Soto Zen Buddhism (ritual, experience, taoism)

[Engyo]

Originally Posted by Scarlett Wampus

Ordination? I'm not sure if what you mean by this is what I imagine. Do you mean, take the boddhisattva vows and become a monk?

Scarlett -

Ordination in most Japanese forms of Buddhism is not monastic - except for possibly certain periods of training. My wife is going through a similar process in Nichiren Buddhism - she is currently in Japan taking a test. As for Bodhisattva vows, we recite those during our daily services, whether we are laypeople or clergy.

In Nichiren Buddhism, we call our clergy "ministers" rather than priests or monks, since they are not monastic. Most Japanese clergy are not celibate, and can marry. My wife took vows as a shami, or novice minister, in October of 2002 and went to Japan for formal initiation in April of 2003. She has been in training ever since, working with her sensei, and attending a week-long workshop every November. She has 2 tests in Japan this year, and will most likely take her final 35-day monastery training in April or May of next year. Upon completion of that, she will be considered ordained as a Nichiren Buddhist minister.

Does that clarify a bit?

[Scarlett Wampus]

Yes it does. Thanks Engyo.

[koan]

Soto Zen, chinese Ts'ao-Tung school , is Patriachal Zen. In most of China and Korea Zen teachings such as Ts'ao-Tung and Lin-Chi ( Rinzai ) etc. are combined, untill one is aware fully which Way ( Do, Tao ) suits one best, then generaly follows that way. To say whether Soto Zen is any good or not depends on ones nature. Only in Japan I believe are the different ways fully split.

[zenzero]

Friend,
All studies are from the mind and the idea is to drop that very MIND.
So is it necessary to do to be.
To do is ACTIOn.
to be is EGO
Both leads to unqualification for the purpose.
How many more births, is the question
The choice is individual's
Either way through revolution or through evolution every being will reach THERE.
Love & rgds