SOTO ZEN BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION MEETINGDuring the first week of October, Kyoki and Jisen traveled to Portland, Oregon to attend the
Soto Zen Buddhist Association 2010 National Conference. From the SZBA website:
"The Soto Zen Buddhist Association is organized to preserve and promote the Buddha-dharma through the teaching and practice of Soto Zen Buddhism in North America, and to facilitate trust, respect, communication, ethical conduct, and education among the many sanghas of Soto Zen lineages and in the wider community."We asked Kyoki, who is a full member of the SZBA, about her recent trip so that our readers might learn a little more about this organization and her involvement with it.
Q: What is the most important outcome (or potential outcome) from this recent SZBA meeting?
A: For my part, it was the passing of an ethics statement which requires all Zen teachers to establish an ethics policy for their centers, it includes a self-reporting clause for felonies or censure by their communities, and also addresses issues that might arise between teachers
such as the transfer of students.
As well as having served on the board of directors for this national organization, I have been working for consensus on this statement for the past five years. Protecting our students and ensuring they have a safe place to practice is of primary importance.
Q: What do you bring to the SZBA that perhaps would not be represented if you did not attend?
A: I have been a mediator for over 25 years. When I went on the board, I did so only if we created a mandate that decisions be made by consensus. Too often I have seen communities and nonprofits destroyed by voting. The new ethics policy is a perfect example of how one can make a group stronger by ensuring that everyone plays a part in creating a decision. I call it Shared Wisdom. It was wonderful to watch the members gain trust in each other and the process that their concerns would be addressed in the crafting of this document.
Q: How does the SZBA impact Zen Centers across the United States?
A: The SZBA has really only been operating for about ten years. Soto Zen temples are scattered across the country. We offer peer support, a registry of teachers that meet our criteria for membership, and a repository of information about Soto Zen for both the lay person and Zen teachers. I think we are slowly creating a recognition that we have a common understanding of what makes one a Soto Zen priest in the way of training and practice. It won't be very long before we enlarge the umbrella to include lay members and lay teachers.
Q: What was your favorite downtime activity with the group?
A: At the end of each meeting we have skit night. I'm trying to get the video of Jisen (who used to make her living as a modern dancer) taking Rev. Sojun Weitsman, well into his eighties now, out on the floor and teaching him "contact improv" dancing! Our SZBA director Rev. Korin Pokorny rewrote the
Song of the Precious Mirror Samadhi as a rap song. But by far the best is the performance by the Marimba monks of Great Vow Monastery. They have about ten instruments and everyone at the temple is required to learn how to play. Each year they have won the best float award at the 4th of July parade.
Thank you, Kyoki, for your efforts with the SZBA and for your continued contribution to our eNewsletter! Those of us who are able to attend Deep Spring Temple often hear about the trips that our priests take in service to the Dharma. Hopefully this article will provide a look into the great work being done across the country for Soto Zen Buddhism.
Rev. Daishin McCabe of the Mt. Equity Zendo also wrote an article about the conference this year. You can read it
here.
