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bernie glassman
November 2007 
Zen Pilgrimage to Japan
Posted on Sep 17th, 2006
by 
Fleet
Fleet
We have been in Japan for one week now. It seems like much longer. After arriving in Tokyo, we visited the various family temples of Maezumi Roshi's brothers, in Toyyo and north of Tokyo in Otawara, where we were hosted magnificently. It was wonderful to connect with my teacher Roshi Bernie Glassman's Dharma familly in Japan. From Otawara we passed through Tokyo again on the way south to Mt. Fuji and then Kyoto. Near Mt. Fugi we spend time with Hitachi Roshi in a wonderful temple also connected to Maezumi Roshi and also a lay Zendo, founded by Koryu Roshi, part of a lay organization called Shakyamuni-kai. The Zendo is actually called a dojo, because it is lay and not monastic. They also have a strong connection to social action. Practicing zazen at this dojo was a highlight of the trip so far. We have been in Kyoto for several days now, visiting Rinza and Soto Zen temples as well as a Tendai temple complex on Mt. Hiei, where Buddhism begain in Japan. This Tendai temple on Mt. Heie has a connection to Prince Shotoku Daishi, Dogen Zenji and Nicheren.
Today we visited Itoen, the center founded by Tenko Nishida, a Japanese businessman who had some kind of spiritual experience in the early 1900's, gave a way all his money and then became homeless. He founded the Itoen organization, a nonsectarian, multi-faith organization. There main practices were, voluntary poverty, cleaning toilets and living on the streets. Tenko Nishida is a kind of Ghandi like figure in Japan. He died in 1960. Unfortunately, Itoen appears to be in decline, but it was still very inspiring to visit this community totally dedicated to social action. They also support social work in Southeast Asia.
I was in Japan for three weeks in 1983 with my teacher Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Kyoto was then a relatively small and very traditional city with 100's of temples and monasteries. Now, unfortunately, it is a huge, sprawling city; so all the temples and monasteries are surrounded by millions of people, cars, traffick, etc.
It is amazing being here and meet Bernie's Japanese Dharma family and lineage. I long to experience a more tradtional Japan, but it may no long exist.
We visit more temples in Nara tomorrow and the next day leave for Eiheiji, one of the two headquarter monasteries of the Soto Zen lineage (Maezumi and Bernie are Soto Zen, as was Suzuki Roshi). From there we head back to Tokyo for a few days, and then back to the U.S.
photo:
Today we visited Itoen, the center founded by Tenko Nishida, a Japanese businessman who had some kind of spiritual experience in the early 1900's, gave a way all his money and then became homeless. He founded the Itoen organization, a nonsectarian, multi-faith organization. There main practices were, voluntary poverty, cleaning toilets and living on the streets. Tenko Nishida is a kind of Ghandi like figure in Japan. He died in 1960. Unfortunately, Itoen appears to be in decline, but it was still very inspiring to visit this community totally dedicated to social action. They also support social work in Southeast Asia.
I was in Japan for three weeks in 1983 with my teacher Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Kyoto was then a relatively small and very traditional city with 100's of temples and monasteries. Now, unfortunately, it is a huge, sprawling city; so all the temples and monasteries are surrounded by millions of people, cars, traffick, etc.
It is amazing being here and meet Bernie's Japanese Dharma family and lineage. I long to experience a more tradtional Japan, but it may no long exist.
We visit more temples in Nara tomorrow and the next day leave for Eiheiji, one of the two headquarter monasteries of the Soto Zen lineage (Maezumi and Bernie are Soto Zen, as was Suzuki Roshi). From there we head back to Tokyo for a few days, and then back to the U.S.
photo:
me with my friend Roland from Switzerland at the Golden Pavilion temple in Kyoto
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