin, I’ve been reminded of my own beginner’s mind in this world of practice, inclusive of life in general. Being closely involved in the uncertain work of co-creating a new and unique residential practice structure here, I’ve had the feeling of being in over my head more than once.
 
There has also been a durable awareness throughout of the good fortune to be continuously present here during this time. When awake, I feel I’ve been able to draw certain lines of continuity, through my own body and mind, somewhat unique to a life of practice here – like those between sesshin-without-toys and genzō-e; evening zazen, sleep, and morning zazen and service; the bamboo thicket, the wildflower meadow, the paw paw patch; vegetables grown very near or very far away; solitary Eihei Shingi study and Friday sangha breakfast with oryoki; Kiku (now Eshō) and me, and the rotating array of sincere practitioners and teachers here in the dorm and the broader sangha.
 
And there has been something profoundly compelling, here at Sanshinji so near to Okumura Rōshi’s retirement and Hōkō’s stepping up, in setting some groundwork for others to take a turn at refining this life – and carrying it onward and outward beyond their own
understanding.
 
I find one more contemporary reflection of Nagarjuna’s matter-of-fact advice to his assembly, in Hōkō’s recent e-book Understanding Sanshin Style, “Figuring out what community really is means studying what selflessness really is.”
 
Looking towards the end of my own time in the temporary assembly living and practicing here twenty-four hours a day, knowing that my relation to this and other communities will shift in some fundamental ways, I can only say that, of course, I haven’t figured it out. May present and future Sanshinji residents, practitioners, and widening circles of assemblies of beings continue to work together to deepen and clarify this study endlessly.

Please note holiday closures: Sanshin will be closed for the holidays on the following days;
​regular practice will not be held and administrative work will be paused.

December 24 - 26 (Saturday- Monday)
December 31 - January 2 (Saturday - Monday)

​Sesshin begins on January 3; regular activities will resume with Sunday morning practice on the 8th.

Shodo Spring of Mountains and Waters Alliance in Minnesota is offering an online class studying Uji through Dainin Katagiri's book Each Moment is the Universe. The class begins January 4, 6:30-8 pm Central Time, with optional zazen at 6 pm, and runs through March 15 on the first three Wednesdays of each month. Donations are requested but not required; registration is required. On December 15 registration will be opened to the public through Facebook and other publicity methods.  More information and registration is available here,

Gyotesu Epifania of Centro Zen Anshin in Rome was interviewed by Radio One.   Listen here; the interview begins at 4:30.  She and Doryu Cappelli have been busy working with various faith and educational groups, making presentations and performing chants and music in the community.

Org development skills sought
​Board president Mark Fraley comments: The Sanshin Zen Community Board of Directors is collaborating with friends and sangha members to support our dharma community well into the future.   This includes plans to renovate our Bloomington campus to meet the needs of our local community; enhance the capacity of the Dogen Institute to create and disseminate new content worldwide, and to expand our residential program to accommodate more sincere practitioners.  We are doing this work while planning for a leadership transition as Okumura Roshi moves to the role of founding teacher.  We know we need to continue to cultivate strong leadership to meet the aspirations of our community.   Please reach out to me if you have skills and interests in organizational development or leadership.  We are deeply grateful to those who volunteer their time to help care for the future of our sangha.   ​

Help Sanshin receive round-up funds
Doju suggests:  Practitioners who live in Bloomington may be familiar with our local grocery co-op, Bloomingfoods. Each month, Bloomingfoods asks customers to round up their bill for the benefit of local nonprofits as part of their “Positive Change” program. This year, Sanshin Zen Community is on the ballot to receive these round-up donations. Each month this could be a substantial amount that has the potential to greatly benefit Sanshin. If you have a Bloomingfoods membership, you can vote for us here.  The deadline to vote is just a few days a way on October 20th, so act soon!  If you don’t have a membership and you are interested in having one, you can investigate here.

Talks for Great Tree Zen Women's Temple:  Doju, Issan and Shoryu will all be giving virtual talks on a variety of topics for Great Tree in Asheville, NC over the next few months.  Talks are open to the public and information about all of them is on this page.​

Virtual Genzo-e: Bussho II (November 3 - 7):  Okumura Roshi will continue his virtual lectures on the Bussho fascicle of the Shobogenzo, begun with the May 2022 genzo-e and concluding with the May 2023 genzo-e.  These will be Okumura Roshi's final genzo-e offered in this form.  LEARN MORE

Soto Zen North America 100th Anniversary Online 5-day Precepts Retreat (November 16 - 20):  Okumura Roshi will be among the sekkaishi (precepts explaining teachers) giving lectures at this retreat, held at Zenshuji in Los Angeles.  The week also includes dharma talks, zazen and ceremonies.  LEARN MORE     REGISTER (do not use the form on the information page)

Rohatsu sesshin (November 30 - December 8): Rohatsu sesshin marks Shakyamuni's awakening under the bodhi tree.  On the final evening we sit until midnight and hold a brief chanting service.  This is our longest and most intensive sesshin of the year.  Registration has not yet opened, but mark your calendar and watch for updates.  LEARN MORE

Densho Quintero from Soto Zen Colombia reports: I am happy to share with you the news that the Spanish translation of Living by Vow has been finally published in Spain. The name of the book is Vivir guiados por el Voto and the publisher is Editorial Nous.  It's available through the publisher's website.
​

Please note:  If you attended the recent genzo-e by Okumura Roshi on Kenbutsu and would like to send dana to him, you may do so on this page.  (General donations are welcome via this page as well.)

Sesshin (September 29 - October 2 ):  Sesshin at Sanshin is an opportunity to practice without distraction.  We practice in complete silence following a 4 am to 9 pm daily schedule that consists simply of fourteen 50-minute periods of zazen with one-hour periods for meals and a bit of personal time.  This sesshin-without-toys style of practice was created by our founder's teacher, Kosho Uchiyama Roshi, and practiced at Antaji in Kyoto, Japan.  LEARN MORE

Gardens for Peace (October 7, 2- 4:30 pm): Hoko will speak briefly, lead a short zazen period and conduct a World Peace ceremony at this event, held in the Japanese garden at Marian University.  Activities will also include folding cranes, calligraphy and a presentation about the cultural place and symbolism of the Japanese tea house.

Virtual Genzo-e: Bussho II (November 3 - 7):  Okumura Roshi will continue his virtual lectures on the Bussho fascicle of the Shobogenzo, begun with the May 2022 genzo-e and concluding with the May 2023 genzo-e.  These will be Okumura Roshi's final genzo-e offered in this form.  LEARN MORE

Soto Zen North America 100th Anniversary Online 5-day Precepts Retreat (November 16 - 20):  Okumura Roshi will be among the sekkaishi (precepts explaining teachers) giving lectures at this retreat, held at Zenshuji in Los Angeles.  The week also includes dharma talks, zazen and ceremonies.  LEARN MORE     REGISTER (do not use the form on the information page)

Rohatsu sesshin (November 30 - December 8): Rohatsu sesshin marks Shakyamuni's awakening under the bodhi tree.  On the final evening we sit until midnight and hold a brief chanting service.  This is our longest and most intensive sesshin of the year.  Registration has not yet opened, but mark your calendar and watch for updates.  LEARN MORE

Serving the Three Treasures: A Few Ordinary Doubts and Reminders
Sawyer Hitchcock

A few days ago, I stood at the kitchen counter of Sanshin’s resident apartment, carefully patting wild mushrooms dry with a paper towel. These firm, golden-orange chanterelles and delicately gilled white oyster mushrooms were unexpected gifts, foraged and dropped off a few days before, along with a box of fresh produce, by a couple of friends of mine, Erik and Rose, who are farmers here in Bloomington.

Through the opening over the sink that looks into our living and dining area, I could see Kiku crouched over about a dozen lit candles on the low table in front of the couch. She was using some rare time outside of sewing Buddha’s robe (she’s here primarily as an apprentice Dharma-sewing teacher with Yuko; see following article) to rescue a batch of struggling altar candles in need of a trim. Mokushō, having just arrived from Belgium a week earlier to carry out the Dharma transmission process with Hojo-san, only to receive a positive COVID test result on day two, was on his fourth or fifth day of isolation upstairs in his room (thankfully, with mild symptoms).

Following Rose’s recommendation to soak the treasured mushrooms in a cleansing bath of salt water for an hour before cooking, I was aware of passing time, and of the familiar low-level, vaguely motivating anxiety that often arises in me when cooking for others on a schedule (lunch at noon). Watching water spread into the paper towel as I guided it along the ear-like curves and crevices of each chanterelle, a not-uncommon thought during the past several months appeared again: “What exactly am I doing here?” And, following relatively swiftly, a glimpsed and spacious reminder, courtesy of “joyful mind” (kishin), offered a mostly trusted answer: “Well, I’m serving the Three Treasures...”

In the Tenzokyōkun, which I’ve been looking into for an hour most mornings during a study period after breakfast, Dōgen describes the experience and functioning of joyful mind in the temple kitchen:

Now I have the fortune to be born a human being and prepare food to be received by the three treasures. Is this not a great karmic affinity? We must be very happy about this (Dōgen’s Pure Standards, 48).

Reflecting on the endless cascade of causes and conditions that have resulted in my living a life of (more or less) concentrated practice here at Sanshinji over the past four and a half months – with four and a half more to go – there is a sense of ordinary awe. But could this wiping dry of gifted mushrooms intended for a vegetable pasta lunch served to three ordinary beings, really be the same as “preparing food to be received by the three treasures”? And why should I be so happy to do it?

Another question occurs to me now: what reason do I have to doubt such a statement about my own activity in this little kitchen, meant to directly support three real people in their ongoing practice, and in establishing Sanshin’s fledgling residential practice? When Kiku spreads the brown fabric of the okesa over the table and steadily sews, I don’t need to question whether or not this is Buddha’s robe unfolding. Biking over to the nearby Hobby Lobby to retrieve a bottle of whiteout and some fabric glue for Mokushō to correct a mistake on his transmission documents, I don’t need to doubt that he is part of the 84th generation aspiring to carry forward the Buddha’s teaching – N-95 mask and all.

What else are the three treasures supposed to be? Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, present and accounted for at the table – each meal and twenty-four hours a day.

What’s missing?

Kiku suggests more water in the pot – so the noodles don’t stick together. And maybe some more salt.

New director:  Michael Komyo Melfi was appointed to Sanshin's board of directors at its annual meeting a few weeks ago.  He's the primary organizer of Grove City Zen, a small sitting group in Ohio.  After gaining an interest in Buddhism in high school, he  began reading and studying more in college and discovered Sanshin Zen Community in his backyard in Bloomington.  Michael took lay precepts with Hoko in 2019, and after leaving Bloomington and moving to the Columbus area he wanted to continue to practice Zen in the Sanshin style and give others the opportunity to do the same.  He's now a pre-novice with Hoko, completing requirements to ordain as a novice.  Michael studied History and Religious Studies at Indiana University, has a passion for studying Buddhist philosophy and history, and lives in Grove City with his wife and two dogs.  His 2019 video series History of Zen in America includes interviews with Okumura Roshi, Hoko and Doju.

Sewing apprentice at Sanshin:  Residential practitioner Kikuko Morimoto is engaged in a one-year study with sewing teacher Yuko Okumura, learning robe sewing technique and history as originally described in the Vinaya and in other texts such as Digen's Shobogenzo Kesakudoku.   Kiku's apprenticeship, begun in April, builds on her existing sewing skills and ensures that knowledge of this traditional 2,500-year-old practice is passed to the next generation. Yuko is the only teacher in the US who has completed a year of formal sewing training at Antaiji within the lineage of Kodo Sawaki, who revived the tradition of hand-sewing  okesa in modern Japan. 
 
After this apprenticeship, Kiku hopes to be able to spread this knowledge to various temples around the United States, and thus help to ensure the preservation of this sewing lineage, which comes directly from Buddha.  "Unfortunately, this sewing practice is dying out even in Japan. Though at a few temples the monks still sew their own okesa, most priests in Japan purchase their okesa.  Preserving this knowledge will be critical to carrying on the tradition of personal sewing practice. Geographically, this knowledge will first be shared with Soto Zen temples across the US."  Videos of Yuko and Kiku and their sewing practice are up on the Kesa Sewing Channel.

Kiku was born in Kobe, Japan.  She is an artist and Japanese teacher who has been practicing meditation since she took a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation course in 1995.  She received lay precepts from Soshin Teah Strozer in 2017 at the Brooklyn Zen Center, where she was the co-facilitator of its BIPOC sangha.  She served as the shika (guest manager) and tenzo (head of kitchen) at Ancestral Heart Zen Monastery in New York from 2019 until last spring, when she moved to Sanshin for her apprenticeship.

Virtual Genzo-e with Chapel Hill Zen Center (September 9 - 14): Shobogenzo Kenbutsu ("Seeing Buddha")
This genzo-e is a collaborative effort with the Chapel Hill Zen Center.  Sanshin will stream Okumura Roshi's lectures on Zoom and at Chapel Hill Zen Center these talks will be framed with in-person zazen, meals, and a work period.  A few spaces remain at Chapel Hill for in-person participation; all others may register for virtual participation.  More information is available here.

Seeking graphic design volunteer:  The Dogen Institute, the educational arm of Sanshin Zen Community, is looking for a volunteer graphic designer.  Even two hours per month can be extremely helpful, and we welcome your participation from anywhere in the world.  The work will concentrate on the presentation of our web properties and materials, such as e-books.  We are currently working on a couple of logos, as well as a few illustrations for books.  Experience with Adobe Illustrator desired.

We understand that your volunteer work for not-for-profit organizations comes at the expense of your personal time. With that in mind, we always respect and appreciate whatever amount of time you have to offer towards these efforts.  Please contact DI director David Thompson or use the Contact Us link on the Dōgen Institute website.

Virtual precepts retreat: June 29 - July 4
​with Shohaku Okumura:  
This retreat focuses on the study of the bodhisattva precepts that Buddhists receive as guidelines for living a life of practice.  This year's group of precepts recipients will be in the zendo in person engaging in zazen, lectures, work practice and silent meals; the schedule is here.  A precepts ceremony (jukai) is held during the last day of the retreat in which those practitioners will receive the Buddhist precepts and a rakusu, or lay robe, which they have sewn beforehand.  Outside of these recipients, all participation in the retreat will be virtual.  All spaces for precepts recipients are filled for this year and the retreat will not be opened for general in-person registration.  Please contact us for access to our virtual practice page if you don't already have it.  Registration for virtual participation is not necessary, however dana will be gratefully accepted.

Ordinations in France: On May 15 Shoju Mahler gave the priest precepts to her student Raphaël Benoit who received the Dharma name Jido Shogen, and also to Mokusho Depreay's student, Laurent Nieblas Ramirez who received the Dharma name Shozan Keido.  Shoju is the founder and head priest of Hosuiji in Alès, France. Mokusho is the founder and head priest of Daishinji in Mons, Belgium.  "We are very lucky to both be Okumura Roshi's disciples and very grateful to be receiving his teachings.  Mokusho and I support each other and work closely together to spread the Dharma." says Shoju.  Everyone enjoyed the ceremony and the beautiful sunny day!  Mokusho observed, " A beautiful ceremony, which opens a new chapter for Shôgen and Keidô, but also for our center, since it is the first time that one of its members receives the ordination of "Buddhist priest" (except Mokusho)."

Graduation in California:  On May 22, Jokei Molly Whitehead completed her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.  Her first class for graduate school, four years ago, began with the question, “What is the self?” Jokei has enjoyed integrating insights from Western psychology with Zen study and practice. She looks forward to ongoing learning as a therapist and priest, and to supporting people’s efforts toward liberation, meaning, and joy.

After training at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, she studied for several years with Shohaku Okumura and was ordained by him in 2011. She has helped to edit several of Okumura Roshi’s books, including The Zen Teaching of Homeless Kodo.  Her geographic location may change in the coming months, but she can be reached through her soon-to-be-revived blog and is always happy to hear from fellow sangha members.

Shohaku Okumura

Virtual talk on sangha:  Hoko gave a virtual talk for the Great Tree Zen Women's Temple in Asheville, NC.  Her topic was Dogen's Three Aspects of Sangha and she covered the manifesting, maintaining and absolute sangha as described in the Kyojukaimon and the relationship between sangha and precepts.  The Great Tree sangha is studying sangha this year and preparing for a precepts receiving ceremony.  Great Tree founder Teijo Munnich was an early organizer of Sanshin Zen Community and will be visiting Sanshin next month for our honsoku gyocha and shuso hossen ceremonies.

Anniversary prep:  Shoryu Bradley, founder of Gyobutsuji in Arkansas, spent a few days at Sanshin working with Hoko on ino materials for the 100th anniversary of Soto Zen in North America.  The 5-day event, to be held in Los Angeles in November, includes a precepts receiving ceremony for 100 practitioners, including Mark Fraley, Gene Elias and Mark Ahlstrom from our own sangha.  Okumura Roshi will be giving three lectures on the precepts, Hoko and Shoryu will serve as inos, and Hosshin is a member of the building committee.

​June sesshin with Shodo Spring:  ​While all seats for in-person participation are now full, virtual participation remains available.  Sesshin at Sanshin is an opportunity to practice without distraction.  We set aside the usual activities -- or entertainments -- of temple life, like work periods, meetings with teachers and dharma talks, and focus completely on zazen.  We practice in complete silence following a 4 am to 9 pm daily schedule that consists simply of fourteen 50-minute periods of zazen with one-hour periods for meals and a bit of personal time.  This sesshin-without-toys style of practice was created by our founder's teacher, Kosho Uchiyama Roshi, and practiced at Antaji in Kyoto, Japan.  We carry on and offer this tradition of our lineage here at Sanshin. 

Shodo Spring is a dharma heir of Shohaku Okumura and is a member of Sanshin's board of directors.  She sits monthly Antaiji-style sesshins in the tradition of her lineage, leads an informal study group, and occasionally gives talks and retreats at other temples. She founded Mountains and Waters Alliance in Minnesota, a part of the Sanshin Network, to work together with all beings for the welfare of the whole earth. She lives on a farm, apprenticing herself to the plants, waters, animals and earth, learning to be human, and she spends time with her children and grandchildren.  More information about the sesshin is here.

Listen to Issan's story: As part of the StoryCorps project, shuso and former hospice worker Issan Koyama talked about his experiences with grief.  The podcast is available on the StoryCorps website, and a two-minute version is available on the NPR Morning Edition website.