Standard Observances

A few mealtime conversations led last night to an ad hoc group of Blanche, Vicki, Kathryn and myself gathering in the ino's office (there were so many events going on last night it was pretty much the only room free) and reading from the Gyoji Hikan, or the 'Standard Observances of the Soto Zen School'. Since Vicki wanted to do a review of morning service this morning, we read through the sections dealing with this, and discovered things that were familiar, things that we have obviously adapted from the traditional Japanese style, and things that we do which are expressly not advocated - for example "in worshipping buddhas and patriarchs, basic principle is for great assembly together to make prostrations; for abbot alone to make prostrations does not accord with proper procedure", whereas when we chant the lineage of ancestors on Mondays and Saturdays, only the doshi is prostrating.
On one hand, this can seem very rigid and esoteric, but on the other, there is a palpable flavour of the cohesiveness and dignity of the rituals described which, for an ino at least, is very nourishing. We also looked at some of the ekos used, and one expression I particularly enjoyed was this:

"We pray for peace in the land, harmony among all nations,
prosperity and longevity for donors throughout the ten directions,
tranquility within the monastery, and peace and happiness for the oceanic assembly;
may sentient beings throughout the dharma realm equally perfect omniscience".

Amen to that, you might say.
I also discovered that October 1st is an important day for the ino, or 'rector' as it is translated here:

"Part 1: regular observances 253

— October 1 —

Section One: Change of Curtain in Sangha Hall [200]
Rector checks weather, takes down cool screens inside sangha hall, hangs dark screens (curtains)".