Soto Zen Buddhism in Australia June 2016, Issue 64 IN THIS ISSUE ABBOTT’S NEWS EMPTY CUP A COMMENT ON FAITH Shudo Hannah Forsyth Katherine Yeo Karen Threlfall COMMITTEE NEWS MIRACLE OF TOSHOJI ONE BRIGHT PEARL Shona Innes Ekai Korematsu Osho Katrina Woodland VALE ZENKEI BLANCHE HARTMAN A MAGIC PLACE POEMS Shudo Hannah Forsyth Toshi Hirano Dan Carter, Andrew Holborn CULTIVATING FAITH RETREAT REFLEXION SOTO KITCHEN Ekai Korematsu Osho Peter Brammer Annie Bolitho CULTIVATING FAITH Cover calligraphy by Jinesh Wilmot 1 MYOJU IS A PUBLICATION OF JIKISHOAN ZEN BUDDHIST COMMUNITY INC Editorial Myoju Welcome to the Winter Solstice issue of Myoju, the first Editor: Ekai Korematsu of several issues with the theme Cultivating Faith. The Publications Committee: Hannah Forsyth, Christine cover image is calligraphy of enso with the character Faith Maingard, Katherine Yeo, Robin Laurie, Azhar Abidi inside it. The very first edition of Myoju in Spring 2000 had Myoju Coordinator: Robin Laurie an enso on the cover with a drawing of Ekai Osho in his Production: Darren Chaitman samu clothes making seating for the zendo in his garage. Website Manager: Lee-Anne Armitage An action based in great faith. IBS Teaching Schedule: Hannah Forsyth / Shona Innes Faith is a complex issue. It’s attached to phrases like ‘blind Jikishoan Calendar of Events: Shona Innes faith,’ which seem to trail a sense of mindless following and Contributors: Ekai Korematsu Osho, Shudo Hannah obedience. Forsyth, Katherine Yeo, Shona Innes, John Hickey, Karen Threlfall, Toshi Hirano, Peter Brammer, Katrina In that very first issue the meaning of Jikishoan is spelt out: Woodland, Andrew Holborn, Dan Carter and Annie jiki-direct, sho-realization an-hut: direct realisation hut. So Bolitho realisation is direct. It is not just a matter of theory or belief. As Ekai Osho says in his Dharma talk in this issue, ’the faith The views expressed in Myoju are not necessarily those of I am talking about comes through experience processed the Jikishoan Zen Buddhist Community or its Abbott, Ekai through your body and mind…’ and Shuso Katherine Korematsu Osho. Shuzan in her talk, ‘when the ‘I’ stopped the doing began…’ So cultivating faith involves action. This publication is copyrighted under the Copyright Act 1968 Images of cultivation and nature abound in Zen writings, (Cth). For permission to reprint any part of poetry and art and teachings: the lotus growing out of Myoju, please contact the editor using the email above. muddy water, the oyster making its Bright Pearl patiently Typeset in Ideal Sans, Chronicle Display and Chronicle around the grit in its shell, the unfolding of root and trunk, Display Condensed. Printed by Documents on Call, branch and flowers of the tree. Buddha Nature is there to 4 Parker Street, Footscray VIC 3011. be cultivated. We welcome Darren Chaitman as the new Production person and thank Vincent Vuu for his support and training in the transition. Robin Laurie Next Issue On behalf of Ekai Korematsu Osho—Editor and the Jikishoan Publications Committee The next issue of Myoju will be posted around the Spring Equinox in September 2016. Contributions that support our practice are most welcome, MYOJU SUBSCRIPTION including articles, reviews of books or online materials, interviews, personal reflections, artwork and photographs. A Myoju subscription is available to non-members for A$30 per year, mailed quarterly in hardcopy. Please The content deadline is 24 July 2016 and the theme is contact the Myoju Publications team at publications ‘Cultivating Faith: Continuous Practice.’ @ jikishoan.org.au, or visit our website for more information and to download the subscription form. If you would like to contribute or advertise in the next issue of Myoju, email publications @ jikishoan.org.au. 2 For Shuzan Shuso Entering the mountain of the true dharma, Shuzan has revealed her resolve. “Vast – Nothing Holy” – Bodhidharma’s koan case was raised today, Celebrating and marking her on-going practice in the mountain Well done and Congratulations! Abbott’s News Monk Ekai, 24 April 2016 For the first part of 2016, the focus of the Abbott and growing administrative maturity and increased confidence Jikishoan has been on the fourth Practice Period, an of members in working together with a common purpose. intense period of six months of practice headed by the Shuso and the Shuso ryo. The Abbot has been training Ekai Osho continues to be involved in the Building Team’s and coaching them since the November Retreat in 2015. quest to find Jikishoan its own home. In the past Ekai Osho The Shuso ryo brought their steady, powerful practice to has emphasised that the community itself is our temple, the Easter Retreat and demonstrated this again during but he also suggests that now is the time for us to start the the Shuso Ceremony (Hossen-shiki) held as part of the process to acquire a real, physical home for the continuity Foundation Day celebrations in April. Shuzan Katherine of the practice. as Shuso, supported by Shoki, Myoe Julie, and Benji, Peter Farley, set a wonderful example for us. During May, Ekai Osho spent considerable time away from Melbourne. He was invited by Seido Suzuki Roshi to take Jikishoan’s Foundation Day, which was held on April part in the 600th anniversary of Toshojii Monastery in 24th, was a joyous occasion, with members arriving from early May. It is an honour for our Abbot to attend such a many directions to take part in the Sanzenkai held in the significant occasion, and gives him the opportunity to pay morning, and the entertainment and Hossen-shiki in the respects to the Abbot and community of Toshojii, who afternoon. Ekai Osho’s kindly presence and wonderful so generously support Jikishoan students’ participation Dharma talk at Sanzenkai that morning set the background there. It also provides him an opportunity to reconnect for the ceremony in the afternoon. He emphasised again with many others from the Soto Zen tradition in Japan. the joy of community practice and the growing maturity of a teen-age Jikishoan. Bansan, which concluded the First Later in May Ekai Osho returned to Japan for family Semester and the Practice Period, was held on June 26th. reasons. During his absences, the IBS program continued Ekai Osho presented the poem above to Shuso Shuzan at with the A classes and Sanzenkai programs under the the conclusion of the Hossen-shiki. stewardship of the Committee and IBS coordinators. Again, it is encouraging to see the growing ability of the During the Practice Period, Jikishoan held its 51st Retreat Community to continue to function even in the (short) over Easter at Adekate Conference Centre which absence of the Abbot. attracted 41 participants – 31 of whom stayed 7 days. For his Teisho talks, Ekai Osho used ‘Points to Watch in May the good health of the practice of Abbot and Practising the Way’ (Gakudo Yojinshu) by Zen Master Community continue. Dogen. The growing ease and smoothness in the set- up and running of the Retreat demonstrated Jikishoan’s Shudo Hannah Fortsyth Shuso Katherine Shuzan, Shuso Ryo, previous Shusos, and Shuzan’s family and friends. Photograph: Vincent Vuu. 3 Fusu project at Foun- dation Day 2015. Left to right: John Wardell, Naomi Rich- ards (Treasurer), and Lee-Ann Armitage. Photograph: James Watt Committee News A CALL TO COMMUNITY The first half of 2016 has been an active time for the was received positively by those who participated and, Jikishoan Management Committee, and for the community among other things, it served to demonstrate how a group in general through the structure of our 4th Practice Period. of people might function together to bring this aspect of A growth in membership has accompanied this activity practice up to the next level. and it is always a great pleasure and with some excitement that the committee welcomes new members. In the last Moral persuasion can work, but it usually doesn’t last. So this seven months there have been six new members and we is an invitation to consider. We welcome you if you have wish them all a long and happy association with Jikishoan. aptitude, interest, skill – any and all of these – or a desire to extend yourself in practice terms and bring community The membership of Jikishoan is where our strength lies – it practice alive in your life. is part of our fundamental structure along with the Practice itself. Since 1999 the membership and Practice have made Thank you to all members for the variety and range of your up the components of our temple, and with the guidance practice, which supports and gives life to Jikishoan’s vision and devotion of our teacher our virtual temple has grown and aims. and matured. May we all practise freely and realise the Buddha’s Way for From a personal point of view, as I enter the winter of the sake of everyone. Gassho. my 63rd year, the longevity and secure establishment of Shona Innes Jikishoan is a concern for me as I know it is for many of you too. Acting President The Building Project Sub-Committee has been establishing itself as a working unit over the last ten months or so. A SILENT AUCTION particular focus has been fund-raising and overseeing the announces the results of the silent auction ’Match the Pledge‘ project. As this project edges towards John Hickey at Jikishoan’s 2016 Foundation Day its conclusion, the possibility of Jikishoan achieving the goal of purchasing a building becomes ever more real. 61 individual auction lots were donated including: art works, clothing, bags, books, DVDs, CDs, plants, kitchen Through all this activity the practice continues and at the appliances, professional services and items supporting core of the functional practice element is the Jikishoan our practice.