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a question of lineage
genkaku
Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
The appended correspondence (shimanoarchive.com/PDFs/20121021_Chayat_Shore.pdf) between Shinge Sherry Chayat 'Roshi' and Jeff Shore, a professor at Hanazono University and a 30-year Zen student/teacher, appeared in the Shimano Archive this morning. Eido Shimano is Sherry's teacher and the man who granted her succession. He is also a man whose sexual and financial depredations over the years have sown egregious sorrow.
In the correspondence, Sherry asks Jeff to verify or discount the authenticity of Eido Shimano's position within the Rinzai Zen lineage of Soen Nakagawa Roshi. Shore replies in various ways, among them:
At any rate, I trust you are really serious about this, Sherry.
If so, then you realize that there are no legitimate "successors" to Eido, and that their role as teachers of Rinzai Zen is null and void.
No hemming and hawing here.
Without this, we cannot even begin.
Lineage in Zen Buddhism (and elsewhere) is taken with a sometimes-insufferable seriousness. To be part of the written lineage is to gain stature and legitimacy. To lack such a connection is to devolve into and rely on the wiles of charlatanism and cult-dom.
Sherry makes it clear in her words that she plans to hem and haw, to ask, as in the old Zen metaphor, who it was who shot the arrow that now pierces her breast ... what family does the shooter belong to, what bird provided the feathers on the arrow, what wood is the arrow made of ...? Sherry speaks of her wish for "integrity" and in the same breath flees that integrity as a wounded man might wish to flee the arrow in his chest.
The correspondence is informative for anyone interested in and perhaps devoted to a Buddhist practice.
In the correspondence, Sherry asks Jeff to verify or discount the authenticity of Eido Shimano's position within the Rinzai Zen lineage of Soen Nakagawa Roshi. Shore replies in various ways, among them:
At any rate, I trust you are really serious about this, Sherry.
If so, then you realize that there are no legitimate "successors" to Eido, and that their role as teachers of Rinzai Zen is null and void.
No hemming and hawing here.
Without this, we cannot even begin.
Lineage in Zen Buddhism (and elsewhere) is taken with a sometimes-insufferable seriousness. To be part of the written lineage is to gain stature and legitimacy. To lack such a connection is to devolve into and rely on the wiles of charlatanism and cult-dom.
Sherry makes it clear in her words that she plans to hem and haw, to ask, as in the old Zen metaphor, who it was who shot the arrow that now pierces her breast ... what family does the shooter belong to, what bird provided the feathers on the arrow, what wood is the arrow made of ...? Sherry speaks of her wish for "integrity" and in the same breath flees that integrity as a wounded man might wish to flee the arrow in his chest.
The correspondence is informative for anyone interested in and perhaps devoted to a Buddhist practice.
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Comments
As a long time Zen student, the longer I meditate, the less I understand standing on lineage. The truth seems to stand quite freely, unobstructed by anyones belief or doubt in it. The teacher is only a directional compass. Identifying someone or a lineage as an actual representation of the truth partakes of a faith/devotional practise which just invites these forms of attachments issues. I think if teachers taught students with faith/ devotional leanings to apply them towards their meditation and off the spiritual furniture, then both teachers and lineages might remain just a bit less ego bound.
There are three teachings in Buddhism by some account:
Recognition of impermanence to overcome attachment to this life
Recognition of suffering to overcome attachment to sensual pleasure
Recognition of love to overcome attachment to peace
The guru points out to the student the nature of their mind and these three marks and that is the stamp of a dharma teaching to have the three dharma seals.
The American Zen master Zentatsu Richard Baker, the Dharma Successor of Soto Zen master Shunryu Suzuki, said after he was transmitted by Suzuki, ”[Y]ou are no longer a Buddhist; what you do is Buddhism” (Michael Downing, Shoes Outside the Door, p. 19).
Well, what any lineage holder does is not always Buddhism and, in fact, may go against the teachings of the Buddha. Let the student beware.
Both Sherry and Shore – each in their way – seam to attach a lot of meaning to the formal authenticity of Shimano’s (and as a result Sherry’s) title.
What matters though, is (obviously?) not the formal title but the real depth of their realization -or lack thereof.
And when a person does have some realization, how can they make a big deal out of formal titles?
Joy in meeting a teacher can stimulate metta.
In the words of the maitreya, (not yet generally available as a lineage) . . .
"Drop it"
Clinging anyone? :banghead:
Dharma centers are not without politics and sex (I won't go into the details). They're okay if you are looking for people to 'hang' with but for serious Dharma, a lot more is required — and a lot of that depends on you. Do you really what to see what the Buddha saw?
That is the myth, and a lot of Zen students buy into it. As @Songhill says, for serious Dharma, a lot more is required. The titles handed out by the particular schools of Buddhism are more about running an organized institution than identifying the Buddhas of the world. It only works if people remain unaware of how flawed it is so they can continue to blind themselves to the fact that their Roshi and his teacher and the one before him were just ordinary people, some good and some bad.
It was always about appearances and control of the institution. At any one time, the janitor cleaning the toilets might be the only person in the entire temple to penetrate the Dharma, but you can bet it's the monk sitting next to the Master who's going to get the title next. Even though the myth tries to claim otherwise.
Being slave to lineage is as bad as being slave to what the ancient monks wrote in the sutras.
Nowadays there are too many self proclaimed masters, which one has to ask for accreditation. Beware of false masters......
In the Buddha's original Dharma, there are no 'members only' teachings, secret transmissions, empowerment, initiation, exalted Guru who can do no wrong. Only the Dharma and the practitioner. Full stop.
But the OP does not specify Zen or any other Buddhist tradition..and the above is most definitely NOT true of the Vajrayana including Dzogchen.
You will find no one practising and/or teaching within that tradition that will not tell you that transmission from a Guru is anything other than essential.
This does not of course disqualify you from Buddhadharma.
It may mean that the Vajrayana is not your thing.
In Soto Zen, most followers are unaware that Dogen’s succession certificate, which he allegedly received from his teacher, Ju-ching, is believed to be a forgery (Steven Heine, Did Dogen Go to China?, 85n, 260).
There have been numerous breaks in the so-called line of transmission, and attempts to mend it even by forgery and by creating new lines of transmission. There is, of course, a Mind to Mind transmission. We are intrinsically this Mind (or Buddha-nature) but don't recognize it in the world we perceive and live in. When we do finally recognize it, this is the true, authentic transmission. It is unmistakable. It is self-affirming.
There were many other facets to Buddha's enlightenment than just a transmission on suffering and its cessation - Buddha at least claimed to be privy - in that sense, there are 'members only' teachings, secret transmission and empowerment - even if only for a membership of 1 (unless he did pass these on in some form even if it was esoteric).
I am not aware of the exalted Buddha doing 'wrong'... the office of master extends from the original master - of course masters are also practitioners - perhaps more experienced along a certain path than others.
All I can think is that I'm glad I'm not a doctor, lawyer, cop or priest and as a result don't have to confront that problem... or at least not in that particular format.
Sometimes I manage to, sometimes I dont.
That same tendency though can be used for good if one understands the transference/countertransference process.
But its not easy.
It would be much easier to duck it.
Just thinking aloud.....