火の鳥庵
HINOTORI AN
Firebird Hermitage
PRACTICE GATES
Dogen Zenji
衲僧學道要參禪. 脱落身心法見傳. 一切是非都不管. 不同小小普通年.
"The essence of patch-robed monks’ study of the way is meditation. The dharma of dropping off body and mind has been transmitted to the present. All right and wrong are never executed. [Bodhidharma’s arrival in China in] the years of Universal Penetration is not the same as a petty matter."
THE FRONT GATE
表門
OMOTEMON
ENTERING PRACTICE
杓底一残水 汲流千億人
A drop of water at the bottom of a ladle can be drunk by hundreds of billions of people.
The words associated with this Gate come from Eiheiji, the founding sōtōshu temple, and serve as a reminder of the extent to which our cultivation affects entire existence. Therefore, they instruct us, in a poetic way, to carry the well-being of everyone and everything in our heart on our personal journey, because even the smallest ray of light that we cultivate will contribute to the illumination of the entire cosmos.
The Gate marks a symbolic entry into the terrain where the mental mirror is polished, Ego constructs are discarded, and the practice of self-discovery takes place. Already with the first step, the visitor manifests aspiration to find inner peace and is advised to consciously leave the noise of everyday life behind.
YOUR FIRST VISIT
All those who are not yet familiar with the scope of practice offered at Hinotori An, the sensei's approach to teaching, or who are returning to practice after an absence of more than three months, should pass through this symbolic Gate.
The practice includes: an introductory meeting with sensei, a meeting for returnees and a weekly workshop aimed at offering beginners a more in-depth introduction to Zen practice.
THE MAIN GATE
三門
SANMON
ZEN PATH
鎖鑰放閑遮莫善財進一歩来 家庭厳峻不容陸老従真門入
"Those who do not seek the Truth cannot pass through the Gate even if they possess power, status and fame. The Gate is always open to those who seek the Truth with sincerity and virtue."
Hinotori An uses the symbolism of these words, inscribed on the Gate leading to Eiheiji, the founding temple of sōtōshu (曹洞宗), to convey its own approach to zen practice: the doors of the hermitage are open to anyone who is in sincere search for one's own original nature, and who is willing to humbly, patiently and virtuously approach the Path.
The practice is based on Zen principles and is approached in an "aimless way", the understanding of which prevents the need to rush to some immediate results but also protects against discouragement if "progress" on the Path is not yet visible. In this way, students master the virtue of proper action and pace, approaching practice patiently, without haste but also without delay, and thus more easily overcome the difficulties that are an inevitable part of every Path.
三門
SANMON
GATE WITH THREE ENTRANCES
Sanmon (山門, 三門) is the most important gate of Japanese Zen Buddhist temples and represents the symbolic boundary that separates the sacred from the profane.
In translation, Sanmon means "mountain gate", or "gate with three entrances", and it is also referred to as “the gate of three liberations” (Sangedatsumon 三解脱門) since each of the three openings on the gate symbolises one dimension of liberation: Kūmon (空門, gate of the void), Musōmon (無 相門, gate of formlessness) and Muganmon (無願門, gate of inactivity).
It is said that by passing through Sanmon one passes through the three gates of enlightenment and gets liberated from three human vices: ton (貪, greed), shin (瞋, hatred) and chi (癡, foolishness).
PRACTICE PASSAGES
The program is performed through symbolic passages: Carp, Dragon, Phoenix, which have the primary purpose of providing the most effective support and optimisation of group practice. They should be seen as a workroom where sometimes trigger points are polished, sometimes the Ego is tested, and sometimes the mind is incubated to accelerate transformation.
The length of practice in a particular passage depends on individual needs, but should not be tied to evaluation or judgment of achieved "success" . Instructions during training, even when they give the impression of praise or criticism, have a non-dualistic character and should be used to evaluate one's own conditioning. Moving on to another passage should not be seen as success or failure, reward or punishment.
CARP PASSAGE
As the legend goes, many carp begin to swim upstream against the strong current in order to jump over waterfall and so attain the next level in transformation. At the end of that challenging journey, only a few will manage to reach the desired destination, and even fewer will be brave and capable enough to jump over the waterfall.
The symbolism of the carp was chosen for this passage because it well describes the effort required at the beginning of the practice. The difficulty of the Path arises due to abandonment of conditioned patterns, as individual so collective, what creates the impression of swimming against the current.
Training in Carp Passage is characterized by hard work on oneself, cultivation of endurance and development of strength and courage for a decisive jump.
DRAGON PASSAGE
According to legend, those carp that successfully jump over the waterfall turn into mighty dragons.
Following that symbolism, also students who managed to overcome the resistance of the Ego when abandoning the acquired habits of thinking and behaviour and who overcame the fear of seeing reality from a different perspective, are managing to jump over the waterfall.
Since the dragon symbolises wisdom, strength, and insight, during practice within the Dragon Passage, these characteristics are deepened.
PHOENIX PASSAGE
Even the most powerful dragon can achieve immortality only after it burns completely. A phoenix rises from its ashes, which is why this passage bears that name.
When students experience the first flames through attained moments of samadhi, they are ready to pass into the Phoenix Passage.
Since the phoenix symbolizes immortality, resurrection, and life after death, practitioners of this passage will continue their journey to the ultimate death of self and resurrection in the Buddhahood.
ZEN TRAINING
The Gate leads to the Path of traditional zen practice and opens only to students who are ready for more serious zen training.
Practice includes: zazen (zen meditation), kinhin (walking meditation), mondō 問答 (public questions), meetings with sensei (dharma meeting, dokusan), intensive zen practice (sesshin), buddhist ceremonies and rituals, dharma teaching, samu (mindful work during sesshins) and ōryōki 應量器 (mindful meals during sesshin).
THE MIDDLE GATE
中門
CHŪMON
URBAN PATH
This Gate is open to lay people who are deeply involved in the ordinary life affairs and are looking for a practice that would help them achieve worldly goals. Hence, they are guided by the desire to improve health, to develop harmonious social relationships, eliminate emotional or mental pain, or to live more mindfully.
This practice is therefore more focused on the application of zen principles in everyday life than on deepening their understanding directly through zen meditation. The focus, however, remains on the proper technique of zen meditation, but not with the rigour and intensity that is applied to the practice behind the Sanmon Gate. If necessary, additional exercises are applied in order to increase the awareness of the body, breath and mental process. This makes the practice in this Passage a middle ground between mindfulness practice and Zen training.
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THE BACK GATE
搦手門
KARAMETEMON
ENGAGED PATH
The engaged Buddhism practiced at Hinotori An is strongly rooted in non-dualistic principles. External problems that manifest in collectives are therefore not viewed in isolation from internal problems related to the individual, and thus their solution is sought through the solution of internal causes. The practice aims to strengthen the inner core, clear karmic deposits, reprogram conditioned patterns and educate.
This gate opens to a practice that integrates Zen principles and scientific methods. The practice primarily focuses on the problems of the marginalized population (vulnerable children, young people, and their guardians), but also on raising awareness of the complex intertwining of the entire existence and the natural environment. Practice is carried out in different forms (workshops, seminars, lectures, consultations, and guidance).
DAOIST GATE
道門
DAOMEN
HEALING PATH
玄之又玄，众妙之门
"Mystery upon mystery, the gate to all miracles."
Daoism was developed over thousands of years spent studying the relationship between the universe and the human body. The knowledge gained allowed the daoists to discover various methods and skills to improve health and achieve longevity and immortality.
The practice applies daoist cultivation and daoist medicine as additional support for students who need improvement in energy levels and body-spirit-mind conditions.
This gate only opens for Hinotori An students.
“Just practice wholeheartedly. Practice without even seeking after the completion of the Way or the attainment of the result. This attitude is in accordance with the principle of non-seeking.” – Dogen