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Tube of delight!

#1 2007-09-29 02:59:39

Priapus Le Zen M☮nk
Historical Zen Mod
From: St-Jerome, Quebec, Canada
Registered: 2006-04-25
Posts: 612
Website

Shomyo article

Found a great Shomyo article in English for you all!!

http://www.performingarts.jp/E/art_inte … 705/1.html


Enjoy!


Sebastien 義真 Cyr
春風館道場 Shunpukan Dojo
St-Jerome, Quebec, Canada
http://www.myspace.com/shunpukandojo

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#2 2007-10-01 13:56:13

Rayofwind
Member
From: DFW Texas
Registered: 2007-09-26
Posts: 21

Re: Shomyo article

Very nice article. Many of the buddist chants are mesmerizing. I have some on CD that I listened to on the way home from work, that or Flute play. Thanks Ray

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#3 2007-10-01 14:40:33

Priapus Le Zen M☮nk
Historical Zen Mod
From: St-Jerome, Quebec, Canada
Registered: 2006-04-25
Posts: 612
Website

Re: Shomyo article

My pleasure will try to find other material on the stuff or if I can get my lazy ass in line will start translating some of the stuff I planned to translate a long time ago.

Have a nice day!


Sebastien 義真 Cyr
春風館道場 Shunpukan Dojo
St-Jerome, Quebec, Canada
http://www.myspace.com/shunpukandojo

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#4 2007-12-25 20:59:02

Tairaku 太楽
Administrator/Performer
From: Tasmania
Registered: 2005-10-07
Posts: 3226
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Re: Shomyo article

Achtung Gishin and Xenmeister! Here's something you can both agree on:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7148053.stm


Japan's monks take Buddhism to bars
By Chris Hogg
BBC News, Tokyo

Monks chanting in the bar
Sharing the faith - and a beer - in a smoky Tokyo bar
Monks and priests across the world often wonder how to make their religious faith relevant to the younger generation.

In societies where life is busier than ever, where cities are swelling and families dispersed, the religious rituals of yesterday do not seem so relevant.

But in Japan, a group of Buddhist monks are trying to change that. They have secured a regular spot at a jazz bar where they seek to enlighten and entertain.

Chippie Sound Music Bar is tiny and full of smoke - not incense, though, but cigarette smoke. This is a bar after all.

There is cold beer on tap and a cool crooner on the stereo.

   
It's amazing. The Shomyo sounded great. I feel really relaxed
Bar visitor

This is not normally where you would expect to find a trio of monks.

But Hogen Natori and his two friends believe this is as good a place as any to spread the word about Buddhism.

As they make their way to the stage they ring a small bell. The small crowd falls silent.

Then the chanting begins and strangely haunting melodies fill the space.

It is Shomyo chanting, a style of Buddhist chant found only in Japan.

Warm response

This is what you might call "Buddhism-lite" though. It is performance, not preaching.

After their first session on the stage, which lasts about 20 minutes, they sit down with the audience for a drink and a chat.

   
Monks chanting in the bar
Come and join us. We are telling people what Buddhism is, what monks are
Hogen Natori

One of the monks gets a bag of balloons out of his pocket and starts sculpting balloon flowers for some of the older ladies sitting around the room.

"Many Japanese don't want to come to temple," Hogen Natori says. He is standing behind the bar where he has lit up a cigarette as he chats with the drinkers.

"They think Buddhism is very difficult, and deep and serious, but Buddhism is much more than that - exciting, funny even. I want to spread this kind of teaching."

He feels people are more receptive in a bar, when they are drinking and with friends.

Relaxing sounds

He gets a warm response from the crowd.

Some are a little older than you might normally expect to find in a bar like this, but they are clearly charmed by the younger monks.

"It was wonderful," says one woman.

"It was my first time but I am really glad I came to listen to it. The chanting itself was superb and so close by. It was wonderful."

A monk in the Tokyo bar
The monks have faced criticism of their decision to perform in bars

Another first-timer was similarly impressed. "It's amazing," he said. "The Shomyo sounded great. I feel really relaxed."

The monks say that their decision to perform in bars like this has upset some Buddhists. One woman told them they should not "lower themselves" in this way.

"What do you say to your critics?" I ask Hogen Natori.

"Come and join us," he replies. "We are telling people what Buddhism is, what monks are.

"When people hear our chants they look relieved," he adds. "How nice!"

Then it is time to get back on stage for the second half.

Again silence, and then again the haunting chants of a bygone age, the three shaven-headed monks in their grey robes kneeling in front of us, sharing their faith with the drinkers.


'Progress means simplifying, not complicating' : Bruno Munari

http://www.myspace.com/tairakubrianritchie

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#5 2007-12-26 10:12:40

Kerry
Member
From: Nashville, TN
Registered: 2005-10-10
Posts: 183

Re: Shomyo article

Tairaku wrote:

"It was wonderful," says one woman.

Shots of Shomyo, on the house!! Cool....


The temple bell stops, but the sound keeps coming out of the flowers. -Basho

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#6 2007-12-26 16:16:28

Priapus Le Zen M☮nk
Historical Zen Mod
From: St-Jerome, Quebec, Canada
Registered: 2006-04-25
Posts: 612
Website

Re: Shomyo article

Hahaha Nice one Her Fuhrer Brian wink!


Well this was a great article. From the suits the type of bibs which (Zukagojo) they wear it shows they are fom rthe Shingon school. Now from which branch to determine that I would need to see the crests if they have one on the silk pattern.

I strongly suspect that they are not from the Chuin branch (Mecca of Shingon at Koyasan) but more likely from the Chizan (Kyoto) or the Buzan (Tokyo) branch which are known to be more opened to adapt or present various aspects of their faith to the general public. In general the Chuin branch is very close minded and tend to stay in the temple context.

Anyway great article! Maybe when the Shomyo and Shakuhachi CD that Michael Chikuzen Gould and I did comes out we might try this in some bars as well you never know smile


Sebastien 義真 Cyr
春風館道場 Shunpukan Dojo
St-Jerome, Quebec, Canada
http://www.myspace.com/shunpukandojo

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#7 2007-12-26 21:33:42

Horst Xenmeister
Shiham
From: Germany
Registered: 2007-05-26
Posts: 69
Website

Re: Shomyo article

Gruß Gott! Bier, Zen und wurst=Xenmeister. Danke schön.

Last edited by Horst Xenmeister (2007-12-26 21:35:44)


i am horst

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