Oshō (和尚) is a Buddhist priest (in charge of a temple);[1] honorific title of preceptor or high priest (especially in Zen or Pure Land Buddhism). The same kanji are also pronounced kashō as an honorific title of preceptor or high priest in Tendai or Kegon Buddhism and wajō as an honorific title of preceptor or high priest in Shingon, Hossō, Ritsu, or Shin Buddhism.
Oshō is the Japanese reading of the Chinesehé shang (和尚), meaning a high-ranking Buddhist monk or highly virtuous Buddhist monk. It is also a respectful designation for Buddhist monks in general and may be used with the suffix -san.
According to the Kōjien Japanese dictionary and the Kanjigen dictionary of Chinese character source meanings, it is originally derived from the Sanskritupadhyaya, meaning "master" in the sense of "teacher".[2][3]
The literal meaning is "self-taught Buddhist monk/teacher"[web 1] The Chinese term "he-shang" is derived from the Sanskrit word upadhyaya or acharya:
As the new Buddhist students and scholars, who eventually became teachers and practitioners, had to give a name to themselves, they came up with a name in Khotanese dialect that supposedly translated the Sanskrit word upadhyaya which meant 'teacher". It is also possible that it is a translation (or transliteration) of the Sanskrit word acharya, an Indian word that has a higher connotation--a teacher of religion, or the truth itself.[web 1]
The standard English translation of oshō has become priest, it has a somewhat different connotation in Zen:
While priest may be associated with ceremonial functions – which cause many Western Zen practitioners to balk – there is another way to read the term, simply as a "technologist of the spirit." Within the Zen tradition, this would suggest a certain mastery of one or more of the Zen arts of contemplation. If we consider the word priest literally means "elder," from the Latin presbyter, a Zen priest would be both a trained technologist of the spirit and an elder with the community.[web 2]
According to the Kōjien, the two characters making up the word are actually pronounced oshō only in the Zen and Pure Land sects. For example, they are read kashō in the Tendai sect and wajō in the Shingon sect.[3]
Historyedit
Oshō became an honorific title for Zen-masters", meaning "harmonious respect":
When the Zen masters referred to themselves, or their disciples addressed them, they would often use this word, heshang. As it originally meant simply a "self-taught Buddhist monk/teacher" Zen masters would often speak of themselves in this vein - "this old heshang is going to sleep now."--indicating a kind of self-deprecation in front of their students - as if "I am just like you, not more advanced or better, just a student really." But as it is with disciples, this is hard for them to accept, the master is of course much more evolved, much higher. When a Zen disciple used this word heshang to address his master, it took on a much more reverential connotation, as if combining high respect and love simultaneously.[web 1]
An example of its use is in Rinzai's teachings:
29.a. Followers of the Way, I hold the transmission of the generations from Mayoku Osho, Tanka Osho, Doitsu Osho, Rozan Osho, Sekikyo Osho. All have gone the same way. Nobody could believe in them, all were reviled.
Doitsu Osho's actualization was pure, it was not coarse. None of his three hundred or five hundred students could make out his meaning. Rozan Osho was free and true, master of his actualization, whether adapting it or going contrary. But none of his students could fathom his vast horizon and were startled.
Tanka Osho played with the pearl (of wisdom, hidden in the sea), sometimes hiding it and sometimes revealing it. He was slandered by all students who came to him.[web 3]
Sōtō Zenedit
In Sōtō Zen, to become an oshō, teacher, two more steps are to be taken after dharma transmission, namely ten-e and zuise.[web 4]
Unsui (training monks) are allowed to wear only black robes and black o-kesa [...] [T]en-e is the point in the career of a Soto monk when you are finally allowed to wear a yellow-brown robe.[web 4]
After zuise one becomes an oshō, whereafter one may become the resident priest in one's own temple.[web 4] Hereby one can gain the highest rank:
After you become the head priest at your own temple and hold a practice period there for the first time (with one student acting as the shuso), you will finally reach the highest rank of dai-osho.[web 4]
To supervise the training of monks, further qualifications are necessary:
The relatively low status of dharma transmission means that in and of itself it does not qualify one to accept students or to train disciples. According to the regulations, Zen students should be supervised only by a teacher who has attained supervisory certification (i.e. sanzen dōjō shike status), that is, someone who in the popular literature might be called a Zen master. To attain supervisory certification requires not just high ecclesiastical grades and dharma seniority but also at least three years' experience as an assistant supervisor at a specially designated training hall (tokubetsu sōdō), during which time one undergoes an apprenticeship.[4]
Bhagwan Shree Rajneeshedit
The term became well known in the West when Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh started to call himself Osho.
^James Ishmael Ford: Bodhisattva Ordination, Leadership Reform, and the Role of Zen Clerics in Japan
^Irmgard Schloegel, The Zen Teaching of Rinzai. Page 45
^ abcdeMuho Noelke, Ten-e and some words about Zui-se
Sourcesedit
Bodiford, William M. (2008), Dharma Transmission in Theory and Practice. In: Zen Ritual: Studies of Zen Buddhist Theory in Practice(PDF), Oxford University Press[permanent dead link]
Ford, James Ishmael (2006), Zen Master Who?: A Guide to the People And Stories of Zen
Muho Noelke: What does it take to become a full-fledged Soto-shu priest and is it really worth the whole deal? Part 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9
January 01, 1970
oshō, other, uses, osho, disambiguation, 和尚, buddhist, priest, charge, temple, honorific, title, preceptor, high, priest, especially, pure, land, buddhism, same, kanji, also, pronounced, kashō, honorific, title, preceptor, high, priest, tendai, kegon, buddhism. For other uses see Osho disambiguation Oshō 和尚 is a Buddhist priest in charge of a temple 1 honorific title of preceptor or high priest especially in Zen or Pure Land Buddhism The same kanji are also pronounced kashō as an honorific title of preceptor or high priest in Tendai or Kegon Buddhism and wajō as an honorific title of preceptor or high priest in Shingon Hossō Ritsu or Shin Buddhism Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Sōtō Zen 4 Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh 5 See also 6 References 7 Web references 8 Sources 9 External linksEtymology editOshō is the Japanese reading of the Chinese he shang 和尚 meaning a high ranking Buddhist monk or highly virtuous Buddhist monk It is also a respectful designation for Buddhist monks in general and may be used with the suffix san According to the Kōjien Japanese dictionary and the Kanjigen dictionary of Chinese character source meanings it is originally derived from the Sanskrit upadhyaya meaning master in the sense of teacher 2 3 The literal meaning is self taught Buddhist monk teacher web 1 The Chinese term he shang is derived from the Sanskrit word upadhyaya or acharya As the new Buddhist students and scholars who eventually became teachers and practitioners had to give a name to themselves they came up with a name in Khotanese dialect that supposedly translated the Sanskrit word upadhyaya which meant teacher It is also possible that it is a translation or transliteration of the Sanskrit word acharya an Indian word that has a higher connotation a teacher of religion or the truth itself web 1 The standard English translation of oshō has become priest it has a somewhat different connotation in Zen While priest may be associated with ceremonial functions which cause many Western Zen practitioners to balk there is another way to read the term simply as a technologist of the spirit Within the Zen tradition this would suggest a certain mastery of one or more of the Zen arts of contemplation If we consider the word priest literally means elder from the Latin presbyter a Zen priest would be both a trained technologist of the spirit and an elder with the community web 2 According to the Kōjien the two characters making up the word are actually pronounced oshō only in the Zen and Pure Land sects For example they are read kashō in the Tendai sect and wajō in the Shingon sect 3 History editOshō became an honorific title for Zen masters meaning harmonious respect When the Zen masters referred to themselves or their disciples addressed them they would often use this word heshang As it originally meant simply a self taught Buddhist monk teacher Zen masters would often speak of themselves in this vein this old heshang is going to sleep now indicating a kind of self deprecation in front of their students as if I am just like you not more advanced or better just a student really But as it is with disciples this is hard for them to accept the master is of course much more evolved much higher When a Zen disciple used this word heshang to address his master it took on a much more reverential connotation as if combining high respect and love simultaneously web 1 An example of its use is in Rinzai s teachings 29 a Followers of the Way I hold the transmission of the generations from Mayoku Osho Tanka Osho Doitsu Osho Rozan Osho Sekikyo Osho All have gone the same way Nobody could believe in them all were reviled Doitsu Osho s actualization was pure it was not coarse None of his three hundred or five hundred students could make out his meaning Rozan Osho was free and true master of his actualization whether adapting it or going contrary But none of his students could fathom his vast horizon and were startled Tanka Osho played with the pearl of wisdom hidden in the sea sometimes hiding it and sometimes revealing it He was slandered by all students who came to him web 3 Sōtō Zen editIn Sōtō Zen to become an oshō teacher two more steps are to be taken after dharma transmission namely ten e and zuise web 4 Ten e means to turn the robe web 4 Unsui training monks are allowed to wear only black robes and black o kesa T en e is the point in the career of a Soto monk when you are finally allowed to wear a yellow brown robe web 4 After zuise one becomes an oshō whereafter one may become the resident priest in one s own temple web 4 Hereby one can gain the highest rank After you become the head priest at your own temple and hold a practice period there for the first time with one student acting as the shuso you will finally reach the highest rank of dai osho web 4 To supervise the training of monks further qualifications are necessary The relatively low status of dharma transmission means that in and of itself it does not qualify one to accept students or to train disciples According to the regulations Zen students should be supervised only by a teacher who has attained supervisory certification i e sanzen dōjō shike status that is someone who in the popular literature might be called a Zen master To attain supervisory certification requires not just high ecclesiastical grades and dharma seniority but also at least three years experience as an assistant supervisor at a specially designated training hall tokubetsu sōdō during which time one undergoes an apprenticeship 4 Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh editThe term became well known in the West when Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh started to call himself Osho See also editOsho disambiguation Dharma transmission Zen ranks and hierarchyReferences edit Kenkyusha s New Japanese English Dictionary Tokyo 1991 ISBN 4 7674 2015 6 Tōdō 2007 a b Shinmura 1998 Bodiford amp 2008 276 sfn error no target CITEREFBodiford2008276 help Web references edit a b c Oshobob What is an Osho James Ishmael Ford Bodhisattva Ordination Leadership Reform and the Role of Zen Clerics in Japan Irmgard Schloegel The Zen Teaching of Rinzai Page 45 a b c d e Muho Noelke Ten e and some words about Zui seSources editBodiford William M 2008 Dharma Transmission in Theory and Practice In Zen Ritual Studies of Zen Buddhist Theory in Practice PDF Oxford University Press permanent dead link Ford James Ishmael 2006 Zen Master Who A Guide to the People And Stories of Zen Shinmura Izuru Ed 1998 Kōjien Fifth Edition Tokyo Iwanami Shoten Tōdō Akiyasu Ed 2007 Kanjigen Revised Fourth Edition Tokyo Gakushu KenkyushaExternal links editMuho Noelke What does it take to become a full fledged Soto shu priest and is it really worth the whole deal Part 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 The Formation of Soto Zen Priests in the West A Dialogue Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Oshō amp oldid 1208927033, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
