SHIHO - Dharma Transmission

Kæru félagar,

Hér eru myndir og útskýringar frá kennara okkar Kwong Roshi um sérstaka athöfn og ferli sem farið hefur fram á Sonoma Mountain Zen Center nýlega, sem er liður í því að sonur hans Nyoze Kwong öðlist stöðu kennara í Soto Zen hefðinni, og lýkur því ferli næsta vor í Japan. Einnig eru myndir frá tesiðaathöfn sem fór þar fram um svipað leyti.

"Dear Wisteria Wind Sangha:

The Ceremony took 7 days & we finished on through midnight into the dawn hours of Sunday 3:00 AM - Nov. 9th. The first day we were faced with an insurmountable amount of work in copying the three traditional Documents that were handed down by our Ancestors.  First, I didn't know if we could do it, but after we completed the Ketchimyaku - Blood lineage Documents from Suzuki-roshi all the way back to Buddha - meanining 92 generations I knew we could do it;  This was a victory!  There are 3 Documents altogether - Sammotsu. The Plum paper that we ordered from Japan is very rare here in the States. No one seems to be doing this anymore.  You can only purchase it through Soto Shu.  You only receive 3 Plum papers -  So No Miss-takes!  Copying all the Kanji is really another language for us; This is not our first language by far.....Esp. Nyoze who is left handed & has no training in Calligraphy.  He did it with his right hand that is copying all the 91 Buddha Names beginning with Shakyamuni Buddha.  A red circle is drawn - symbol of Emptiness - a line directly below is Buddha's name - Indian names - Chinese names - Japanese names - American & finally to Nyoze-Demian.  Verifying that he is the 92nd Successor of this GREAT LINEAGE which INCLUDES EVERYTHING..........This work is sealed with the Abbot's seal/ Place & date.  To finish Shinko irons the 8 foot long by 2 foot wide Plum Paper that is meticulously ironed & folded into approx. 6 " x 6 "   This is a larger form of your Ketchimyaku - only that this is all done by hand. This is accompanied with Calligraphy on a rice paper folder from the Abbot stating & stamped with a Three Treasure Seal of what this is...........In Spring of next year, we go to Japan when we do Zuisse @ the two head Zen Temples - Eiheiji, Dogen's & Sojiji, Keizan's Temple where we return our Gratitude & Respect for our Ancestors.  Nyoze becomes the Abbot for each Temple for one day & one night.  This is the completion of Shiho......... Hope this all fit on your computer!

In gratitude for your perseverance, commitment & support on this very mysterious path unfolding beneath our feet..........
Nine Bows - roshi"

Í Gassho
Mikhael Zentetsu