From Nomon Tim - Sewing Buddha's Robe

I'm humbled and honored to be moving towards installation as the Abbot of our temple and sangha. The big ceremony will be on Sunday, April 25th, 2027.

We'll be joined by our Founding Teacher, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, and likely many other Zen friends and dignitaries. Please do mark your calendar. Additional information will follow early in the year.

One aspect of the all of our ritual steps in Zen training from jukai (receiving the precepts), to lay entrustment, to priest ordination, to becoming an abbot, is the sewing and receiving of hand-sewn ceremonial robes. 

Different kinds of robes are sewn for different occasions. There are the smaller bib-like robes called rakusu and the larger robes which drape over one shoulder called okesa. There is also a bit of a color code you learn over time. 

Ceremonial Zen robes are pieced and sewn by hand.

Regardless of it's form and color, these robes represent our deepest aspirations as practitioners. We wear them to remind ourselves of what we're doing in our practice. To look down and see Buddha's robe on your body is to remember we do all of this not just for ourselves but for the benefit of all.

And perhaps your robe is seen more in your heart than as cloth on your body! There is no requirement to do these special ceremonial steps. And in some ways, simply sitting and being quiet might be the wiser thing to do anyway!

My Dharma Grandfather Sojun Mel Weitsman wearing a brown okesa.

And so, as I approach this new position as Abbot, a new robe is sewn. This particular okesa robe is more elaborate than a regular priest ordination robe.

And as having an Abbot is seen as a big step in maturity of the whole sangha, it's traditional for the sangha to work together in the sewing of it. 

Here's a note from our new sewing teacher, Mari, about this:

It is an exciting time for our sangha as we begin sewing the okesa, the robe for Nomon Tim Burnett, in preparation for his upcoming mountain seat ceremony as abbot of Red Cedar Zen Community. Our first sewing day will be on September 13th at 8:00 a.m. The sewing room will be open every Sunday at this time.

We will be teaching the namu kie butsu stitch and beginning the process of literally stitching together, piece by piece, our new sangha with our ancestors. Everyone is warmly welcome to come, learn, and take part in this meaningful work.

 - Mari Ritalahti, Sewing teacher

Other robes being sewn in our community currently include priest robes (okesa and rakusu) for Juriki Samuel Senerchia and Michael Dietzel who will be ordaining as priests in our sangha as well. They'll also welcome your help once you've learned the basic stitch.

Note also that there will also be sewing opportunities at other times than Mari's regularly scheduled Sunday 8am-9:30am times. Often more spontaneously. Consider coming a little early or staying a little later to events at the temple and go see if the sewers are at work in Cloud Hall.

Every stitch we make in these sacred robes is a deep expression of our hearts. I hope you'll join us in sewing Buddha's Robe together as a sangha.

In gratitude,

Nomon Tim