Question
Aïoli means hello in Provençal!
Dear Stéphane,
Around here, we’d say, no, he’s a bloke—my word, he’s a good one!
And the other crackpot tells me, “He’s not a bloke, he’s a bonze!”
Holy shit! Dressed like that, he’s either a samurai or Chinese! And he’s got a Barthez haircut too. No kidding!
No, I’m kidding! What actually bothers me: I visited the site, and I love your work on Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. It goes down like cool, sparkling water!
That said, Master Kosen, you are one of the rare spiritual seekers who inspires my respect on the path of meditation. The meeting of East and West can finally be felt!
We know all rivers flow into the ocean, and if we consider it formlessness or emptiness, why shouldn’t the rivers dress in emptiness, in the color of reality?
Despite all my respect for the different paths to awakening and all the masters who have come to Earth—Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, Krishna, Amma, and so many others… Despite my immense respect for Master Deshimaru, why do we feel obliged to imitate Easterners: Tibetan clothes like Matthieu Ricard’s, Japanese outfits (very beautiful, incidentally), Hindu saris, and the whole lot? Where are our freedom, independence, and creativity???
The meditator.
With deep respect for all sentient beings, walking toward awakening and peace for all!
Didn’t Buddha himself tell us to accept things only after melting them like gold and accepting them as gold with full knowledge?
Salam/OM/HARE KRISHNA/AMEN
Roger
Answer from Master Kosen
The true garment of Zen and Buddhism is the kesa.
If you travel through Buddhist worlds, the kesa is the best thing there is.
But it is not a fashion garment; it is like the color of trees, neither young nor old.
It is made for zazen and is a true work of art, poor and precious at the same time.
Kosen