P L U M M O U N T A I N N E W S
Volume 11.2 Summer 2004
Dear!members!and!friends, pants were doing their first week-long ses- miles south of Genki Roshi, to be close to shin, which is always admirable given her sister, Terry, who has lived there most The summer of 2004 is nearly half over, how challenging the week can be. I was of her life. My Aunt Terry has had some and what a summer it has been, bright, particularly impressed with the fortitude serious health issues the last couple of clear and, for Seattle, very warm!. Our shown by Todd & Sharon Petit from We- years, and my mother has come to help zendo floor has been replaced. The new natchee, who are no spring chickens. with her recovery. Anyone interested in bamboo floor, which comes from China, Their steadfastness and good humor helped some new photos of Genki Roshi can looks grand and feels solid. Through this carry us all through to a strong finish. view and download them at the following floor I think many of us feel as though we Sesshin concluded with a Jukai (Buddhist World Wide Web address: are being further supported by our Zen an- Precept) ceremony for Mary Cabaniss,
Continued from previous page… we received $7,880 in floor donations]. New Zendo Floor We didn’t need to ask twice. Thanks to all izationally the meeting was a bit disap- by Bob (DaiGan) Timmer of you who pitched in. Doing it without pointing, perhaps suffering from too you would have made the process longer many cooks in the kitchen syndrome. In Our new floor…. What can I say? and harder. Thank you. any case, somehow I ended up as one of three people selected to serve on the com- Genjo asked me to write something about The project ‘proper’ involved tear-out of ing year’s program committee; serves me the process, the participation and the pro- the old floor (one day – Monday, July 19), right for expressing my opinions. ject in general. installation of the subfloor (4 days, July 20 -23), and installation of the bamboo In addition to the floor and Jukai cere- The process was lengthy. Carolyn and I flooring (2 days, July 26 & 27). The sub- mony reports, in this issue you will find a started late last year and interviewed several floor was challenging because there were short note on the “right action” taken by people – independent contractors, floor in- ‘waves’ in the existing ship-lap subfloor. some of our Sangha members at the stallation businesses, friends…. Some- Additionally, the northeast corner (by the Piper’s Creek Restoration Project, the main altar) is almost 3 closing incense poem from Summer Ses- inches higher than the shin, a transcription of the fourth day southwest corner. So, Dharma Talk, announcements detailing Jim Miller determined the upcoming temple post changes, a plane (NOT a level Autumn Sesshin and the Fall Training In- plane--take a marble tensive, and a proposed workshop on and put it in the center “Jizo’s for Peace” to contribute to next of the room and watch year’s 60th anniversary of the atomic how it rolls. The bomb attacks at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. floor is not level!!) and Please enjoy the remainder of your sum- cut and planed 2 x 4s mer and stay cool. to act as ‘sleepers’ (aka shims) over the joists. He put 3/4 inch ply- With gassho, wood over those sleep- ers and nailed and Genjo Osho glued both the sleepers and the plywood. (It times we talked to the same people several is solid!!). We put sound board (acoustic times. The interviewing was complicated insulation) between the sleepers. Carolyn by our situation – we both wanted to talk says the volume of sound which reaches with the people but neither of us were Summer Sesshin 2004 sure what we wanted. We asked sev- Closing Incense Poem eral times what they would recom- mend – tear out the old floor and subfloor?, just cover over the old Aided by mid-day heat, floor?, tear out the old floor and add a Followers of the Way subfloor?, etc. Our final choice was Combust themselves based on familiarity (we knew Jim completely. Miller’s work and were very pleased with it) and personal recommendation (Paul Tan, the floor installer came Who then felt the highly recommended by a person who cool evening breeze? attends my wife’s church.)
Morning light Everyone who wanted to was able to illuminates Cascade peaks, participate. The officer’s meetings af- Seagull drifts over Lake ter mini-sesshins, the suggestion for woods (bamboo, exotic woods, cherry, Washington leaving no trace. etc.), the tear-out of the old floor, the painting – all provided opportunity for involvement. Participation was gen- erous and forthcoming [for example Plum Mountain News Vol. 11.2 Page 3 Piper’s Creek New Posts Wetlands Beginning September 1st by Scott (IShin) Stolnack Tom Shodo DeGroot: Shika! (Host - Manager) For the past four years or so, I and a few other members of the Carolyn Josen Stevens: Dai-Tenzo sangha have been doing monthly (Chief cook for Sesshins) habitat restoration work in the Piper’s Creek wetlands at Car- Chris Zenshin Jeffries: Tenzo keek Park in North Seattle. In Assistant the spring and summer, we re- move invasive, non-native weeds Dee Seishun Endelman: Jiki Jitsu to help give the native plants a (Timekeeper) chance to flourish. In the wetter months, we often plant native Diane Joan Ste Marie: Jiki Jitsu trees and shrubs such as Western Assistant redcedar, Oregon ash, dogwood, and salmonberry. Michelle Muji LeSourd: Densu! (Chant Leader) I find it’s a wonderful way to give something back to the com- Bob Daigan Timmer: Densu! munity, and to the natural world Assistant that suffers our abuse yet still the first floor is much reduced. supports us in many ways. Peggy (Kochi) SmithVenturi: Jisha! (Serves tea and takes care of zendo) The flooring went on very easily after the Mary Choko Cabaniss: subfloor was there. Jisha!Assistant And then we painted. (Big-time samu. I Genko Blackman: Inji! dislike painting!) But, it wasn’t the whole (Abbot Assistant) room, just the trim. The new trim, which is lighter, better complements the new Carolyn Josen Stevens: floor. It really did need to be done. We Fusu!(Treasurer and financial scraped the walls very noticeably when we manager) carried the plywood and sound board and 2 x 4s up the stairs. Genko Blackman & Daiki Cadman: Introduction to Impressions? – Jim Miller is quite com- Zazen leaders petent; the ChoBoJi sangha is very sup- portive; we spent a lot ($3200 for the flooring material alone! And, the whole project was just under $12,000!!); a solid Fall Sesshin feel is really nice!; Carolyn is very articu- Sept. 18 - Sept. 24, 2004 late – she asks good questions and just the right questions; a pick-up truck is very Please send a deposit by Sept. handy on a construction job (dump runs, 10th, earlier if you want to guar- lumber needs, material deliveries…). antee a spot. Make your deposit Seishun & Daigan at recent check to ChoBo-Ji. The cost of So…. We hope the floor is what you ex- sesshin is $210 (less dues). pected. Enjoy it. Be kind to it. It came Creek Restoration Project Sesshin begins promptly at 5 from China -- just like Zen, (maybe the If you’d like to help, and/or receive a am the morning of Saturday, Sept. 18th, ancestor of our bamboo shaded Joshu!) monthly email notifying you of the date so plan to be there at least 20 min. and time of my next work party, contact early. Sesshin will end around 11 am, me at [email protected]. Friday morning.
Plum Mountain News Vol. 11.2 Page 4
stice to launch Spaceship One beyond the right now. Hekiganroku blue sky. Case 94: Surangama A few milliseconds into this creation of When you get to emptiness, self disap- this universe, physicists tell us that all the Sutra and “Unseeing” pears; therefore, you can go no further. In hundred billion suns of this galaxy and the (4th day, Summer Sesshin, 2004) the course of a Sesshin climb, we are at hundred billion galaxies of the universe fit the peak. In other words, we’re as close to in the size of a marble. That’s a lot in a Engo’s introduction: As to realizing our empty nature as we’re likely little space, isn’t it? It means that what what stands prior to the Word, not one to be, and now we must do our best to ab- seems to be solid must really be primarily phrase has been handed down, even by the sorb what is and be nurtured; soon we’ll empty! thousand holy ones. One thread maintains return to the full complexity of our every- its continuity before your eyes through day life. If this sesshin is to have some Engo’s next line reads, “One thread main- countless eons. Entirely pure, entirely na- value, we must make the most of our time tains its continuity before your eyes ked is the white ox under the blue sky. together, and our time together is like wa- through countless eons.” Even though no The golden-haired lion stands with eyes ter to the desert. one can say what stands prior to the Word, upturned, ears erect. Put the lion aside for a while and tell me, what is the white ox under the blue sky? MAIN SUBJECT
In the Surangama Sutra, the Buddha says, “When unseeing, why do you not see the unseeing? If you see the unseeing, it is no longer unseeing. If you do not see the un- seeing, it is not an object. Why isn’t it yourself?”
SETCHO'S VERSE
Entire the figure of an elephant, Complete the image of an ox; To have seen is a defect of the eyes. The wisest have groped in the dark. Do you want to see Summer Sesshin 2004 Participants the golden-headed Buddha? Zen Master Engo (d. 1135) says in his in- nevertheless, one thread remains. It’s a Through countless eons, none is more troduction to this case, “As to what stands very thin thread and that very thin thread is than halfway there. prior to the Word, not one phrase has been everything! So all we have to do to realize handed down even by the holy ones.” In what stands prior to the Word, what’s be- other words, all the sages of all the tradi- fore Creation, what’s before God, what’s We are now at the middle day of sesshin; tions on all the planets of the Universe before Mu — is to open our eyes, see the we are halfway there. However, as Zen can’t make any commentary on what was thread that’s right in front of us, that is us. Master Setcho says, we can really get no before the Word. That’s like asking, further, as in, we can climb no higher. “What’s before Mu?” or “What’s before Physicists postulate that, in order to be- Therefore, we must do our best to take in creation?” It is just impossible to say gin to understand the physical laws and the view right where we are, moment by anything about it. As soon as you open properties of the Universe, there must be moment, for the remainder of this Summer your mouth, you’re lost. We can not say more than the four dimensions, three of Solstice Sesshin. what is before Mu, prior to the Word or space and one of time. They say there even what Mu is; however, this doesn’t have to be at least ten dimensions in order Already, the sun will get no higher, and mean we can’t feel it. As I’ve often said, to unify or understand all the forces or beginning today the northern hemisphere that which is before the Big Bang is This. properties of what we call space and time. begins its trek from the longest day to the Here it is! Everything seen and unseen is Well, where are these other dimensions? shortest. It is no accident that Burt Rutan “what stands prior to the Word;” what Buddhists have long been aware that this is and Paul Allen picked the Summer Sol- came before the Big Bang is right here, a multidimensional universe. Multidi- Plum Mountain News Vol. 11.2 Page 5 mensional, as in, can’t count the dimen- yet, perhaps, all of us are feeling It. Per- tion is essential. Your effort to be awake, sions. It has long been understood that all haps no one is feeling separate from It. with eyes upturned and ears erect, like a these so called dimensions are entwined lion ready to pounce is totally worth it. and interflowing with no boundaries or And, even if you are feeling separate from Perhaps you won’t be able to transcend or fences between them. In fact, there are no It, that’s the delusion, not the reality. pass through the multiple layers of our boundaries or fences between any Perhaps you have the delusion of a sepa- complexity and get down to the simplicity “individual,” “object” or dimension, any rate self or individuality, but just because that seems to be reserved for the rocks and more than there are boundaries between the you are attached to this delusion does not the trees. Perhaps you won’t feel It; nev- three dimensions reported by our primary make it reality. Of course each one of us ertheless, our effort to be present and senses. What separates up from down, is unique, but we are not separate from awake is our practice and our way. From back from front? What we call a multidi- each other! The reality is that we are time to time, all of us will have a glimpse mensional universe is really One Reality. seamlessly united with all so called beings of transcendence, but to bring this feeling This reality is in a constantly changing, and objects. Whether we are aware of it or with some consistency into our ordinary exchanging dance of what we variously not, whether we have had had what Rinzai life and everyday tasks takes a lifetime of call creation and destruction, life and death, practice. yin and yang. To learn how to be present and awake in Physicists, specifically string theorists, the midst of our mess is the key! To be postulate that there are infinitely small awake and present when everything’s go- non-particles or “strings” of emptiness that ing our way takes little or no skill at all. make up the subatomic particles that make With practice we become skillful at being up the atoms that make up everything. at being present even when times are These “strings” are thought to be six di- tough. Therefore, though we may not mensions collapsed together, so that these succeed at getting a good glimpse of noth- folds of “nothing” become the beginning ingness in this sesshin, we will be build- of something. This single thread is con- ing our skills at being present to the tinually before our eyes, through countless “presence.” In order to build the skillful- eons, entirely pure, entirely naked, and is ness necessary to climb above our own what Engo calls “the white ox under the complexity, so that we are not be ruled by blue sky.” our confusion, doubt, angst, fear, fanta- sies, hopes, desires or ideas, we must con- The white ox refers to something that tinue to practice being present to each can’t be seen with the eyes, but is real breath, each step and each moment. It is nonetheless. It can’t be seen but it can be so easy to drown in our complexity. It is felt. What do we feel? We feel a kind of so easy to be overwhelmed, distracted and continuity and equanimity, a pure unified encumbered. To develop the skills neces- nakedness. The BuChin SonShin Dedica- Zendo Hall Entry sary to combust our doubts, delusions and tion begins “There is a reality even prior fears is not easy. It takes lots of courage to heaven and earth it has no form, much calls “true insight” or not, we are seam- to learn how to fully meet this Life and less a name.” This incomparably profound lessly One, and the One is expressed in Death journey with peace of mind. To be and minutely subtle “One, shining alone” Zen as “Mu.” To say, “It’s all One and truly spontaneous, creative and compas- has no form, it has no structure. It has no the One is None” is so trite, so superficial. sionate while facing the Inconceivable, in- substance and yet it’s not absent from Better, “Mu……!” numerable uncertainties and the vicissi- what we call substance. What we call tudes of life and death is the most difficult substance or form is really nothing. And But even genuinely expressing “Mu” can of tasks. yet this nothing is a hell of a nothing! be no more than half way there. In the Dokusan room someone asked me, At the peak of Sesshin, we may have a Engo says, “The golden-haired lion “Isn’t there anyone, in the Zen view of glimpse or a resonance with This, the [referring to Manjusri — and anyone things, who can lift us up and take care of nothing which manifests in so many myr- who’s awake] stands with eyes upturned, us?” Those who have been sitting longer iad ways. Again, as soon as we try and ears erect.” “Eyes upturned, ears erect,” in know the truth! (laughter) I believe the say what This is, we are lost. Even to other words, wake up! Even though we questioner knew the truth as soon as the name it Dharma, Spirit or Tao is false, for have crossed the peak, stay awake! Don’t question was asked, if not before. It’s if something is Tao, does that mean there waste this opportunity to feel Mu, to be wishful thinking to hope that Kannon, is something that is not? The Tao that Mu! Keep alert, be present! Even if you Christ, Buddha or God is going to pick can be named is not the Tao at all. It can’t don’t have a glimpse of nothingness or be grasped, seen, held, or attained. And true insight be present! Your determina- Continued on next page… Plum Mountain News Vol. 11.2 Page 6
Continued from previous page… blue sky?” What is Mu? What is It? intrinsic reality of their own. When these What is your True Nature? artificial layers are transcended, there is no you up and hold you. You’re in for a big longer a discreet separate self seeing any- “dark night of the soul” if you’re waiting In the main subject of this case, Zen Mas- thing. However, as soon as we grasp at for such a dream. ter Setcho (d. 1052) presents a line from “Oh, I’m unseeing!” or “Oh, I see the ab- the Surangama Sutra where Buddha tries to solute” then we are once again lost, lost, On the other hand, if we are courageous explain to his disciple Ananda the princi- completely lost, rather than “gone, gone, and determined in the midst of our needi- ples about seeing and not seeing. Accord- completely gone.” (laughter). We’re back, ness and keep our eyes upturned and our ing to this sutra the Buddha says, “When entrenched in the apparent separated self- ears erect, then we all can learn how to sit unseeing, why do you not see the unseen?” hood. atop what Zen Master Hyakujo (d. 814) When not seeing, why do you not see the calls “the Great Sublime Peak,” where we not seen? The Buddha answers his own So Buddha says, “If you see the unseeing, are entirely alone but never separate. it is no longer unseeing.” He goes on To realize mature peace of mind takes to say, “If you do not see the unseeing, great determination and the capacity, it is not an object.” If you do not see and even willingness to fail trying. the unseeing (in other words, there is This ability to fall off your horse and no “you” seeing), then subject and ob- climb right back on again arises from ject are transcended. In fact, if there is one’s willingness to let go or to sur- no subject, there are no objects and render to each moment. therefore IT is neither an object or a subject, neither self nor other-than-self, In order for it to be possible to face to neither form nor non-form. Beyond our the worst pain, fear, doubt or demon we rational discriminations, past the must get to the point that we are ready dreams and the fantasies, beneath the to die, ready to surrender our attachment core passions, is this “seeing” beyond to our ego identity. When we are truly all artificial walls and boundaries, ready to let go completely, then at once which is called “unseeing.” When we our limited, narrow self-centered views summit this mountain of non-discrimi- drop away. With practice we learn not nation the Buddha so kindly adds, to run from, or turn and fight our many “Why isn’t it yourself?” As if to say, demons -- demons such as fear, angst, “Realize that your true nature is seam- pain, fatigue or doubt. Without resort- less with all time, with all dimensions, ing to “fight or flight,” we learn to just seamless with Mu, and seamless with sit and breath right through the worst what stands prior to the Word.” Don’t trials and tribulations. It is as though you see? Let it in! What you call we are saying, “Do your best, Demon, your mind is the Mind expressing itself I will not move, fight or run, though Main Altar as “you.” You can not do Mu; how- this may be the end of me, so be it.” ever, Mu is right now doing you! With this kind of determination, there’s question when he says, “If you see the un- the real chance of a breakthrough, in fact, seeing, it is no longer unseeing.” Zen Master Hakuin (d. 1769) says that it’s guaranteed. Zen Master Rinzai (d. when “we hear this Truth even once, and 867) said that realizing your true nature is When ego attachment or a sense of sepa- praise it, and gladly embrace it, we will easier than striking the ground. You really rate identity combusts completely, there is surely be blessed most infinitely. But, if can’t miss it. When you feel like you’ve no discrimination between the seen, what we concentrate within, and testify to the failed or gotten overwhelmed, pick your- is doing the seeing and the see-er. The truth that Self-nature is No-nature, we self up and turn again towards your worst Buddha asks, in such a case, why do you have really gone beyond foolish talk.” fear, demon or trial. In the readiness of not “see” the absolute, the nameless Tao Self, True Nature, Mind, Tao are all just time, we will all break through. Of or “the unseeing.” Because, the Buddha foolish talk. When through great determi- course, by that time you might be dead, says, as soon as discrimination between nation we ascend the mountain of non-dis- but enlightenment is guaranteed! (laughter) the relative and the absolute, or self and crimination, learning to face all demons In Zen we say, “die on your cushion.” other, arises more combustion is neces- without fighting or moving, all ideas of That way when it comes time to drop this sary. “If you see the unseeing, it is no Self, Mind, and Tao vanish. Here Mind is body, it won’t be such a big deal. longer unseeing.” So, at the moment of No-mind, self is no-self, and the Tao has breaking through to pure non-discrimina- no name. When entirely alone atop this Zen Master Engo’s last line of introduc- tion, all artificial layers of self and other great sublime peak, there’s no one to hold tion goes, “Put the lion aside for a while fall away. There is nothing wrong with us and no one to be held, only This. and tell me, what is the white ox under the these layers, but these concepts have no Plum Mountain News Vol. 11.2 Page 7 Setcho’s verse begins, “Entire figure of an Jizo’s for Peace day. We will send out the final details for elephant.” Everyone is probably familiar the workshop on via e-mail on our temple with the Buddhist parable about the king list-serve as soon as arraignments are fi- who sends his attendants to discern what it August 6 and 9, 2005 will be the 60th nalized. is. All of the kings attendants are all anniversary of the atomic bombing in Ja- blind, so each one grabs a different part of pan. In memory of the 140,000 of people For those of you who enjoy origami, we the elephant, and says, “Oh, it’s like a who died during and after the catastrophe will also have supplies to make folded pa- snake”, “It’s like a fan”, “it’s like a tree and the many more wounded, we have been per Jizos, which can be strung together to trunk.” We’re all like this whenever we invited to join with Great Vow Zen Mon- make chains. Ten chains of one hundred try to say what it is. Ignorant, we grab on astery and many other Buddhist and civic makes one thousand Jizos -- a powerful to a little piece and say, “Oh, it is this!” groups to make and take 270,000 images peace prayer. It’s not that we’re completely wrong, but of Jizo Bodhisattvas placed on panels or we’re sure not right. prayer flags to Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The Jizo panels will be sewn together into banners or prayer flags and then taken Setcho continues “Complete the image of Jizo is a beloved figure in Japan. Stone directly by members of the Great Vow an ox.” This is another parable about a statues of Jizo wearing little handmade red Sangha to Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the butcher who knows an ox so well that he bibs and caps are found everywhere. Jizo 60th anniversary of the bombings. can cut it up blindfolded. Setcho’s verse is considered the guardian of travelers and concludes with “To have seen is a defect of the protector of Jan Chozen Bays, a the eyes. The wisest have groped in the women and children. physician dark. Do you want to see the golden- Jizo also aids those (pediatrician), Dharma headed Buddha? Through countless eons, who are ill and those Heir of Taizan Mae- none is more that halfway there.” Setcho who have died. Jizo zumi Roshi, Dharma is telling us that whether we’re ignorant represents a part of friend of Gerjo’s, and and don’t see or unseeing and therefore ourselves that is the spiritual director of clear “none is more than half way there.” moved by the suffer- Great Vow Zen Mon- Whether today you’re a bumpkin or a Bud- ing of others and astery explains how the dha, the golden-headed Buddha of the abso- wishes to relieve it. project got started: lute is neither graspable or knowable, nor can it be seen by any eye, or contained by As of July 2nd, “I was born on any concept. 35,528 Jizos have al- August 9, 1945, the ready been made. We day the atomic bomb We are half way through Summer Ses- can participate by was dropped on Na- shin. We can get no closer to it, so we’d drawing panels to- gasaki. My parents better make the most of the time that re- gether, or by making were pacifists during mains. Keep your eyes upturned and your them on our own by World War II and thus ears erect. Deepen the skill of being pre- following the easy in- this day held a mixture of happiness and sent to the presence. Turn and face every struction provided by the monastery. sadness for them. I believe that I was led so called demon, doubt, and fear. Even Genjo learned about the project at the to become a Buddhist in a Japanese tradi- when we feel as though we have failed AZTA meeting held there recently. tion partly because of the many people time and time again, get back on the cush- who died in Japan just as I was born. Our ion and go straight on. In the readiness of The panels are made on pieces of white monastery is dedicated to Jizo Bodhisattva time, everyone in this room can penetrate cloth. Jizo images can be stamped, traced and as part of our practice we make images “why isn’t it yourself?” It cannot be said, from an image placed under the cloth, or of Jizo. attained, held, named, grasped; neverthe- drawn free-hand. They can be colored with less, there’s no one in this room who isn’t fabric paint or markers. There is a space In September, 2002, I visited the Peace capable of feeling it. Do your best! for an individual message of peace and for Park in Hiroshima, and left a Jizo statue the maker’s name, age, home town, and there. I felt I should return in 2005 on the With gassho, the number of Jizos made. 60th anniversary of the bombings, with a Jizo for each of the hundreds of thousands Genjo Osho We will purchase art supply kits--con- of people who have died.” (Transcription help from Dee Seishun) taining pre-cut cloth, colored pens, and instructions. We hope to hold a Satur- If you are in town on October 9th, please day Workshop from 9 am to noon come and join us as we remember the vic- on October 9th. Also we are trying to tims and work to generate a collective coordinate an invitation for one of Great awareness of the folly of ever using weap- Vow’s monks to come and lead us on that ons of mass destruction. Plum Mountain News Vol. 11.2 Page 8
ers of the Temple, and feel ready to give Jukai Ceremony themselves to the Three Treasures (Buddha, Fall Intensive Dharma & Sangha). In other words, they On the last day of Summer Sesshin, Fri- find themselves inspired by practice, feel Last fall we inaugurated our first three day, June 25th, Mary Cabaniss accepted that the training opens their Heart-Mind, month training intensive. Three people the Buddhist precepts and received a new and want to serve the Temple community. were able to participate last spring, but Dharma name. only one person last fall. Perhaps three to five people will be able to sign on for this Fall’s Intensive, which will start Septem- ber 18th and conclude on December 8th. To join you must be a member in good standing. Good standing means you have:
A) Made three consecutive monthly dues contributions
B) Attended at least one half-day mini- sesshin or week-long sesshin in the last quarter
Then to participate in the intensive you must agree to the following:
1) Attend group zazen at least five out of seven days a week
2) Commit to attending all sesshins full- time during the training intensive (not missing more than the equivalent of one day of a week-long sesshin)
During the Jukai Ceremony she ac- knowledged her respect for Zen practice and Buddhist principles by giving herself to the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), chanting the Bodhisattva vows and leading the Sangha in reciting the Ten Precepts. After this she received a Rakusu (symbolic piece of the historical Buddha’s robe worn around the neck) and a Dharma Name. A Dharma Name is selected by the abbot to be an inspiration for realizing one’s full potential. Mary’s new Dharma Name is Cho-ko (Morning Light). She became a Chobo-ji member this time last year, and Summer Sesshin was her second week-long retreat with us.
Jukai candidates need to petition in writ- ing at least one month prior to the cere- mony, saying why they feel the time is ripe to take this step. Jukai candidates usually have attended regular zazen at ChoBo-Ji for a minimum of six months (including at least two week-long Choko’s Jukai Ceremony & Summer Sesshin Closing Brunch sesshins), have become financial support- Plum Mountain News Vol. 11.2 Page 9
3) Join the Dharma dialogs held at 7:30 pm most 1st and 3rd Sundays About Dai Bai Zan Schedule Cho Bo Zen Ji 4) Go to at least three-fourths of the Introduction to Zen n 1978, Zen Master Genki Takabayashi Dharma interviews offered during the I Tuesdays, 7:30-8:30 pm was invited by the Seattle Zen Center, intensive (Dharma Interview will be Zazen! founded by Dr. Glenn Webb (at the time a offered at least once weekly to all par- Monday - Friday, 5:30 am, 1 hr. UW Art History professor), to become the ticipants) Saturdays, 6:30 - 8:00 am resident teacher. He accepted, and by 1983 Sundays, 6:30 pm, 1 hr. he formalized his teaching style around a 5) Do at least one hour of samu (working Dharma Talks small group of students, and founded Dai 1st and 3rd Sundays, 7:30 pm, 1 hr. meditation – gardening or cleaning) for Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji, translated as Great the temple per week (this requirement Plum Mountain Listening to the Dharma Sesshins: Quarterly week-long retreats can be met by serving faithfully in one Zen Temple. last week in March, June, September of the temple posts, or, on occasion, and the first week of December. an hour of work salary may be substi- Before Genki Roshi came to Seattle, he Mini-Sesshins: Half day retreats with tuted) trained for nearly twenty years at Daitoku- breakfast, Dharma Talk and Dharma Ji, the head Rinzai temple in Japan. In ad- Interview. 5 - 11:20 am, Sundays: 6) Read at least one assigned (mutually dition, Genki Roshi directed a Rinzai tem- 9/12, 10/10, 11/14, 1/9/05, 2/13 agreed upon) book on Zen history or ple in Kamakura, Japan. He entered the practice monastery when he was 11 years old. Autumn Sesshin: 9/18/04 - 9/24/04 Rohatsu Sesshin: 11/30/04 - 12/8/04 7) Commit to attending additional ses- After twenty years of tirelessly giving Spring Sesshin: 3/26/05 - 4/1/05 shin (3 days minimum), perferably at a himself to the transmission of Buddha Summer Sesshin: 6/18/05 - 6/24/05 more formal training center, such as Dharma to the Great Vow Monastery or Dai-Bosatsu United States, in Monastery (this requirement does not 1997 he retired as We Are Located: at 1811 20th have to be met during the intensive but our teacher, got Ave., (one half-block north of Madison must be planned and completed within married and moved and south of Denny). Street parking is a year of the intensive). to Montana. available in front or between 19th and 20th There he is plant- on Denny, or off-street parking is available For those ChoBo-Ji members who live ing the seeds for behind the house. After entering the front outside of Seattle, accommodations are yet another Ameri- door, remove your shoes and socks in the possible, please speak Genjo Osho-san. can Zen group, and entry way and proceed to the Zendo doing the activities (meditation hall) upstairs. 206-328-3944 he loves best: gardening, pottery, Dues and Fees: go to support the and cooking. life of this temple. We have no outside support from any organization. Genjo Osho began his Zen training in 1975, was ordained in 1980, became an Dues are $60 a month or whatever one can Osho (full priest) in 1990, and our Abbot afford. Any amount received monthly in 1999. In 1981-82 he trained at Ryutaku- means that you will receive this quarterly ji in Japan. Genjo Osho is assisted by newsletter, receive discounts on retreats, Rev. Genko Kathy Blackman. In addition and be considered an active member. to his Zen duties, Genjo Osho is a psy- chotherapist in private practice, a certifi- The suggested fee for any morning or eve- cated spiritual director, married to wife, ning practice period, including Tuesday Carolyn, and father to daughter, Adrienne. night introduction and Sunday night Our temple is in the Rinzai Zen School. Dharma Talk is five dollars. The $5 fee is Since Genki Roshi retired, Genjo Osho- waived for all members. san has continued his training with Eido T. Shimano Roshi, abbot of Dai Bosatsu The suggested fee for mini-sesshins is Monastery in New York. $20. Fees for the March, July, and Sep- tember sesshins are $210, and Rohatsu Genjo & Genko at World Wide Web Address Sesshin is $320. Members may subtract Summer Sesshin Jukai www.choboji.org their monthly dues from the week-long sesshin cost. Plum Mountain News Vol. 11.2