By Shoan Osho
For Muge Daido Daiosho:
The Great Way
Is not difficult—
Slip the oar into the water on Long Pond.Is not easy—
Build a seamless temple in the rain and snow.It is neither easy nor difficult—
Today is a good day.
Just bow and serve.What can I say after all these years?
The Heavenly Light is never anywhere else,
Yet when I call,
You do not answer.Bah!
Slippers by the altar
Coffee light and sweet—
A subtle impression does still remain.—Kodo Shugen
Tenkosan Doshinji
October 9, 2024
15th Memorial
With all the energy and emotion of last week’s election moving through me, I’ll keep it simple and just say that it’s a lot less painful to ride the waves of samsara with the company of sangha. May these updates and highlights from our shared community offer you nourishment, feed your faith in humanity, and remind you that we’re all on this crazy journey together.
This past October 9th marked fifteen years since Daido Roshi’s passing—an occasion we observed with a memorial service and the poem above from Shugen Roshi. Fifteen years is long enough that many of you who practice and train in the MRO these days never met Daidoshi in person, although you’ve met him in countless other ways. His vision continues to shape how we train and practice here, showing up in everything from the Eight Gates to the process for becoming a student. On that note, read on. . .
Daidoshi’s memorial inspired a few of us to dig around in ZMM’s audio archives, a treasure trove of over 7,000 recordings from the 1970’s to the present. That’s right: over 7,000! There you’ll find everything from Maezumi Roshi’s discourses on Genjokoan at ZCLA to all 300 of Daidoshi’s talks on the Shobogenzo, to present day teachers and senior students, with new talks uploaded regularly. The archive is user-friendly, easily searchable by several fields, open to all and accessible from anywhere. Big thanks and many bows to the tireless team who collaborated and labored across the years to bring us this priceless resource: Kyosho Fallon, Kenshu Mieloch, Kyudo McCarthy, Sankai Lemmens, Tendo Leckie, and monastics Kien and Taikyo. Take a break from the news, pour yourself a cup of tea, and go to talks.zmmapple.com.
Nowadays the Monastery seems so stable and steady with full retreats and a budget for building improvements. But it wasn’t always this way. We’re undertaking a project to record and preserve the early history of ZMM by compiling oral histories from those who were here in the early years, 1980-85. Shugen Roshi describes the project as a way, “to help present and future sangha appreciate the challenges we faced, how the Monastery evolved, and the heartfelt efforts of early practitioners to keep it going when it wasn’t clear that it would survive.”
Shobon Desetta has interviewed Yushin Palma (Derrick), who played an instrumental role in helping the Monastery flourish during the difficult early years, and senior student Chizen Brown, who arrived in the spring of 1981. Shobon has also spoken with Wendy, Dave, and Ken Haar, the children of Harold Haar, who directed Lutheran retreats and youth programs here and who, through his close relationship with Daido Roshi, made possible the Monastery’s eventual sale. Seido Suzuki Roshi, abbot of Toshoji Monastery in Okayama, also shared his recollections of being a young monk fresh out of Eihei-ji and sent here by Maezumi Roshi to live in residence and help the fledging ZMM get established. Shobon will continue to gather stories from other old timers. So far, in the mix of memories are miracles of timing, ghost stories, and so much dedication it’s still inspiring us.
If this whets your appetite for anecdotes from the early days, then you might enjoy the vintage classic “Watching the Rock Grow,” an in-house documentary made for the ten year anniversary of ZMM. I screened it recently with a group of month-long residents and found myself not only enjoying Daidoshi as a storyteller, but also marveling at the way things unfolded to bring this place into being. Talk about synchronicity! Find it here.
Remembering our buddha ancestors through monthly memorial days is part of the daily service both here at ZMM and at the Temple—a way of cultivating gratitude and staying in touch with the reality of actual people practicing together across generations. Since the start, we’ve followed tradition and observed memorial days for such Zen luminaries as Bodhidharma, Dogen Zenji, and Hakuin Zenji (twelve, total, with Daido Roshi and Maezumi Roshi among them.) This fall we added memorial days honoring four powerful women ancestors: Mahapajapati (founder of the women’s order), Moshan Liaoran, Liu Tiemo (both renowned early Chan masters featured in the koan collections) and Mugai Nyodai (the first recorded Japanese woman Zen master and female abbot.)
With the exception of Mugai Nyodai, history didn’t preserve death dates for these masters, and so we had to exercise our creative license, selecting dates that resonated—sometimes playfully—with what we do know about them. Now on the 6th, 7th, 26th and 28th of each month, we’ll take a moment to express our gratitude and remember our connection with them, and by extension, the thousands of other women and gender nonconforming practitioners whose lives in the dharma continue to ripple out through space and time. And a shout out to Kando Johnston, Sansho Benton and monastic Jiryu, who created the memorial plaques, to Taisho Sands, who helped tremendously with the research, and to all of you in the sangha who have asked, “Why don’t we have memorial days for any of the women ancestors?”
Diamond Net is a group of lay students whose mission is to help sangha members connect and support each other through times of difficulty. The group has evolved to have three sub-groups, each with a different focus. “Feet on the Ground” works to connect people who need support with volunteers who reach out in person or through zoom, phone calls, or letters. Diamond Net also hosts a monthly support and connection meeting—typically on the second Sunday–for those in roles of caregiving, those dealing with health issues, and anyone who is feeling isolated and wants a way to connect with sangha—this could include those moving out of residency at ZMM or the Temple, or grappling with any life circumstances or transitions where some contact with sangha just might help. To participate in this monthly meeting, or for more information on Diamond Net’s other activities (including the “Growing the Garden” sub-group which is researching co-housing for sangha, and the “Education & Outreach” sub-group that is hosting quarterly Death Café’s) email diamondnet@dharma.net. They’d be happy to hear from you.
For several weeks in September and October, stone masons worked hours a day on an extremely high lift to repoint both of the chimneys on the main building. This was an extensive project as much of the mortar was rotten, and in some places the stones were actually loose. The masons did an excellent and thorough repair job, exercising their craft with patience and meticulous attention. Hopefully we’ll be in good shape for another hundred years.
Monastic DiscernmentIt’s with love, care, and a tender heart that I share the news that novice monastic Jiryu Krupa will be stepping out of full-time residence at the end of this fall ango, taking off her monastic robes for now while still continuing her discernment process.
After much reflection, and in conversation with Shugen Roshi, Jiryu recognizes that she needs and wants time to explore her dharma practice outside of the residential context. She will remain a student and use this open-ended period as an opportunity to continue to clarify the question of her life path.
Jiryu entered into full-time residential training in Fall 2018, and has been a wonderful, committed, and integral part of the residential sangha since then. I’m sure I speak for all the monastics when I say we will really miss her presence here, and we also completely support her choice. This is an example of the discernment process working well, and a trustworthy decision arising out of Jiryu’s growth and practice over time. Our dear Compassion Dragon Sister, we are so grateful for all you’ve given and wish you blessings on what lies ahead.
Shoan and JiryuNational Buddhist Prison SanghaThis past summer, NBPS received a letter from a prisoner who, after years of asking to receive Jukai in prison and being denied, had brought a case against the State of California Department of Corrections. His case asserted freedom of religious practice in prison, which for Zen Buddhists includes the Jukai ceremony as well as sewing a rakusu, receiving it from one’s teacher, and wearing the rakusu appropriately. NBPS assisted him by having Kaishin Jameison make a rakusu to send him for use as evidence in court. Thanks in part to this support from NBPS, he won the case. Now inmates in California can receive Jukai according to tradition. He and six other members of his prison sangha received Jukai in July. Congratulations to all of them, and bows to the sangha members who work diligently at NBPS, giving their time to answering letters and also to managing the office. NBPS also made a sizable contribution of donated cushions to a program for inmates reentering society run by an NBPS alum.
Monastery CatOur newest long-term resident, Yumi, is furry, grey, and has big, round golden eyes. Like some other residents, she came to us because her present life circumstances just weren’t working out—from a sangha family where she was making life difficult for her sibling cat. Here in residence, however, it seems her “alpha” temperament is just right, and she’s easing into community life, learning to sit on many laps, and beginning to venture from the cozy common room into the more crowded dining hall. The past few days she’s made a high-profile appearance at the morning work meeting, apparently ready to contribute to caretaking in her own delightful way.
Yumi
Teachings in the Ten DirectionsIn September, Shugen Roshi officiated the wedding of MRO student Chian Minnisali and Rhonda Lowry, who were married near the base of West Kill and Hunter mountains. Congratulations and wishes you a long and happy life together.
Also in September, Shoan Osho traveled to Pendle Hill retreat center in Wallingford, PA for the Soto Zen Buddhist Association conference, a collegial gathering of about sixty ordained Zen priests and teachers from around the country.
Jukai & TangaryoOn Sunday, November 10th, Shugen Roshi gave the Bodhisattva Precepts to four MRO students in a ceremony here at the Monastery. Congratulations to Jill Kisho (Radiant Star) Hamer, Jonathan Dokan (Way of Simplicity) Caronia, Graeme Eikan (Realize the Unconditioned) Daykin, and Maureen Eishun (Eternal Spring) Kemeza.
Since September, Alexander Rockwell, Ayla Ren, and Randall Runyon all completed Tangaryo and became formal training students in the Mountains and Rivers Order. Welcome!
Comings and Goings Fire Lotus Temple welcomes Alexandra Shoenborn to a year of residence.
Zen Mountain MonasteryIn September, month residents included: Raheem Saafir (East Point, GA); Emily Skeels (Frenchtown, MT); Fuyu Spicher (Hanover, PA); and by our chief disciple, Taisho Sands (Gilbertsville, NY), both of whom are staying in residence for all of Ango.
Additionally and notably, Myoyu Voekel, a monastic from Great Vow Monastery, in Clatskanie, OR joined us for a couple of weeks, and Myoshin Takeuchi, a Soto nun from Kasuisai Temple in Shizuoka, Japan, joined us for two months. I think we hit our all-time high for women monastics in residence: seven. Who-hoo!
In October, month residents included: Yudo Abraham (living abroad in Thailand and Bali); Andrew Blackburn (Hopkinton, MA); Glenn Montgomery (Portland, OR); Ikyo Love (Gillams, Newfoundland); Jason Ponce (Philadelphia, PA); Kate Grehl (Sturbridge, MA); Lynn Cornelis (Izegem, Belgium); Tosho O’brien (Toronto, Ontario);and to Seibu Meunier (Bourg-la-reine, France) who is staying until January; and Kokoro Schultz (Tucson, AZ) with us through the end of Ango.
From October 17-20, we were joined by members of the Sangha Harmony Advisory Council, who were participating in an in-person facilitation training led by Center of the Heart co-directors Kelley Alexander and Ayo Yetunde.
In November, we were joined by: Genjo Gebauer (Keene, NH); Keimu Adolfson (Charlottesville, VA); Christopher Kilkenny (Greenwich, CT) Brian Kazanowski (Atlanta, GA); Reuben Hauser (Asheville, NC); Cindy Loe (North Hampton, MA); Neal Tolunsky (Dobbs Ferry, NY); and Scott Glover (Richfield, CT).
In the past couple of weeks, we’ve said farewell to year-long residents Melissa Pfeifer and Mac Roy. We’re so grateful for their commitment and practice this past year and wish them all the best as they take up other endeavors. The Monastery truly depends on year-long residents. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about residency, consider joining us the evening of December 19 for an hour-long zoom gathering regarding residential training and hosted by Dharma Gates.
And to all of you who have taken the time from your day to read this: Thank you for your practice and for showing up in sangha in all the ways that you do. I’ll leave you with this resonant exchange between Ananda and the Buddha:
Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, “This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie.”
“Don’t say that, Ananda. Don’t say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, & comrades, they can be expected to develop & pursue the noble eightfold path.”
—Upaddha Sutta (Trans. Thanisarro Bhikkhu)So, while certain conditions may feel like a challenge to us at the present time, let’s stay connected to the conditions that feel supportive and conducive to our practice of ceasing from harm, practicing good, and actualizing good for others.
with love,
Shoan
Women monastics in September. Here for some or all of Ango: Ikyo, Taisho, Genjo, Seibu, Lydia, and Fuyu.Myoyu and MyoshinSeptember residents: Raheem, Juan, Miro, and Emily.October residents: Jason, Andrew, Kate, Lynn, and Glenn.Jukai: Eikan, Kisho, Shugen Roshi, Eishun, and Dokan.November residents: Kokoro, Brian, Neal, Reuben, Keimu, Scott, Cindy, and Christopher.SHAC facilitator training: a light moment amidst hard work. Marcia and Ken Haar with Shobon.Chian and Rhonda’s wedding.