Comments on: A Look at Rinzai Zen Monastic Life

By: Doug M

Doug M — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 16:26:50 +0000

Hi Rev. Stephen,

Any idea where one can get a hold of that essay? I’d be curious to read it. Anyway, like you said, it’s experiences of real monks that help deflate the romanticized notion of Zen and monasteries, but also bring to life what really goes on both the struggles and the joys, and like you said, is where learning begins. We Buddhist converts as a whole still get fixated on the physical, sitting practice of meditation, while ignoring the greater picture at times. No one I know in particular, just making a point.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 07:07:35 +0000

Not a Zen guy but… There is an excellent essay by
Morinaga Soko in the book Zen – Tradition and Transition, edited by
Kenneth Kraft, named “My Struggle to become a monk”. Over 15 or so
pages the author chronicles his struggles, until right near the end
he mentions the word zazen – “I put my bunko down and sat in zazen
facing the wall, which is all I could see. As anyone may be looking
in from the other three sides I could not relax for a moment.” This
was at Daitokuji. And that was his only mention of Zazen. One line,
all the rest was the important stuff that rarely finds its way into
print because it is cleaning and preparing a bath and other mundane
things, which in the temple life I have seen is where things are
learned. Anyway it is a reccomendation. Loved the post,
Stephen

By: Doug M

Doug M — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 08:56:49 +0000

Hi guys, yeah I have to agree I was a bit puzzled too, but then again I have 0 experience in any Zen temple, so I only know things by hearsay or what’s read. :-p

By: Kyōshin

Kyōshin — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:22:28 +0000

Hmm, yes I'm puzzled by the facing the walls thing too as my teacher spent some time training in Rinzai temples and certainly learnt to sit facing into the room. I guess it is an idiosyncracy of the temple in question. Doug did write: "The author states in the book that he is speaking of his own experience at Tōfukuji Temple in Kyoto and that the particular regimen may not be reflected in other temples. "

By: John

John — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 23:21:50 +0000

Nice post. Most of the information was sort of what I expected but enjoyed the play-by-play. What was really surprising was this…

“They only engage in meditation in the evenings, when they meditate facing the walls in a practice called menpeki”

It was always my understanding that Rinzai faced each other in group meditation while Soto faced the wall. Of course my understanding only goes so far…or so I am told.

Cheers!