Samu - working together

Written originally May 11, 2008

I've been involved lately in a lot of "office work", cutting, stapling, folding letters and filling envelopes. I haven't started a new job, though. In fact no one pays me for the work, and I wouldn't expect to be paid either - not to mention that all these activities have taken only some hours of my time this last week. What is worse is that I'll have to get up next saturday around 4.30 to be in Kanazawa Hakkei at 7.30 and working for the whole day as "enbu assistant" (enbu being a budo demonstration) on top of taking part in the enbu itself.

All these activities fall under the very broad concept relations between one and others that underline the japanese way of thinking. You could really say that "you're not an individual, but only a part of the group". Or more like it, if you want to be a part of a group, REALLY be a part of it, you'll work for the group when it's called for. This side of japanese society is sometimes seen (often by westerners, but also by the japanese themselves) as "restricting" or "forcing people" to do something they don't want to. It's only half of the truth.

On wednesday night in the end of the charei (short tea-service with dharma-talk at the end of zazenkai) it was announced that after people went to change their clothes they should come back downstairs for samu if they were not in a particular hurry. In zen samu means work that is done for the community of buddhists. Unlike the popular image, monks in zen temples spend most of their time working, not sitting in meditation. On normal days the ascetic monks (shugyôsô) sleep for about 6hrs, meditate for maybe 5hrs, and the rest of their time is certainly not spent idling away. They clean (ever noticed how the corridors in Shôjiji shine?), make food, clean some more, take care of a hundred different things - all as a form of meditation and working for the community. In short, keeping the temple on its feet. The temple where I go is of course way smaller and isn't meant for shugyôsô, so normally we don't have any special form of samu on wednesdays. This time, though, was different. In about a month the temple will host a big event for the whole of it's congregation (families who have their graves there). The members of our zazenkai are asked to help with the event itself (of course only if we have time), and last wednesday we filled what seemed to be an endless amount of envelopes - the invites of the event. Folded the letters and 2 different kinds of information leaflets, glued the address stickers on envelopes and put all the things in the envelopes, finally shutting them with glue.

My other work was done this weekend was when we made the programs for saturdays enbu. Once again folding papers, cutting binding tape to the exact length of the papers, stapling... The invitations were done in the beginning of March if I remember correctly, with the same routine: folding, stickers, glue, insert papers into envelope in the right order. And on saturday we'll be on the grounds from 7.30 putting things into place, trying to keep the whole thing running, calling the ambulance if someone cuts himself with his sword (happened last November), and cleaning the place afterwards.

Of course no one's forcing any of us into this. And at least half of these things happen when people would be there anyways, like during the latter half of the practise or after the zazenkai when everyone is anyways staying for the socializing. Of course some of the work is done on people's "own time", like photocopying hundreds of pages or spending your saturday morning
cleaning the shrine grounds. You could make reasons for not participating, even if it meant avoiding practise on days when you knew there will be work included, and no one would probably say anything to your face. But if you do that, then you can't really complain if you're seen as someone who's half-hearted about your membership to the group. You must really show that you want to be a part of that.

If you're not giving, why should you receive? Receive trust, teaching, friendship, commitment... Because you pay your membership fees? Think again.

The system is far from being one-sided. The most obvious thing, both in iai and zen, is that I receive the teaching of my teacher. My relationship with my Jûshoku isn't yet deep enough (and no dirty jokes about this one, please *g*), but my relationship with my iai sensei brings me other things too: if I need equipment I just need to mention about it and they will order it for me, getting discount prices and good quality. I get advise about daily life in Japan. I've been taken to onsen for free. I've been introduced to some interesting people (like the head priest of Kamakura Hachimangû). If I have problems I can always contact them and I know they'll be there for me. And what do I give back? Of course I pay a monthly and a yearly membership fee, but on top of that: I come to practise, as often as I can even though the 2-way trip takes 6hrs in total and costs almost as much as the monthly fee itself. I participate in the enbu, and there do and look my best (you have to wear special formal wear that isn't too cheap). And of course I fold letters and fill envelopes when needed. And when you do all these things with your fellow dojo members - getting up early, practising together, filling envelopes together, and finally drinking together (it's not just me - the japanese society IS centered around drinking together)... That's when you really become a part of the group. Not before.

Why bother writing all this in the first place? Because that's what I often feel lacking in some circles, be it budo or not. That's why we speak about "active practitioners" and "others". The thing is, there should be only "actives". Those who come, who do, who participate. Who really put themselves into what they're doing. Anything else is just wasting (my/our) time.

Gods, I'm too japanized. I need to go to bed now...