Chozen Roshi is a wonderfully down-to-earth woman. She told me that just so long as I get food into the bowls and from the bowls into my mouth, that I was doing just fine. That was at my first sesshin, so I appreciated her words all the more.
I watched this video to prepare for my first sesshin retreat with the Great Heartland Buddhist Temple of Toledo in 2016! Thank you for making this resource available.
Thank you for reminding me how important it is to eat with full awareness, particularly with my mouth rather than just my stomach. I tend to eat to alleviate the empty feeling in my stomach which I know could be both spiritual and physical hunger, but by taking the time to explore the sensations fulfills so much more than just an empty space.
We intend to upload an expanded version of this video which will include more practice tips so stay tuned. Though It is kind of far down on the list of priorities so it might be a little while. Thanks for your comment.
Chozen Bays Roshi. A wonderfully simple and thorough step by step lesson on Oryoki. Gassho. I am unclear regarding the reasons why each of these steps is executed. Could you expand on the steps to their function in practice? _/\_
What happened to the fourth bowl? In the beginning you unstacked and placed from left to right 1) big bowl, 2) medium bowl and then 3) the fourth and smallest bowl, placing the second smallest on top. When restacking, you only stacked three. Or did I miss anything?
The spatula is a western adaptation. In Japan, they use a picked reddish and wash with that. Also in the West, you would wash this in a western fashion at least once a week if not forthrightly.
One of the bowls is used for tea. I'm guessing that since this was more of a demo, they skipped that. They do serve tea with every meal at this monastery. And awesome food, by the way.
Why is it gross when you clean the tools in your mouth? They’ve been in your mouth before, when you ate. Was it gross then? Same mouth, same saliva. Nothing changed. If wasn’t gross before, it’s not gross afterwards. And it’s all washed with hot water after that anyway. By the time when you pack it all back, it’s all nice and proper and squeaky-clean.
Chozen Roshi is a wonderfully down-to-earth woman. She told me that just so long as I get food into the bowls and from the bowls into my mouth, that I was doing just fine. That was at my first sesshin, so I appreciated her words all the more.
I watched this video to prepare for my first sesshin retreat with the Great Heartland Buddhist Temple of Toledo in 2016! Thank you for making this resource available.
Thank you for reminding me how important it is to eat with full awareness, particularly with my mouth rather than just my stomach. I tend to eat to alleviate the empty feeling in my stomach which I know could be both spiritual and physical hunger, but by taking the time to explore the sensations fulfills so much more than just an empty space.
We intend to upload an expanded version of this video which will include more practice tips so stay tuned. Though It is kind of far down on the list of priorities so it might be a little while. Thanks for your comment.
Thanks a lot Gassho!
Chozen Bays Roshi. A wonderfully simple and thorough step by step lesson on Oryoki. Gassho. I am unclear regarding the reasons why each of these steps is executed. Could you expand on the steps to their function in practice? _/\_
I have never formally seen step by step instructions on the use of Oryoki. Domo Arigato.... _/\_
The most important thing is to do everything with full awareness. The rest is just details.
What happened to the fourth bowl? In the beginning you unstacked and placed from left to right 1) big bowl, 2) medium bowl and then 3) the fourth and smallest bowl, placing the second smallest on top. When restacking, you only stacked three. Or did I miss anything?
The spatula is a western adaptation. In Japan, they use a picked reddish and wash with that. Also in the West, you would wash this in a western fashion at least once a week if not forthrightly.
It sees to me there are slight variations in oryoki, perhaps depending on teacher. I've never seen bowls tipped out like that.
🙏
So zen practicioners don't drink anything during their meals?
One of the bowls is used for tea. I'm guessing that since this was more of a demo, they skipped that. They do serve tea with every meal at this monastery. And awesome food, by the way.
She drank the dishwater after the bowls and utensils were cleaned.
Basically, zen is oryoki everything...
Wow..."Zen master"???? I only authorized that title for ME.
The cleaning part is so gross. It's the part I really cringe at.
Why is it gross when you clean the tools in your mouth? They’ve been in your mouth before, when you ate. Was it gross then? Same mouth, same saliva. Nothing changed. If wasn’t gross before, it’s not gross afterwards.
And it’s all washed with hot water after that anyway. By the time when you pack it all back, it’s all nice and proper and squeaky-clean.