 Our dharma great grandfather Kodo Sawaki, wearing a mountain okesa.
Many people in the West are unaware that Kodo Sawaki was one of the two key figures in the 20th century nyoho-e movement that taught and encouraged practitioners in Japan to sew robes by hand in specific ways. While a number of Western and North American practitioners have some experience of nyoho-e sewing, and some may be deeply involved in it within their temples or sanghas, few realize that the 20th century movement started in Japan itself and comes from within Sanshin’s own dharma family. Thus the modern nyoho-e movement is a significant element of Sanshin style, and we must accurately preserve, articulate and transmit that legacy.
We aspire to be responsible for collecting and offering the most complete and accurate set of resources possible related specifically to our dharma great-grandfather’s nyoho-e teachings and practices. Anyone of any lineage is welcome to use those resources for their own practice. Sanshin’s nyoho-e practice is not limited to those who have taken precepts, either as laity or as clergy. There is something of interest and meaning to all practitioners, whether or not they sew or wear robes themselves.
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What is nyoho-e?The kanji for nyoho-e are 如法衣. 如 (nyo) is thusness or suchness. 法 (ho) is dharma. 衣 (e) is clothing, in this case particularly clothing worn in the temple. Thus nyoho-e are garments made according to the dharma of thusness. While 衣 includes work clothes (samu-e), nyoho-e typically refer to robes (okesa and rakusu). These are made by hand according to the guidelines set down in the Vinaya, the rules of discipline that form one of the three sections of the Buddhist canon.
The Robe and the Dharma are One ThusnessArticle by Kōdō Sawaki |
