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From Our Archives April 2005 Sangha Renovation Update A lot of work has been done on the Hondo since the last update. Most specifically, the building is completely erected and enclosed. About a week after the frame was raised the triangular shaped rafter/roof trusses were lifted into place by a crane. The six frames were put together on the ground and then lifted into place, the mortises of the rafter timbers fitting onto the tendons of the posts. The pieces were so well fitted that the raising took only about 3 hours. The completed frame was an impressive example of hand craft work.
Tradition meets technology. The hand worked, traditional skill, much of it using Japanese techniques, met very modern technology the following week.
At 11 AM on Monday, April 11 th the panels and crew from Murus Company, manufacturer and installer of Structural Insulated Panel (SIP's), arrived on site. They began work at once, measuring, cutting, lifting the panels into place, nailing, and finally, they foamed the joints. Amazing – they left the site, their work done on at 11 AM Friday the 15th. They exterior and interior surface of the panels are Oriented Strand Board (OSB) a high tech process of binding wood chip together with resins to form panels that are stronger than standard wood of the same dimensions. These panels (14 X 4 feet) sandwich eight inches of Styrofoam, for the wall panels, and six inches of polyurethane, for the roof panels.
Especially impressive is the quality of the interior space. As one walks through the front door, from the genkan into the hondo, the mezzanine is about 10 feet directly overhead. The large beams (reddish colored Douglas fir) and posts (honey colored oak) create a formal arcade. Walking toward the honzon out from under the mezzanine one is struck by the 34 foot high peaked ceiling covered in warm pine and supported by the Douglas fir roof trusses. The space itself has a subdued light, coming from 21 barn sized windows on the sides (six windows per side) and the gable-ends (four on the south side, including, the genkan, and five on the north side) of the building.
Outside the building has the same footprint and height as the original barn, but it seems a bit taller due to the different location. Previously, it was built into the side of a short rise, now it is firmly planted above ground on an elevation higher than the house. Now that the building is erected and enclosed the volunteer work begins. We have exterior colonial rustic siding that has to be painted and applied. There will be interior barn wood that will be installed as well as plastering, flooring, re-oiling the exposed wood, - all kinds of finishing work. There will also be gardening to reclaim our landscape, and many small and large jobs. Most jobs do not require any experience; a few are best done by some one handy with tools. But, there is plenty of work for everyone. A Dana Week-end Retreat will be held from the evening of April 29th until the afternoon of May 1st. We will have meditations in the morning and evening, all meals are provided and we will have sleeping accommodations as with all retreats. There is no charge for attendance. Shoshin Sandy Jacon is coordinating volunteer activities. You should receive an e-mail from her with a list of dates for upcoming work dates. On May 9th we will be privileged to receive the Yakushi Nyorai (The Healing Buddha) statue commissioned for our new Hondo by Kaneji Temple in Tokyo . Six members of the Jigyodan are accompanying the hand carved and crafted statue. We would like to have the three local sangha (Jiunzan Tendaii, Higashi Sangha, and Nishi Sangha join us for a Maha-sangha gathering on the evening of May 10th. So for that week the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evening gatherings will all join together at Karuna Tendai Dharma Center for a discussion followed by a meditation service and finally a pot luck dinner. Please join us for the work days, Dana Retreats and the Maha-Sangha service on May 10th. This is your sangha and community. What a great chance to help build your spiritual practice. Gassho…Monshin Other Recent News Higashi Tendai Sangha - experienced a change in leadership ceremony on February 21st. Rev. Seishin Jack Fitterer and his wife, Taff, recently moved to the Adirondack Region of upstate New York. Seishin has long been cherished and admired by sangha members as a creative and consistent leader. Sansho Tamarack Garlow, a long term sangha member who will be completing Doshu training this spring, has been selected as the new leader. We expect he will bring a new personal vision to the position while providing the same high level of spiritual guidance. We keep Higashi Tendai Sangha in our thoughts during this time of transition. June 2004 On June 8th, 2004, Morisada-Daisojo, the Director of Enryaku-ji temple on Mt. Hiei led a Jichin-sai (ground settling) ceremony to mark the beginning of renovation and building of the new temple at the Tendai-Shu New York Betsu-in. Ogawa Koho (Elected member of the Tendai-shu General Assembly), Kudo Shuwa (Head of Central Administration of Tendai-shu), Yamada Shunwa (Asst. Executive Director of the Jigyodan), Sono Jitsujo (Managing Director of the Jigyodan)as well as monks from Enryaku-ji and other temples in Japan assisted Morisada-Daisojo and New York Betsu-in Abbot Monshin Naamon in a ceremony which enshrined relics from Enryaku-ji on the temple grounds.The ceremony was attended by members of the center, local clergy and community members. This ceremony commemorates the the New York Betsu-in as the authorized ordination platform in North America and as the representative of Enryaku-ji in North America.
Front row (Seated left to right): Jun yasuda (Nihonzan Myohoji), Shumon Naamon, Ogawa Koho, Monshin Naamon, Morisada Jiho, Kudo Shuwa, Yamada Shunwa, Sono Jitsujo, Umemiya Ryozen June 2004 On June 20-30, 2004, the 7th annual Doshu/Soryo Gyo was held at the Tendai-shu New York Betsu-in. This training intensive is held annually.
Nov 2003
November 2003 was the thirtieth anniversary of the Tendai-shu Hawaii Betsuin. Kobori-Daisojo officiated at a celebration of the event. Among the attendees were Nishioaka-Daisojo, the Chancellor of Tendai-shu, Morisada-Daisojo from Enryakuji, Sugitani-Daisojo, the Executive Director of the Jigyodan and many other prominent officials who had joined to commemorate the event with Ara-Daisojo, the Jushoku of the Betsuin.
Among the events was a lecture given by Ven. Setouchi, a well known writer and Tendai nun, seated below on the left of Sugitani Daisojo.
The participants used this opportunity to visit Paolo Kwannon Temple , and Koganji Jizo-in.
In this photo is (left to right) Venerables Ara, Setouchi, Sugitani, Nishioka and Morisada. Nov 11, 2002 The 30th Anniversary of Tendai Sect Overseas Mission: Memorial Ceremony and Symposium
In the second row are the foreign mission priests (in brown robes) from the left, Naamon Monshin, Ara Ryokan, Matsumoto Eshin, Choffy Jikai, Yamamoto Myosei, Manake Hoten, and in black robe is a representative from the Czech Republic who had recently completed the Shido kegyo on Hiei-zan. In the brown robe above the second row is Rock Ganshin. Other priests in the black robes and wagesa are officials of the Jigyodan and coordinators to the conference. In the green samue in the third row is Naamon Shumon. Invited but unable to attend were Driscoll Joshin, Rose Jikyu and Saso Jikan. [Please note that for consistency all names are given as family name first followed by homyo (Dharma name) and where appropriate formal title]. The event was created to observe the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Tendai Mission of Hawaii and to recognize the authorized Tendai priests who have been teaching the Dharma outside of Japan. There were two major components to the event. The first was the formal presentation of certificates of appreciation. The second was a symposium in which the participants shared their vision of the future of Tendai-shu outside of Japan. Perhaps most important were the many opportunities created for the participants, from Japan and outside of Japan, to interact with each other. Nov 5, 2000 |
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Participants of the anniversary celebration at Rev. Rose's temple Koganji Jizo-in.
Participants at Rev. Matsumoto's Paolo Kwannon Temple
At the Banquet held in honor of the 30 th Anniversary. 
On the front rows (in blue robes and orange kesa), in center is, Watanabe Eshin Zasu, Around the Zasu, on the left is Nishioka Ryoko Shumochu or Chancelor of Tendai-shu, on the Right is Sugitani Gijun Rijicho or Chairman of the Board of Directors of Jigyodan, around these dignitaries are ranking officials from Hiei-zan administration and priests from Enryakuji.