Each month we feature a Dharma discussion lead by a member of our Sangha. Tuesday, April 14, 2020, Ikusei Jacqueline Lee will lead the discussion, Her topic is Zen Art and her Dharma Name. The photo above is a piece of art created by Ikusei.
Since the thirteenth century Zen as a practice or way of living has influenced the arts and crafts of Japan. So much so that this cultural thread exists around the world today in martial arts, gardening, tea services, calligraphy, dance---on and on.
Today, this phenomenon is captured to a degree in the Japanese phrase: wabi-sabi.
In traditional Japanese aesthetics, wabi-sabi (侘寂) is a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.[2] The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete".[3] It is a concept derived from the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence (三法印, sanbōin), specifically impermanence (無常, mujō), suffering (苦, ku) and emptiness or absence of self-nature (空, kū).Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetry, roughness, simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy, and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi).
When we take our initial vows in Soto Zen Buddhism we receive a Dharma name. This name reflects our awareness of practice in day-to-day life. In our tradition these names are Japanese terms as we trace our Order and lineage back to Master Eihei Dogen (thirteenth century), A name is given to an initiate by her/his teacher and connotes a teacher's perception of the past, present and future, of the student and may be aspirational for that person: how am I what my name suggests?
So please join us. We are on ZOOM from 7-8PM ET Tuesday night. Email me at sensei@falmouthsotozensangha.net for the URL and PASSWORD if you do not have one...
Be Well
Sangaku
p.s We also offer Zen On Zoom morning meditation each morning from 6:30-7:15, Eastern Time using the same ZOOM address and password.