Re: [Shaku] Zen in the art of shakuhachi

Hello everyone,

Concerning what the komuso actually did in their daily
life, there is some English language information in
the second part of Christopher Blaesdel's The
Shakuhachi: A Manual for Learning. The second part of
his book is entitled The Shakuhachi - History and
Development, and is a translation of a history of the
shakuhachi by a scholar of Edo period music named Yuko
Kamisango. According to Kamisango, in the morning a
managing priest played an awakening piece called
"Kakuseirei" which got the komuso up and started off
the day. Komuso would gather in the temple and
perform a piece called "Choka" followed by a
meditation session. "During the day the monks
practiced shakuhachi, underwent training in the
martial arts, and went begging. In the evening they
played the ritual piece 'Banka' before sitting Zen
again." Each monk was required to go begging three
days a month, and there were customary pieces to be
played on their wanderings, such as 'Hachigaeshi.'=20
When two komuso met on the road while begging they
played certain pieces or calls and responses and when
on the road and wishing to stay in a komuso temple
there were other set pieces they were required to
play. =20

There is more English language information on komuso
lifestyle in an interesting and informative article
called "Shakuhachi Zen: The Fuke-shu and Komuso" by
Sanford, a professor of religion at UNC, in Monumenta
Nipponica volume 32, 1977. This is available in
microfilm/fiche? in many university libraries.=20
Sanford says that in a 1677 document from the bakufu
(shogunate), the komuso were given permission to wear
tengai (basket hats), white cloaks, and to carry
swords. Later, they were required to present proof of
warrior status, certification of non Christian belief,
a statement outlining reasons to become a member of
Fuke shu, a letter of support from a guarantor, and a
written oath to uphold the sect's regulations.=20

 A main source of Sanford's information is a book
titled Nihon No Dento Ongaku, by Kohei Koide. Koide
says that when a man first joined the Fuke sect he
would become a kyogai or wandering monk. The kyogai
were only half clerical; "they wore their hair long
and put on garments that were formulaic, but were not
formal priests' robes" and they wandered around the
country with swords and shakuhachis stuck in their
belts. While on their wanderings, the kyogai were
expected to talk as little as possible. If asked
where he was going, a komuso was to reply "there is no
place wherein to dwell" or "whatever direction or
quarter." He was only to give his temple's name and
his religious name if pressed to respond. If he was
questioned further he was to say "what can you ask of
one who consists of voidness wrapped up in the form of
a body and who carries the shakuhachi of infinite
emptiness." Then he was to back off a little and wave
his flute at the questioners (!) according to Sanford.
 There were also prescribed rules for encountering
enemies, such as the need for seconds (someone to
assist them) before any combat could take place --
simlar to European dueling perhaps? Later a kyogai
might become a junishoiku or kanju, a senior priest of
one of the Fuke temples, who were supposed to be fully
ordained Buddhist priests. Sanford's main source of
primary documents was Koji Ruien, Koji Ruien Kankokai,
1931, volume 33. As for other sources in Japanese; it
would be a great research project for someone fluent
in both written Japanese and English to try and find
some of the unstranslated sources and try and
translate them. =20

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.co=
m=20
_____________________________________________

List un/subscription information is at:
 http://mail.communication.ucsd.edu:88/shaku/listsub.html
Received on Wed Jul 18 20:14 PDT 2007