amen and smiles fa jian!
dennis
Fa Jian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I respectfully disagree with such "rule", although followed at Zen places in
Asia, but less in America. Who makes all these rules? -- The Rakusu is nothing
but a shortened monk's robe any person can get when accepting the Buddhist
Precepts. I cannot find a saying by Buddha that would have his followers learn
how to sew. It is very difficult for most people, especially men, to sew,
especially in times where sewing machines are the norm. Why put a burden on
people, who simply want to follow the Buddha path? Why imitate old-fashioned
tailoring? (Similarly, do we Zen practitioners now use horse buggies and oil
lamps instead of cars and electricity? I am sure I could come up with all kinds
of explanations for using those as a sign of accepting Zen and giving up more
time ... ). Then there are some places, where they wont give you the Precepts
unless you have sewn your Rakusu first. What in the world does such a
practice have to do with Buddhism?? By the way, there is no
such thing as "Zen precepts". There are only the Buddhist precepts that all
Buddhists, no matter what sect, are holding to. Neither does your name on the
white (back) part with your teachers signature make your Rakusu any more
authentic than being left blank. That you follow the Buddha path in all
sincerity and practice is what makes YOU authentic, not any piece of cloth!
Here are a few of the many respectable (Zen) monasteries and places that
offer to sell you a Rakusu:
http://www.fourgates.com/clthngzen.asp
http://www.stillsitting.com/sitting-in.html
http://www.endlessknotcushions.com/
Mindfully,
Fa Jian
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
> Behalf Of Emmanuel W. Martins
> Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 07:11
> To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Zen] Re: Where can I buy a rokasu?
>
> Hi fellows,
>
> I am sorry but no Zen learner should BUY a Rakusu. It must be sewed by
> the owner, and a most skilled MONK or NUN should oversee the work,
> teach how to sew in japanese way, chose the color, the kind of cloth.
> it is a work of about 40 hours and the sewing work means a meditation
> "here and now" because the learner stay absolutely concentrated in
> this work.
>
> On the back of the Rakusu the learner master will write the learner's
> Dharma name and will sign so Rakusu will be authentic. This Rakusu
> means the learner's acceptance of the Zen precepts and will be in use
> in every zazen or sesshin along the learner's path.
>
> If a learner has no time or willing to sew his own Rakusu, he should
> give up having one. You all know time we fabric it and time depends on
> our choose of priorities.
>
> There is no hurry to sew a Rakusu. Learner can wait months or yars to
> find a sesshin for sewing it in a Zen Center, often in other state,
> even in other country.
>
> This is the way we behave at our sangha,
>
> Emmanuel Toku Jyo
>
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