Most Buddhist Clergy in Japan marry.
That may surprise some folks.
Buddhist clerics marrying is very unusual in the rest of Asia.
That’s why calling us “Zen Monks” is kinda funny … except for those short periods when most Zen clergy live and train in a monastery. After that, most live in temples, with their families … wife and kids. So, maybe “Zen Priest” is a better term, or “Zen Minister” … or perhaps just “Zen Teacher” …
And now, as Zen has come West, most Zen clergy in American and Europe marry too, and often have outside jobs (I, for example, work as a translator of Japanese to keep my family fed).
So, we are not really, most of the time, “Zen Monks” in a “Monastery”. We’ve come out into the world.
I think that is a good thing!
(remember: recording ends soon after the beginning bells;
a sitting time of 20 to 35 minutes is recommended)
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