SEWING TRADITION

Preservation of an ancient tradition

For the past few years the disciples in our sangha have come together to learn the buddhist sewing tradition. We were very fortunate to have the Buddhist Sewing Teacher, Kaaren Wiken come to the Center to teach us how to sew the traditional Buddhist robes, the Okesa and Rakusu.

In Japan for the last 400 years, it was the rule that monks wear only commercially manufactured robes. This is true even today. This tradition of sewing the Zen Buddhist robes was almost lost in Japan but fortunately was preserved over the years by small groups of Buddhist nuns and monks.

Joyfully this tradition is being passed on to Zen practitioners in America. It was Kaaren’s teacher, Tomoe Katagiri, the wife of Katagiri Roshi, whose teacher, Eshun Yoshida Roshi, first brought the tradition from Japan.

Study of the Okesa, Nyohō-e: Buddha’s Robe

Excerpt from Tomoe Katagiri’s book and sewing instruction:

“Eshun Yoshida Rōshi (1907 – 1982) transmitted the true teaching of the Buddha as transmitted through

Image courtesy of The Retired Leaders Fund.

Ekō Hashimoto Rōshi. Hashimoto Rōshi’s teaching, following the nyohō tradition of authentic transmission, penetrated Eshun Yoshida Rōshi’s whole life. She vowed to guide many people and herself to attain Buddhahood through sewing and wearing nyohō okesa. Her desire and devotion were boundless, and she came to San Francisco Zen Center twice, in 1970 and 1971. She led practitioners in making the okesa acording to the nyohō tradition. At that time Tomoe Katagiri started the practice of okesa sewing under the guidance of Eshun Yoshida Rōshi, from whom she received the seven row okesa in 1980 at Kaizenji in Japan where Eshun Yoshida Rōshi was abbot.”

“Tomoe Katagiri has taught nyohō okesa and rakusu sewing at the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center and other Zen centers in the U.S. and other countries.”

“The section on nyohō-e was written by Tomoe Katagiri and edited by Yūkō Conniff and Willa Hathaway. Sewing instructions were complied and edited by Tomoe Katagiri from Eshun Yoshida Rōshi’s instructions. Drawings were done by Tomoe Katagiri, Janith Hatch, and Michael Danio. Calligraphy by Janith Hatch. Layout and design by Ejyo Katagiri.”

The online sewing manual that can be downloaded form the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center’s website linked below details how to sew the O’kesa and Rakusu. You are welcome to download this manual. Carola Ei Jun requests that if you do download the manual, that you consider donating to the center. Gassho.