Blog Archives

Sangha News for September 2022

9/15/2022

Out into the world

Shohaku Okumura

Dogen's Chinese poems (57)
442. Dharma Hall Discourse Closing the Summer Practice Period [Seventh Month, Fifteenth Day, 1251]

Completion of a dharma year

After three months of protecting our lives without departing the monastery,
The completion of another Dharma year has come.
Now, striking the wooden sounding block on the bare ground,
patch-robed monks at this time open their travelling bags
to go back out into the world

Ango (安居 literally, peaceful abiding) is a translation of the Sanskrit word “varṣa” meaning “rain.” During the three-month rainy season, Indian monks were requested to stay in one place. According to a Vinaya text, Buddhist monks did not have this system originally, so that they traveled during cold weather, hot weather, and rain; all year round. People looked down at them and criticized them, saying, “How can they walk trampling down the crops and grasses, injuring life that is one-facultied and bringing many small creatures to destruction.” Then the Buddha instructed monks not to travel during the rainy season, to prevent the killing of insects and worms while walking on muddy roads. The residences established for staying during the rain retreat are called varṣāvāsa or “rain abode.” That could be the origin of the expression u-ango (雨安居, rain peaceful abode). This system continued even after monasteries were established, and it has been maintained until today. In India, “protecting life” means not to kill insects and other living beings, but here we interpret that the peaceful abiding is the protection of the monks’ dharma life by focusing on practicing and studying under the guidance of a teacher. READ MORE

In This Issue:

Okumura Roshi: Out into the world
News: Ecological vision statement underway, new director, another sewing apprentice at Sanshin, Yoko on growing up Zen
Coming up: October sesshin; virtual genzo-e, online precepts retreat, Rohatsu sesshin
Sanshin Network: News from Belgium and Germany

Are we reaching you?

Do we have the best and most current contact information for you? If you've changed your e-mail address or moved to a new place of residence, or if we've never had complete information about how to reach you, it's time to update your record. Please take a moment to go here to send us the contact information you'd like us to use. We'll check it against your current record and update as needed. Don't miss any of the upcoming communications from Sanshin -- update your info today!

Photos of Sanshin by Myogen Ahlstrom

News

Ecological vision statement underway: Sanshin's board of directors has adopted in principle an ecological vision statement that connects our style of practice with beneficial action related to caring for the earth and its resources. The draft statement was composed by Doju and Sawyer, and directors and practice leaders are now discussing everything from stewardship of our land to transportation to building considerations. Once the content of the statement is finalized, it will be posted on the website and will guide decisionmaking about Sanshin's day to day operation as well as providing considerations for practice.

Another new director: Eido Reinhart has joined the board in the in-lineage clergy seat. She practiced with Katagiri Roshi in Minnesota and when he died she practiced with Okumura Roshi when he served as the leader of Minnesota Zen Meditation Center in the 1990s. She received lay precepts from him, then ordination as a novice and eventually dharma transmission. Eido participated in two three-month angos in Japan (2013 and 2016), participated in zuisse in Japan and is recognized by Sotoshu as kokusai fukyoushi (international teacher/missionary). Read a more complete biography on our About Sanshin page.

And another sewing apprentice: Yuko is working with a second sewing apprentice for a very brief period. Anick Beaulieu from the Association Zen de Montréal, in the lineage of Taisen Deshimaru, is at Sanshin for just three weeks to get instruction in dharna sewing that she can use to help others in her sangha. She joins resident Kiku Morimoto in honing her skills as an apprentice.

Anick, Kiku and Yuko

Yoko on growing up Zen: Filmmaker Yoko Okumura's recent presentation as part of Zenshuji's 100th anniversary lecture series is now available for viewing online. She discusses her childhood as the daughter of a Zen monk and shows her film SIT, a short documentary about her family. "I always thought having a Buddhist monk for a dad made me special," she says. "Even to this day, when people ask 'So, what was your life growing up like?' and I say, 'Well, my dad's a Buddhist monk,' it's always the thing that makes me immediately interesting."

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.)

Coming up

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

Looking ahead to 2023

In 2023 Sanshin Zen Community will celebrate its 20th year. It's also the time at which Abbot Shohaku Okumura will step into a founding teacher role and turn day-to-day leadership over to the current vice abbot, Hoko Karnegis. In addition to the usual practice events, the ango (practice period) this year will include several special activities that mark these important milestones in the life of Sanshin. You are welcome to participate. Please note that if you're coming from out of town you will need to manage your own travel and to find somewhere off campus to stay overnight; Sanshin does not have guest accommodations.

April 3: Ango begins
May 4 - 8: Okumura Roshi's final genzo-e: Bussho III (virtual)
May 31 - June 5: Sesshin with Hoko and Hosshin
June 17: Honsoku gyocha (formal tea and explanation of shuso's koan)
June 18: Hossenshiki (shuso's ceremony answering the sangha's dharma questions)
June 22: Okumura Roshi's 75th birthday
June 24: Morning: anniversary event, including launch of new Sanshin Network book on Shobogenzo Bodaisatta Shishobo; Afternoon: Okumura Roshi's stepping down ceremony
June 25: Hoko's stepping up ceremony
July 5 - 10: Precepts retreat and jukai-e with Hoko; ango ends

Sanshin Network

Mokusho DePreay from Belgium has completed dharma transmission with Okumura Roshi. Mokusho is the founder of Centre Shikantaza in Mons.

Gyoriki Herskamp from Germany has officially become a novice under the direction of Okumura Roshi and completed his shuso term and hossenshiki at Ryumonji in Iowa. He transferred to Okumura Roshi after the death of his first teacher, Missen Bovay, who ordained him as a novice in the Taisen Deshimaru lineage in 1997. He is the founder of Sanko-ji in the Black Forest, and has particular interests in practicing with nature and working with young people.

German-speaking sangha meeting: Gyoriki reports: The German-speaking sangha met for the third time in the Black Forest for an exchange and samu weekend. Eight people from Germany and Austria came together this time.

Each of the practice centers presented itself, reported on current practice and talked about plans for the future. In addition, there was an exchange about the implementation of Sanshin style in our own practice center and how the cooperation could be improved.

We also did a lot of samu: grapes were processed into delicious jam, potatoes were harvested, a shed roof was covered and a lot of cleaning was done.

It was an interesting and joyful weekend for everyone, so that in the end it was clear: We'll meet here again next year.

Hoko and Shoryu were back at Zenshuji in Los Angeles for the final set of rehearsals for the 100th anniversary ceremonies and jukai-e set for November. They're serving as inos, with backup from Hosshin, leading chanting, offering ekos and singing shomyo. Sangha members Mark Fraley, Gene Elias and Myogen Ahlstrom will be among the 100 people receiving the precepts at the event.

For complete information about Sanshin and our style of practice, visit our homepage.