Hi Anthony, >From a logical viewpoint, I think your initial comment may be right. Your >follow-up adds a condition that seems prudent and correct, but changes it >somehow because we are now dealing with two un-enlightened beings. >Enter: Ego, jealousy and "property rights". I believe that if the subject of fidelity is discussed and agreed upon by both in the beginning of the relationship and / or marriage, then whether or not one or both engage in sex with others, is a non-issue. Does a marital contract (in the USA) preclude taking on other lovers, or is it only inserted in the vows if both agree to them up front? For me, its a non-issue anyway. I see this type of thing as silly. I am very confident that my husband loves me, and wanted to make this commitment--for many reasons. My self-esteem and sense of security is not threatened by the idea that he may have sex with another woman. I think its the secrecy that creates the problem. When you review the biology and anthropology on sexuality and males, its clear than monogamy is not a reasonable option for most. So its the psychology and property rights that mandate this, historically. As you point out, one dons another cap--switching from enlightened mind to lustful mind. When sexuality is repressed or regulated by social norms, it so often seems that the most heinous acts result. I recognize that many choose celibacy while on their spiritual path. i respect those choices. I'm just unclear why having sex with more than one person, even if married, is considered sexual misconduct. I thought zen was ridding itself of all the Judeo-Christian morality norms. I thought one of the teachings is to cease the judgement of self and others. Kristy
--- On Fri, 2/18/11, Kristy McClain <[email protected]> wrote: - On Fri, 2/18/11, Anthony Wu <[email protected]> wrote: From: Anthony Wu <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Re: Sex & The Enlightened Ones To: [email protected] Date: Friday, February 18, 2011, 3:12 PM Kristy, My proposal is still valid, but with one more condition: the non awakening behavior should not affect marital relationships. Anthony --- On Fri, 18/2/11, Kristy McClain <[email protected]> wrote: From: Kristy McClain <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Re: Sex & The Enlightened Ones To: [email protected] Date: Friday, 18 February, 2011, 7:40 AM Anthony, In light of Gempo's behavior, do you still believe this?.. K >>IMO, there is no difference. 'Awakening' does not transcend usual sexual >>standards. It can be reconciled if the time is divided between non awakening >>time when wild sex is conducted, and awakened period when the guru can >>transfer his knowledge. There may be a better way which I don't know. Anthony --- On Thu, 2/17/11, Kristy McClain <[email protected]> wrote: From: Kristy McClain <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Re: Sex & The Enlightened Ones To: [email protected] Date: Thursday, February 17, 2011, 4:08 PM Dear Kanzeon Zen Center Members and Friends, As you are no doubt aware, the situation at Kanzeon has been the subject of a great deal of conversation on the internet and elsewhere, including an open “Letter of Recommendation to Kanzeon Zen Center” from 44 American Zen Teachers, which was sent to us directly by Kyogen Carlson of the Dharma Rain Zen Center and posted two days ago on the Sweeping Zen website. Attached is the Kanzeon Board’s response to that letter, which we are sending today to Roshi Gerry Shishin Wick, President, of the White Plum Asanga, and to the American Zen Teachers Association. We trust that they will post our letter on their websites and pass it on to their members. We would also like to remind you of the healing circle meeting tonight in the Zendo at Kanzeon at 7:30. These meetings will not be broadcast or recorded. Once again, we invite you to speak and listen from your heart, and even if you have not been involved in the conversation until now, to join us and participate actively in the healing and rebuilding of our sangha. Sincerely, The Kanzeon Board ***** To Members of the American Zen Teachers and White Plum Asanga: As members of the Board of Kanzeon Zen Center, we have received many e-mails and phone calls concerning the highly-publicized situation resulting from Genpo Merzel’s admission of his transgressions and sexual misconduct. These communications from Zen teachers in your organizations and others, not to mention open letters and other postings on various social media and internet sites, are filled with advice and recommendations, many of which are beyond the scope of our responsibility as a Board. To the extent that they are motivated by a sincere concern for the survival, healing and rebuilding of our sangha, we would like to share with you an account of some of our efforts to date. • Feb. 3rd: Shortly after returning from the international sangha meeting in Europe, Genpo Merzel met with the sangha at the Zen Center in Salt Lake City in an open meeting which was widely publicized in advance. He admitted his misconduct (which had already been made public but wasn’t known by all attending), apologized for his actions for which he bears the blame and responsibility, and responded to the pain, anger, concerns, questions, and feelings of his wife, family and sangha members. • Feb. 6th: Genpo Merzel announced he is disrobing as a Soto Zen Buddhist priest, resigning as a member of the White Plum Asanga, acknowledged his own dishonest, hurtful behavior as well as his sexual misconduct, and said he has entered therapy which will continue indefinitely. This statement was posted on his website on Feb. 7th — http://bigmind.org/Responsibility.html. • Feb. 8th: Kanzeon Zen Center announced that Richard Taido Christofferson Sensei will be taking over the teaching functions, training, administration, day-to-day operations, scheduling of all events, ceremonies, retreats, etc. as Vice Abbot and full time resident teacher. Kanzeon and Big Mind (a separate corporate entity) will also separate their websites, and Big Mind will continue as a separate secular practice, not connected with the Soto Zen Buddhist School. This announcement is posted at http://bigmind.org/Home.html. • Feb. 10th: The first of a projected series of council meetings was held with community members who wished to attend and express their feelings and their views on attempts for future healing. • Feb. 13th: Taido Sensei arrived in Salt Lake City to lead a town hall meeting to which all local members were invited. He outlined his vision for the future of Kanzeon under his leadership and responded to the concerns of the audience. • Ongoing: The Board is formulating a Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Procedures addressing issues of misconduct, abuse, and grievances within the sangha, based on models already instituted by other groups. They will be adopted as soon as possible. Further, an e-mail sent to us yesterday by members of your organizations raised six issues, to which we briefly respond as follows: 1. Teaching. Genpo Merzel is taking an indefinite leave of absence of at least a year from Kanzeon. The Board has no authority over Big Mind, Inc. 2. Therapy. This is a matter for health care professionals working with Genpo to determine. This is not within the expertise or purview of the Board. 3. Salt Lake Zen Center. The Board is making every effort to maintain the facilities and keep the Center open for the community. This effort has been hampered by the heated rhetoric coming from the Zen Teacher community, in particular those who have reached out to members of our community to inflame reactions that are more adversarial than cooperative. 4. Money Issues. The Board is supporting Taido Sensei's effort to maintain the flow of revenue through memberships and programs. His teaching schedule for the next two months will be posted shortly. We are a small Sangha, which has been financially supported by Genpo's teaching for many years and more recently by his teaching through Big Mind, Inc. He has offered to continue to support Kanzeon to the extent he can. Therefore, donations you wish to make to enable the Board to implement item 6 below would be welcomed. 5. Public Statement of Apology. Genpo has apologized and his apology is posted at http://bigmind.org/Responsibility.html. He continues to talk full responsibility for the harm his actions have caused. 6. Outside expert assistance. Taido Sensei has been in contact with several Dharma teachers in the White Plum Asanga, who have offered their support and willingness to come to Kanzeon to share their skills as teachers, therapists, and leaders who have experienced the problems of leading centers through similar crises. The Board in consultation with Taido Sensei will develop a plan that will include consultation with and participation of these and other Zen teachers. The Board has also been in contact with organizations, which can provide experienced, objective, professional assistance in guiding us to the creation of a healthier sangha with proper safeguards and strategies to avoid any future misconduct and abuse. As you might expect, these activities are occurring in an environment that is under great stress. The Center’s very small staff which is implementing the changes we have set in motion, is struggling to maintain the Center’s schedule and commitments in financially constricted conditions, not to mention the strong daily practice which all agree is vital especially now, while at the same time coping with a deluge of phone calls and emails engendered by the ever-increasing volume of recommendations and calls for action like yours. Long-time bonds of respect and friendship among members of the sangha are being frayed and broken. People with little or no connection to our sangha or Center have appeared at meetings designed to promote healing only to offer their own inflammatory views on our situation. Our Zendo has been vandalized, a beloved statue stolen from the altar. Under these circumstances, we respectfully request that those people who sincerely hope that we at Kanzeon survive and heal as a community, and create an environment and adopt procedures that lessen the possibility of any future misconduct or abuse, will extend us a little patience and allow us the time and breathing space to restore the peace and harmony of the sangha and the strength and sound practice of its members. Genpo Merzel has repeatedly reiterated his full support for all of the actions taken by the Board and Sensei as outlined above. Board of Trustees of Kanzeon, Inc. Kanzeon Zen Center 1268 E. South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84102 --- On Thu, 2/17/11, Anthony Wu <[email protected]> wrote:
