Meeting Zen Baby Roshi (video)

Dhr. Seven and Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly, PasaDharma Zen Group

Zen novice, a future roshi, in a Catholic cardinal's lap, South Korea (Zen Mirror)

 

Child's novice ordination (buddhism.about.com)

Wisdom Quarterly's go-to Zen resource got a surprise late in life -- a pregnancy. The tulku (incarnate lama on the way to being Maitreya the messiah) found its way to the womb of his young wife to become-again. That is how it is with rebirth. But what will s/he become? Isn't it the goal of every American man to mold a son in his image? It's the Mahayana-Judeo-Christian way. The Sky Father did it for his baby "Sun" (Sonny). And astrotheology be darned, the heavenly (Space) Father did it for his Superstar. But it is much funnier when it's a slacker son. That's the way it is with the cartoon saviors of today. Boy meets world in nine (lunar) months. Congratulations!

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(IBTimesTV) Young Buddhist novices are usually seen mediating or doing chores for their monastery. However, instead of learning or meditating, these little "monks" played as 37 novices from across the country gathered in Seoul to attend the event at South Korea's biggest Buddhist order "Jogye." The religion with around 10 million followers is about a fifth of South Korea's population. After chanting, the game began, and the kids could not have been happier. A seven year old said he always dreamed of playing soccer. "I prayed to Buddha [actually Amitabha], hoping to play soccer well. And I am happy to score a goal," he said. Seongjin, a monk at Jogye Temple, said the soccer match encapsulated the true meaning of Buddha's birthday: "As we watch novice monks play innocently, we can feel their innocence and happiness as if we feel the heart of [the] Buddha. Also our novices can have fun and their happiness can bring happiness and peace to the world. This is an event where we can share the true meaning of Buddha's birthday," he explained.