Re: Precepts in China and Japan
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:44 am
First of all the O.BC isnt a hodge podge a hybrid practice . There way of taking precepts and their tradition of following the Brahmajala Sutra m is an ancient thing. iT SATARTED IN jAPAN WITH sAICHO THE FOUNDER OF THE tENDAI sCHOOL
they even perform regular renewals of precepts like others do. WHAT THEY RECITE AT THEIR RENEWAL CEREMONY IS tHE bRAHMAJALA sutra.
sara H, I THINK IT IS NOT A GOOD THING TO BE CONTRASTING THE obc WITH OTHER MONASTICS AS YOU ARE DOING , I dont think that they would like that at all, theuy consider themselves an integral part of the BUDDHIST MONASTIC COMMUNITY, IN CONTRAST TO MOST OF THE OTHER sOTO zEN GROUPS HERE.
they dont think that they are better and they dont contrast themselves with the rest of the BUDDHIST MONKS AND NUNS.
there are other two other co ed monasteries here. GAMPO abbey and sravasti abbey, i dont see them making a big deal aboutn it , or that they are doing anything revolutionary. AND IDONT HEAR THEM SAYING THAT THIS MEANS OUR TEACHINGS ARENT MODERN ENOUGH. or that they are more up to date.
another thing about this, ar rge ObC centre near me, when some nuns wanted to join their community, THEY WENT AND RENTED AN EXTRA HOUSE, SO THAT THE NUNS WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE RESIDENCE.
i think it s a real error to call our precepts , vows that is a big misunderstanding its changing our teachings in a very significant way . look at pali we say we undertake the training not to kill etc..
ALSO WHEN WE BECOME bHIKSHUs
WE DONT RECITE , AND COMMIT TO FOLLOW 250 OR SO RULES , WE JOIN a community of monks with the assent of the othersb in the community.
ALSO THE VINAYA IS A SET OF TEACHINGS RELEVANT TO THE MONASYIC COMMUNITY , ITS NOT JUST THE PRECEPTS THATS JUST ONE PART OF IT , ITS A WHOE PITAKA THAT HAS ALOT OF OTHER THINGS IN IT SO MOSTLY WHAT WEVE TALING ABOUT HERE IS TE PRATIMOKSHA , NOT THE VINAYA , ITS JUST A PART OF SOMMETHING THATS BIGGER
finally a lot of people like to disparage the teachings in the VINAYA , SOME TREAT IT AS A LAW BOOK AND LOSE THE SPIRIT OF IT , WITNESS SOME OF THE STRANGE REASONINGS THAT HAVE BEEN USED TO KEEP WOMEN FROM BECOMING BHIKKHUNIS OYHERS RIDICULE IT FOR BEING SILLY BECAUSE ITS OUTDATED . THEY ARENT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE LAWYERS BECAUSE NEITHER EXTREME FOCUSSES FIRST AND FOREMOST ON THE INTENTION, THE SPIRIT , WHICH IS TO ENHANCE DHARMA NOT TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM PRACTICING IT.
LAMA TSEWANG
they even perform regular renewals of precepts like others do. WHAT THEY RECITE AT THEIR RENEWAL CEREMONY IS tHE bRAHMAJALA sutra.
sara H, I THINK IT IS NOT A GOOD THING TO BE CONTRASTING THE obc WITH OTHER MONASTICS AS YOU ARE DOING , I dont think that they would like that at all, theuy consider themselves an integral part of the BUDDHIST MONASTIC COMMUNITY, IN CONTRAST TO MOST OF THE OTHER sOTO zEN GROUPS HERE.
they dont think that they are better and they dont contrast themselves with the rest of the BUDDHIST MONKS AND NUNS.
there are other two other co ed monasteries here. GAMPO abbey and sravasti abbey, i dont see them making a big deal aboutn it , or that they are doing anything revolutionary. AND IDONT HEAR THEM SAYING THAT THIS MEANS OUR TEACHINGS ARENT MODERN ENOUGH. or that they are more up to date.
another thing about this, ar rge ObC centre near me, when some nuns wanted to join their community, THEY WENT AND RENTED AN EXTRA HOUSE, SO THAT THE NUNS WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE RESIDENCE.
i think it s a real error to call our precepts , vows that is a big misunderstanding its changing our teachings in a very significant way . look at pali we say we undertake the training not to kill etc..
ALSO WHEN WE BECOME bHIKSHUs
WE DONT RECITE , AND COMMIT TO FOLLOW 250 OR SO RULES , WE JOIN a community of monks with the assent of the othersb in the community.
ALSO THE VINAYA IS A SET OF TEACHINGS RELEVANT TO THE MONASYIC COMMUNITY , ITS NOT JUST THE PRECEPTS THATS JUST ONE PART OF IT , ITS A WHOE PITAKA THAT HAS ALOT OF OTHER THINGS IN IT SO MOSTLY WHAT WEVE TALING ABOUT HERE IS TE PRATIMOKSHA , NOT THE VINAYA , ITS JUST A PART OF SOMMETHING THATS BIGGER
finally a lot of people like to disparage the teachings in the VINAYA , SOME TREAT IT AS A LAW BOOK AND LOSE THE SPIRIT OF IT , WITNESS SOME OF THE STRANGE REASONINGS THAT HAVE BEEN USED TO KEEP WOMEN FROM BECOMING BHIKKHUNIS OYHERS RIDICULE IT FOR BEING SILLY BECAUSE ITS OUTDATED . THEY ARENT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE LAWYERS BECAUSE NEITHER EXTREME FOCUSSES FIRST AND FOREMOST ON THE INTENTION, THE SPIRIT , WHICH IS TO ENHANCE DHARMA NOT TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM PRACTICING IT.
LAMA TSEWANG