is a particular self-steering. As for the Slovak disciples, you have to ask them, I never ask how they finance the monastery. Your temple lies in France in a municipality Cubjac. What do you live on? K: We all work and then give part of the money for the operation of the temple. It would probably be difficult to find sponsors for a Zen temple since it is not a profitable business. K: My master [Ed. note: Taisen Deshimaru] had a sponsor. It was a big Italian financier. He gave him donations every year. But he was not a practising person, but a sympathizer. He once met my master and told him he would help him. Do you also have your sponsors, sympathizers? K: I do, but they are poor (laughing). Is the combination of Zen andmartial arts a suitable one, as it used to be in Japan? You yourself devoted yourself to various martial styles. K: Let each person do what he or she wants. Music, calligraphy, karate. From Zazen, from ourselves, from that depth we can then do anything. Everyone is his or her own creation. However, the system we live in – marketing, advertising, globalisation, church – all of that is focused to suppress the individuality of people. K: Yes. What then constrains an ordinary person of the western civilisation from true realisation of the freedom you are speaking about? K: Nothing (laughing). About the author Sandó Kaisen (1952) is one of the main representatives of the Soto Zen Buddhist schools in Europe. This school was founded in 13th century in Japan by Master Eihei Dogen. It was spread through Europe in the 1960s thanks to the efforts of Master Deshimaru. The main practice of this school is the sitting meditation – Zazen, during which the position of the body, the respiration and attention are important. Master Sandó Kaisen introduced himself to the East of Europe (also to Slovakia) in 1990. Since then, his books have been published here and people could have come to see him on several lectures and introductions to Zazen he has given here, and learn about him from various press articles and programs on the radio and TV. Master Sandó Kaisen transmits only one thing “from my soul to yours”: to break through the shell of habits and securities that imprisoned the being, to touch the Way and make it real in pure consciousness of the body, so that we can understand the Spirit of Unity. Q Q Q Q Q Q A A A A A A 96 (6) Sandó Kaisen
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