ARCHIVE REFERENCE OF THE TYNESIDE ZEN GROUP FROM 1973

Flashing Line

PDF Copies of Surviving Zen News & Newsletters

 

Solarised Image of Fudo

This is an archive a few newsletters relating to Zen Buddhism. For a number of years Gordon Bell was actively involved with Buddhist Groups in the North East of England. He edited Zen News, and typed, produced, and actually printed using the offset litho printing presses at Tyneside Free Press. Having found a few copies in the loft, it may help those studying and practicing Buddhist meditation to have access to articles, poems and historical information.

If you have any of the missing issues, I would be very pleased to borrow them and copy.

Please do not reproduce or copy and thus respect the authors.
Gordon Bell (2022)

SQUARE

Heading

  1. Dot Zen Newssheet 1 to 5 - Nov 1974 -Jul 1975 - (pdf) - The precursor to Zen News
  2. Dot Zen News 7 - December 1975 - (pdf)
  3. Dot Zen News 8 - February 1976 - (pdf)
  4. Dot Zen News 9 - April 1976 - (pdf)
  5. Dot Zen News 10 - June 1976 - (pdf)
  6. Dot Zen News 11 - August 1976 - (pdf)
  7. Dot Zen News 12 - October 1976 - (pdf)
  8. Dot Zen News 13 - December 1976 - (pdf)
  9. Dot Zen News 14 - Mar 1977 - (pdf)
  10. Dot Zen News 15 - December 1977 - (pdf)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Few More Items From The Archives Of The Tyneside Zen Group
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  1. Early History of the Tyneside-Newcastle Zen Group and Buddhism in Northeast England - PDF
  2. Copies of Journal of OBC 1998 - 2013 available for loan from GB - Web link - PDF
  3. Transcript of Lecture at Durham University Buddhist Society - by R.M. Jiyu Kennett in 1973 - PDF

  4. Article: Litany to Kanzeon Bosatsu by R.M. Jiyu Kennett in 1971 - PDF
  5. Article: Slander and Zen by R.M. Jiyu Kennett - PDF
  6. Article: Hallucinations of Kenshō by R.M. Jiyu Kennett in Sept 1970 - PDF
  7. Article: Poverty, Chastity and Obedience by R.M. Jiyu Kennett in June 1971 - PDF
  8. Article: Genjō Kōan: Hot and Cold by Rev Jitsudō Baran in May 1974 - PDF
  9. Article: Against Quietism by Rev Genshō Florence in Aug 1973 - PDF
  10. Article: On Training by Rev Kembō Wyatt in Aug 1971 - PDF

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The First Newsletters from Throssel Hole Priory ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  1. Throssel Newsletter - Jun 1973 - PDF
  2. Throssel Newsletter - Oct 1973 - PDF
  3. Throssel Newsletter - Dec 1973 - PDF
  4. Throssel Newsletter - Feb 1974 - PDF
  5. Throssel Newsletter - Apr 1974 - PDF
  6. Throssel Newsletter - Jul 1974 - PDF
  7. Throssel Newsletter - Sep 1974 - PDF
  8. Throssel Newsletter - Nov 1974 - PDF
  9. Throssel Newsletter - Jan 1975 - PDF
  10. Throssel Newsletter - Mar 1975 - PDF
  11. Throssel Hole Priory Advertising Flyer - Circa 1974 - PDF

Flashing Line

The image at the top of this page, which has appeared on the cover of Zen News, was photographed by Gordon in 1972 of a small plaque in the then Gulbenkian Oriental Museum in Durham University. It was modified by the photographic darkroom technique of solarisation. This was part of a photographic diploma portfolio for Hartlepool College of Art. (In the modern age of digital photography and computer apps a similar effect can be created in a few clicks!)

The image:- FUDŌ-MYŌ-Ō (Jap), Acala Vidyā Rāja (Sanskrit), "The Immovable Radiant King." One of the Kings of Light.

As Buddhism spread from India it developed a variety of styles and schools. Some collected aspects and philosophy from existing pre-Buddhist times, adopting and re-purposing deities. These schools are known as the Mahayānā (greater vehicle) and within which a branch called the Vajrayana (diamond vehicle) travelled to Bhutan, Tibet, China and Japan. In Japan the Mahayānā/Vajrayānā further evolved into Zen, Shin, Shingon, Tendai etc. Some were classified as Mikkyo or esoteric.


Fudō is a deity that is found in Japanese Zen, and especially in the Mikkyo schools of Shingon and Tendai. He is one of the principle 13 deities/Buddhas/Bodhisattvas of Shingon, with; Śakyammuni Buddha (Shaka Nyorai), Manjuśri Bodhisattva (Monju Bosatsu), Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (Fugen Bosatsu), Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva (Jizō Bosatsu), Maitreya Bodhisattva (Miroku Bosatsu), Bhaisajyaguru Buddha (Yakushi Nyorai), Avalokiteśvara (Kanzeon Bosatsu), Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva (Seishi Bosatsu), Amitābha Tathāgata (Amida Nyorai), Akshobya Tathāgata (Ashuku Nyorai), Mahāvairocana Buddha (Dainichi Nyorai) and Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva (Kokūzō. Many of these deities are celebrated on Festival Days at Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey, Northumberland in the Sōtō Zen tradition.

Fudō is depicted seated (or standing), surrounded by flames, which represent the three fires of greed, hate and delusion. In one hand he holds a lasso to capture delusions, and in the other hand he holds a vajra sword, which cuts through delusions. The flames also consume evil and the defilements of this world. He sits on a flat rock, symbolising unshakable peace and bliss which he bestows to the minds and bodies of his devotees. He represents the dynamic will to enlightenment which is to be found in the middle of greed, hate and delusion of everyday life.

Despite being a very wrathful deity, his nature is essentially one of compassion in the service of all beings for eternity. His vow is to do battle with evil with a powerful mind of compassion and to work for the protection of true happiness. To pray for recovery from illness and for safety while travelling is to rely upon his vow and power to save. Fudō is a guide for the deceased, to help save them and assist them in becoming Buddhas for the first seven days after death.

Practically some schools focus on Fudō in conjunction with a fire ceremony to help transmute difficulties, hindrances and negativities into positive direction and motivation.

Put simply, Fudō is an archetypical representation for the practitioner of the development of strength, determination to overcome difficulties of life with resolve of a compassionate and peaceful heart/mind.

References drawn from:
DotZen Is Eternal Life [Selling Water by the River] by Rōshi Jiyu Kennett (1976 [& 1972])
DotShingon: Japanese Esoteric Buddhism by Taikō Yamasaki (1988 Shambala)
DotShingon Esoteric Buddhism: A Handbook for Followers by Abbot Yūsei Arai (1997 Kōyasan)

 

Fudo, Japanese Altar Image
DotReturn to Top

Some Buddhist Links:
  1. Order of Buddhist Contempletives - The Order of Buddhist Contempletives (Sōtō Zen) World-wide
  2. Shasta Abbey - HQ of The Order of Buddhist Contempletives (Sōtō Zen) USA
  3. Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey - The Order of Buddhist Contempletives (Sōtō Zen) UK
  4. Sojiji Temple - Head Temple/Monastery of Sōtō Zen JAPAN
  5. North East England Serene Reflection Meditation Groups - Newcastle, Teesside & Gainford (Sōtō Zen) UK

  6. Network of Buddhist Organisations - UK.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LINK TO FURTHER STUDY PAGE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Tibetan-Avalokitesvara-Hartlepool-Museum-1970-Postcard

18th Century Tibetan Avalokitesvara from 1975 Postcard-Hartlepool Museums and Art Galleries

Last Updated: April 18, 2024