Kyudo

An International Seminar on Zen Kyudo

No target’s erected,

No bow’s drawn,

And the arrow leaves the string;

It may not hit,

But it does not miss.

This poem, written by Bukkoku Kokushi, Zen master of the Kamakura era, may be easily misunderstood as associating Zen and Zen Kyudo with a lofty and mystical realization. Simply negating the target and technique while focusing on the inner target of one’s self for a purely philosophical experience is another common misconception.

Instead, Zen, Zen Kyudo, and any of the budo and fine arts must lead one to a clear understanding of the fundamental reality of things. Seeing things as they truly are and according the myriad changes and situations we encounter in our daily lives is a practical and necessary outcome of such training.

This International Seminar on Zen Kyudo, presented by Daihonzan Chozen-ji and the Institute of Zen Studies will bring understanding of Bukkoku Kokushi’s message through not only the subject and practice of Zen Kyudo, but also other disciplines such as zazen, shakuhachi, and okyo. Through these disciplines, focus will be on such key Zen aspects as Mu-shin, Samadhi, and the Absolute Now.

Date:

October 7 – 11, 2010

Location:

Daihonzan Chozen-ji, a Rinzai Zen monastery in Honolulu, Hawaii

Instructors: Jitsudo Tsuha (Chozen-ji Kyudo Shihan, Zen master)

Kenneth Setsuzan Kushner (Chozen-ji Kyudo Kyoshi, Zen master)

Taiken Yokoyama Roshi (Daihonzan Chozen-ji Abbot)

Cost:

$500 per person (includes meals, accommodations typical of a Zen monastery)

Requires a minimum rank of shodan (or equivalent) in Kyudo

Equipment: Bring your own yumi, ya (makiwara, mato), tabi, hakama, gi. Some beginner level equipment may be available for use.

If you have any questions, please email us at izs@InstituteZenStudies.com.

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