Bill!,
Oh, yes. Those words are kept in currency too in the Diamond Sangha, of Aitken
Roshi. Our group in Tucson is one of the affiliate sanghas. So when I
practiced here with them over a 22 year period, the words became second nature,
or native lingo.
Each sesshin also had a Karmadana, who assigns samu tasks to each participant,
and sees that they carried them out not only well, but in a way to help the
person's practice.
The Tenzo was usually a most experienced student, who could also enlist several
"choppers", or assistants, to help prepare meals. I've been a chopper, but
never Tenzo. I've done each and every other position many times, but was never
head-cook, Tenzo. I think they didn't trust "the SKINNY GUY" to be Cook! ;-)
Our training of new officers (as we called the service-position figures) began
with Jiki, the time-keeper pos'n. People got to practice Jiki at daily evening
sits, and of course on Zazenkai (all-day Saturday sit, with sesshin intensity,
and Roshi), and on 7-day sesshin and 3-day sesshin. I'd say it takes several
years to become a really, really, good, sensitive Jiki.
We trained Inos, the chant-leaders, next, usually after a person had been Jiki
many times in many different circumstances, usually over years. We trained Ino
in use of the voice and breath, and in the various instruments: the large floor
bell, the blocks, and the hand-bell (used during vows, and bows). Ino was also
trained for service before mealtimes on sesshin, and before and after Roshi's
Teisho on sesshin, and for Sevices on sesshin.
Jisha is selected by Roshi for sesshin, and trained by Roshi. Jisha organizes
and monitors the Dokusan line, and serves Roshi as attendant.
Tanto is selected by Roshi for sesshin, and trained by Roshi.
Karmadana is usually a volunteer position for each sesshin, and is often the
same person for years. Sometimes we refer to him or her as "Work Coordinator".
Karmadana usually is a long-time sangha member who knows just about everybody
very well.
Tenzo, cook, is a volunteer position, but is always someone senior in the
practice... and who can cook... and keep the schedule. ;-)
New Tenzos are trained out of the folks who serve as "choppers" with the Tenzo.
Practice changes a lot when you begin doing the service positions. You go deep
in your own practice, of course, but you must also be very aware of your
duties, and timing, and coordination with everyone else of the other officers,
and Roshi. This is yet another way of bringing and keeping our practice in the
world of everyday life. Serving in these "positions" is very fine, fine Zen
practice. Great opportunities, all of them.
There are TWO temples at a Zen center, you know. One is the Ch'an Hall or
Zendo; the other is the Kitchen. These must be perfectly coordinated. This
coordination is another of the everyday miracles that our practice exercises in
us, and teaches.
I say, don't miss it, if you have a chance to practice like this.
At home, I am my own Tenzo, Cook. But I never took on the work of cooking for
26, or 35, etc., on sesshin, three meals a day, for 7 days while practicing
deeply and closely with Roshi. Hats off to all Tenzos! Hail!
--Joe
PS It warms my heart to hear about Bernie (Tetsugen) and Daido. Maybe the
other Tanto may have been Buksbazen? John (Daishin), I think. Great Dharma
name! Or, maybe it could have been also have been Genpo Merzel?
> "Bill!" <BillSmart@...> wrote:
>
> Wow! I haven't heard all those terms in a while.
>
> I never had an official role in any sesshins beyond normal samu (word
> detail). On one sesshin at the Zen Mountain Center I was assigned to the
> kitchen and that was really nice. Otherwise it was just cleaning and
> sweeping.
>
> I did take on the duties of juki sometimes for the normal daily zazen
> periods. That duty was passed around among many of the established students.
>
> All roles during sesshin at ZCLA and the Mountain Center were assigned to
> those who had gone through jukai. I never did that.
>
> Tetsugan was usually the jisha during sesshin but other monks including Daido
> would take that on during the normal schedule. Both Tetsuan and Daido (and
> one other senior monk whose name I forget) seemed to take turns as tanto.
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