First, imv, ango is about awakening and investigating \u201cdharma\u201d in the sense of \u201cthe way to live an awakened life.\u201d Obviously, adaption is needed now to the global culture but one essential element is giving oneself over to it and not doing it on one\u2019s own terms. And even in the modern world, some long period of time set aside for this seems incredibly important \u2013 it has been for me. A few 10-day retreats (one of the alternate proposals) could in no way approximate an extended period of steeping oneself in an ango. \nAlthough contemporary Soto has drifted from the importance of verification in the practice-verification standard, imv, from Dogen to Keizan and even Bokusan <\/p><\/span>in the 19th century <\/span>(disparaged as the old boy was by Yasutani) all were clear about the importance of the \u201cdeep settled mind of the Soto school\u201d for which verification is essential and all lived much of their lives in ango. \nZen has always been conservative in that sense \u2013 conservatively pointing to the essential for future generations (even if not so popular at any given time), so the conservative grey-hairs (and hairless one\u2019s too) on the board are in long-standing good company.<\/p>\n
From my experience of various styles of practice, it seems that deep settled mind is so much more salient in ango that I feel sad to see ango sometimes dismissed in contemporary Zen discourse, often by those who have not had the experience.<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cAwakening\u201d in lay life is much like dry insight in Vipassana \u2013 what\u2019s seen is the same but the deep settled mind allows insight to penetrate more thoroughly. Ango provides guidance, also, in how to live that awakening. Not that such a person is necessarily a good minister.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span> I agree with Kyogen in the hope that there will be young people, especially in the post-peak oil collapse, that will find ango living to be profoundly meaningful and inexpensive too!<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
At the same time, I agree with those who suggest that for <\/span>the formation of ministers, <\/span>other forms of practice are probably more effective and should also be strongly encouraged or even required (including undertaking psychotherapy to investigate one\u2019s own issues and programs like the Sogaku Institute). However, if we are only about training ministers, I think we miss a lot.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span> <\/span>I suggest that having different recognized \u201ctracks\u201d \u2013 minister, monastic-dharma transmitter, cyber-trained priest, etc. (but with nicer names) \u2013 would be one way through this conundrum for SBZA that would also open the doors to those who identify as lay teachers and live lives virtually identical to those who identify as priests.
<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
![](\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/_0uPSljNE9f4\/TJlMnHGEpRI\/AAAAAAAAA-0\/DrAjeZQQQ-s\/s1600\/101_1594.JPG\")
<\/a><\/div>\n