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It was 'interesting' to see marine fossils in the Himalayan foothills. And our Cotswold Hills are simply accumulations of tine seashells. All of us move across land which was once under the sea - and it's coming back
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Many schools of Buddhism do have a kind of 'lay ordination,' or system (not always formalised) whereby someone can receive authorisation to teach without leaving the household life. Kind of like the positions of 'deacon' or 'elder' in a lot of Christian churches.
In the case of the fellow you met, I'm not sure. As Palzang said, the Japanese lineages work differently than those with a monastic order. My guess would be that he's taken the ordination vows, but not received dharma transmission (authorisation to teach, from an established member of his order).
If that's the case, then he's no teacher at all, IMO.
Here in Colorado we have Monastery Without Wallsprogram. If I understand it well its a program that teaches you all you need to be a priest but its not a resident program because the center isn't big enough yet although they are working on it. This is kinda where zen lay priests come from. They stay in the secular world but they also teach the dharma. At least this is my undestanding. I admit I do not know for sure.
I hope I may help with regards to the "lay priest" thing.
<O:p</O:p
In the Tendai Shu there are different levels of ordination;<O:p</O:p
1: Jukai, which is lay ordination (upasaka/upasika)<O:p</O:p
2: Shami, sramana in Pali, which has been “translated” in English as junior priest. This is someone who is training as a priest and not qualified to give teachings or transmission.<O:p</O:p
3: Sensei, which is a junior priest who is aloud to teach but only certain things. They are not aloud to give transmission but aloud to run their own sangha under the guidance of their own teacher.<O:p</O:p
4: Shamana, which is a fully ordained priest (shaman in pali)<O:p</O:p
5: Ajari, which is a priest after vajra empowerment. Able to teach, run sanghas and give transmission, often with the guidance of their own teacher.<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
I have heard these different “levels” translated differently. I have heard people call shamanas and ajaris as “lay monks”. This name came about because a priest is someone who lives a lay life, in that they marry, eat meat, drink alcohol etc.<O:p</O:p
Palzang is right with his history, though marriage is not a requirement anymore and celibate Tendai monks do exist.<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
This IS, however, the Tendai Shu and not zen, which might differ slightly. Different schools of the Tendai Shu might even differ from the above as well, I don’t know. But most Japanese schools tend to follow in Tendai's footsteps, so the above is not completely useless!
<O:p</O:p
I haven’t come across a “lay priest”. It might just be a different translation of one of the levels of the above (Shami maybe?). Or it might not...
Hope that helps.
<O:p</O:p
Nios
Comments
Palzang
Sorry....
Mountains....!
"You're going to need a bigger boat...."
Many schools of Buddhism do have a kind of 'lay ordination,' or system (not always formalised) whereby someone can receive authorisation to teach without leaving the household life. Kind of like the positions of 'deacon' or 'elder' in a lot of Christian churches.
In the case of the fellow you met, I'm not sure. As Palzang said, the Japanese lineages work differently than those with a monastic order. My guess would be that he's taken the ordination vows, but not received dharma transmission (authorisation to teach, from an established member of his order).
If that's the case, then he's no teacher at all, IMO.
<O:p</O:p
In the Tendai Shu there are different levels of ordination;<O:p</O:p
1: Jukai, which is lay ordination (upasaka/upasika)<O:p</O:p
2: Shami, sramana in Pali, which has been “translated” in English as junior priest. This is someone who is training as a priest and not qualified to give teachings or transmission.<O:p</O:p
3: Sensei, which is a junior priest who is aloud to teach but only certain things. They are not aloud to give transmission but aloud to run their own sangha under the guidance of their own teacher.<O:p</O:p
4: Shamana, which is a fully ordained priest (shaman in pali)<O:p</O:p
5: Ajari, which is a priest after vajra empowerment. Able to teach, run sanghas and give transmission, often with the guidance of their own teacher.<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
I have heard these different “levels” translated differently. I have heard people call shamanas and ajaris as “lay monks”. This name came about because a priest is someone who lives a lay life, in that they marry, eat meat, drink alcohol etc.<O:p</O:p
Palzang is right with his history, though marriage is not a requirement anymore and celibate Tendai monks do exist.<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
This IS, however, the Tendai Shu and not zen, which might differ slightly. Different schools of the Tendai Shu might even differ from the above as well, I don’t know. But most Japanese schools tend to follow in Tendai's footsteps, so the above is not completely useless!
<O:p</O:p
I haven’t come across a “lay priest”. It might just be a different translation of one of the levels of the above (Shami maybe?). Or it might not...
Hope that helps.
<O:p</O:p
Nios