valleyzendoblog

Dear zen friend

1)         October Sesshin:          10/10,  10/11, 10/12. 

            November Sesshin:       11/07, 11/08,  11/09. 

2)         Chanting and Dharma Discussion:     1 pm on October 25th (Saturday)  

3)    I have been watching Zatoichi movies these days. Many of them were made after I came to US. Extreme stories are similar throughout the series. A  blind massagist who is a gambler, and a sword fighting expert outsmarts bad guys. Hero, Zatoichi, (Katsu Shintaro) is a unique character seen in each movie. As I watched more movies in series, I became familiar with backgrounds of the movies. 

The violent fightings are pure entertainment. In real society samurais could not pull his sword without certain reason.  Children and people walked around because they knew sword fighting rarely happened. Criminals were almost none, prisons were empty for decades. 

 Zatoichi was  living around 200 years ago near Edo (Tokyo). There were no sewing machines, no gasoline engine cars. There was no asphalt. no plastics. 

All the clothing samurais and gamblers wearing were sewed by hands. There were many sewing experts everywhere those days. Kimono must be sewed, washed, and put away when in hot summer and in cold winter by hand. Old clothing would have been taken into pieces and re-assembled as new kimono. Some kimonos were dyed with beautiful colors.  Sewing was a survival skill even for a blind person. 

Even though there were no gasoline engines, roads and bridges were made and well maintained. Houses were built by woods and papers. Hotel and inn businesses were run all over Japan. People enjoyed tourism. Five million men traveled to Great Ise shrine every year. Mail men ran like marathoners for delivering corespondents. 

Samurais were wearing traditional kimonos and 2 swords. Swords looked outstanding since sword was only hard material samurai had.  There were metal hoes and rakes in fields. Communities looked gentle.

Shogun had policy to protect handicapped people. Notion of social welfare was in practice. Massage as a job was allocated to blind people for work. Some blind massagists historically became rich due to Shogunate policy. 

We have cars, trucks, and lawn mowers in our daily life. Metal products are everywhere. We go shopping clothing while we do not know how to sew clothing. We look down ancient feudal society. Yet we don’t know how to put  away all oil, plastics, and used batteries. 

Regards.

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo

Dear Zen Friend

1)     September Sesshin:     09/12,   09/13.   09/14.

        October Sesshin:        10/10,   10/11,   10/12. 

2)      Chanting and Dharma Discussion:   09/20 (Saturday)  1 pm.  

         Chanting and Dharma Discussion:   10/18 (Saturday)   1 pm

3)    When I arrived at Valley Zendo in 1975, mission was to practice and teach zazen.  Other things like organizations, ceremonies, or chanting were not known among us. Also we, and I did not know what America was, where USA would go.  USA was a winner on WWII.  People normally think winner is better,  more advanced and just. A loser thinks something was wrong with its civilization and something was wrong with nation. 

At that time,  there was hippie movement and luckily we met some hippies at a house near zendo. In fact Uchiyama Roshi had strong sympathy with Hippies and even said that Shakyamuni was the first Hippie. Shakyamuni left home to look for the dharma (truthfulness.)  Likewise,  hippies left home to look for something unprecedented. Hippie movement looked new, unique, and spiritually valuable. There was a tofu factory in a city nearby. It meant that young Americans would walk toward Hippie culture, new age. 

There was not a single chair at my home while I was child. Ironically,  the situation was worked very well when I started zazen. Full lotus position was not easy, but sitting was familiar from the beginning. I drank green tea every day at home, it was most common and cheapest drink.  American scientists recommend green tea as best for health. Had my poor parents provided me with the best diet? In case of sitting practice, had I been living in the most advanced culture? 

On August 16th (Saturday) we had Rev. Seiso Paul Cooper and Kagayaki Karen Morris Sensei from Barre, VT.  It was the first time for me to meet them. I asked Seiso san for dharma talk after sutra chanting. It was a wonderful presentation, important activity for a rural temple.  Thank you. 

In the evening we had time to discuss many matters. Rev. Seiso practiced both Rinzai and Soto zen. I doubted about his career because changing teacher is not easy. Practice in a different lineage often brings confusion in identity. I did not change teacher at all, so I was curious to know how  things were dealt. 

Seiso san and Kagayaki san were psychoanalysts, lived in New York area in their young age. And It was a deep surprise to hear about “Waka.”  Both knew each other through Waka!  

Waka is one of the most rhythmical forms of Japanese poem. English is phonogram, Japanese is pictogram. English itself is rhythmical. Japanese was originally not rhythmical. Waka developed as collective literacy advanced. 

I did not expect to hear about Waka from Americans. Amazingly Seiso san and Kagayaki san have kept dear interest in Waka for decades and still been studying it. Study of poem for decades must have made some contribution to English literature. I never imagined Waka would be openly talked about  outside Japanese language.  It was my pleasure to listen to their endless conversations on poem. 

Rev. Seiso played Shakuhachi in the morning of 17th.  It is a traditional and delicate musical instrument. For playing, breath and condition of bamboo must be taken care of. We shared value that studying art is most important practice for humans. 

While I have been looking for direction of US,  Rev. Seiso and Kagayaki Sensei have involved with Japanese culture for half a century.  Ah,  their car is Mazda.  A successful life style as American involved with Japanese culture has already been realized.   

Regards.

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo

Dear Zen friend

1)     No Sesshin in August

        September Sesshin:    09/12, 09/13, 09/14 

2)      Chanting and Dharma Discussion:  August 16th (Saturday)  1 pm.   Guest speaker:   Rev. Seiso Paul Cooper

          Rev. Seiso Paul Cooper is co-founder of Two Rivers Zen Community in Narrowsburg, NY,  director and guiding teacher. 

          He looks like in lineage of Dainin Katagiri Roshi, and has studied with Rev.  Shohaku Okumura, too. He also has studied and practiced psychoanalysis.            

          I think,  for establishing American zen,  America needs all kinds of stories about enlightenment and delusion, devotion and failure for five hundred years. We are in confusion in many ways because we don’t have enough experiences about Buddha Dharma.  Attempt of Rev.  Seiso may be one of those important experiences.  I’d like to hear and discuss Dogen Zen and Buddhism in America. 

He plays shakuhachi, too.   

         Chanting and Dharma Discussion:  September 20th (Saturday)  1 pm.   

3)  It was fine on the day of wood splitting (07/18),  not too hot, not too cool. For amateurs, wood splitting is a complicated operation. Woods are heavy. easy to hurt us. Motion of blade is fast and  strong, is possible to give us damage any time. It is necessary for all attendees to be alert as long as the engine is running. Such situation is not experienced in the city.  Thank you for people who came and helped. The work went off without mishap within 3 hours. 

In the afternoon we felled 2 trees with chains and chainsaws. Chain operation was also tricky. It was fun to solve problems together.  These trees are good for wood splitting. 

Some mowed lawn, some cut fern,  it was like picnic. 

There was no damage nor accident.  I dream to have another event next year. 

Regards. 

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo

Dear Friend

1)            July Sesshin:       07/11,  07/12.  07/13.  

2)             Wood splitting:          07/18.    9 am

                Chanting and Dharma Discussion:   07/19.   2 PM.    Guest Speaker.  Rev. Tenku Ruff  from Beacon Zen Temple in New York. 

                Sunday Zazenkai    07/20  8 am,           (Trail walk  1 pm,   voluntary)  

3)             Chanting and Dharma Discussion:   08/16.    1 pm.                               (No Sesshin in August) 

4)  I have been reading Yuikyogyo Sutra, which recorded what was happening when Shakyamuni Buddha was about to die. It was in the midnight with no noise nor sound. Everyone knew Buddha would die soon.   All were sad.  

 Shakyamuni did last ordination rite for his last student. Then he  gave all  his students last Buddhist teachings, which was Four Noble Truths.  The Four Noble Truths was the core teaching for Buddhists.  

“Life  is painful, aging and death is painful.”　said in the first truth. Reasons of pain are explained through Twelve Links of Cause and Effects in the second truth. Pain could be overcome by Buddhas’ wisdom in the third truth. There are Eight Fold Paths which lead to pain free life in the fourth truth. 

I looked for a pain free life. at the same time, I could not think aging and death would go away. Death is pain and fear for all. Scholars say that death is the mystery, the last frontier to solve for human beings. 

Just after Shakyamuni concluded the last teaching (his job), he passed like he entered into sleep without pain. It was like light was dimming quietly. He did not die but entered into nirvana.

 As I am aging, I lose weight day by day. As the aging continues, I do not see any cause of pain so far. We may be possible to enter into nirvana.  In reality we may die with little pain and little fear. 

If we are possible to die with little pain, we could live with little pain for a brief time. That brief time could become longer. Healthy person with a right mind may enjoy pain free life for a long time. Nirvana not only indicates death but also pain free human life. Buddhism says that we can have a nice life.    

A pain free life cannot be given without responsibility. We need right efforts, right views, and right practices for achieving a life of nirvana. Shakyamuni found these secrets 2700 years ago, and we are practicing the same teaching now. 

Regards.

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo

Dear Zen Friend

1)      June Sesshin:    06/06,  06/07,  06/08.   

         July  Sesshin:     07/11,  07/12,  07/13. 

2)      Chanting and Dharma Discussion  in June:    06/21  (Saturday)  1 pm. 

3)      Wood Splitting:             07/18  (Friday)    9 am   

         Chanting and Dharma Discussion in July:    07/19 (Saturday)    2 pm     Guest speaker,   Rev. Tenku Ruff from Beacon Zen Temple in New York

          Sunday zazenkai:    07/20 (Sunday)  8 am to noon,     Trail Walk  1 pm

4)   A friend showed me a picture of a chainsaw priced $265. and said it would be donation to Valley Zendo. It was good brand, looked fine. 

A reliable chainsaw is always needed at Zendo. There are many trees to be cut and made firewood every year. A good chainsaw is always a good gift. 

Next morning he said the price of the chainsaw had gone up $100. higher. As he clicked on the item few times in the previous night, the price changed higher on line. I did not know there was no right price in the internet.  He said he would buy the chainsaw after the price would go down in a few weeks. It was normal process. He lives in internet world. I felt that Capitalism had changed. People used to fight for a right price, Now there is no right price. 

I visited a local hardware store after he left, there was a chainsaw tag priced $199.99 It was lighter, with more plastics. Price looked right. 

I visited the store 2 days later again.  I worried that the price would have gone up by any reason. I could buy the chainsaw by $179.99 with Memorial Day discount.  Nobody seemed to have clicked in the meantime. I was confused.  Which price is right?

I have an old (first) chainsaw,  which a friend repaired half a year ago. I could not start its engine.  

I have another old (second) chainsaw, which had no problem for years. Last November it failed starting engine. I’d like to make sure how bad it was.  I brought  it to a repair shop.  A counter person handled the chainsaw, then its engine started. There really was no problem with the machine. 

He showed me a technique how to start engine.  I could not lift the chainsaw so high as he showed. The center of chainsaw problems had belonged to myself,  my muscles. 

Regards.

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo

Dear Zen Friend 

1)                     May     Sesshin:      05/09,  05/10,  0511. 

                        June    Sesshin.      06/06,  06/07,  06/08.           

2)          May Chanting and Dharma Discussion:        May 17th  (Saturday)        1 pm.  

             June Chanting and Dharma Discussion:       June 21st (Saturday).       1 pm. 

3)   This year it was not too cold but long winter. We made stove heating last Sunday morning.  Now, thanks to bright sunshine, fields are turning greener day by day.  Daffodils are in full bloom, magnolias are spreading their petals.  

At Zendo there are several outdoor jobs which must be done by November. They are making firewood, cutting trees, periodical lawn mowing, planting fruit trees, and painting and staining. Here you may have raw experience of working in woods. If interested,  please email back for details. 

4)   A few years ago on a hot summer day, I became aware that my eyesight was damaged with black shadows inside. Those shadows seemed to increase their size and turn blacker. 

Since then I have prayed that my eyes would survive over my body. I could not find good treatment to prevent from worsening their conditions.  I may fail eye test for driver’s license next time or sooner. 

At a fitness gym, TV screens were seen blurred. Characters and faces on the screen were difficult to see. Conditions of eyes are irreversible as one ages. Loss of eyesight may occur soon. 

Three weeks ago, there was a YouTube in which, care for eyes was explained. It was a kind of massage, so anybody can practice. Eye massage? Eye balls are in a skull. How could it be possible? How does massage work for eyesight? Warming eyes were recommended, too. How could eye balls be warmed? Demonstrations were shown. I followed their instruction without confidence. 

Two days later at the gym I noticed that the TV screens were seen clearly. Black shadows did not bother me as before. It was the first experience to have had better eyesight for long time.  

Nothing wins over aging, so I cannot trust hundred percent on that massage. However, better eyesight is hope even though it is temporarily. 

Regards.

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo

Dear zen friend

1)     April Sesshin:        04/11,   04/12,   04/13.

        May Sesshin:        05/09,   05/10,   05/11. 

2)   Chanting and Dharma Discussion:   1 pm on April 19 (Saturday) 

New program : To be held once a month.  We do chanting together then, dharma talk ” Life as a Buddhist” follows this time. Whole session may take one and half hours. 

This kind of work shop should have been offered long time before. But I have had sickness like stroke, sciatica, and depression for years.  Corona pandemic happened in the same time. As a Buddhist, two unsolved questions kept me in the dark until recently. And aging matters.  Many things become clearer while being over 70 years of age. 

You may have heard that everything is impermanent. This statement is said the first principle of Buddhism. I believed in these words since I was a Buddhist.  Do you think the statement true? I’d like to discuss these issues. If you have any questions, please bring them in. 

A guest speaker may be invited from time to time. 

If you are interested,  join us at the zendo. 

Chanting and dharma discussion in May will be:   May 17 (Saturday)  1 pm. 

3)   Winter last year was easy to survive. I had plenty of firewood left. Such easy mood was carried on a year later. 

Winter this year was weird. Temperature was not too cold, but low temperature lasted for long. Firewood was burned quickly and it is almost running out. March is not warm.  I am worrying how many logs would be split in coming summer.

Number of deer looks to increase recently. 2 or 3 deer used to appear in zendo garden. These days 6 or 7 deer are seen together. 

Regards.

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo 

• Dear zen friend
• 1) March Sesshin:      03/14, 03/15, 03/16.     
  •  April Sesshin:        04/11, 04/12, 04/13. 

• 2)   Chanting and Dharma Discussion:   1 pm on April 19 (Saturday)
•  New program : To be held once a month.  This time we do chanting together then, dharma talk ” Life as a Buddhist” follows. Whole session may take one and half hours.
•  This kind of working class should have been offered before. I have excuses why there were not such offerings. I had been sick for years.  Corona pandemic happened in the same time. Two unsolved questions kept me in the dark until recently. And I was younger than 70 years of age. 
• A guest speaker may be invited from time to time. If you are interested,  join us at the zendo.
•  3)   On Sundays there is Sunday Zazenkai from  8 am to noon as usual.
•  4)    It was cold on 02/16 (Sun) and snow started. In the midnight power was out. Sleet, ice, snow reciprocally fell with strong wind. About 1 foot snow piled. Temperature at 8 am on Monday was 0 degree Fahrenheit, 20 degrees in the daytime. Snow kept falling.  Driveway was shoveled halfway in the 2 feet snow. There was no access to the road. Cold temperature forced me to stop working outside.  
• On Tuesday at noon time two firefighters from adjacent town knocked the door. They were visiting each house for making sure people were safe. Digging the car started after access to the road was made. 
  • On Wednesday the car was dug out. Process was hard because strong wind pushed snow under the car and snow became ice due to frigid temperature. A hammer was used for shoveling.
  • Power outage ended after 54 hours of struggle. While internet was cut off, I had peace of mind.  It was the second worst snow storm for Valley Zendo
  • .Regards.
  •  Eishin Ikeda
  • Valley Zendo

Dear zen. friend

1)     February  Sesshin:  02/14, 02/15, 02/16. 

        March  Sesshin:      03/14, 03/15, 03/16.     

2)    A fox was walking slowly on snow into woods. Its coat was bright, yellow and brown colored.  By just looking at it I had a happy feeling. Fox has mysterious power. One of the most popular temples in Kyoto shrines fox.  

Consumption of firewood seems to have been increasing one winter after another. More firewood must be split during summer time. 

3)   One night before presidential election day,  Mr. Donald Trump was shown on a TV show, Gutfeld. He was surrounded with 4 or 5 professional comedians.

 My opinion: Comedy is the hardest profession in America. Especially at Gutfeld show, guest performers must answer all questions. They don’t know what will be asked. Each answer must make laugh in audience. How many seconds a comedian has time for thinking laugh making reply? I cannot imagine how fast their brains are revolving. 

While Mr. Trump was sitting with smartest Americans, those comedians burst into laughter many times. He brought unknown stories and untold viewpoints. Comedians were waiting for excitement with his comments. Laughing did not end. Who was funnier?  Set aside politics, Mr. Trump has a bountiful sense of humor. 

While Mr. Trump had TV show decades ago, I thought he was engaged with show business, a matter of money. In reality, he  was performing at each appearance with sincerity and perfectionism. And the same performing spirit aroused at the Gutfeld comedy show. 

Inauguration ceremonies went on from ten am  to midnight. I wanted to see a formal procedure of the most important national event.  I  watched TV  all day long. President Trump took an oath safely.

After the swearing in, president Trump delivered remarks. They were brief and simple. Americans don’t know how important they are. The US presidents’ remarks are already an international matter. I studied remarks of JFK at Japanese high school. 

President Trump signed executive orders later. TV camera was focusing on his pen. New president was talking to himself that people liked his remarks and he was proud of it. 

I thought all president remarks were written by a speech writer. Creator of presidents’ speech is not president but a speech writer. Title, former speech writer seems to be a good step for making career. If so, president should have praised his speech writers. 

President said he was proud of his remarks instead. It means he must have created first presidential remarks. He tried to do the best performance at TV shows.  And this time  he did it on the stage of the world. 

Regards.

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo

A Happy New Year! 

Dear zen friend

1)  January Sesshin:     01/17,  01/18,  01/19.  

    February Sesshin:    02/07,  03/08,  02/09. 

2)    The year end sesshin for 5 days was done.  Last 2 days were fine like spring. Participants enjoyed nice feelings. I remembered what Uchiyama Roshi said;  Enlightenment is up to temperature and humidity. 

We used to have 5 day sesshin per month. Then corona pandemic happened, all activities stopped. At the same time around I  began suffering sciatica, my sitting practice became difficult. 

When we started sesshin again, every session was  a challenge. I wondered if I could complete each sesshin. . 

This time amazingly my sciatica did not come back. I enjoyed the best physical condition for 5 days. I forgot depression or aging.  We may try 5 day sitting practice in the near future. The meaning of Shikan Taza finally became clearer in 2024 after 50 years of zazen sitting. 

3)    Tale of Genji trivia  3. 

Sho-shi was the eldest daughter of Michinaga, the most powerful leader in the nation at the time. She became empress when she was 12 years old. Emperor was a few years older than her. 

Sho-shi was just a girl when she became the most important lady. In reality, emperor and empress were too young to govern,  Michinaga governed the nation. Royal members needed education. Michinaga picked up private tutors especially for Sho-shi. Murasaki Shikibu was one of those selected tutors, who happened  to be the best novelist for centuries. 

Nobody knew who Sho-shi was. She was just a shy girl with little knowledge nor experiences.  Sho-shi was humble, tried to learn things through tutors and people around her. When she was in her thirtieth, she had reputation as a wise emperor. She was a person who was ever growing.  Tale of Genji was closely reflected upon a life of empress Sho-shi. 

Sho-shi’s sons, who were emperors died young. Her younger sisters (sons’ empresses) also died young. When Michinaga (her father) died, Sho-shi became the top of the Government. She was knowledgable enough to oversee national events in cooperation with her younger brothers. 

Empress Sho-shi put people in their rightful positions, so there were almost no conflicts nor complaints while Sho-shi was living.  Sho-shi died at the age of 87, being empress for 75 years. She was called the mother of nation. Most amazing thing for me is that there was no record that she became sick. Humans can die without illness. A discovery  in 2024. 

Regards.

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo