QUESTION (resumed) :
The shiho looks to me to be something intimate and to make a celebration of it does not look right to me.
QUESTION (original) :
HISTORY OF EVENTS
(Twenty years ago already Master Rempo Niwa zenji, the highest authority of the Japanese zen who was about to become Zenji of the temple of Eiheiji, temple founded by Master Dogen zenji himself, came in person to transmit the shiho - the transmission of the dharma - to three of the closest disciples of Master Taisen Deshimaru.
There is no need to say that this ceremony, the most important that it can be, had not only as a goal to authentify Etienne, Roland and Stephane as successors of the Dharma of the Buddha, but primarily to authentify the mission and the work of teacher of Master Deshimaru himself. At this occasion Master Renpo Niwa was wearing a black kesa in sign of respect and grief for Deshimaru, and mentioned also Master Kodo Sawaki his old friend. He was happy to help with this event the continuation of this lineage. This ceremony was done in fact in the name of Deshimaru and Kodo Sawaki, in the temple of La Gendronniere and represents the historical transmission of Master Deshimaru himself. This does not excludes at all all the other great disciples of Master Deshimaru who themselves have been certified later by the greatest Japanese masters.)
Answer of Roland after an invitation of Stephane to celebrate in his Dojo in Nice this event with a zazen, a small ceremony of thanks, burning incense for Niwa zenji and Taisen Deshimaru and drink afterwards a glass to their healths and to the continuation of their teaching.
Dear Loic,
The shiho looks to me to be something intimate and to make a celebration of it does not look right to me.
Best continuation to Stephane and to your sangha.
Friendly yours,
Roland Yuno Rech
ANSWER :
Dear Roland,
The zazen is also something intimate which does not prevent us to celebrate it together. However the shiho that we received, outside of the fact that it is for each of us something intimate, had that particularity that it was not celebrating a personal event for Roland, Etienne or Stephane, it was celebrating also and mainly the certification of Master Taisen Deshimaru and of his teaching. It was given in addition in his name and in his temple, that made it a historical event which never reproduced itself and will never reproduce itself again. When my secretary, during the summer camp, made me notice that it was already twenty years that I had received the shiho, I said this sentence of circonstances: 'twenty years already' and I had the envy spontaneously to contact you, for I dont know myself?... at the minimum that calls for a drink ...
But I also understand that you make of it something personal and intimate as you says it and I respect your vision of things.
So I tell you with this letter CAMPAI UUUUUUUUIIIII CHEERS!!!!!!!!!!!
and all my respect and gratitude to Mokudo Taisen Deshimaru zenji and to Renpo Niwa zenji,
and all my best souvenirs to the ones with whom I shared this event.
KOSEN!