Revision 524433718 of "Treeleaf Zendo" on enwiki

{{Infobox Buddhist temple
| name             = Treeleaf Zendo
| img              = 
| img_size         = 
| img_capt         = 
| landscape        = 
| denomination     = [[Sōtō]]
| founded          = 2006
| closed           = 
| founder          = [[Jundo Cohen]]
| teacher          =
| director         =
| roshi            = 
| abbot            = 
| priest           = 
| rinpoche         = 
| reverend         =  
| address          = 
| country          = 
| website          = [http://www.treeleaf.org www.treeleaf.org]
}}
'''Treeleaf Zendo''' is a [[Zen]] [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] [[sangha]] in the [[Sōtō]] tradition.<ref name="about">{{cite web |url=http://www.treeleaf.org/aboutus.html |title=About Us |accessdate=May 10, 2012 |publisher=Treeleaf Zendo }}</ref> Treeleaf's teachers are [[Jundo Cohen]] and [[Taigu Turlur]]<ref name="about"/> and the zendo is a member of the [[Soto Zen Buddhist Association]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://szba.org/centers/treeleaf-zendo/ |title=Treeleaf Zendo |accessdate=May 10, 2012 |publisher=[[Soto Zen Buddhist Association]] }}</ref>

Treeleaf Zendo was designed specifically as an online practice place for Zen practitioners<ref name="about"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2007/12/bg-053-virtual-zen-dropping-here-and-there/ |title=BG 053: Virtual Zen: Dropping Here and There |accessdate=May 10, 2012 |publisher=Buddhist Geeks }}</ref><ref name="sweep">{{cite web |url=http://sweepingzen.com/2010/10/29/jundo-cohen-interview/ |title=Jundo Cohen interview |accessdate=May 10, 2012 |publisher=Sweeping Zen }}</ref> who cannot easily commute to a Zen Center due to health concerns, living in remote areas, or work, childcare and family needs, and seeks to provide Zazen sittings, retreats, discussion, interaction with a teacher, and all other activities of a Zen Buddhist Sangha, all fully online.<ref name="about"/> 

{{quote|But, really, we are a Sangha just about like any Sangha, and the place feels like a small, intimate group of people who sit together and support each other in practice. That is the way it should be.<ref name="sweep"/>}}

The focus is ''[[Shikantaza]]'' "Just Sitting" Zazen<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.treeleaf.org/our-lineage/ |title=Our Lineage |accessdate=May 10, 2012  |publisher=Treeleaf Zendo }}</ref> as instructed by the 13th Century Japanese Master, [[Dogen|Eihei Dogen]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sweepingzen.com/2009/12/23/jundo-cohen-bio/ |title=Jundo Cohen Bio |accessdate=May 10, 2012 |publisher=Sweeping Zen }}</ref>

==Ordination controversy==

In May 2012, Treeleaf ordained novice priests in Austin, Texas and Rochester, New York via the internet.<ref name="shukke">{{cite web |url=http://shambhalasun.com/news/?p=33758 |title=Treeleaf Zendo conducts Shukke Tokudo via the internet |accessdate=June 21, 2012 ||publisher=[[Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly]] }}</ref> Largely in response to this,.<ref name="ordain">{{cite web |url=http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?9727-Ordination-Tribulation |title=Ordination Tribulation |accessdate=June 21, 2012 |publisher=Treeleaf.org }}</ref> [[Soto Zen Buddhist Association]] passed a resolution rejecting online ordination.<ref name="shukke"/><ref name="ordain"/>

{{quote|Based on the belief that it is necessary and reasonable to require that the primary relationship between teacher and trainee contain significant physical face-to-face meetings, which is the basis for evaluating a student’s readiness for ordination and eventually membership in the SZBA, the Board believes that the Tokudo ordination itself be performed face-to-face, in the same physical room. This format will be the basis for membership in the SZBA.

Given the serious nature of priest ordination, the dedication and commitment that should be required of the priest trainee, and our tradition's emphasis on face-to-face transmission of the Dharma, we conclude that tokudo ceremonies are most appropriately conducted in person except under rare and extenuating circumstances, such as a deathbed ordination. Exceptions should be made in consultation with the SZBA Board. By extension, transmission ceremonies should likewise be conducted in person.<ref name="ordain"/>}}

Jundo Cohen has stated his intentions to ignore SZBA's ruling and continue online ordination.<ref name="ordain"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official|http://www.treeleaf.org/}}
* [http://treeleaf.podbean.com/ Treeleaf podcasts]
* [http://sweepingzen.com/tag/treeleaf-zendo/ Treeleaf Sit-A-Longs]

{{Buddhism topics}}

{{Buddhism-stub}}
[[Category:Buddhist organizations]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 2006]]
[[Category:Soto Zen]]