EDITORIAL
‘…when we want to disseminate the truth of the Buddhist patriarchs, it is not always necessary to select a particular place or wait for favourable circumstances. Shall we just consider today to be the starting point?’
—Shobogenzo Bendowa
Welcome to the Spring 2020 edition of Myoju magazine. The theme of this issue is Beginning: Truth. The Tokozan-Jikishoan community, led by Ekai Osho, has recently completed its first three-month Ango or practice period online. For many years, an extended practice period has been a central part of Ekai Osho’s vision for the community. Now that dream has been realised.
With the coming of Spring, the community is in an interim practice period, preparing for the extended Home Learning Program which will commence with a two-week tanga/orientation period on 3 October and end on 17 December. Due to the uncertainty of COVID-19 restrictions, all practice activities will again be presented online.
In his dharma talk, What Kind of Meditation are You Doing?, Ekai Osho asks us to look closely at the nature of our zazen practice, in light of our study of Zen Master Dogen’s ‘Jijuyu Zanmai’—the samadhi of receiving and using the Self.
In late July, Osho learned of the passing of Taiten Kaneta Roshi—a great friend and supporter of Ekai Osho’s practice, his vision for the Jikishoan community, and the flourishing of Soto Zen Buddhism in Australia. In this edition we celebrate Kaneta Roshi’s life and practice through the inclusion of Roshi’s Bodhi Daruma calligraphy and his Dharma teaching, Maka Hannya Haramita Shingyo given during one of his many visits to Jikishoan.
Given our present conditions – finding our way through online practice – Shoken Winecoff Roshi’s timely article, Is Monastery Relevant to the 21st Century speaks directly to the nature of practice and monastery. He reminds us, ‘The whole world is the monastery’.
Gassho,
Margaret Kokyo Lynch, Coordinator
On behalf of Ekai Korematsu Osho – Editor
