Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Eido Tai Shimano

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I originally posted this in November last year. Later, I collected it with other posts I considered removing from this blog. Later still, it was suggested I put the posts back ... which I did. Today I got a call from someone who was looking for this particular post and was having a hard time finding it because it was in among other posts headed "putting it back." So ... I am giving it back its own space and title for whoever might find it useful.
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Thursday, November 12, 2009
letter to Eido Tai Shimano
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What follows is a letter I wrote in 1982 to Eido Tai Shimano, the chief executive of Zen Studies Society in New York and Dai Bosatsu Monastery in upstate New York. Mr. Shimano is a Zen teacher.

The reason for posting a letter of so many years ago is not to open the old wounds that bled freely in their time. Nor is it to deny that Zen Buddhism in America has made great strides when it comes to the sexual and financial abuses that it has faced and continues to face from time to time. Nor is it to suggest that I have not been a hypocrite. Nor is it to elevate my own status as a rebel or nay-sayer or promoter of some one true virtue. I too love Zen Buddhism both in its directions and in its experiential truth.

I am posting it as a reminder that the past is or can be very much the present and further that the 'scandals' that have occurred involved very real and particular people and that those people suffered in ways that are contrary to Zen Buddhist teaching. Not for nothing did the teachers of the past make upsetting the sangha a no-no. Not for nothing did they encourage repentance when it was warranted. And not for nothing were they aware that in the human sphere, however elevated and adored, the room for error was and remains a very real possibility.


November 1, 1982

The Rev. Eido Tai Shimano
New York Zendo
223 East 67th St.
New York, NY 11021

Dear Mr. Shimano:

Thank you for your creative letter of Oct. 19, 1982 with its equally masterful enclosure of Oct. 21 to Mr. George (Jochi) Zournas. I must say that as I began to read your work I felt some vestigial hope that you might in fact clear the air, turn some metaphorical corner and clarify what, over the years, has become murky with the stuff that Soen Roshi has learned to call your “lies.” By the time I finished reading your words, I was, of course, disappointed if not surprised.

“So much sitting, so many sesshins, so many dokusans…” and still Soen Roshi calls you a liar. Could you tell me why? Is this perhaps another encouragement to “bravely march on?” Coming as Soen Roshi does out of a society that takes pride in indirection, still he uses this most direct word, “liar.” Why? Coming as he does out of a discipline that enjoins confession and straight-forwardness, he calls you a liar. Why? Among the monks at Dai Bosatsu last summer you managed to plant the idea that Soen Roshi was an alcoholic and/or senile. But why would a senile alcoholic even bother to call you a liar? Politics, you say? – because Soen Roshi wants Dai Bosatsu, to become king of the some American Zen castle? If Soen Roshi actually did want Dai Bosatsu, why not give it to him? Do you not owe him a great debt for his teaching, perhaps as Torei felt he owed Hakuin? As a ‘true man without rank,’ with so many sesshins, so much sitting, and so many dokusans behind you, surely you recognize that the toys of Zen Buddhism – the robes and monasteries and power – are only dreams. Could you, a ‘Zen Mater,’ be fooled by a dream?

But this, of course, is not your understanding. Your understanding seems to be that They are all out to get you – you who are blameless in administration, honest in the dokusan room, pure and “fair” and deserving of respect from those who support and make possible your meaning as a person of rank. It is the questioners who are “insane” or full of “intense personal hatred” or want Your zendo or want Your monastery or hate you because you have money and they have not or don’t understand the ‘Japanese’ group and you…you bear it all so remarkably well, so staunch and patient. You are really very good at it: masterful, if not the master.

Besides those Jochi George Zournas mentioned in his letter (those Others who were out to get you), I would like to take this opportunity to recollect some others, perhaps not quite so august, who have left our own sangha. I am not now referring to those who left because they moved or to those who made an easy personal choice, but rather to those who left after some discovery in that beautiful zendo where there is room for our lifelong practice. True, some left in anger or confusion, but what was it they really discovered? Is it possible they discovered what Soen Roshi called your “lies?” I really don’t know, but I recollect them now and express my sorrow at their leaving: Daishin Peter Gamby, Maishin Mike Sopko, Reimon Ray Crivello, Genmyo Elihu Smith, Sojun George Seraganian, Bunyu David Bogart, Roca Lorca Morello (all of whom were residents as Sho Bo Ji with your blessings),Kanzan Bruce Rickenbacker (your monk who memorized the whole of the Diamond Sutra), Daiko Charles Carpenter (another of your monks), Shoro Lou Nordstrom (another of your monks), Kozen Peter Kaufman (another of your monks), Jonen Sheila Carmen (pseudonym), Wendy Megerman, Nennen Merry White, Toni Snow, Reishu Jim Gordon, Shinso Merete Galesi, Ishin Peter Mathiessen, Jean Day, Carol Binswanger, Jochi George Zournas, Wado Vicki Gerdy, Rinko Peggy Crawford and Mushin Frank LoCicero. You will recall, or course, that, over the years, the list has grown much, much, much longer and is filled with people who did not show sufficient “skepticism about rumors,” as you so quaintly put it.

How many of them came to you directly in 1975 and 1979 (when what were humorously referred to as the “Fuck Follies I” and the ”Fuck Follies II” were unveiled)? How many? Was it 10 or perhaps 20? Without any exception I know of, each of those who came to you directly came in a spirit of admiration and love, in hopes of clarifying a delicate matter without public exposure. The situation: your manipulation of the dokusan setting for your own periodic sexual satisfaction (seducing women); treating lovers taken from within the sangha with contempt once you had finished with them; and taking no candid responsibility for your own behavior but rather answering direct, honest and caring queries with, in one form or another, the line you used in a jam-packed zendo in 1975: “It’s none of your business.”

The line of people outside your door is long, very, very long. In my mind, they wait silently – the They and Them whom you so easily accuse of insanity or intense personal hatred. A long line of crazy people outside your door. What brought them there? Even crazy people have their reasons, don’t you agree?

Look! There’s Merry White. Remember her? She was the one who sent a letter to the Board of Trustees in 1979 outlining without rancor your sexual blackmail. It was she who wrote: “Personally, I found his (your) seductions very distracting and jarring during the first Kessei…I wonder now if I would not have been a better student in the long run without it. ... And last year (1978) during my second stay at Dai Bosatsu, it hurt me that he treated me very distantly for quite a while. When he warmed up, it became sexual again. That kind of either/or situation made it very difficult for me (or, I would think, any woman) to be his student. You want his attention and his help, and that, I think, is how it begins. He takes this emotional opening-up, which is normal and right in a spiritual student-teacher relationship, as a sign of sexual readiness.” Clearly the Board of Trustees, your Board of Trustees, took the only possible sane action by never fully discussing the matter and by issuing a letter, signed by Korin Sylvan Busch stating, “we affirm our confidence in Eido Roshi and his leadership of our sangha.”

And there’s Jane Smith (pseudonym)! Remember her? December 24, 1977, Room 1100A at the Statler Hilton after dinner at Mama Leone’s. Remember how the board of Trustees covered that one when Jochi and Korin, at whose instigation I can only guess, spread lies and rumors about Jane – how she was only dreaming of an affair with you? And how even Jane was drawn into the lies and told them on herself because she believed the truth would be harmful to you and to Zen practice in America? She was the same one who commented later in front of witnesses that “he (you) never even said thank you.”

And Carmen!… But of course you will recall this and much, much more.

On and on and on it goes down that long, long line. Person after person, Bodhisattva after crazy Bodhisattva, each of them willing their suspicions to silence. How is it possible they were so willing, so stupid? Perhaps it was because many people begin their spiritual practice with the understanding that the ascendancy they have previously granted to their emotions and intellect is the source of much suffering. Because of that pain, they were willing to set aside their own emotions and intellect (to the extent possible), and to be as faithful and obedient as possible. Perhaps they counseled themselves that intellect and emotion are more delusion. And perhaps they trusted that your emotions and thoughts were not based in delusion. This trust, however misguided, was surely human and understandable. Unfortunately, it was and is open to manipulation and deceit. There are many I know, myself among them, who practiced with you and were grateful to you, until, a little at a time, they began to wonder. In their wondering, they came to you in their twos and threes and tens, not even caring very much that you took lovers on the side, but curious about a wider pattern of contempt and manipulation. No doubt you saw them as insane people out to take your toys. Well, they didn’t get them, did they?

To some you said your Japanese heritage and samurai code of honor kept you from understanding or responding to these puritanical “barbarians.” Isn’t it odd for a so-called Zen Master who has lived in America for 20 years to claim he understands neither his students nor his environment? Isn’t such a person in the wrong line of work? No doubt it is equally insane to suggest that a real Japanese man would know something of discretion and that a true samurai would not exhibit contempt and dishonesty towards those in his own circle of honorable endeavor.

Of course it was more difficult to use this line on Dr. Tadao Ogura, the psychiatrist who offered to act as arbitrator in the present upheaval. He was the one who suggested taking three “impartial” observers from the sangha with him when he listened to the direct testimony of those involved. The group would then have reported to the Board of Trustees, your own Board of Trustees. Perhaps he too was one of the insane ones, the ones who had to be stopped. And stopped he was when Korin Sylvan Busch, at whose instigation I can only guess, let it be known that three “impartial” sangha members could not be found.

The long line outside your door does not say these things. They are silent. They are gone. It is I who say them, I, Kigen. I take responsibility for saying what I have said and doing what I have done. I have company, but I take responsibility for myself. I am one of Them, those Others whose fault it all is, one of the ones who supported you well, offered you gratitude, did his best to practice the Zen Buddhism of the Patriarchs, lied or remained silent for you on numbers of occasions, lied or remained silent to myself about you, endured and perpetuated your deceits, and, finally...went...”insane.”

It is out of that insanity that I also offer you my most sincere and honest thanks. I offer thanks without irony or sarcasm. You have taught me well and I am grateful. Besides the mechanics of Zen Buddhism, you have also taught me what a Zen Master is not – a teaching worthy of a true Zen Master. Although your teaching lacked the creative clarity, the nurturing of the Buddha Dharma, and the straight-forwardness of a truly enlightened man, still I say your teaching was fine. As I value my life, my Zen practice, so I value this teaching.

This is a time for potential new beginnings – yours, mine, the sangha’s. Always new beginnings. I pray now and will continue to pray that each of us may one day face death with strong, even breaths and perhaps a small smile of true understanding.

Thank you and goodbye.


Adam Fisher


It was during that same time period that I heard perhaps the sharpest rebuke I have ever heard in my life. At one point, Soen Roshi was talking face to face with Mr. Shimano and discussing the reported disharmony Mr. Shimano played a role in. Mr. Shimano offered his responses. And Soen Roshi reportedly said sadly, "Now it comes -- dead rock!"

5,119 comments:

  1. Yes I also received the update from the board.

    For me it is like a newsletter, nothing substantial
    and a review of what I know already. I am waiting for five months, if Shimanos would be
    crouching their thrones (like past time).

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fed Up said...

    "It really seems as though these people who got involved with DBZ, and NYZ, and ZSS as leaders have missed their vocation."

    Dog trainers. Yep. That is what they should be. They learned to give commands, like COME, SIT, SPEAK, all they have left to learn is ROLL OVER ( Oh, that's right, at least one priest commanded many a vulnerable person to do even that ) FETCH, probably that is covered too in their training. Then they could be real capitalists with a BIG retirement package, life insurance, medical, free room and board, free transportation, big salaries and what do they do. NOTHING! The f..k people over. And they f..k people who say NO! When I become Emperor I will ban the occupation of the do nothing priests who suck the life out of their so called "Students".

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  3. By the way, I recently had a pleasant chat about this ZSS business with Stuart Lachs, and he pointed out to me something so obvious that I can't believe I hadn't noticed it earlier. I had always found it so creepy how Genjo (and presumably Roko - though she of course has still not said anything one way or the other) could be so adamant about Shimano's nevertheless having the "true dharma eye", despite his obvious "knots" or whatever they chose to call his pathology. It seemed perverse, like why would anyone want to study Zen in the first place, if whatever it had to teach obviously didn't prevent you from being a sociopathic liar at the same time.

    But the clincher is that they necessarily have to hold that position, because if they admitted that Shimano's Zen insight was in any way flawed per se, that would mean that whatever he transmitted to them was similarly not quite right, i.e. their own dharma transmission could be called into question. And that would undermine their right, as "authorized Zen teachers and AZTA members", to have anything to say in the matter in the first place - not to mention being unfavorable to their Zen career plans. So the conflict of interest actually runs even deeper than I imagined.

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  4. Christopher, this phenomenon has been brought up before, here and elsewhere, but it can't be stressed enough. It's imperative that people understand how little value there actually is in Eido's "teachings" and "transmissions". Only those students of Shimano who have enough gumption to fearlessly "stand on his head" can be heeded. All the others are, at best, misguided sheep and, at worst, charlatans like their master.

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  5. Wake up and smell the stenchFebruary 5, 2011 at 4:26 PM

    We all know what happens when animals inbreed. Just think how long this sham has been going on!

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  6. Christopher said...
    “But what is stopping the ZSS from simply apologizing - immediately - for all the harm Shimano has done?”

    How about something like: “We, the Board of Directors of the ZSS, unanimously apologize for permitting Shimano to lead us by the nose all these years, thereby facilitating the apparent cycle of abuse evidenced in the Shimano Archives. We ardently long to sever ALL ties with Shimano and his wife. Unfortunately, legalities prevent us from canceling our contractual obligations to them. Therefore, going forward, a majority share of your retreat and membership fees, as well as your donations, will go towards funding the Shimanos’ retirement. We urge you to exercise patience with this situation while we wait for the Shimanos to die, relieving us of further financial obligation to them. Thank you for your understanding.”

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  7. P.S. Please use the enclosed business reply envelope to rush in your donation.

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  8. Do the Shimano's still have access to NY Zendo? Have the locks been changed? Does ZSS still provide him with a car and driver? Has ZSS hired an independent (not a Shimano student) lawyer? Does Shimano have a lawyer? How are the finances of the two temples? What is the average attendance at each temple. Are Fujin and Jokei leaving? How is the wood supply at DBZ?

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  9. PPS--Affixing your own stamp will pay for one stitch in Eido's new silk robe!

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  10. “But what is stopping the ZSS from simply apologizing - immediately - for all the harm Shimano has done?”

    With the exception of Rudin, none of the other ZSS directors were on the Board when the follies were being staged.

    I don't think that people like Fernando Afable et al are going to apologize now for knowingly turning a blind non-dharma eye to the mess back then.

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  11. "Has ZSS hired an independent (not a Shimano student) lawyer?"

    I am told that the Board does, indeed, have a lawyer, and a good one, to fight the Shimano lawyer.

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  12. "How are the finances of the two temples?"

    Whatever the finances may be now, if ZSS can't get over the Shimano 1995 Deferred Compensation Agreement, the terms of which, thanks to Fernando Afable, are pretty ironclad, there may not be two temples, i.e., I believe they may have to sell off or mortgage assets to meet their obligations.

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  13. "With the exception of Rudin, none of the other ZSS directors were on the Board when the follies were being staged."

    Whether or not Shimano's latest affair is simply an extension of the "follies" is debatable, but how would anyone agree to serve on the Board of an organization riddled with this extensive history of abusive behavior. Your "it ain't their problem" attitude exemplifies the sort of enabling that has kept Shimano and his ilk in power for so long.

    At some point, somebody needs to take responsibility, and that is usually the members of the board. That's why you have a board.

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  14. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiduciary

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  15. ZFI:

    by Gregory Wonderwheel on Sun Feb 06, 2011 12:31 am

    Shodo wrote:
    Far be it from me to pull the tiger's whiskers... but you can hardly call it a "release" if nobody has seen it - including yourself.

    This seems to be gratuitiously harsh. A release commonly goes through phases and channels, such as an initial release to a primary group before being released to the wider public, and it does none of us any benefit to pretend otherwise.

    Let us do our best to check our own position before insuating the worst about others.
    _/|\_
    Gregory

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  16. Something Not Working ...February 5, 2011 at 6:57 PM

    "At some point, somebody needs to take responsibility, and that is usually the members of the board."

    The current Board apologizing on behalf of Shimano means nothing. The current Board apologizing on behalf of Jiro et al means nothing. Shimano apologizing for himself, as he has done--that means something, whether you condone the email format or not.

    Read each of FTI's recommendations: the ZSS Board has exactly followed each one. Only the audit is incomplete. This proves the Board has taken responsibility.

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  17. ... and Shimano's letter to the Times?

    http://www.shimanoarchive.com/PDFs/20101201_Shimano_NYT.pdf

    Open your eyes... Shimano's so-called "apology" was completely disingenuous. Followed by more mandala-building rubbish about his mother, about his "vow" no less. It was a fuck you...

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  18. "Now, as I reflect on the past, I realize how many people's feelings and trust in me were hurt by my words and deeds. Please accept my heartfelt apology."

    Shimano apologizes for what he did in the past, not for having a consensual affair which Oppenheimer characterized as "clergy misconduct".

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  19. I believe Mr. Shimano is carrying an MH diagnosis. I believe it is not superficial, i.e., behavioral level, it is personality level. However, it has not limited him from attaining the highest level of professional recognition. I have known people carrying a bipolar Dx who are, for instance, brilliant academics, artists or musicians, show at prestigious NYC galleries, perform to critical accolades in concert, yet they will still kill their 16 cats with a shotgun for just one scratch of a piano leg, etc., etc.

    It may be hard to understand, but some people with severe disorders can still be high-functioning in other respects. This exemplifies the koan of Shimano, and is the stumbling block many people have in evaluating his behavior. They cannot reconcile his MH condition, if they recognize it, or his selfish and hurtful past behavior with the idea that he could possibly be a teacher who artfully used skillful means, at least in the estimation of some students. Or they see his arguably criminal behavior as erasing his Dx or any consideration of it, and certainly his teaching successes, such as they may be. Whether he can recognize it yet or not, his reputation is ruined, just as his career is. It would be justice if he lived long enough to recognize deeply these facts and what caused them, and formulate a corresponding new apology.

    If, as ZSS claims, he is not teaching under ZSS auspices, then that is the necessary step the organization had to take to go forward with any credibility. The safety and peace of mind of students is paramount. Past victims who may want to rejoin their fellow students could not consider doing so if Shimano was someone with authority in the house. Someone said ‘bring on the lawyers and run the place into the ground.’ But ZSS is more than Shimano. ZSS is more than its Board of Directors. It is more than just a pretty practice place. ZSS is most of all its Sangha, and therefore should not be ‘run into the ground.’ The Sangha has fought with many voices, urging Shimano to resign and pressing the Board for change, and has supported one another through one of the worst organizational crises imaginable: the betrayal of its ethical values by its highest functionary. The ZSS Sangha deserves the support of the maha-sangha as it attempts to reconcile, to regain its equilibrium, and to become whole again.

    ReplyDelete
  20. If a man punches you in the stomach, you do not ask if he lives in a rat-infested apartment.

    ReplyDelete
  21. 3. "He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.

    4. "He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.

    5. Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.

    Dhammapada

    ReplyDelete
  22. Curious asked,

    Here is the answer, as of today.

    Do the Shimano's still have access to NY Zendo? Have the locks been changed?
    ** They still have an access to the building, some
    of their stuff are still in the building.
    Note, ES still has his room either at DBZ and
    Shobo-ji.

    Does ZSS still provide him with a car and driver?
    ** The driver is usually the unsui. He has
    his own car (either he bought himself or
    part of arrangement with ZSS).

    Has ZSS hired an independent (not a Shimano student) lawyer? Does Shimano have a lawyer?
    ** yes ZSS has a lawyer, so does Shimano's.

    How are the finances of the two temples?
    ** the "official" finances seem so-so.
    The unofficial we never know. Anyone who
    fought in WWII or Vietnam knows, to survive
    you need to build tunnel-networks to store
    logistics.

    What is the average attendance at each temple?
    ** Sharply Down. But some board members expect new students (newcomers) will come.

    Are Fujin and Jokei leaving?
    ** Not yet ... my guess within two years
    they will go away practising somewhere else.

    How is the wood supply at DBZ?
    ** Ask Soun Dowling (no ... I think he is not
    in charge anymore for the wood supply).

    ReplyDelete
  23. To Clyde,

    You cannot overemphasize point 3 alone.
    Point 4 is the counter balance. Point 5
    points the way. Non-hatred does not mean
    doing nothing. It means if we need to do
    something (or nothing), the motivation is
    not based on unwholesome acts.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Metal Head said,

    "Whatever the finances may be now, if ZSS can't get over the Shimano 1995 Deferred Compensation Agreement, the terms of which, thanks to Fernando Afable, are pretty ironclad, ...".

    The key is the word "retirement" and "resign"
    (being forced by boards). If we pick "retirement" the clause is ironclad and ZSS
    has to follow the terms. If "resign" (or "being
    fired") is used, it shows that ES broke the
    rule and ZSS can reject ES pension plan. The
    misstep was the board using the word retirement
    (this is Shimano's word). So the board is being
    trapped/deceived into Shimano's game. The board
    cannot do anything now, it is too late. The only
    way to help the board is if the outsiders or
    the victims sue Shimano, so the board has a
    reason to counter-argue the previous "wording".

    ReplyDelete
  25. Makahanya; Yes, I agree. I would state it this way: It means taking appropriate (skillful) action, not actions based on anger or hatred.

    ReplyDelete
  26. "With the exception of Rudin, none of the other ZSS directors were on the Board when the follies were being staged.

    I don't think that people like Fernando Afable et al are going to apologize now for knowingly turning a blind non-dharma eye to the mess back then."

    Dear Metal Head,

    May I inquire as to whether you yourself are on the board? Because you seem to be just as unaware as they are about what their role is. The ZSS is a constant legal entity independent of its respective individual directors. So whether Mr. Afable chooses to accept moral responsibility for past board actions is up to him. The board itself, on the other hand, has no choice. Failing to own up to past mistakes is sheer arrogance in the face of the ZSS members. And pointing fingers or making excuses like "well I wasn't on the board back then" is even worse: it shows they actually have no idea what they are doing.

    ReplyDelete
  27. clyde said...

    Makahanya; Yes, I agree. I would state it this way: It means taking appropriate (skillful) action, not actions based on anger or hatred.

    If someone is struck by an arrow, do they ask why this was done, where there arrow was made, what kind of arrow it is, and who shot the arrow? NO, the expedient and skillful means is to immediately pull the arrow out.
    That means making a clean break from the injury of the arrow. Not leaving any part of it in the body ( maha-sangha ). This is true compassion, and skillful means. To pull the arrow out is painful but it has to be done for healing to occur. Any excuse to leave the arrow in, make excuses for it being there ( in the sangha ) is ignorance at its' worst. To provide benefits for the arrow is plain martyrdom, and reminds all that it is OK to go on your way with arrow buried in you.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Vomito said...

    ZFI:

    by Gregory Wonderwheel on Sun Feb 06, 2011 12:31 am

    Shodo wrote:
    Far be it from me to pull the tiger's whiskers... but you can hardly call it a "release" if nobody has seen it - including yourself.

    " This seems to be gratuitiously harsh. A release commonly goes through phases and channels, such as an initial release to a primary group before being released to the wider public, and it does none of us any benefit to pretend otherwise.

    Let us do our best to check our own position before insuating the worst about others."

    Nothing at all is "gratuitously" harsh about that statement. The person claims a release from from a dysfunctional group of leaders, but has not seen the release yet. Pretty simply the "gratuitousness" lies the the claimant not the message. Any lawyer could see that immediately.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Maybe it similar to one who has been kidnapped and eventually begins to develop a friendship with the kidnapper. Who knows when Eido is long gone there might be a trophy case at DBZ with a bloody arrow in it.

    ReplyDelete
  30. It still seems that some people want to make excuses for this cult that Eido started and eventually ruined. Most of those people are believers in the traditional Japanese style of Zen master and humble student. It just might be that the model that was imported to America is useless here, unless one needs to be parented again by a uniformed authority figure.
    Americans broke from the British rule over them. It is time to break from the Asian models of institutional Zen that is filled with myth. A revolt from their style of Zen, which in fact is just a style that was useful in Japan or other Asian cultures and just perpetuates the feudal system of rule over the peasants. The lord and his "estate" allowing the peons to live on his land, where they suffer great injustice and live a subservient existence to a lord and bishops that rule over them.
    This is not original Buddhism. It was conjured by a society of warriors and people who sent their children to monasteries to teach them the Japanese/Asian code of Bushido or Confucian virtue. Mostly the "Zazen" portion of time in those monasteries was to pacify an unruly mob. It was like tactics they use in prison to keep the mass of criminals from misbehaving.
    Meditation is useful and anyone can do it, anywhere at anytime. One begins to understand how they create delusion by meditation, and then they begin to have choices rather than behave in robotic behavior/ignorance. These institutional models in the US can only survive because of the close resemblance to the Catholic/Christian model of the "church", which is based on punishment for sin and the threat of living eternity in hell. And so it goes with the true believers in the Zen institution. It is existential guilt produced by a puritanical distorted Christian based society. It is a structure that is purely "religious" and meant for salvation, not insight into this miracle called sentient life.

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  31. UB,
    Very well said!

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  32. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  33. Ours is not to be

    Victorious, but Faithful.

    Sit. Raise Awareness.

    ReplyDelete
  34. "Has ZSS hired an independent (not a Shimano student) lawyer? Does Shimano have a lawyer?
    ** yes ZSS has a lawyer, so does Shimano's."

    The question was not answered.... Is the ZSS attorney a "ZSS member" or student of Shimano?

    ReplyDelete
  35. "Dear Metal Head,

    May I inquire as to whether you yourself are on the board?"

    --No.

    "The key is the word "retirement" and "resign"
    (being forced by boards). If we pick
    "retirement" the clause is ironclad and ZSS has to follow the terms. If "resign" (or "being fired") is used, it shows that ES broke the rule and ZSS can reject ES pension plan. The misstep was the board using the word retirement (this is Shimano's word). So the board is being trapped/deceived into Shimano's game. The board cannot do anything now, it is too late."

    --Not a lawyer, but this seems to be really just an excellent point.

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  36. Only within the past year, it seems, has the ZSS board showed even minimal interest in conducting itself according to recommended principles of non-profit governance.

    Here is a link to "Good Governance Practices
    for 501(c)(3) Organizations"

    http://www.greatboards.org/pubs/IRS_staff_draft_good_governance_practices.pdf

    As for Eido's retirement compensation package, it might constitute an "excess benefit transaction". The regulations regarding such transactions are so complicated that only an attorney specializing in non-profit law stands a chance of interpreting them, but here is some info:

    "How Officers and Directors of Nonprofits Can Stay Out of Trouble Under the Excess Benefit Rules"

    http://www.probonopartner.org/publications/excess%20benefit.htm

    ReplyDelete
  37. the non-faith instituteFebruary 6, 2011 at 9:34 AM

    Dai An said...

    Ours is not to be

    Victorious, but Faithful.

    Sit. Raise Awareness.

    A google search with victorious, buddhist, sutra

    brought 45,000 hits.

    Seems a great misconception about being "faithful" to leaders that are abusive and masters over the student. Also it doesn't take sitting to raise awareness, it takes truthfulness.

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  38. Architect wrote: "It's interesting to note that the only English sources of information on Shimano's history all trace back to his own stories in Namu Dai Bosa."
    ________________________________________

    How interesting or 'truthful' or happy would any of our lives be if only one source were consulted ... eg. "me?"

    ReplyDelete
  39. the non-faith institute said...

    "Also it doesn't take sitting to raise awareness, it takes truthfulness. "

    Not for the bystander followers, and spectator couch potatoes.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Gregory Wonderwheel

    A government releases a statement when it is talking to the public/press etc. Not when Obama is asking Hillary if she likes the words in the statement.

    A company releases a statement when a formal, ratified in house document is released (voila) to the intended audience, not when it is being reviewed by senior management or vetted by the lawyers.

    etc

    Could just be wording though but is a release in the traditional sense. And very common usage AFAIK.

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  41. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  42. Clyde

    I think there is a mix here. Some might hate but probably not everyone. All this is a bit cesspit-ty sometimes but it reminds me that everyone will hate some model and Good Luck to those who seek new ones. Re: the Eido issue it seems some would want a sense of justice.and acknowledgement of past wrongs. My experience with people who have done wrong is that they will oft fight for their own positions, defences and beliefs (including the belief that I am right). This goes for many of us.

    Abu

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  43. Greetings "Lazy" Buddhist and "Non-faith" Institute,

    I think you have rashly misunderstood.

    I am suggesting that for some, our continuing course of action could have compenents that involve remainng faithful to our practice of sitting and trying to follow the precepts, which can support our continued right action to keep raising awareness about Shimano, et.al.

    If you would like to know more about where I am coming from in terms of faithfulness, sitting, truthfulness, spectatorship or status as a couch potatoe, please check this out on the Shimano Archive:

    20110105_DaiAn_ZCS.pdf

    ReplyDelete
  44. DaiAn said...

    "I am suggesting that for some, our continuing course of action could have compenents that involve remainng faithful to our practice of sitting and trying to follow the precepts, which can support our continued right action to keep raising awareness about Shimano, et.al."

    I am sooo sorry that you were victimized, and hope that with whatever means necessary for you to find happiness, and healing.
    But I will maintain that "sitting" is a physical act, and has no bearing on raising awareness. Counseling others about the traps involved with idolizing a teacher will raise awareness, i am glad that you are involved in that. Following a Zen prescription of Zazen, chanting, and following the leader will not raise awareness. It is only facing the truth and acknowledging the ignorance of which all of us , not just you, have. It is not easy, but that is what it takes. What I find is sooo much mumbo jumbo talk about a persons practice that they themselves do not even know why they are doing it, or why they are stuck in the institutional model. I would suggest a clean slate for all involved in this Zen nonsense. Take a vacation from these unproductive methods. Find out how to really empty one's mind of delusive thoughts and relax the body. That doesn't take going to church, or having a lazy Buddhist teacher lord it over one's practice.

    ReplyDelete
  45. It takes one to know one. I readily admit my disdain for priests and teachers that mislead their students, and most do. ( IMO ) Someone used the word hate, and cesspit-ty, to describe some peoples disdain for these priests and teachers. My question is do you allow and want people to take a crap in your living room? Aversion is on the same coin as acceptance......neither of which a true student of Zen will cling to.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Removing one arrow from a body struck by three arrows seems a good effort to little point if the two arrows remaining continue to spread the poison, as taught to them, in the body.

    ReplyDelete
  47. "Amazing Grace" said,

    "Following a Zen prescription of Zazen, chanting, and following the leader will not raise awareness. It is only facing the truth and acknowledging the ignorance of which all of us , not just you, have. It is not easy, but that is what it takes. What I find is sooo much mumbo jumbo talk about a persons practice that they themselves do not even know why they are doing it, or why they are stuck in the institutional model. I would suggest a clean slate for all involved in this Zen nonsense. Take a vacation from these unproductive methods. Find out how to really empty one's mind of delusive thoughts and relax the body. That doesn't take going to church, or having a lazy Buddhist teacher lord it over one's practice."

    If you remarks are addressed to me as your post suggests, you are sooooooooo preaching to the choir.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Gregory Wonderwheel,

    As an attorney, you are probably familiar with the principles of corporate governance and must therefore be aware of the ZSS board's profound fiduciary failures, including lack of transparency and conflicts of interest that have compromised their mission. Focusing your legal expertise on those larger issues, rather than splitting hairs over the use of the term "release", would be more skillful and helpful.

    ReplyDelete
  49. DaiAn said...

    "If you remarks are addressed to me as your post suggests, you are sooooooooo preaching to the choir. "

    :))))))))))))))) bless you.

    ReplyDelete
  50. UB said...
    H. P. F. Zinn said...
    "$100K ain't a whole lot of money either!"

    FOR A MONK!!!? WITH A VOW OF POVERTY!!!?

    Well... First of all what is a Shimano Zen monk? At best it is some variant of Zen Buddhist clergy. The word "monk" has implementations in various religions that are not equivalent to term we have been using for all Zen Buddhist clergy. It is clear that not all Buddhist clergy are similar in various Buddhist traditions. It seems that some Buddhist clergy in some Buddhist traditions are more similar to the, say, the Roman Catholic implementation of "monk" and some are closer to the Protestant "minister." Since I have not carefully studied what Zen Buddhist clergy are supposed to be and are not, I am not sure what exactly what a Shimano "ordained" person is outside of some kind of a commitment to train under Shimano's guidance and do a great deal of Zazen. I kind of think they attracted to and agree with or believe in his overall ideas of what Zen is, what the precepts are (which hasn't proven to be much and that's why we are having this discussion on this page), and I think they want to do a great deal of zazen following the Kessei / Sesshin schedules. They probably like the monastery and the mountain setting. Not much more than that.

    I'd love to learn about what some of the Shimano ordained have to say about what they thought they were doing and getting involved with; I think it would be instructive, and not just to me. Further I'd like to know whether or not the Shimano ordained take a vow of poverty, and how they interpret that. \

    An related issue is can a person be married and have one or more children and maintain a vow of poverty. I think the honest answer is no. A less honest answer is some "interpretation" of "A Vow of Poverty."

    Another issue is how to various clergy really maintain a vow of poverty. My very limited understanding is that the "order" provides for the members and the members do the best they can to direct money and assets to the order by working and turning over salary or by soliciting contributions are forwarding them to the order. Since Zen Buddhists all tend to be independent organization, very few actually can have the clergy take real vows of poverty, I have heard that the Order of Mountains and Rivers (Zen Mountain Monastery) has a realist arrangement for the monastics' vows of poverty, but I know nothing of the details.

    What do think non-profits are? Do you think they are supposed to be set up like Wall Street firms? This whole retirement package garbage is for Teflon robed priests, who care more about their identity than their students, yes ALL OF THEM! and EVERYWHERE!

    Again, I am not overly familiar with what the American legal entities called not for profits are, so I took a quick trip over to Wikipedia. It has what seems to be a nice overview including typical problems of NPO which seems to include some of ZSS'. Nothing about vows of poverty . Seems to me that Non Profit organizations can be run like a business with the sole exception that the NP Organization does not distribute its surplus funds to owners or shareholders, but instead uses them to help pursue its goals. I believe it is reasonable to assume that some of the real NPO's do have retirement packages for the officers, etc. Some visiting this thread might have some real life examples about NPOs they'd like to share.

    UB, you seem to have very strong negative opinions about Zen Clergy in general, please elaborate. I, for one, would like to know what they are and why you have them.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Amazing Grace said,

    :))))))))))))))) bless you.

    Amen to that, brother (or sister)!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Abuse, happening, will not at first necessarily be recognized as such, whether it comes from a Zen priest or not, as an experience which is an example of "been subjected to" abusive behavior.

    If is it is not overtly violent, it can take several experiences to begin to notice something is wrong and then more experiences to establish what is wrong. By then the damage is done.

    This seems so OBVIOUS, until it happens to you. Then disbelief and self blame begin, "How could I have been so f'king blind.", and after that comes anger, "How could he do this shit to me.", takes hold and days are darker.

    from another one who just figured this out.

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  53. Christopher said...
    "But the clincher is that they necessarily have to hold that position, because if they admitted that Shimano's Zen insight was in any way flawed per se, that would mean that whatever he transmitted to them was similarly not quite right, i.e. their own dharma transmission could be called into question."

    I am glad another person understands how this works!

    It's yet another reason why ZSS must be seen as invalid and an inappropriate place to train unless these alleged Dharma Heirs are willing to get additional training and sanctioning by another so-called Roshi without a tainted life.

    It is interesting Philip Kapleau's heirs went for additional training after receiving permission to teach. Kapleau had a falling out with Yasutani and therefore didn't get full transmission from Yasutani. Shimano's heirs should not hesitate to do the same if they are serious about the Dharma. That they still clearly seem more interested in protecting Shimano and his blind dharma, I think calling their credentials into question publicly is fair game.

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  54. Zinn--

    My understanding is that ZSS and associated zendos together constitute a 501c3 and are classified as a "public charity". Churches are not required to register with the IRS (that is, at the federal level) as 501c3 organizations unless they intend to solicit tax-deductible donations from the public.

    The 501c3 is quite different from a 501d, an income-sharing community designation, under which guidelines many monasteries and intentional communities operate. Under a 501d, community members often declare a vow of poverty and can opt out of paying for and receiving social security and medicare benefits. The community itself is then responsible for providing medical and retirement support for its members. It is my understanding that donations to 501d organizations are NOT tax-deductible.

    As for the distinction between various types of Zen clergy and rules guiding their personal conduct and lifestyle choices, this seems to vary widely. I have read on ZFI that, in Japan, there are no linguistic equivalents to the the English terms "monk" and "priest", and the line of demarcation between the two can be blurry. Basically, I get the impression that, while you're in a monastery, you're a monk, and otherwise, you're a priest.

    With regard to married monks, I have never known one, though I have known divorced monks and non-custodial parent monks who pay child support. Since monasticism generally implies a single-minded overriding devotion to a spiritual path, it's hard to fathom how one could be a monk with a wife and kids in tow. It's also hard for me to see how a monk or nun could effectively dedicate themselves to undivided practice with worldly financial concerns constantly distracting them, which is why a vow of poverty (and an income sharing arrangement) makes sense in that setting, rather than the "every-man-for-himself, dog-eat-dog environment entailed in laylife.

    Conversely, it's much easier to imagine a priest (or minister or pastor) having a family and interfacing with society at large in a social setting.

    Just my 2 cents....

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  55. H. P. F. Zinn said...
    "UB, you seem to have very strong negative opinions about Zen Clergy in general, please elaborate. I, for one, would like to know what they are and why you have them."

    Remember the original message was to your statement "$100K ain't a whole lot of money either!"

    For this statement, I have a strong aversion for, when dealing with teachers and priests of Buddhism. That is where I am coming from on that. Why do we follow Buddha's example, or Christ's or Gandhi's? Did they gather a lot of material goods? Did they have retirement packages? Did they make more money than the average poor person in their culture? You tell me why these religious reformers lived in poverty? It is not hard to understand. You can't serve God and mammon. So what are these teachers really teaching? It is not Dharma/Truth that will free your original face. It is a version that sells, as a commodity and they will change it as supply and demand change. The christian church is going through enormous metamorphosis because people are leaving the church. The have rap music now, and poker games. Not saying these are wrong, just that the church leaders do anything to keep the numbers up, so they receive more money.
    I love every human being, enormously. It is the cancerous growth of these non-profit churches that suck the life out of people that i am standing against. Once a bunch of people organize around a group of leaders with power to make decisions for them, trouble is not far away. The Dharma is compromised down and spoon fed to the students. I have seen this in every institution set up this way. What I am standing up for is that those people who are trapped in such institutions free themselves so that they can live full, honest, and a vibrant existence without being told that what they express is somehow not Buddhist or "You know nothing of Zen Buddhism", or " Come into my room so i may teach you, ( and then accost the person)"
    The US is a sold out materialistic environment. Everywhere there is commercials. Just watch the Super Bowl today. What is it a million dollars a half minute to advertise your junk? How is this like the Buddha? Why did he give everything he owned away? Was he stupid? He could of taking any form he wanted, but he chose poverty. Ask yourself why? And if you get close to an answer you will have come that much closer to your own life.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Thanks for your sharing your opinion.

    You probably got a few facts wrong, like "Why did he [the Buddha" give everything he owned away? He left home but in doing so I don't think he put his wife and children out in the cold, and he didn't even owned the palace etc. as he was just a prince and not the king. I don't know what happened to that kingdom after Gotama's father died. Mildly curious to find out now.

    My sense is that we often impute things onto others and idea than was never the original intention. I think that our Western glorification of poverty is an idea out of the Middle Ages. But the glorification of "having no possession" has been done in many religious cultures around the world.

    I do seem to recall that the Buddha taught the Middle Way but not everyone takes the meaning of that in the same way.

    You might be right in your sweeping condemnation of all things religious. You might be ahead of the rest of us. Time will tell.

    UB, I do wish you some peace and the ability to live your ideals. I think we agree that it is best to live by example than by preaching.

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  57. H. P. F. Zinn said...

    Why did he [the Buddha" give everything he owned away? He left home but in doing so I don't think he put his wife and children out in the cold, and he didn't even owned the palace etc. as he was just a prince and not the king.

    No, they stayed in the palace, that is what the myth says. He abandoned all his possessions.
    The middle way is having enough to live on, not starving or enriching yourself. No idealization there.

    and

    "UB, I do wish you some peace and the ability to live your ideals. I think we agree that it is best to live by example than by preaching."

    Hey i'm doing great thanx! No preaching here. It is the way I live and the only way I know. I will not compromise my original face to materialistic desires. Who's doing the preaching? :)

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  58. Spike said,

    "If, as ZSS claims, he [Shimano] is not teaching under ZSS auspices, then that is the necessary step the organization had to take to go forward with any credibility."

    Spike, IMO, this was a necessary FIRST step to go forward with any credibility, and the very least that should have been done long ago.

    We have been waiting to see the ZSS Board take these other necessary steps for moving forward with any credibility:

    1. Unanimously condemn Shimano's apology retraction;

    2. Change Shimano's institutional status from exalted "Retired Founding Abbot” to "fired former abbot”;

    3. Demonstrate that Shimano no longer has ANY

    a) Physical presence; or

    b) Direct or indirect influence

    at ZSS and DBZ.

    4. Apologize on behalf of ZSS, as an institution, to all who have been harmed directly or indirectly by Shimano and for past failures by ZSS to address his conduct; and

    5. Provide a plan (or at least a statement of ZSS intention to do so)for recompense of Shimano survivors and reconciliatioh with those alienated sangha members who seek it.

    Perhaps we don't know enough about the "process" that the ZSS Board may be engaged in. Maybe they do intend to get to some of this.

    In the meantime, the blithe invitation to come and sit, without speaking to any of the issues above, comes across as a callous disregard for those who have been hurt or alienated.

    ***

    Spike, is there ANY chance that the ZSS Board will address these remaining issues?

    If so, they need to say so. If not, they need to say that, too.

    ZSS may have to "lose everything" to be able to go forward with any credibility. Wasn't it all their stuff that got them into this trouble in the first place?

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  59. I have to say that the ZSS board has surely done a lot of soul-searching with regard to the issue of loyalty.

    As a public non-profit charity, they are legally obligated to be loyal to those members of the public who come to practice at their zendos. To do so, they have to keep in mind the financial health of the organization, so as to remain operational. Consequently, fund-raising is front and center. Shimano has historically been their fund-raising point-man, so the board found it imperative to retain him at any cost. Meanwhile, it is their duty to portray the organization (and Shimano) in as positive a light as possible.

    But now that the scandals have been broadcast world-wide, the board is faced with a conundrum. Shimano has become a liability whose growing notoriety actually interferes with fundraising, the financial health of the organization, the reputation of the ZSS, and the board's accountability to the public. But to acknowledge his deviousness and the damage he has done conflicts with ZSS's responsibility to cast itself in a good light. Thus the evident paralysis.

    Check...or check mate?

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  60. It takes one to know one. I readily admit my disdain for priests and teachers that mislead their students, and most do. ( IMO ) Someone used the word hate, and cesspit-ty, to describe some peoples disdain for these priests and teachers. My question is do you allow and want people to take a crap in your living room? Aversion is on the same coin as acceptance......neither of which a true student of Zen will cling to.

    UB, you seem to go from one extreme of hating (?) or at least casting all Buddhist clergy and institutions in one light - something like fake, fakers, preachers, just trying to make money etc and having 'left' Buddhism yourself - to now trying to postulate what a 'true' Zen student would or wouldn't do. I won't comment on your latter belief.

    The problem as I see it, not related to you - you are on your own for this one - is that this blog has turned and intermingled all these Eido issues (which are highly unfortunate) with that of the general Buddhist monastics and centres which (some) seek to serve their students and fellow practitioners.

    Too bad for that (IMO).

    Abu

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  61. High Performing Factor Zen ? :)

    HPF Zinn - In my own little imagination, I imagine that the answers to your questions as to what does it mean to be a monastic etc. belongs also within that institution and its leaders. For practice based centres, I would imagine it is a very strong sense and orientation, belief, and commitment towards practice ideals. Not in the sense of 'Thou shalt' but in the sense of true/genuine liberation and actualisation. I guess other centers may have different standards or aligned ones eg. Bodhisattva vows, healing people and the world (eg. Thich Nhat Hanh does some very good work in this field I believe). In many ways I also believe Zen is very much an individual practice and it has been my own good fortune to have met in the Zen - but also other traditions - practitioners of a very .. interesting standard. Suffice it to say that if there are those with a genuine Dharma eye (I welcome the eggs at this point :)) then it can be beneficial. For example, in today's day and age we are all nearly ready to pour scorn on those whom are said to be realised, but for example, the Buddha was also scorned by some and today we recognise the value of the old timers like Han Shan, Lin-Chi and others for example. So I don't think we can say there is no value there. But I also understand the intense scepticism and even anger for those who have been or felt misled for example.
    Anyway about your comment on Eido's students learning elsewhere, that is a good idea I think if they can find a good standard of teacher. I don't know how common that is but I know there are some gems around.

    Best wishes,
    Abu

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  62. "But to acknowledge his deviousness and the damage he has done conflicts with ZSS's responsibility to cast itself in a good light."

    The ZSS Board has no such (fiduciary) p.r. responsibility. And they have already acknowledged the harm done.

    ReplyDelete
  63. "Since Zen Buddhists all tend to be independent organization, very few actually can have the clergy take real vows of poverty, I have heard that the Order of Mountains and Rivers (Zen Mountain Monastery) has a realist arrangement for the monastics' vows of poverty, but I know nothing of the details.

    This is something I know a little bit about... This is my home temple!:)
    Daido Loori was my original teacher and now I am a student of the new Abbott, Ryushin.
    From what I understand, postulants get a $50 dollar stipend per month. Monks get $100 per month.
    Also, if a monk gets a lot of money from an inheritance let's say, they have to give it away - donate it to the charity/cause of thier choice or even donate it to Zen Mountain Monastery if they wish... but they cannot keep it.

    And the monks there DO get married, but it is of course a new hybrid, completely of ZMM's own design... They do not have children, and if they end up having kids... they would have to disrobe and be a lay practitioner away from the monastery until the child was an adult - then they could come back and take up thier monastic vows again.
    Since the road to full ordination is a long and slow one (like up to 10 years of residency before full ordination)... folks wishing to become monastics have plenty of time to work with all this stuff.

    [my apoligies if I gush... I love ZMM^^]

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  64. floating_abu said...

    "Too bad for that (IMO)." It is all related, too bad some can't see that. I'd appreciate it if you quit telling everybody what IT is really like. For instance labeling "hate" "not buddhist" "left buddhism", what a crock!!!For such a floating Abu, you sure have fixed ideas. With some flexibility one could see the
    interrelatedness of the zen institutional trap, and the Shimano scandal. Rather than pull the arrow out at it's root, some would prefer to put lotion and band aids on the festering soar.
    And who cares what someone BELIEVES. You hold that up as some kind of absolutism in your mind.
    It is self serving and provides no discussion, is it all about what you believe? People are being SWINDLED at DBZ and many like institutions. Take a stand. Or turn into a hungry ghost, i care not, its' your trip.
    If you BELIEVE Buddhism and being a BUDDDHIST is a noun more power to you, I don't.

    ReplyDelete
  65. There are also celibate monastics there as well at Zen Mountain Monastery.:)

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  66. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  67. Metta Head said,

    "And they have already acknowledged the harm done."

    Could you point me to your reference showing that they have in fact done this? The only public acknowledgement by the ZSS Board that I know of this from the ZSS website:

    "The Zen Studies Society acknowledges that there have been occurences of improper relationships between teachers and students."

    This is far from adequate.

    Is this what you are referring to, or was there something more that I missed?

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Dear UB

    We will pray that your beliefs are misguided and there is hope for us all still.

    Taking a stand is what people do at war time, for ant-abortion programmes, for hate campaigns. Tell me any of those whom do not feel the emotion you do, whom do not believe in the certainty and correctness of their actions and comments, whom are not willing to lay down and let those suckers have it, to 'take a stand'.

    You are not alone, but neither are you absolutely correct, Sir.

    There are many people whom live within Sanghas who are nourished as there will be many who are hurt. It is the nature of the world but your cast as is all, is a bit tainted I am afraid - IMO.

    As to your comments, being objective, and refusing to cast a whole system with your accusations does not mean being weak or unwilling to act. Has it ever occurred to you that action and words do not have to look like yours to mean there is care behind it.

    The Eido example is a clear one and yes everyone can see it has had poor consequences, very much so. But the harm of this leader does not mean all leaders do the same and you trying to cast everyone and everything there as one is hugely unfair to the commitment, time and dedication that teachers (yes teachers) and clergy will have out there. I am not saying everyone but I am saying they are out there and your aspersions are unfair.

    You have your right to see things as you do and be angry and certain about the corruption of what you perceive to be the Zen community, but I'm sorry that I can neither respect nor agree with your views.

    There are many people in our society who are angry about something or other, this will not be a new cause but I hope you, like me, will not do too much harm in that process. I always remember the anti abortion campaigners who have hurt doctors in their beliefs, it is too easy to become what you (say) you hate.

    Also, no-one can own their original face.

    Best wishes,

    Abu

    ReplyDelete
  69. Amazing Grace said,

    "Find out how to really empty one's mind of delusive thoughts and relax the body. That doesn't take going Agreed.
    to church, or having a lazy Buddhist teacher lord it over one's practice."


    Floating Abu said,

    "The Eido example is a clear one and yes everyone can see it has had poor consequences, very much so. But the harm of this leader does not mean all leaders do the same and you trying to cast everyone and everything there as one is hugely unfair to the commitment, time and dedication that teachers (yes teachers) and clergy will have out there."

    Also wholeheartedly agreed.

    ReplyDelete
  70. People's Zen: yes, that is exactly what I refer to.

    Yes, it is barebones, even cold, and I don't know if there is a legal caution involved here regarding institutional as opposed to individual admission of regret/guilt, and possible lawsuit repercussions.

    Other discussion is in Genjo's podcasts, and possibly in private when the Ethics Committee convened, the latter of which we're not likely to hear about from them. Genjo's particular reference is the failure of institutional authority to say 'No' to Shimano, resulting in regrettable harm.

    P.S. I long ago suggested that the Board apologize for its prior failures. So far
    I can't find the email thread, but if I do I will post.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Metta Head said

    "The ZSS Board has no such (fiduciary) p.r. responsibility."

    From "Fiduciary Duties (Legal Responsibilities) of Your Board" (see http://www.managementhelp.org/misc/Fiduciary-Responsibilities-of-NP-Board.pdf)

    "Examples of performing the duty of loyalty include clearly making a reasonable and good-faith
    effort, when acting as a Board or staff member, to:
    *Always be thinking about, and focusing on, priorities of the nonprofit, and not that of
    yourself or another organization.
    * Share ideas, opinions and advice to forward the progress of the nonprofit.
    * Represent the nonprofit in a favorable light."

    And from the same website, seeitem #8 below

    "BoardSource (formerly the National Center for Nonprofit Boards), in its booklet Ten Basic
    Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, itemizes the following 10 responsibilities for nonprofit Boards.
    1. Determine the organization's mission and purpose.
    2. Select the Chief Executive.
    3. Support the Chief Executive and review his or her performance.
    4. Ensure effective organizational planning.
    5. Ensure adequate resources.
    6. Manage resources effectively. (This is often done by appointing a Chief Executive to manage the organization.)
    7. Determine and monitor the organization's programs and services.
    8. Enhance the organization's public image.
    9. Serve as a court of appeal.
    10. Assess its own performance."

    ReplyDelete
  72. "3. Support the Chief Executive and review his or her performance.

    6. Manage resources effectively. (This is often done by appointing a Chief Executive to manage the organization.)

    9. Serve as a court of appeal.

    10. Assess its own performance."

    ________________________________________

    Does anyone else get a sense of bureaucratic self-congratulation in all this?

    ReplyDelete
  73. In this particular thread about Eido Shimano, there has been great injustice and much harm done by him and his enablers. An empathetic understanding of what has happened there has motivated many, many, people to take a stand against him and his enablers and now the organizations DBZ,NYZ, even the ZSS. Frankly it doesn't look to me like anything is going to be done about any of the past injustice and harm. The Shimano's will maybe bow out now, but the organization will continue.
    Taking action to stop this from happening again somewhere down the line would be another appropriate response to this Eido scandal. Casting a large net doesn't mean that all the fish will be caught up in the haul, but some will wake up and know that the public is quite aware that there is the potential of abuse in similar organizations. Some people have devoted their lives to revealing the scams behind the Zen Roshi, Dharma transmission, Zazen myths, and many other of the ritualistic rites performed by the high priests. It is proper that the truth be told about these myths, and that light be shed into the dark secret world in which many priests practice their wicked craft.
    Sure there are people who are loving, benevolent people who happen to have become priests and they know who they are and have no guilt on their conscience because their behavior is true to itself. At this time in history of Buddhism coming to the west, it is appropriate to take every priest and teacher to task, so that they are more than aware that they are being scrutinized by a public that has caught some of them red handed. That's just the way it is. It is happening. It is way past time that it has come to light.

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  74. Hunchback of the hoodFebruary 6, 2011 at 3:47 PM

    Hey UB, weez all be prayins fer ya. U is some kind a crazied monkey uknowz? Da rest of uz all agreez dat uz be way off in some nother world, ya knowz? Uz might be up and wanta ta bomb dos nice pastors and such. And anywayz we all haz lot a hope, and fait dat everyting gonna be alrihgt. Scuse me now, it be time fer me to ring da church bell, naw ya remberz dat we all be prayin fer ya.

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  75. LOL, thanks Hunchback...... I certainly need ya allz prayerz! :)

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  76. Shodo,

    Thanks for the info on MRO monastics. I believe you omiited the fact that full monastics get medical, dental, and senior care until death. Isn't that correct?

    Any idea how the organization is able to provide all this?

    What makes the monastics and posutalants secure enough to turn over everything and to rely completely on ZMM / MRO?

    ReplyDelete
  77. Genkaku said:

    (re: ten fiduciary duties of a non-profit board)

    "Does anyone else get a sense of bureaucratic self-congratulation in all this?"

    Non-profit charities are, foremost, business corporations and can become cash cows for the unethical.

    For example, the world's largest fundraising charity, the United Way, made such a mess of things in 1992 that the non-profit sector as a whole was turned upside down. You'd think that would've been the end of their double-dealing. But in 2010, the United Way of Tuscon, Arizona, was found to have paid "more than $100,000 in recent years to a [now defunct] firm owned by the wife of the agency's past board chair..."

    http://mikekr.blogspot.com/2010/01/another-united-way-scandal.html

    Furthermore, from the same article:

    "United Way officials said the past-due payments haven't been made because they aren't sure how much unrestricted cash is available to make them — an explanation that is perplexing to experts in charity management. "If nobody in that organization knows how much unrestricted money they have, to me that is quite amazing," said Laura Otten, director of the Nonprofit Center at LaSalle University in Philadelphia. "That's just so basic that any executive director should be able to roll the number off of his or her tongue.""

    I wonder if the ZSS knows how much unrestricted money they have....

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  78. Capitalist Hop Scotch = How to jump through loop holes!

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  79. Re. ZSS Board responsibilities:

    Section 5 -- Powers and Duties

    The Board of Directors shall have the general power to manage and control the affairs and property of the Society, and shall have the full power by majority vote, to adopt rules and
    regulations governing the action of the Board of Directors and shall have full authority with respect to the distribution and payment of monies received and owed by the Corporation from time to time. The Board of Directors shall ensure that the Society adheres to the fundamental and basic purposes of the Corporation, as expressed in the Certificate of Incorporation (unless amended}. The Board of Directors shall not permit any part of the net earnings of the Corporation to inure to the benefit of any director, officer or other private person.

    from: http://www.shimanoarchive.com/PDFs/19930130_ZSS_Bylaws.pdf

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  80. The Board of Directors shall not permit any part of the net earnings of the Corporation to inure to the benefit of any director, officer or other private person.
    _____________________________________

    It would be interesting to see how that might be interpreted during a close audit of ZSS income and expenditures.

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  81. USSA said....
    "Capitalist Hop Scotch = How to jump through loop holes!"

    Hey, it's all in the name of "doing good", "helping people", "religion", etc.

    Nowadays, before making a significant donation to any charity, you are advised to consult one of many online resources to ensure that your good intentions are not being preyed upon. The fact that ZSS files a 990 containing all zeroes should red-flag their degree of commitment to running a clean organization. As stated earlier, other zendos not only file 990s but include something resembling financial data.

    Just to reiterate, the 990 exists specifically to reassure donors that their money is not being used irresponsibly. Churches are not required to file them, but to gain any degree of credibility these days, a 501c3 board is crazy not to take the 990 seriously.

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  82. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  83. Genkaku,

    The image I get from your list is that of a fox, so stuffed from eating all of the chickens, it can no longer make its getaway through the door by which it entered.

    ReplyDelete

  84. "Does anyone else get a sense of bureaucratic self-congratulation in all this?"

    Non-profit charities are, foremost, business corporations and can become cash cows for the unethical.


    Would this group do away with non-profit, charity and religious groups as well? Or perhaps suggest them for investigation bringing up examples of past misdemeanour? I am not sure that any organisation or community or worldly aspect is ever perfect, pristine or has no examples of mud. Read stories of heaven for that part of the chapter in life.

    I suspect I have had enough of this "forum" but I hope people will consider also to walk in the shoes of that which is criticised (and no I am not talking about Eido but about the wider issues that get brought up here). If you have dedicated your life as a monk for example, health insurance just makes sense. I know of monks who have nothing behind them and I know of ones who now can get at least some support. You can't expect, I think, people to choose to serve in one area but criticise them for accepting basic services. These people are human just like you or I (maybe) and just because they choose to operate in a field called non profit or religion does not mean they are now a band for attack and criticism and expected to float on air or only drink water or have no savings, fearing the disdain of those whom perceive that they may not be honourable enough otherwise.

    Everyone knows how to scrutinise, criticise etc. Everyone. The easiest job in the world IMO is journalists who sit there and write and attack and criticise and scrutinise (particularly after the fact) but actually I think criticism is every man's easiest take. However, I think it would be a sad day if we not only harm those doing their job in a spiritual community but also turn away well intentioned and sincere people whom do not want this same type of offence just for being in their roles.

    I recall Ajahn Sumedho telling us how people would go up and criticise them for doing nothing all day / just meditating. That is Buddha's format and still it can be attacked. No-one is ever free from jibes if that is all we offer this world IMO.

    As to genkaku's "self serving" question, I think that is just too brandished and generalised as a question. Unless you know the organisation, those are general rules and I don't think everyone and thing out there is a boogeyman waiting to take advantage of people or every set of rules is just corporate.

    Granted, those rules lack an outside body but no system is perfect and neither can you judge an organisation just by its rules or call them self serving without any understanding/context. This forum is not my place.

    Good luck to everyone.

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  85. I believe everyone understands Genkaku's role in doing this is that of an agitator. 'Critical' commentary is one of the tools an agitator employes, so there is no surprise or dismay to be found in noticing he comments when he sees an opportunity to agitate.

    I take what he offers like I use salt. For its flavor and what it adds to the stew on the stove.

    Or it's like fishing for food. No point without a few wigglers in the water.

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  86. "3. Support the Chief Executive and review his or her performance.

    6. Manage resources effectively. (This is often done by appointing a Chief Executive to manage the organization.)

    9. Serve as a court of appeal.

    10. Assess its own performance."
    ____________________________________

    FA -- What I was asking did not relate to some oozy-goozy perfection. I was asking if, given the policies suggested above, it made much logical sense relative to whatever mission might be targeted.

    The board is urged to support the chief executive. OK. It is urged to manage resources effectively, possibly by appointing the chief executive to run things. OK. So far, it is a closed circle of organization -- outside judgments or queries are not invited or required. But then the board is suggested as a court of appeal ... a place in which, hypothetically, someone with a grievance against the chief executive or board member could state his or her case and expect a fair hearing. Is this a logical or sensible framework in which to expect that others would praise everyone for their transparency and objectivity and fairness? The board has already been set up to maintain its prerogatives and protect its chief executive officer (who may be the manager of the organization). Could any complaint receive a dispassionate hearing in such a setting? Aren't the cards already stacked in one direction?

    And as if all that were not curious at best and malicious at worst, the board should consider reviewing its own activities. Anyone want to guess how that is likely to turn out? Wouldn't an outsider be more likely to present an unfreighted assessment?

    It was in these senses that I wondered if the whole framework weren't a little too self-serving and self-congratulatory.

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  87. Well I am just about gone but I am sure you can understand my desire to comment :)

    I don't think genkaku is an agitator. I think if Eido did commit these acts in a predatory and harmful way, and if the Eido community is somehow incorrect as a Zen organisation, then that is regretful. As I have no detailed knowledge of the history, I cannot fairly comment on that particular issue but I did notice that Aitken Roshi spent the last months/years of his life also involved in this so I would not regard it that lightly. Probably a forum like this allows an interested community to come together, and for this issue to live whilst Eido and others might prefer it to disappear. I would not call this an agitator role at all. I think it could be a hard role though maybe.

    If you use the word agitator, I think the agitation is just because these issues hit other nerves and it is the manifestation of that that we see here. Or at least I see here :)

    I believe most people here have good intentions, and are rational and calm mostly.

    I do not think genkaku's role is an agitator.

    Good luck and good day again.

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  88. Naivety can only last so long when the light shines on it.

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  89. "Would this group do away with non-profit, charity and religious groups as well? Or perhaps suggest them for investigation bringing up examples of past misdemeanour? I am not sure that any organisation or community or worldly aspect is ever perfect, pristine or has no examples of mud. Read stories of heaven for that part of the chapter in life."

    As naive as it may be to expect perfection of non-profits, it is equally naive to assume that instances of underhandedness are rare and isolated.

    I haven't heard anyone here endorse doing away with non-profits, but it seems perfectly reasonable, even crucial, to hold tax-exempt public charities accountable for sinister, unethical or illegal activities.

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  90. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  91. "Everyone knows how to scrutinise, criticise etc. Everyone. "

    I'm rubber, your glue, what you say sticks to you!

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  92. genkaku - point taken and nods, agree, your points are very valid. My skim of the text immediately concluded what was missing was an outside body, see my comment above. And I would agree with your assessment. Regardless though sometimes - and often - I am just not comfortable with all these generalisations and maybe I particularly feel it now in the context of these discussions I have been having, particularly with friend UB.

    Best wishes, and thanks for the space here - I will be signing off for good after this comment. I hope it all turns out positively for everyone concerned here.

    Abu

    ___________

    Amateur Accountant

    Nods, I was going to say that too after my last post ie I am not suggesting to not be reasonable, have common sense, or question where donated funds go or be aware etc but (smiles) I would have to write essays (which I do anyway, laughs)

    Anyway I appreciate/d all your comments. I guess I have just been a bit disturbed by the tone of some messages I have read here so I just wanted to add some balance to the tone.

    Thanks kindly for your elaboration and understanding, you said it better than I, and I had thought about the same point but stopped when writing as I was a bit tired. However, very important to add that side to the commentary ie be aware and informed - but also understanding - which I do think.

    Thanks again

    Abu

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  93. Metal Petals--

    Point taken. There is no clause in the ZSS bylaws requiring board members to cast the organization in a good light. In actual practice, however, would-be whistleblowers on the ZSS board have either been driven away and discredited or have thrown up their hands and abandoned the project in frustration.

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  94. Quiter says
    "I am just not comfortable with all these generalisations and maybe I particularly feel it now in the context of these discussions I have been having, particularly with friend UB."

    Oh sure blame me for you leaving! :) This is a topic that is sometimes hotly debated. It is a topic that anyone with some empathy gets a little "hooked" to find a way stop its' madness.
    Someday you might find something to be passionate about, until then "smooth sailing."

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  95. Overeating is bad for you said...

    "Genkaku, The image I get from your list is that of a fox, so stuffed from eating all of the chickens, it can no longer make its getaway through the door by which it entered."

    The fox being Eido, I presume.

    "I believe everyone understands Genkaku's role in doing this is that of an agitator. 'Critical' commentary is one of the tools an agitator employes, so there is no surprise or dismay to be found in noticing he comments when he sees an opportunity to agitate."

    Which Zen leader was it who said, "Agitate! Agitate! Agitate!"?

    Killing the messenger must be contagious.

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  96. "The Zen Studies Society acknowledges that there have been occurences of improper relationships between teachers and students."

    "Teachers"? As in more than one???? What in Sam Hill is going on up there?

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  97. It's "words" they use then to hide any thing negative.... What Shimano has taught is "theatre" an exercise in mimicry. People line up to become "posers" - actors performing on the stages of DBZ and NYZ.

    It's about time we Americans insist on the real thing, not just a performer... that ain't gonna cut any more.

    If there is no struggle, there is no progress.

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  98. Get Informed before JudgingFebruary 6, 2011 at 6:51 PM

    Abu says....

    "As I have no detailed knowledge of the history, I cannot fairly comment on that particular issue but I did notice that Aitken Roshi spent the last months/years of his life also involved in this so I would not regard it that lightly."

    If you decide to poke your nose into this thread again, be informed first and then you will have some credibility to criticize others.
    Read the Shimano archives....google it.

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  99. Shoot the messenger?

    No, that's not it either. An agitator is an apparatus which is used to stir or shake clean.

    Thank you, whatever works, for reinforcing the conceit that there are some here who understand there can be more than one way to understand any one thing. ;)

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  100. Another definition of agitate....

    "Campaign to arouse public concern about an issue in the hope of prompting action: "they agitated for a reversal".

    not from a washing machine apparently. :)

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  101. H.P.F.Zinn said:
    "Shodo,

    Thanks for the info on MRO monastics. I believe you omitted the fact that full monastics get medical, dental, and senior care until death. Isn't that correct?

    Any idea how the organization is able to provide all this?


    Im sorry I left that part out... My info was delivered in the context of vows of poverty.:)
    ZMM does weekend retreats, monthly sesshin, collect dues from formal students... While I am not sure of the particulars, Im sure that they make the necessary income to make sure that the monks are just as supported by the monastery as the monks themselves support the monastery. They deserve it though - those monks live a very challenging life, certainly not easy... That is why I think that in Zen Mountain Monastery's 30 year history, I think only 15 or so people made it to full ordination.

    What makes the monastics and posutulants secure enough to turn over everything and to rely completely on ZMM / MRO?"

    This I don't know... faith in what they do there? A inner calling to the religious vocation...?
    Take my opinion worth a grain of salt because I am admittedly biased - Every time I go there I am awed and humbled by what they do to make it possible for so many people to go there.

    I'll stop plugging ZMM now though...
    The only reason I brought this up was because I am just as appalled as you are about this 100k retirement thing Eido has going... it is staggering.

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  102. Eido is one fox become too fat chewing on chicken, yes. But not the only one.

    Genjo and Roko are of like manner. The children of a fox will eat like a fox.

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  103. Overeating, I apparently misconstrued your comment to/about Genkaku (formerly a journalist), coming on the heels of this earlier statement by Abu "The easiest job in the world IMO is journalists who sit there and write and attack and criticise and scrutinise (particularly after the fact) but actually I think criticism is every man's easiest take. "

    Thanks for the reminder that, when one gets defensive, it's time to look inward. :)

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  104. to Skin a Cat

    Yes. One point being suggested re Genkaku; he seems to agitate for something, not against something more often than not.

    Another point was, the word I used in commenting is not necessarily the one another might first assume it to be.

    THE fat fox, still stuck in the henhouse is, of course, ZSS Board. ;)

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  105. Some breaking news from the Big Mind realm:

    http://bigmind.org/Home.html

    Owing My Responsibility

    A Personal Statement from Genpo Merzel

    I have chosen to disrobe as a Buddhist Priest, and will stop giving Buddhist Precepts or Ordinations, but I will continue teaching Big Mind. I will spend the rest of my life truly integrating the Soto Zen Buddhist Ethics into my life and practice so I can once again regain dignity and respect. My actions have caused a tremendous amount of pain, confusion, and controversy for my wife, family, and Sangha, and for this I am truly sorry and greatly regret. My behavior was not in alignment with the Buddhist Precepts. I feel disrobing is just a small part of an appropriate response.

    I am also resigning as an elder of the White Plum Asangha. My actions should not be viewed as a reflection on the moral fabric of any of the White Plum members.

    With great humility I will continue to work on my own shadows and deeply rooted patterns that have led me to miss the mark of being a moral and ethical person and a decent human being. I appreciate all the love and support as well as the criticism that has been shared with me. Experiencing all the pain and suffering that I have caused has truly touched my heart and been the greatest teacher. It has helped open my eyes and given me greater clarity around my own dishonest, hurtful behavior as well as my sexual misconduct. I recently entered therapy and plan to continue indefinately with it. I am in deep pain over the suffering I have caused my wife, children, students, successors and Sangha.

    With sadness and love,

    D. Genpo Merzel

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  106. When was this written? I don't see a time stamp on the blog entry. How do we know it's "breaking news?"

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  107. Shodo said...


    "The only reason I brought this up was because I am just as appalled as you are about this 100k retirement thing Eido has going... it is staggering."


    Regarding Shimano, I am in agreement with the folks who have stated that ZSS should not have allowed ETS to retire, but should have fired him outright, and let the pension matter be resolved in litigation. I also do not buy into the assertion that the BoD have an obligation to support the organization even it it means downplaying an unethical Abbot.

    In general I would not all opposed a nice modest retirement situation for an dedicated abbot that I respected, especially if the organization had the resources and proper funding to do so. I maintain that the discussion will be different if Eido had lived his life differently. How would a functional organization properly compensate an good abbot, a highly competent abbot, a beloved abbot?

    As for the shedding of light, just as light had to be shed on ETS' unethical behavior. Ever more light needs to be shed on the role of the successive ZSS Board Members, the heirs, and senior students in covering up, and facilitating those unethical behaviors. Some have tried to separate Shimano and his facilitators. But to me, more than ever, they are completely inseparable. I don't know how the current iteration of ZSS can think they will come out of this without doing many, many things differently, and should have hit the ground running not making nice PR. Roko et al should have begun with a recognition of wrongdoing historically by Shimano and a secession of board members going back to very beginning of ZSS. We have some evidence in the archive that those aiding Shimano in setting up ZSS already had information available about the mess he created in Hawaii.

    I believe, for example, that Mr. Bernard Philips was instrumental in Shimano's taking over the ZSS. Philips was already aware of Shimano's sexually predatory behavior see http://www.shimanoarchive.com/PDFs/19640918_Phillips_Aitken.pdf
    and
    http://www.shimanoarchive.com/PDFs/19640919_Aitken_Phillips.pdf

    I believe Elsie Mitchell was another helper of Shimano, she was made aware of probems, but she still seemed to have had a role in the Shimano take over of ZSS.

    http://www.shimanoarchive.com/PDFs/19640922R_Aitken_Mitchell.pdf

    It's too bad that we have such limited information about the Society's early days and who was instrumental and who knew about Shimano.

    The point is not the blame game although "accountability" is a buzz word these days in many fields, the point is that there was knowledge and acceptance of Eido's improprieties from the time Eido tookover ZSS. That struck me like lightening today and I am more appalled than ever.

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  108. Is the Ethics Committee of ZSS still alive?
    If I am not mistaken, the members are Genjo,
    Keiun and Yuho. But Yuho already resigned from the board, I am not aware if he is still in
    the Ethics Committee. Keiun ... maybe still there. Unless of course, there was a reshuffle.

    About the middle way and the vow of poverty ...
    I heard someone said. "I practised the middle way, my student owns a honda civic, the other
    has a rollroyce, so mercedes-benz is the middle way".

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  109. Wasn't the ethics committee disbanded for moral turpitude or something?

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  110. "..I believe, for example, that Mr. Bernard Philips was instrumental in Shimano's taking over the ZSS. Philips was already aware of Shimano's sexually predatory behavior see ..'

    Robert Aitken himself, whom, though he had no hand in setting up ZSS, was well aware of Taisan's sexually predatory behavior and did nothing till many years later, after much harm was already perpetrated. He alone, at the beginning of Taisan's career in America, had the potential to alert the the budding buddhist communities--but he chose too, to keep quiet for the most part.

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  111. Concerning Genpo Roshi's admission and resignation:

    http://bigmind.org/Home.html

    Genkaku asked:

    When was this written? I don't see a time stamp on the blog entry. How do we know it's "breaking news?"

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Don't know when the blog entry was written but it's the new "topic of the day" over at ZFI...

    http://www.zenforuminternational.org/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=3584&start=980

    And it does relate to the Shimano situation, as the chances that major media outlets might be interested in the "story" here have now increased greatly.

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  112. I for one was impressed by Genpo Roshi's letter, his honesty. While i've never done Big Mind or bought any of his books i'd be very interested in seeing where he goes from here, as he explores these issues head on.

    Such a stark difference in dealing with this kind of issue- Genpo and Eido...

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  113. "There is a season, turn turn turn"
    The summer of (Zen) Buddhism is over, with the Sun ( Dharma ) shining brightly WAY above us, and the people sweating it out to become one with ALL. Then there comes Fall. And the leaves ( teachers ) start falling from the trees. The Sun helped produce these temporary leaves and now they have lost their holding power to be looked up at, and provide shade ( teaching ) for the people. They fall to the ground and are now below eye level of the people. Some are trampled on, and yet others are a reminder of the beauty in the fall season. And soon after most all the leaves fall off the trees comes winter. A time when the people stay mostly indoors ( meditation and contemplation) on there own, or have close friends ( spiritual friends ) visit. I hope after this fall that the winter will not be too harsh for some people, but when the leaves begin to fall, it is most wise to begin to prepare for the winter.

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  114. A response to Genpo's action printed at ZFI:

    "Shishin Wick Roshi wrote: The White Plum Asanga Board of Directors has accepted the resignation of Genpo Merzel from White Plum Asanga membership as well as an Elder of the White Plum. This resignation is a result of his recent disclosures regarding sexual misconduct with several of his students. Please see the Big Mind website for their statement. On behalf of the White Plum organization, I extend our support for Genpo's efforts in recovery and treatment and to the teachers and members of the Kanzeon Sangha in their efforts in healing and realigning their communities."

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  115. "i'd be very interested in seeing where he goes from here"

    If Big Mind is any indication, presumably straight to the bank. If nothing else, he's at least a smarter charlatan than Shimano, since he now can go on just making money, unrestrained by people calling him on his vows.

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  116. Genpo's letter is no doubt what the FTI was hoping for out of Eido. Not only is it abjectly apologetic, but it specifically cites his "sexual misconduct" and delineates remedial steps Genpo intends to take.

    Eido's letter, on the other hand, never admits misconduct (an admission recommended by the FTI for healing to proceed), and vaguely refers to causing hurt feelings and loss of trust without further explanation. To the uninitiated, one might think he was apologizing for taking somebody's parking spot at the zendo.

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  117. Shimano pulled the same shit in 1994 when he "apologized" to a jam-packed zendo (hand selected members and people fresh off the street). He went on "apologizing" for 40 minutes while his wife literally wailed and sniffled in the background. He did not once say what he was "apologizing" for... but he made a deep-profound statement that it would NEVER happen again.

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  118. The ZSS Board of Directors is rewriting the bylaws. One of the issues is the Board itself: who should serve, how chosen, what privileges/responsibilities, etc.

    Here are some questions:

    1. Should an abbot (or vice abbot) be allowed to be a voting or non-voting director, or should he or she be a 'direct report' to the Board?

    2. Should at least one director slot be mandated for a non-ZSS member, i.e., an 'outsider'? Could be a noted academic, a top-notch fundraiser, pro bono lawyer, or other person with non-profit expertise, for example, but not limited to such.

    3. Should the abbot and vice abbot have contracts that specify regular performance evaluations? E.g., shoud sangha be able to comment to the Board on their performance and leadership ideas, and thereby hold them accountable?

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  119. "He alone, at the beginning of Taisan's career in America, had the potential to alert the the budding buddhist communities--but he chose too, to keep quiet for the most part."

    Had the potential? Quiet for the most part? Well think a little. Please consider the following mostly gleaned from the Archive.

    From the Archive and other sources in the early 1960's we know he was trying to get a Zen group established. I question how confident he felt and in his own ability to deal with the sexual matters publicly with the new sangha. From the Archive about the letters sent to his (and Eido's) teachers Yasutani and Nakagawa informing them of Shimano's unethical behavior, then he informed many other in what I'd say was an appropriate manner at the time including the ones mentioned recently, and letters to Zournas, Genkaku, Westen, and many others. In addition he was one of American Zen Teachers who signers of the letter to Richard Rudin, then president of the Board in 1993. (I take the position that by this time with over 20 years of practice and recognition as teachers, Aitken, Kapleau and the others gained the mature credibility that probably hoped would give the letter some weight. So Aitken was far from silent, more importantly he acted: direct one on one communication. But yes, I'd say it appears that Aitken was a stronger believer in quiet diplomacy and back channel influence.

    It is too late to try to ask him what he was thinking was and why he waited and / or why he changed his mind and decided to speak out, still in a low keyed way, on his blog shortly before his passing. I'd conclude this Shimano stuff for one reason or another must have always been in his mind. I speculate that it was contact with Kobutsu that influenced him to change his tactics.

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  120. We know all this Spike. You have offered it before and quite some time ago. And, the Board will continue to do this and that until Hell freezes over. And, the doings which dribble out will say nothing the board does not consider to be in their public image interest to revel.

    Holding on to hope is a fine attitude. Until it is visited without warrant.

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  121. Spike,

    Point 1) is rather tricky. I prefer only the Abbot
    be allowed to be a NON-voting director. Not
    including the vice abbot.

    Point 2) there should be two outsiders for
    board to prevent cooptation. The chance of
    a single outsider being coopted is very high.
    And the selection of these outsiders should
    be proposed by board insiders (to be practical)
    subject to approval of Sangha members (without
    leaving the ideal and sangha involvement).

    3) There should be evaluation. For example
    abbot and vice abbot can be elected for 5-years,
    and at the end of five years Sangha members and
    the board could refuse or extend his/her position. Evaluation should not be performed
    every year to prevent practice disruption,
    unless there is emergency situation (like
    financial or sexual or criminal scandal).

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  122. Evidently, discussion of Board make-up is one of the topics ongoing now. Also: how to enable membership voting ...

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  123. Evidently, shmevidenty, and peter may well pick a peck of pickles.

    So what? To what point, Spike?

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  124. Just yesterday an article appeared in the Huffington Post entitled "Love Is Speaking: Are You Listening?"
    by Toni Rubin
    Writer; Speaker; Meditation Teacher; Creator, The Love Dialogues Series and Love Evolution Movement

    overview....
    1.Gift Yourself With A Daily Dose Of Silence:
    blah blah blah
    2.Tune In To Your Love Channel:
    blah blah blah
    3.Turn Up The Inner Volume:
    blah blah blah
    4.Take Out The Garbage:
    blah blah WAIT! something important is here....

    "How do we keep this channel clear of the many interferences bombarding us? We need to work on releasing limiting beliefs and negative emotions from the past by being attentive to our state of mind. There is an arsenal of very effective techniques such as "Big Mind, Big Heart" by Zen Master Genpo Roshi....etc.

    American Zen and what its' become.

    ReplyDelete
  125. Spike,

    Silence is one option. So is talking to those who agree and shunning those who do not.

    Good luck with this choice.

    ReplyDelete
  126. "1. Should an abbot (or vice abbot) be allowed to be a voting or non-voting director, or should he or she be a 'direct report' to the Board?"

    The Abbot and vice abbot should serve at the pleasure of the board and the membership, not vice versa, and should not be entitled to vote but should report directly to the board.

    "2. Should at least one director slot be mandated for a non-ZSS member, i.e., an 'outsider'? Could be a noted academic, a top-notch fundraiser, pro bono lawyer, or other person with non-profit expertise, for example, but not limited to such."

    I can’t even believe this question is being asked. OF COURSE there should be at least one outside director, and after all that’s happened in the ZSS, perhaps a majority of the directors should be “outsiders”—and not simply figures from other zendos, but completely outside the Buddhist hierarchy. Some, if not all, should be elected by the membership.

    "3. Should the abbot and vice abbot have contracts that specify regular performance evaluations? E.g., shoud sangha be able to comment to the Board on their performance and leadership ideas, and thereby hold them accountable?"

    Again, I can’t believe this question is being asked.

    If the answers to these questions are not obvious to every current board member, it's time for a thorough housecleaning.

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  127. Shodo -- Since you're a student at Zen Mountain Monastery, could you tell us how the sangha there viewed the long-term relationship between Daido Loori and the former vice-abbot Bonnie Myotai Treace? Was there open discussion about it? Were ethical issues ever raised about this in the context of teacher-student sexual relationship? If these questions were not discussed before she left, were they discussed at the time that she left? I understand that in the end she felt the relationship had not been a good thing, and that she said publicly that she had "felt like a whore". Was there any process the sangha went through to deal with the loss of the vice-abbott to the sangha? How did you all get through it? Or was it not seen as a loss or an issue?

    Thanks for any light you can shed on this, since the whole issue of teacher-student sexual relationships is part of the mix here.

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  128. oops here is the link to the "Love Is Speaking:Are You Listening?" article...

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/toni-rubin/love-is-speaking-are-you-listening_b_817044.html

    ReplyDelete
  129. "Evidently, discussion of Board make-up is one of the topics ongoing now. Also: how to enable membership voting ... "

    Huh? They've had no trouble enabling a porn king, but they can't figure out how to enable membership voting????

    ReplyDelete
  130. whatever works,

    You are perhaps new to this thread.

    Spike merely continues to offer others his hope, This is, by a change in the bylaws, a new Board will determine the future of the present Board. The present Board will enable this.

    Pipe dreams, imo, are made of such stuff.

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  131. Whether Shimano is fired in disgrace or retired with full honors doesn't make any legal difference as far as a pension plan or deferred compensation contract. ZSS is legally bound by it regardless. They can't get out of it except by negotiations with the Shimanos and their agreement to modify it or, perhaps, by filing for bankruptcy.

    This is because the Shimanos already carried out their part of the agreement by serving in the positions for which compensation was deferred or pension money was promised. ZSS cannot now retroactively go back and reevaluate their job performance or conduct. But even if they could, Shimano's conduct was well known to the ZSS board at the time they entered into the contract in 1995 so they couldn't get out of the contract on that basis.

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  132. "Spike said...
    The ZSS Board of Directors is rewriting the bylaws. One of the issues is the Board itself: who should serve, how chosen, what privileges/responsibilities, etc.

    Here are some questions:

    1. Should an abbot (or vice abbot) be allowed to be a voting or non-voting director, or should he or she be a 'direct report' to the Board?"

    Abbot and vice abbot, if any should report directly to the Board, and not serve as a Director in any form.

    "2. Should at least one director slot be mandated for a non-ZSS member, i.e., an 'outsider'? Could be a noted academic, a top-notch fundraiser, pro bono lawyer, or other person with non-profit expertise, for example, but not limited to such."

    At least TWO Directors should be non-ZSS members, NOMINATED by (a) sangha member(s) and ELECTED by the sangha (as are all Directors).

    "3. Should the abbot and vice abbot have contracts that specify regular performance evaluations? E.g., shoud sangha be able to comment to the Board on their performance and leadership ideas, and thereby hold them accountable?"

    Following an open search process with input from the sangha, the Abbot and Vice Abbot should be approved following a vote by the sangha (percentage much greater than 50 % - actual % to be determined) following a search process, and then given a three year contract. In the third year, the sangha should evaluate their performance, following a process proposed by the Board and approved by the Sangha. 3 years continuations of the contract should be with approval by a certain percentage (greater than 50% - to be determined) the Sangha. Then the process continues, as above.

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  133. If you are a ZSS member, vs an overeater, the topic of Board composition should be top of the list. Consider the failures of all past Boards in dealing with the Abbot, and the disastrous impact on our Sangha.

    Unless this topic gets vetted, and grassroots lobbying follows, there will likely be 1.) a voting abbot on the Board, 2.) no outside directors, and 3.) limited accountability of the abbot.

    If you don't care about the ZSS Sangha, butt out. If you have something constructive to offer here or directly to the ZSS Board, consider doing so.

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  134. I agree with Serious about Shimano pension plan,
    that ZSS legally bound by it. Yet I question if
    there is a loophole to exploit. Although the board (current and previous) know Shimano's
    personality and accept him as an abbot in 1994,
    Shimano's also promised (see Abiud posting)
    that he would NEVER do it again. So the
    contract/agreement of that time can be viewed
    within or based on this understanding. The fact
    that he did it again (more than once?) should give
    power to the board to clean cut Shimano. Of course if the board agrees.

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  135. Spike,

    Point 1) is tricky. If abbot sits on the board, he/she should not have voting power. Other variance, he/she does not sit on the board.
    2) outside directors at least two.
    3) There has to be accountability (see my prev.
    posting).

    You asked a simple question about a voting mechanism. It is very easy. There should be
    bylaws indicating when somebody eligible to
    vote. You cannot just become a member today
    and tomorrow you can vote the vote! This would
    create vote trading. At least 6 months as a member then the individual is eligible to vote, for example. How to do it? By email and of
    course by regular mail. Maybe because of confusion, an individual can vote twice (by
    email and regular mail for example), but with
    simple database it could be checked and only
    one choice/vote is selected. For example in this
    case by default the regular mail is counted,
    if he/she happens to vote by two venues.
    Of course, smoke sign, drum beats, firecrackers
    are not counted.

    ReplyDelete
  136. In addition, a thorough audit could reveal financial irregularities useful in nullifying the contract.

    For starters, with Shimano's wife formerly serving as treasurer and Shimano also sitting on the board, might not the contract be canceled due to conflict(s) of interest, personal innurement, and/or excess benefit transactions?

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  137. You wish to make use of the maha sangha's grassroots power in airing this out, do you not Spike?

    In the same breath, you invite those in the maha sangha who disagree with your solution to butt out, because, they are not of your sangha.

    ReplyDelete
  138. Taking account said...

    "He alone, at the beginning of Taisan's career in America, had the potential to alert the the budding buddhist communities--but he chose too, to keep quiet for the most part."

    Had the potential? Quiet for the most part? Well think a little. Please consider the following.

    From the Archive and other sources in the early 1960's we know Aitken was trying to get a Zen group established in Hawaii. I wonder how confident he felt in his own ability to deal with Shimano's sexual matters publicly with the new sangha, he clearly expresses a feeling that he had some concerns, considering all that has occurred from the 1960's to 2011 it may be a little too easy to say that he should have acted differently (but yes dealing forthrightly was an valid option. From the Archive we now know about the letters sent to his (and Eido's) teachers Yasutani and Nakagawa informing them of Shimano's unethical behavior, Aitken also informed many others in what I'd say was an appropriate manner. The list included the ones mentioned recently, and letters to Zournas, Genkaku, Westen, and many others. In addition he was one of American Zen Teachers who signed the letter to Richard Rudin, then president of the Board in 1993. (I take the position that by this time with over 20 years of practice and recognition as teachers, Aitken, Kapleau and the others gained the mature credibility that they probably hoped would give the letter some weight. So Aitken was far from silent, more importantly he acted: mainly he acted on this with direct one on one personal communication. But yes, I'd say it appears that Aitken was a stronger believer in quiet diplomacy and back channel influence. Bear in ind that there was no internet and no blogs to keep a lengthy public dialogue going.

    It is too late to try to ask him what he was thinking was and why he waited and / or why he changed his mind and decided to speak out, still in a low keyed way, on his blog shortly before his passing. I'd conclude this Shimano stuff for one reason or another must have always been in his mind. I speculate that it was contact with Kobutsu that influenced him to change his tactics.

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  139. So we understand each other Spike.

    I believe the present ZSS board should be allowed the space and quiet to write the bylaws as they see fit. All sanghas should butt out until this work is complete.

    Then, justice will play out and ZSS come the end it now walks.

    When the sangha is silent, I am silent.

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  140. When I look back at my own silences and those of the rest of the sangha of that time, I am ashamed.

    ReplyDelete
  141. By the way. I think by focusing on Aitken's role especially now that he is dead you've became temporarily distracted from the main point:

    That since 1965 there were always members on the Zen Studies Society Board who were aware of Shimano's sexually predatory behavior and who did nothing about it or covered it up or enabled it.

    This is why unless the abbot and entire current board steps down, and the abbot and board and officers are replace with outside help and with the input of the sangha. Not one of those people should be a current heir or board member or officer.

    For many reasons It is not at all likely that will happen.

    I wonder how many of these people feels real shame. I really wonder.

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  142. However the new board is selected, care must be taken to avoid a reenactment of the rubber-stamping mentality that has plagued past ZSS boards. Look for candidates with relevant experience (such as experts in non-profit law/non-profit accounting), particularly ones who are NOT easily intimidated by know-it-all insiders or charismatic spiritual leaders.

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  143. So am I ashamed. I am NOW silent in ways I simply cannot speak to or about without the feeling of betraying something and or someone I still hold dear.

    Right now, I feel beyond stupid, disbelief that I could have been so f'king blind to such blatant displays of anger and manipulation of the unfamilar language being used and my trust on the part of one I considered a teacher to have denied for so long the inner voice saying No.

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  144. Misconduct isn't a "loophole" that allows an employer to get out of a pension contract and/or deferred compensation agreement. If it were, then many employers would exploit it to cheat employees out of their retirement plans.

    However, IF the Shimanos improperly diverted ZSS funds or assets to themselves, then ZSS could recover those funds or assets through legal action. This might also be some bargaining leverage to get the Shimanos to agree to modification of their pension and/or deferred compensation plans.

    However, I have not seen any documentary evidence that the Shimanos did, in fact, improperly divert ZSS funds or assets to themselves -- only suspicions. The audit may discover evidence of what has previously been suspected, or not.

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  145. I have the feeling Marinello was placed on the board, not only because Eido was his teacher, but because Genjo is reputedly an authority on the psychology of sexual deviants, insight which might have been useful, both in dealing with Shimano's perversions and with counseling his victims.

    Did anyone else get that impression? Am I entirely mistaken?

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  146. Amateur Accountant -- The minutes I recall reading in the Shimano Archive showed that the Shimanos abstained from voting on their pension and/or deferred compensation packages. So that would not be a basis for voiding them. It's quite common for "executives" to serve on boards of organizations that pay their salaries. So long as they don't vote on their compensation packages, this is legally acceptable.

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  147. What the Board is reticent to deal with is the matter of "undue influence." This is the silent but powerful tool Shimano has always used over the years. Don't think that for a moment that Shimano did not have direct input with Jiro on his "compensation" package... he directed and orchestrated it from the get-go, just as he and the wife he hates has maintained control over every move the Board has made all along. Whether the present Board has the intestinal fortitude to admit their being unduly influenced is a different matter.

    Of the present Board, only Roko and the mousey Mr. Rudin really knew the history, the rest were just rubes used by the Shimanos.

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  148. "However, I have not seen any documentary evidence that the Shimanos did, in fact, improperly divert ZSS funds or assets to themselves"

    Granted. However, would it not be considered improper to divert more funds into the Shimanos' pensions than could be realistically guaranteed? And if either (or both) of the Shimanos were allowed to vote in this regard (and I don't know if they were or not), would this not unequivocally qualify as improper?

    Considering the recent recession, many non-profits must find themselves in similar straits, basing pension agreements on previously ample revenues that have since slowed to a trickle.

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  149. Thanks, Serious. I did not see your post before posting my own.

    ReplyDelete
  150. Then Sangha cannot do anything against Shimano.
    And perhaps the board should sell part of DBZ
    or Shobo-ji to compensate Shimano's.
    With his wife, I guess their pensioun around
    75-90K anually, plus full health insurance
    coverage and apartment maintenance. Are recreations and business class flight covered
    also?

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  151. Fran Perrillo called it clearly in 1995 - sixteen years ago:

    http://www.shimanoarchive.com/PDFs/19950910_Perriello_Board.pdf

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  152. Business class? Surely you jest.....

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  153. I have to apologize, if I down grade his flight seat.

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  154. Makahanya -- It's very likely that sale of property will be necessary at some point. If I were on the board I'd be looking into it now, and they may well be. They're in a tough spot trying to figure out how to keep ZSS financially solvent. Downsizing will almost certainly be inevitable.

    Fortunately, things like travel and recreation are not part of the pension and/or deferred compensation plan. They'll have to pay for that stuff themselves out of their more than adequate retirement income.

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  155. DBZ would take years to sell off... who would want it? The land is pretty much useless, it is all a hollow with minimal sunlight and precious little arable land. The only thing they can sell in a reasonable amount of time is the Carriage House - Shobo-ji. Of course without NYZ as a feeder, DBZ is doomed... actually it's already doomed, there is no way Roko can run that place. Who in their ring mind would want to go there now?

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  156. Has there been any discussion yet of funding Roko's retirement? Better nip that one in the bud. There ARE Roth IRAs, after all.

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  157. Another option would be to put a mortgage on the property(ies) -- if they could get one. And use the proceeds to buy an annuity to cover the payments to the Shimanos for life. That might be financially feasible if the mortgage payments are lower than the pension payments.

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  158. Long time ago when we did samu a friend of mine mentioned DBZ with its lake is a good place for
    hotel and casino. Maybe he is right.

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  159. "It's very likely that sale of property will be necessary at some point. If I were on the board I'd be looking into it now, and they may well be. They're in a tough spot trying to figure out how to keep ZSS financially solvent. Downsizing will almost certainly be inevitable."

    Good! Dissolve the whole cursed organization. Then Shimano will be founder of precisely nothing, and his twisted legacy can be purified in the cosmic septic tank of impermanence.

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  160. "DBZ would take years to sell off... who would want it?"

    Weyerhauser: International forest products company producing softwood lumber, pulp, paper and packaging products.

    ReplyDelete
  161. "If you don't care about the ZSS Sangha, butt out. "

    This raises an interesting point. I remember once having an argument with a Catholic guy who felt it was spineless to just leave the church, instead of staying and fighting to try and reform it from within. I consider that position a waste of a precious life.

    In the same way, from what I've seen of the ZSS over the past year, I find it hard to understand why anyone would stick around there at all, trying to pick the scraps of proper Buddhism from among the mountains of bullshit, when there are plenty of other decent teachers around. The only thing really worth fighting for is some kind of retribution/remediation for those who were harmed in the past. As for the current sangha, I honestly believe that the best thing you could do for them would be to shut the place down and throw them into the street. A couple of breaths of fresh air and already the nightmare would be over. The worst that could happen is they would just continue sitting alone at home - even that would be better than remaining under the yoke of Shimano-style Zen.

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  162. "With his wife, I guess their pensioun around
    75-90K anually, plus full health insurance
    coverage and apartment maintenance."

    Do they also receive SS and Medicare benefits?

    ReplyDelete
  163. There is no softwood lumber at DBZ only northern hardwoods.

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  164. Don't forget his off-shore income.... lectures and book sales that bring him six figures a year....

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  165. If they pay SS and Medicare, of course they will
    receive it. You see how generous (or stpd?) ZSS boards are ... even they couldnot say "you are fired",
    but they humbly requested "your most honorable,
    the dweller of the unconditional realm, who
    cultivates virtues more than the sand of Ganges,
    who reigns earth, hell and heaven ... would
    you mind if we your humble servants promote
    you as the founding abbot - the holy one who
    is not subject to birth and death". Namu dai bosa 108X.

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  166. Sangha friend asked...
    "Shodo -- Since you're a student at Zen Mountain Monastery, could you tell us how the sangha there viewed the long-term relationship between Daido Loori and the former vice-abbot Bonnie Myotai Treace? Was there open discussion about it? Were ethical issues ever raised about this in the context of teacher-student sexual relationship?"

    Well, when I was there it had already been an established relationship for some time (1992)... And nobody, and as far as I myself am concerned, I never heard a whisper of discontent about it from the resident sangha.
    When I found out about thier relationship I asked Myotai about it and what she told me was that they had gone before the Guardian Council and asked permission, exaclty how any couple in a relationship would petition for residential training, they were approved and then the resident sangha were told, and that if there were any problems or questions they were always free to ask them. I remember asking a resident if anyone had any problem with it at the time and I got a answer equivilent to a "Naaaaah... everyone was cool." When I asked she had no reservations about talking about thier relationship.
    When she left the MRO I was not in residence so I was not there to see what happened... but as a once resident for close to 3 years there I can personally attest to the forward and upright nature of the place, and that EVERYONE knew just about as soon as it happened... that it was brought up in dharma discourses... Mondo's... and over the dinner tables for as long as it needed to be discussed.

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  167. Thanks Shodo. This question of "how to do it right" has come up in other sanghas. Some forbid any teacher-student relationships at all. That appears to be the newest trend, anyway, due to all the problems that can and have occured. I'm not sure that's the best way.

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  168. Shodo -- What is the "Guardian Council?"

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  169. "As for the current [ZSS] sangha, I honestly believe that the best thing you could do for them would be to shut the place down and throw them into the street."

    'My man!'

    Exactly what I thought might actually, sadly, be in so many hearts.

    Thank you for your honesty.

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  170. "And if either (or both) of the Shimanos were allowed to vote in this regard (and I don't know if they were or not), would this not unequivocally qualify as improper?"

    Yes, of course: Shimano would have no problem, as head of the Board, approving Jiro's handiwork. On the face of it, in retrosepect, so dirty looking, yet now, by lawyers, evidently not illegal.

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  171. Shodo said...

    "I can personally attest to the forward and upright nature of the place, and that EVERYONE knew..."

    What is the reason for other priests/teachers for keeping the sexual relationship secret? Curious....and when they do, it is called a scandal or improper. The difference is that the relationship Shondo describes was mutual agreements of a sexual nature, and did not have the dynamics of spiritual teacher taking advantage ( or molesting ) a student. Even with this announcement today of Genpo of ( Big Mind ) admitting to having several sexual relations with his students, and now quitting as a Zen priest, it seems he was in fact taking advantage of their vulnerability. Because if he found someone who was equally interested in him as a sexual partner, who would of cared, except some jealous types maybe. But for some reason the mythical position given to the Zen priests ( or any priest for that matter ) can lead to a very unethical manipulation of a very basic human drive.
    What Zen institutions need to do is take/snatch the myths from the priests and teachers before they begin their role in the institution. Screw the lineage myth, get rid of the authentic Dharma transmission myth, never let them stand above the Sangha when addressing them, No more teisho, or sermons by them. Let anybody /everybody teach/talk about their experience. If someone believes they are better than others , bring them down from their mythical cloud. Don't pay them to take care of students and the Zendo. Everyone take care of the Zendo, and if you decide to be a monk, get a simple job somewhere to help support yourself. Try to make the organization self-sufficient, with everyone working to make it work. And those that are that involved they to have something to say about the Dharma, and the way the place operates.
    This trickle down method of organization is showing some real flaws for spiritual guidance and growth. Maybe a communal type of approach would be much more conducive to equality or at least honesty. This can all be written in the bylaws of the organization. In fact instead of filing for a non-profit C-3 status ( of which many operate as a for-profit outfit ), which allows donations, file for a C-d status which does not allow for donations and puts all money earned into one pot. Learn to make less the the poverty line for the monks in residence and there would be no taxes.
    In fact peer groups could do this. Who needs a leader? Get 5 or more people to pitch in to rent a place, or buy a simple plot of land with a simple house on it. Start your own group. Why rely on the trickle down method of "being fed by the master" stuff, especially when you are paying for it. :)

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  172. UB:

    I'm not sure, but I think you mean 501d, not C-d.

    Trickle down Buddhism...and just a day after the centennial celebration of Reagan's birthday. :P

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  173. LOL!! Yea that's it..... CD ( like in music cd ) ignorance still prevails! :)

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  174. One thing that this new set of bylaws needs to include is an anti-nepotism clause. Had that been in place in the past, Shimano could have been deposed. With his wife on the Board, there was never ever a possibility of him being ousted. When Aiho "resigned" from the Board they had the opportunity to officially depose Shimano and fire him despite his not being able to "resign" (as per the by-laws).

    Genjo Marinello seems to have learned well from his master, his wife is the Chobo-ji treasurer and sits on their Board. How convenient....

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  175. genkaku said...

    "When I look back at my own silences and those of the rest of the sangha of that time, I am ashamed."

    Genkaku, were you really at fault? Was your role such that you really should have done something differently? Looking at the letter that starts off this thread, it seems that you shouldn't be very ashamed, if at all.

    My sense is that the silence of the sangha is and was varied. Some of it has to do with personal issues like worthiness (e.g. am I really so good to be able to criticize a "Zen Master"), some due the lack of a clear direction as to how to handle this business (with "clergy abuse" out of the closet, the options in dealing with it are now much clearer), and unless one knowingly intended it as such, silence was not really an expression of enablement, but given a sociopath like Shimano silence would have been interpreted as approval and agreement with his behavior.

    In any case silence is not now an appropriate approach. The board has historically never seen it's role as acting on behalf of the practitioners but instead in implementing the goals of Shimano. The sangha must become empowered and make it's wishes known regarding ethics and transparency known clearly and persistently.

    Some of the detailed questions seem to me to be on the right track. I understand some of the frustration of those who have already given some thought to various issues, but being snarky is not being helpful.

    Still, given it's history, I have little reason to be confident that this organization will be able to reform itself.

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  176. Genkaku asked...
    "Shodo -- What is the "Guardian Council"?"

    The Guardian Councils is the group of senior monastics and laypeople who interview prospective residents and aspiring formal students.

    UB said...
    "The difference is that the relationship Shodo describes was mutual agreements of a sexual nature, and did not have the dynamics of spiritual teacher taking advantage ( or molesting ) a student."

    Yes, very much so. If felt like 2 adults making a decision and asking the entire community for it's approval... As a newcomer to the entire situation at the time, I can tell you that the whole thing felt very mature, responsible and healthy. By my time... the whole thing was common knowledge and was a literal non-issue.

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  177. Jeffrey Entwhistle said...
    One thing that this new set of bylaws needs to include is an anti-nepotism clause. Had that been in place in the past, Shimano could have been deposed. With his wife on the Board, there was never ever a possibility of him being ousted. When Aiho "resigned" from the Board they had the opportunity to officially depose Shimano and fire him despite his not being able to "resign" (as per the by-laws). 

    --When Eido and Aiho "stepped down" from the board, in June 2010, after a recent entanglement of a student with the Abbot became known, the board, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY of ZSS had the power to depose Shimano. (The Shimanos had 2 votes on the board, enough to defeat any motion from the board to fire him.) By "stepping down" they had granted the board power the power to vote him out.

    There are those who would lay some blame on Phillips, Aitken, Genkaku, Kobutsu, Junpo, Jiro, Denko, etc, but the golden opportunity really was presented to the board by the "stepping down" of Eido and Aiho from the board in June, 2010. The internet had given them plenty of cause to dismiss him, a quantum leap in reasons to fire him that simply did not exist in the past.

    If you doubt that the internet amplified the case against Shimano, read the accounts of recent documents made public by women (since 2010) in the archives. These documents were not available in the past.

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  178. Spike said:
    The ZSS Board of Directors is rewriting the bylaws. One of the issues is the Board itself: who should serve, how chosen, what privileges/responsibilities, etc.

    I think the best way to do this would be to gather together the people who care enough about picking up the pieces at ZSS and establishing a healthy practice place ... say those who are willing to commit to six months of all-day meetings once a month ... to talk all this out together about how they want to reorganize ZSS.

    Get a good outside facilitator to help, as there are many many painful issues to confront and work through.

    They did this at ZCLA. This sorted out those who were willing to participate in going forward from those who were done with the organization.

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  179. What assurance do prospective board members have that there is anything left to be salvaged?

    With reduced donations, falling attendance, ongoing financial obligations to the Shimanos, alleged litigation pending, and the closed-door nature of the current board's deliberations, the ZSS is presently an uncharted quagmire into which only the most courageous and the most naive would dare to venture.

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  180. whatever works said, ".... alleged litigation pending...". Is it serious? I heard from Board
    and Senior ZSS members that no litigation being
    forwarded. And they feel very secure.

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  181. Here is the MRO rule for relationships.

    Basically, no one is allowed to have sex with anyone unless they are already a couple when they enter residency at the monastery.

    Spelling it out: student-student sexual relationships are not permitted, nor are teacher-student, monastic-student, monastic-monastic. I believe that starting a resident / non-resident relationship is not permitted either.

    In fact, I think that even non-resident students are not supposed to start relationships with other non-resident students, but you'd have to check that.

    What if you “fall in love”? Both of you must move out of the monastery for at least a year. Does the system work? Yes, there are former-resident couples living within commuting distance of the monastery, sorting out their relationships.

    Here is how the rule is stated in an MRO resident handbook from about 2007:

    Relationships: Residency training is a practice that requires full-time single-minded attention. It is neither the time nor place for the creation of new singular or exclusive relationships, whether within or outside of residential training, during the period of residency.

    a) As is common in intensive training, therapy and healing processes, participants are asked to postpone major life changes so as to focus on the task at hand. Likewise, participants in residential training within the Mountains and Rivers Order must refrain from actively pursuing, developing or encouraging new relationships during their period of residency.

    b) The creation of new relationships during residential training constitutes the automatic termination of residency training for the couple so that they may give their full attention to developing their new relationship outside the rigorous demands of monastic training.

    Reapplication for residency may be made after the couple has lived together for a year or more.”

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  182. I say "alleged" because, several times on this thread, it's been said that litigation is in progress. No specifics have been provided. I don't know if that's because revealing more info might compromise the lawsuit(s) or if it's because there are, in fact, no suits pending.

    Either way, the ZSS board has so many problems to reconcile, anyone who serves on it could risk personal liability. Directors and Officers insurance should limit that risk, but not long ago, someone here asserted that the board's Directors and Officers insurance had expired. I don't know if that's true, and I don't know how one would go about finding out definitively.

    You say the Board and senior ZSS members claim that no litigation has been forwarded. But would they tell you if it had? Their track-record of transparency has not been stellar, and as a non-member organization, they may not be legally obligated to yield that information to the members.

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  183. Feb07 has got it right, them's the rulez:)

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  184. Well... actually this:

    "In fact, I think that even non-resident students are not supposed to start relationships with other non-resident students, but you'd have to check that."

    I am 99% sure this isn't correct, their rules on relationships applies only to residents. Resident + Resident, no. Resident + non-Resident, no. Non-resident student + Non-resident student, sure!:)

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  185. ”For starters, with Shimano's wife formerly serving as treasurer and Shimano also sitting on the board, might not the contract be canceled due to conflict(s) of interest, personal innurement, and/or excess benefit transactions?

    There is also the matter of the Board's lawyer at the time of the 1995 employment contract and pension agreement, Robert Greene, who was presumed by the Board to have also done personal legal work for Mr. Shimano as well. In the archives it appears that Mr. Greene continued to be the Board's lawyer until at least 2003. That certainly sounds like “conflict(s) of interest”.

    The bylaws were also written by Mr. Greene, with the infamous clause that requires a unanimous vote by the Board in order to fire the Abbot (whilst allowing the fired Abbot to appoint his successor).

    And if I am remembering correctly, from the financial statements in the archives, the ZSS income minus expenses is always close to zero$. Meaning that the endowment fund will be exhausted by the pensions in 5-6 years. That certainly sounds like “personal innurement, and/or excess benefit transactions”.

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  186. "In the archives it appears that Mr. Greene continued to be the Board's lawyer until at least 2003. That certainly sounds like conflict(s) of interest"

    Though I understand what you're trying to get at, there's nothing wrong per se with two parties using the same lawyer to draft a contract. Inadvisable sure (as we're seeing now), but not illegal.

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  187. The American Zen institution for the most part has lost the original intent of "awakening". Buddha actually means "awakened one". We have basically two states of mind...one being asleep, and one being awake. In sleep there is no interaction with life, and we also have the term "sleep walking". Which basically means no sleeping but being ignorant of our surroundings. What does being awake while being awake really mean? When we find the answer to that we have basically changed our sleep walking into an awake walking/being.
    What are the signs and attributes of being awake? One is that we know that other people are not separate or different than we are deep down. There occurs an enormous empathy for others, especially when they are suffering.
    Another attribute is that we are extremely aware of our own body and mind processes.
    There are many more attributes to being awake but suffice it to say, that Zen, or Buddhism ( to awaken ) is not the only way to awaken.
    Those people who believe that Zen Buddhism or any other form of religious teaching is the best or only way to awaken are mistaken. If anyone believes in the singularity of their practice as being special to the process of awakening, then they are deceived and will most likely spread that deception.
    To truly "fix" the deep rooted problem in any belief system, one must be willing to give up their strong held beliefs, and learn that there are countless ways to awaken. If one is awake they care not which method is used to help others to cease from suffering, and will spend most all of their time serving others in learning to be awake.
    There are countless ways to deny this process, and they all lead to dysfunction. As seen at DBZ,NYZ, and the ZSS...Big Mind, and the thousands of useless religious ritualistic practices. If one is not willing to stop their erring ways and become a vessel of true awakening then there is no way to learn. It will not take a teacher or priest to awaken you, it will only happen when you are ready to awaken yourself. There is no need for Zendo's and Zen priests, in fact they usually just cloud the issue of awakening. That is the litmus test. If you are becoming awake by your practice, stay with it. If not, stop it, and seek for the true way to awaken.

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  188. How did you become awakened, UB? Can you subject it to a description?

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  189. Zhan Shwe said...

    "There are those who would lay some blame on Phillips, Aitken, Genkaku, Kobutsu, Junpo, Jiro, Denko, etc, but the golden opportunity really was presented to the board by the "stepping down" of Eido and Aiho from the board in June, 2010. The internet had given them plenty of cause to dismiss him, a quantum leap in reasons to fire him that simply did not exist in the past.

    "If you doubt that the internet amplified the case against Shimano, read the accounts of recent documents made public by women (since 2010) in the archives. These documents were not available in the past."

    Zhan, it seems you want to be a bit disingenuous. It is not clear why you want to remove agency, the role those people played or didn't play in attempting to rectify this sordid matter. Perhaps you have reason to deflect attention from the activists, or you want to give the Shimano's much more credit than they are due. Perhaps you are simply being an agitator.

    But sure, the internet did provide the communications channel that never existed before. Of course it is unprecedented in facilitating empowerment with respect to human rights issues among a host of other things.

    But you may be failing to recognize that one on one communication has also been at work here. Probably more of it than anyone can ever know. For example some of my own conversations impacted others enough that not only did they sign the petition but in turn influenced others to sign as well. And that's what I know.

    And yes, the Shimano's resigned, but your statement completely omits the reality of the situation: they were reasonably confident that their loyal minions would protect them. There was a tiny risk, but even if they considered Genjo and a couple of others wild cards, they certainly did not expect Rudin or Chayat to turn against them and may be felt very confident in one or two other board members' support.

    To say it was "the internet" is like saying the hammer, nail, and wood built a pallet, Or the tools and materials built the house. In each case real flesh and blood human beings planned, took up the tools and supplies and did the work. Of course many other factors are also involved that permit goals and projects to come together.

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  190. UB said...
    "The American Zen institution for the most part has lost the original intent of 'awakening'. ..."

    Quite a presumptuous statement, UB!

    What makes you so sure you've got it right?

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  191. To truly "fix" the deep rooted problem in any belief system, one must be willing to give up their strong held beliefs.

    So then is it valid to say that the usefulness of engaging in a discipline (for example meditation, non-petitionary prayer, repetitive mantra practice) is to allow the mind to stop telling its story to itself? To un-brainwash itself so to speak. And is that the only purpose?

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  192. Jim said...
    Rip Van Winkle said...
    Feb07 said...

    Those are all questions you will have to find out for yourself. I am not a teacher or preacher. Someone once told me to "clean your own rice, then if you want to help others clean theirs." So it's up to you to awaken. I have nothing to do with it. It's all within you, not in somewhere else or something else. That is the BIG mistake being made in modern religion including Zen Buddhism. Whatever keeps you awake is the right practice. The rest is nonsense.

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  193. UB said,

    "There is no need for Zendo's and Zen priests, in fact they usually just cloud the issue of awakening. That is the litmus test. If you are becoming awake by your practice, stay with it. If not, stop it, and seek for the true way to awaken. "

    Accepting, UB, that there is no NEED for Zendos and Zen priests, and indeed, these can get in the way of awakening, and accepting that the unquestioned elevating of ANY other person or their experience over another's is counterproductive...

    ... still, is there no room at all for people sharing their experiences with each other, and the idea that the strength of some people's practice and their expressions of their experiences can conceivably be more helpful than others'?

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  194. UB said,

    "Those are all questions you will have to find out for yourself. I am not a teacher or preacher."

    But you do preach, and your words do teach.

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  195. I"t's all within you, not in somewhere else or something else. That is the BIG mistake being made in modern religion including Zen Buddhism. Whatever keeps you awake is the right practice. The rest is nonsense."

    Zen teaches it is within you. What keeps YOU awake, UB?

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  196. Whatever said
    "You say the Board and senior ZSS members claim that no litigation has been forwarded. But would they tell you if it had? "

    I presume you do not attend Shobo-ji and DBZ regularly. Basically, theirs are very close-knit
    like a family. So eventhough it is non-member
    corporation, the board members from Shobo-ji
    adn DBZ are very close to the Sangha (Shinkon,
    Genjo, Rudin, and Roko, Shultz are from different place, to some degree not all the Sangha
    trust them). Eventhough, officially no news
    about any event, usually we share infromation. We care one another. Most of us assume ES was healed 15 years ago. So when the news broke up that ES repeats and repeats and repeats his sexual habit, they caught off guard. And many
    of this sangha members fly away watching the situation from a distance, yet they remain in close contact with their fellow sangha who are in the board. They still communicate as family members, still have coffee or tea in starbuck
    or diner (not in the zendo anymore - how sad).
    The situation is made more complicated, because
    ES "imported" new members or members that he knows very loyal to him. How come for example,
    an unsu,i who just practises one year and was kicked out from monastry, was invited back to
    be in charge of a zendo? It sounds familiar ...
    it sounds like "disintegrating the sangha" again.
    Remember. So ... that is how the regular old
    timer ZSS members know what is going on at DBZ
    and Shobo-ji.

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  197. Jim, what keeps me awake is my business, and whatever "it" IS certainly won't apply to you. That is my point with reliance on Zen Masters and religious rituals and scriptures. They are means to an end, but the end is to awaken, and that is within each individual. Shimano and the mess at that Sangha's religious "places", and countless other religious institutions are a symptom of this "i have a question, please someone else answer it for me", the same goes with the rest of these institutions that people support and believe the priests and teachers KNOW more than they do. This is not Buddhism. If one were truly serious about finding out about their life, they will. Americans in general are over fed, lazy, followers.

    Linda, you might hear what i say as "preaching" but i am only being myself. It is all i know. I give it no definition. If other people want to give a label to what I or others do , cool. I won't put on the coat though.....I am too old to redefine what life is about, where "I" fit in to it, and the rest of the young's ego drive to have substance. If you knew your own being, the words I am saying will resonate within you as the truth, if not you will have tricky, sly, and concerned questions about my motives. This is an example of how and why there is no need for anybody to teach or guide you especially if you are PAYING FOR IT. :)

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  198. Hunchback of the hoodFebruary 8, 2011 at 12:47 PM

    UB, youz be doin som craszi ass stuf now! whoz yu think uzs is? uzs thinkin u be like da budda or enlighted? Dat is just stupid! Now I thihnk uzs needs to jus chil down, and join da rest of uz common folkz. Seez we don't knowz what we be doin. Da pastorz day be tellin us how to be. See day dress up in holly clos and say da wordz we needs to here. Den we giv on tdem a lot of da money we has so day keep doin it. Well, Iz got to go ringz da church bell again, later.

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