Celebration Month
Buddha’s Birthday, 10 Year Sangha Anniversary, Dharma Guardians
Dear Dharma Sister Cathy Jikai Rose Flies in From Canada
For many years now, since we began Zooming, Jikai has been a dependable, avid’ committed and wise contributor. Her varietal works in compassionate pursuits reveal themselves occasionally. She mentions them casually in the context of making a contribution to our lively conversations in book study seminars, or expressing her feelings amid the confidentiality of Council. We have grown to know her, learn from, and along with her. She brings a rich two decades of relationship with our Sensei Shinzan, as well as his teacher Joan Halifax, Abbot of Upaya Zen Center in New Mexico. She has much to share from her many years, participating fully and interacting with many other teachers and learners there. She maintains strong connections there today. We can’t quite believe she got to be actually here; we could hug and talk face to face, dine and sit and even go on a sail together, a few of us. Day after day, for a precious week she was here. Now she’s back in her “little box” at home in Canada again, full, as we are of fond memories, “missing the hugs” and always smiling in her knowing way, offering her ubiquitous insightful gifts of wisdom. She embodies fully her given name; Jikai means Ocean of Compassion.
Buddha’s birthday Ten Years of Our Sangha Family and Dharma Guardians
The days marched toward the awaited date of events, a confluence of varied import replete with a milestone of the sangha family. We are now ten years old. This sangha was germinated when Shinzan arrived to San Diego in the winter of 2016. We called one and all to this propitious gathering today to feel the abundant nest we’ve cultivated all these years. While we had spread the word, we didn’t have a handle on how many would show. Now, the door opens on a warm early edge of summer day. A few, then more pass through, now even more, solo, in pairs, friends, family, a spouse. Old time and new coming sangha members soon fill the zendo’s space. We need to make more seating. Now we’re cheek by jowl, and the crowd spills through the arch into the adjacent chamber. Those who will facilitate and the participants seek spots to weave their footfalls to navigate through the many zafu cushions, chairs and zabuton mats. A great wave of energy reverberates. Enthusiastic greetings, warm hugs, hands and eyes contact, hearts connect.
Soon, the bells bring us to attention. Our Sensei, Shinzan, now berobed, tells the story of the prince who became the awakened Buddha. He gently explains what we all are about to do. Initially we are here to celebrate the birthday of the baby who became the Buddha. Early this week an abrupt change occurred on our alter. We’ve been relating to a mini-Buddha baby perched there. We’ve wondered at his cherubic presence. Today, in turn we advance, bow and anoint the baby with water, bow again and rejoin the vast group chant of Avalokitesvara, the compassionate model through several millenniums. to our giving Bodhisattva nature.
The love expands to include the full decade of the life of this sangha. This family’s nascence began ten years ago when Shinzan arrived in a small home called Dharma Bum Temple, with a bit of character of its own, where several new to the practice sat with established long-term practitioners, and addicts in Buddhist recovery in a variety of meetings. Three of us joined there, Dojin, our Hoshi, now advanced student- Shuso, teacher. Anzan, a purely Buddhist path, and Mushin, then newly recovering. Now all named Buddhists, we share with this whole graciously powerful maturing sangha. Again we number, among Shinzan’s many attributes, his gentle leadership, his deep knowledge and powerful wisdom. We observe another. Of his many strengths, paramount is the assemblage of people he attracts. They are among the most remarkably admirable we’ve met. And we are fortunate with a core number who are profoundly dedicated, friendly to newer arrivals who keep coming back, eager to step forth together. It has become an exquisite pleasure to take part in the cultivation of this sangha.
The second ceremony of the day begins with Anzan, Jikai, and Mushin stepping forth, and lowering to their knees for the duration of their appointments, each as “Dharma Guardian.” This, with the bestowing of a grey rakusu, marks a longevity of consistent practice in the Open Gate Zen Collective. Shinzan developed this for ones, including Jisen earlier, on whom he can depend to keep the sangha going. He continues to be called to teach for interims elsewhere. Again this spring he sojourned in Upaya’ Practice Period. Anzan and Mushin have the aforementioned ten years tenure. Jikai has been a colleague, then student of Shinzan, and the latest of his teachers, Roshi Joan Halifax, Abbot of Upaya Zen Center, for nearly twenty years now. She joined us on Zoom when it began, attending virtually every week, retreat, and event along with us remotely. She offers her compassionate wisdom, commitment to service in her home environment in Canada. It is a dear joy having her visit for this now. Shinzan presides over a beautiful ceremony, wherein the three retake the precepts. For at least one of them, the addict, humility was foreign. Today, on our knees they stooped. as they did years agoMany bows throughout, they vowed once again to maintain these ‘trainings,’ they are called. These sixteen are not commandments, but descriptions of how a Buddha interacts ethically. They are all given the opportunity to listen, and witness, reflect on these guidelines one at a time. All of us, this precious gathered multitude, join in with these three who’ve “taken the Precepts” before in Jukai ceremony, and since lived with them daily, asking in brief, the three ‘pure’ ones: Did I do any harm? Did I do good? Did I do good for another? For these three, this is a review, but more. Each time we say them, moments in any day, silently in the evening, or today, in public, each Precept opens, from its seed, a fresh bud, a new grain of learning. Following the formal rituals, first Shinzan, then Jisen, Dojin, And Devon, Anzan’s spouse, offered their brief statements of praise and support. More voices came forth from the many gathered around today. One at least, not having expected so much, felt some little surprise in the full profusion of love in this room. The three felt warmly embraced in all the approving munificence. Each of the “Guardians” were asked to write a few lines of reflection.
“Names wisp like smoke through windows. Still the vow lingers. Thank you to my wonderful wife, Devon, my mother and father, Patricia and George, the Sangha, and my dear friends!”
Anzan, Alberto
“Feeling deep gratitude to Shinzan and you there, and to all beyond those walls, family: sister Laura, my daughter Amelia and yes, my friend, her mom, Lusia, who wing-womaned me along the way. My colleagues, my sangha(s) and friends. in my heart with me, with these precepts. As I live with them, I soil them some, then clean them up, move on every day. Sensei Chowa said so aptly to another group, “This is a demotion.” As was the first, this one is a further step under, in service. I hope I can live down to it, ordinary, open and available.”
Blair Mushin Withcomb
“What a joyful day it was with the celebration of Buddha's birthday followed by the Dharma Guardian Ceremony. For me, an opportunity to reflect and be grateful for the people who have accompanied me along this braided creek of a dharma life and the many dharma connections, old and new. How wonderful to once again consider the precepts and renew the vows made so many years ago, first with Roshi Joan and now with my dear friend and teacher, Sensei Shinzan. So much gratitude to the OG community and especially to Daiko for sewing so beautifully. Every time I pick up my rakusu and chant the Verse of the Robe I do it with the gratitude and joy of that day.”
Cathy Jikai Rose
