refers to a series of ceremonies in

Sōtō Sōtō Zen or is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (the others being Rinzai and Ōbaku). It is the Japanese line of the Chinese Cáodòng school, which was founded during the Tang dynasty by Dòngshān L ...

Zen Buddhism Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...

wherein a ''

unsui ''Unsui'' ( ja, 雲水), or ''kōun ryūsui'' () in full, is a term specific to Zen Buddhism which denotes a postulant awaiting acceptance into a monastery or a novice monk who has undertaken Zen training. Sometimes they will travel from monaster ...

'' receives

Dharma transmission In Chan Buddhism, Chan and Zen Buddhism, dharma transmission is a custom in which a person is established as a "successor in an unbroken Lineage (Buddhism), lineage of teachers and disciples, a spiritual 'bloodline' (''kechimyaku'') theoretica ...

, becoming part of the dharma lineage of his or her teacher.

Ceremony

''Shiho'' is done "one-to-one in the abbot's quarters (''hojo'')". ''Shiho'', or ''denpo'', is the

ceremony where the student inherits the Dharma, and is empowered to transmit the lineage. In the ''denpo'' ceremony, the student becomes an ancestor of the tradition and receives a robe and bowl, among other objects. During the denpo ceremony the student receives a Shoshike certificate, which grants the power to perform

Jukai The Lay Buddhist Ordination (, Japanese: , Korean: ''sugye'' (수계) refers to the public ordination ceremony wherein a lay follower of Zen Buddhism receives certain Buddhist precepts. The particulars of the ceremony differ widely by country a ...

, and the documents known as the "three regalia of transmission": The Sōtō-shu also confers inka shōmyō (or ''inshō'') "

ranting A diatribe (from the Greek ''διατριβή''), also known less formally as rant, is a lengthy oration, though often reduced to writing, made in criticism of someone or something, often employing humor, sarcasm, and appeals to emotion. Histo ...

the seal of approval to a realization of enlightenment", upon students. This is an In the

White Plum Asanga White Plum Asanga, sometimes termed White Plum Sangha, is a Zen school in the Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi lineage, created by Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi. It consists of Maezumi's Dharma heirs and subsequent successors and students. A diverse organization ...

, a shiho ceremony can last anywhere from one to three weeks. Prior to dharma transmission, transmission of the precepts from master to disciple, known as ''denkai'', takes place, where the master confirms that the student is actualizing the precepts in his/her day-to-day life. In this ceremony the student "...become the blood of the Buddha."Anderson, xxi-xxii

Status

In the emerging western Zen-practice, after following completion of these ceremonies the teacher becomes independent.Spuler, 58 This is quite distinct from the actual practice in Japanese Sōtō-zen: To supervise training monks, further qualifications are required: However, in some Western Zen Centers, such as the San Francisco Zen Center,

in the process of achieving Dharma Transmission (Shiho), do in fact spend a number of years in a monastic training hall (Tassajara Monastery), undergoing apprenticeship. So in many ways, the San Francisco Zen Center has combined Shiho with Sanzen dojo shike, into a single transmission process.

References

Web references

Sources

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External links

Roshi and His Teachers, Dharma Transmission,and the Rochester Zen Center Lineage
Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede discusses lineage and Dharma transmission.

Stuart Lachs criticizes Dharma transmission in Zen
Ten points to keep in mind about dharma transmission
Abbot Muho clarifies the meaning of Shihō in Japanese Sōtō Zen {{DEFAULTSORT:Shiho Zen