Ordination Guidelines for Puget Sound
Zen Center and Rinzai Zen Senter
Ordination is lifelong commitment to the Dharma. It is a chance to mature one’s practice over a long stretch of time, with the help of a teacher and sangha. It is a public commitment to practice diligently, to maintain the Zen tradition, and to share it with others. When a person is ordained, he or she begins to formally represent the Zen tradition and their home temple.
It’s expected that any ordained person will train fully in the officer positions, learn the details of the Rinzai Zen form and ceremony, and wear robes and/or rakusu for many if not all Zen practice occasions.
Usually the candidate:
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Has had 5 to 10 years of membership and practice with their home temple, with 10 being closer to the norm. This may vary depending on previous practice experience.
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Is a precept holder.
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Has demonstrated a firm commitment to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
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Buddha: Has a keen interest in zazen and a regular zazen practice. Has done many retreats and is committed to doing more extensive retreat practice.
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Dharma: Is a learner. Is interested not merely in knowledge for its own sake, but in self-development and learning to better work with others. Has a good connection to their ordination teacher.
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Sangha: Has demonstrated a commitment to contribute time and their talents to their home sangha and to the wider world. People have different skills, and this may show up in different ways. Is committed to improving their skills at working with others.
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Has a commitment to working to continue to become more and more ethically clear.
The ordination candidate should follow the PSZC and RZS Ordination Discernment Process.
The ordained person will interact occasionally with the Tokudo Council. The Tokudo Council is made up of no fewer than three and no more than seven Zen teachers. They are usually at the level of experience and authorization of an osho. They are chosen by the osho, and approved by a majority of the current council.
The lay monk or nun and their primary teacher (tokudo teacher) will decide together on a temple affiliation for the ordained member. Ahead of the ordination date the home temple will make an agreement with the tokudo teacher and candidate on matter such as the responsibilities to the sangha and ordained discounts if any.
Post-Ordination training and responsibilities
For all lay ordained
An ordained member of a Zen Center is expected to do the following:
Be a steady presence a the Home Temple, supporting the practice through their steady presence, instruction, pastoral care, and in other ways. It’s generally expected that the ordained would not sit on the board of directors of the home temple, but be part of the religious structure of the temple.
Teacher interaction: It is expected that the monk or nun in training will meet regularly with their tokudo teacher.
Ministerial & leadership training: In consultation with their tokudo teacher, the ordained person will commit to practice and/or train in pastoral care, organizational dynamics, and leadership.
Ethical training. As a leader at the center, within the first three years after ordination, every ordained member must complete the FaithTrust Healthy Boundaries 101 class. There may be more trainings involved. The lay monk or nun must remember that they are an example of Buddhist values. Though ethical behavior is not always straightforward, and no one is perfect, the ordained should commit to understanding the effect their behavior has on others and their environment, and work toward positive effects in their lives and the life of the sangha.
Osho
An osho is an independent teacher, with the right to start a temple, ordain, and confer the titles of Shuso and Osho.
Currently the decision to make an osho rests with Koshin, PSZC and RZS’s osho. Koshin is looking into a way to involve more oshos in the decision-making process.
Mediation Policy
In case there is a dispute or grievance teacher and student should try to work together to resolve the problem. But if needed either may bring the matter to the Tokudo Council.
The ordained person must stay in a teacher-student relationship with their ordination teacher. If he or she doesn’t, the ordained must work out with the teacher an alternative plan with another teacher within the Zen tradition. If that can’t be worked out, the situation can go to mediation with the Tokudo Council.
If both teacher and student decide to end the student-teacher relationship, the ordained must find another teacher, preferably within Rinzai Zen. If the monk or nun breaks with the teacher without doing that, the matter should be taken up by the Tokudo Council in order to mediate or take further action.
Revoking of robes. This should be done only as a last resort. Must go to the tokudo council. If robes are to be revoked, all members of the council must agree on that course of action. (will need to come up with separate document about revoking of robes, and about what other issues might need to go to the tokudo council. )
Shuso
Lay ordained members need not do Shuso training, but this training is open to them. Shuso training leads to the ordained member becoming a Shuso Teacher. The lay monk or nun will be given more teaching and leadership responsibilities, such as giving talks, leading classes and retreat, developing policy, and taking a more active role in the sangha’s spiritual development. A Shuso is expected to become a pillar at their home center.
Shuso may not ordain others, but may confer the precepts with the permission of an osho.
Shuso training is generally a 4 to 5 year program, but can take as long as needed depending on circumstance.
Teacher interaction: Lay monks and nuns in this program will meet with their tokudo teacher at least once a month.
Study: There is a four year flexible curriculum that will be worked through with colleagues and teachers.
Practice: It is expected that the shuso candidate attend most retreats at their home temple and do 7 to 21 days of retreat practice per year.
It is required that the shuso candidate complete a 3 month of residential practice. If the person cannot get away due to family or professional considerations, should try to do an equivalent amount of residential practice in smaller doses over a period of time.
Shuso Ceremony and Certification. After completing the Shuso Curriculum, the candidate is reviewed by the Tokudo Council. If 2/3 of the Tokudo Council agrees, the ordained member is certified.
Zanka
Traditionally zanka means to take leave of the monastery for a time. Here’s one definition from a Zen glossary:
Zanka: 暫暇 A permitted absence from the monastery longer than three days and two nights. It is often used at present to indicate the termination of a monk’s sōdō training.
At Mt. Baldy Zen Center it meant to take time off from one’s training as a monk.
At PSZC, it means to take a break from one’s duties as an ordained member. This break should be mutually agreed to by the ordained member and the abbot of the temple. The agreement should be in writing, and for a specified period of time.
The Tokudo Council, if there is one, should agree to the zanka request by majority vote.
Once the period of time is finished, the abbot and ordained member should meet and make a plan – either the ordained should come back to their ordained duties, or extend zanka, or decide ordination is not for them and hang up their robes.
