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Ekyo's Blog Sharing form the heart
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Dharma arrangements |
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September 12, 2007 Dharma arrangements are very mysterious and uncanny at times… Several years ago in Dai Bosatsu Zendo, Zen Buddhist Monastery I met two very inspiring people, Sister Jinin a Catholic nun, and Brother Bernard a Catholic monk. While I was born in Poland and lived there early part of my life, I was not lucky there to meet anyone like these two Dharma friends. In fact, one aspect of the Catholic Church which did bother me the most was lack of tolerance and acceptance of people of other faiths. It is very interesting that years later in Buddhist Monastery and in USA I met ordained Catholics with very different attitude… I was honored to share room with sister Jinin during sesshin several times and I admired her strength and humility. It was very sad news to hear last fall, that she will not be able to attend sesshin anymore due to her age. Brother Bernard attended several kesseis at Dai Bosatsu during years of my coming there. I sat across from him in zendo during some sesshins. He is an older man but could sit zazen without moving three rounds straight on… Of course kinhin is not required, so he was able to just sit. His humble and modest spirit impressed me much. He appeared to be very ordinary and genuine human being, but how extraordinary… Even Eido Roshi commented on this in one teisho. The thought that Brother Bernard could help some of my friends in Poland, and that Polish people would like him a lot crossed my mind… I was thinking about one particular friend Jan. He was practicing zazen in very beginning of our Polish Sangha, but years later returned back to his Catholic faith. However this idea did not seem to be realistic since Brother Bernard was living in Africa, so I stopped dreaming… We usually have an informal brunch late Sunday morning; next day after sesshin is over. Since this was also the end of kessei and Brother Bernard had to leave he was saying god bye words to us. He recalled that some time ago in Uganda where he lives, he was asked to give a sermon to native people. And his sermon was just one word: Courage… Few months later I met two wonderful women in sesshin at Dai Bosatsu. They came from Germany to do kessei. My favor time to do zazen is jaza, late night informal zazen and they both were my companions in zendo during that time. Our hearts merged. After sesshin I found out that Angelika and Stefanie not only have been doing zazen for long time but also they considered themselves students of Brother Bernard. They also told me that Brother Bernard comes to Germany to give sesshin there. Unbelievable! I thought…. Connecting Jan with Angelika and Stefanie was just a matter of time… He went to Germany in February to attend short sesshin and to meet Brother Bernard. Of course he invited Brother Bernard to Poland and asked him to conduct sesshin. Here you see four Dharma friends I met in Dai Bosatsu and Jan after sesshin in Germany.
There is a Benedictine Monastery near Poznan and monks have beautiful zendo there. This zendo was founded by Father Jan, Benedictine monk, who some years ago did zazen with us. In spring Angelika and her husband came to Poland. They visited Monastery and also participated in weekend retreat. Preparations for sesshin in Poland with Brother Bernard are in progress. It is planned for the end of May next year. Mysterious Dharma arrangements are manifesting to help this happen… I am speechless… To Brother Bernard, Angelika, Stefanie and Jan, Gassho!
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