Sōtō Dharma transmission

1 sōtō

1.1 criteria
1.2 status
1.3 spiritual realization
1.4 shiho
1.5 further study

sōtō

in sōtō, dharma transmission acknowledgement of ties between teacher , student. has been subject changes on history of soto-school.

though dōgen emphasized importance of purity of teachings, , highly valued lineage , dharma transmission, soto-school has origins in various lineages , dharma transmissions. dogen received dharma transmission chinese teacher rujing, whom studied 2 years, in medieval soto considered dharma heir of myōzen, rinzai-teacher, whom studied 8 years. , tettsū gikai, dharma-grandson of dogen, lineage-holder of nōnin, founder of dharuma-shu, rinzai-school. gikai passed linegae on keizan, thereby lineage-holder in @ least 2 lineages.

to make history of soto more complicated, caodong-lineage dogen inherited through rujing passed on caodong-master dayang jingxuan touzi yiqing via rinzai-master fushan fayuan. fushan fayuan had once studied under dayang jingxuan. when jingxuan died fayuan had received jingxuan s portrait, robe, , verse expressed teaching , promising pass them on suitable successor . fayuan chose student touzi yiqing inherit lineage, fact acknowledged in keizan s denkoroku, [i]n standard versions of dogen s writings, however, direct references yiqing s indirect succession have been eliminated .

criteria

manzan dokahu (1636–1714), soto reformer,

[p]ropagated view dharma transmission dependent on personal initiation between master , disciple rather on disciple s enlightenment. maintained view in face of strong opposition, citing authority towering figure of japanese zen, dogen [...] became , continues day official soto zen view.

according manzan, unenlightened student receive dharma transmission:

manzan argued long master , disciple fulfill condition of personal relationship, dharma transmission either enlightened or unenlightened disciple both equivalent in [maintaining] true tradition .

in sōtō-zen, since manzan dokahu, 2 criteria applied dharma transmission:

status

in contrast status dharma transmission has begotten in west, in sōtō has relatively low status:

[d]harma transmission provides access relatively low grade. listed requirement lowest ecclesiastical status, of instructor third class (santō kyōshi). thus, in present day sōtō zen, dharma transmission constitutes preliminary step, after 1 s real development begins [...] today, key authority conferred dharma transmission qualifies priest manage ordinary (jun hōchi) local temple. these temples not ascetic training of ceremonial services on behalf of lay patrons.

to supervise training of monks, further qualifications necessary:

the relatively low status of dharma transmission means in , of not qualify 1 accept students or train disciples. according regulations, zen students should supervised teacher has attained supervisory certification (i.e. sanzen dōjō shike status), is, in popular literature might called zen master. attain supervisory certification requires not high ecclesiastical grades , dharma seniority @ least 3 years experience assistant supervisor @ specially designated training hall (tokubetsu sōdō), during time 1 undergoes apprenticeship.

the duties come full qualification not appreciated. in medieval organisation of sōtō-shu, when rotation of abbotship norm. dharma transmission @ branch temple obliged 1 serve @ least 1 term abbot @ main temple. abbotship gave severe duties, , financial burdens, reason many tried avoid responsibility of abbotship:

tsūgen, baisan , jochū each demanded future generations excommunicate zen teacher failed fulfill obligation serve abbot of head temple. baisan decreed obedient zen successors should seize defiant ones , burn offender s succession s certificate (shisho) before eyes. note remarkable inversion has occurred here. instead of dharma transmission being qualification becoming abbot, successful service abbot has become requirement being allowed retain 1 s dharma transmission.

spiritual realization

the sōtō-shu confers inka shōmyō (or inshō) [granting] seal of approval realization of enlightenment , upon students. an

... idealized religious aspect of dharma transmission process. zen master , disciple may evoke mystical paradigm through ritual ceremony in master s room (shi-tsunai), other, more mundane institutional concerns can govern actual selection , promotion of dharma heirs .

dharma transmission part of maintenance of soto-institutions. authority , temple-property handed down, father son. not guarantee spiritual attainment:

dharma transmission no guarantee anything. shows person gave transmission – , 1 person – convinced student qualified teacher. have been wrong? yes, have been wrong. therefore, if want make sure teacher teacher, should not ask if or has dharma transmission or not. question is: dharma transmission come from? lineage represent? , more important: practice did accompany it? kind of student teacher before or became teacher? or practice now?

shiho

[please note section provides 1 reference single individual. wikipedia including more sources.]

dharma transmission called shiho. in sōtō school student receives dharma transmission during denbō ceremony, last ceremony of shiho ceremony:

the usual practice...is sōtō monk given dharma transmission priest ordained him (in cases own father), after returns minimum period of monastery training. because dharma transmission prerequisite becoming head priest of sōtō branch temple, virtually sōtō priests meet ritual requirement @ relatively stage in careers.

shiho is...

...the recognition of transmission took place long before ceremony itself. in fact, has nothing @ paper, philosophy or mystical experience. 24 hours of daily life shared teacher , student content of transmission, , nothing else [...] in antaiji, when receive shiho after, say, 8 or 9 years, have sat 15.000 hours of zazen teacher. not that, shared many thousands of meals him, worked in fields thousands of hours, spread manure, cut grass , wood together, side side, sweat in summer , froze in winter. cooked him , filled bath tub him, know how likes temperature both of soup , bathing water. shared many drinks, probably. in each of these activities, dharma transmitted. none should left out.

shiho done one-to-one in abbot s quarters (hojo) . 3 handwritten documents certify dharma transmission;

a) shisho (the scripture of transmission, names of ancestors arranged in circle – dharma has passed on shakyamuni yourself, , give shakyamuni. there small piece of papaer, written sawaki roshi, comments. paper copied student when doing dharma transmission @ antaiji.)

b) daiji (the great matter, cryptic symbolization of content of teaching. again, there small sheet of paper explains meaning of symbols.) c) kechimyaku (the blood lineage, looks quite similar blood line transmission wrote @ time of ordination) d) actually, in lineage of sawaki roshi (and maybe other lineages well) student told write fourth document on sheet of paper, called hisho (the secret document, encoded, code decyphering on same paper, once hold in hands not secret anymore.)

the procedure has take place once in 1 s life, , binds student teacher forever:

dharma transmission can happen once, , once, or never @ all. multiple dharma transmission nonsense. if receive dharma transmission 1 teacher, on 1 , teacher, real teacher (jap. hon-shi). multiple lineage holders hear of in west bullshit. therefore important both sides, student, make sure right time them make important step.

if students not have feeling wants tied teacher rest of life, may refuse take dharma transmission particular teacher. since time of manzan dokahu (1636–1714), multiple dharma transmissions impossible in soto zen.

further study

according muho noelke, dharma transmission marks beginning of real learning:

dharma transmission not last , final step in student s practice. quite opposite, 1 might call real first step on way of practice. way has begun, student has decided exact way wants follow end. real hardships still lay ahead of him. use example of boy-meets-girl again: @ point of time have decided made each other, speak, want married , have kids. hopefully, not mean romance over. means both prepared real struggle begin.

after dharma transmission 1 has become member of blood line of zen, not yet qualified oshō. after ten-e , zuise ceremonies, 1 qualified oshō. there-after 1 has practice time, @ least 6 months, in sôdô-ango, officially recognized sōtō-shu training centre.

after 1 can start work in temple. newly acquired status confirmed in kyoshi-honin ceremony. there-after follows first practice-period in 1 s own temple, aid of susho (head monk). followed jushoku-himei ceremony, confirms 1 s status dai-oshō.

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