Life in a Zen monastery (video)

Dhr. Seven, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Abbot Muho Noelke; Sen Baba; Antaiji (Antaiji/youtube)

(Sen Baba) Peter Barakan interviews Abbot Muho Noelke, the German abbot of Antaiji.
 

Stop. Sit. Watch the breath.

Antaiji is a Zen Buddhist monastery located deep in the mountains, close to the Japanese sea. The monastery commits itself to the practice of seated meditation and the study of the Buddha's teachings in the tradition of Dogen Zenji and Sawaki Kodo Roshi. The monastic community also cultivates the fields around the monastery, cuts grass and trees, and does construction work to stay self-sufficient [which runs counter to the historical Buddha's teachings but is in line with North Asian custom.] In the interview, Abbot Muho explains zazen (seated meditation), community life, and the relation between teacher and student, guru and chela or disciple. Another controversial topic is their precept of not-killing living beings or eating meat.