Summary by Sara Adams. Edited by Mark Unno. 2/4/02

Kosho Uchiyama, Refining Your Life: From the Zen Kitchen to Enlightenment.

Original text written by Dogen in 1237 at a time when his disciples quickly grew in number, resulting in a need for community regulations.

In Zen Buddhist communities there are six officers that oversee community affairs, one of which is the tenzo who has the task of managing every aspect of the practitioners' meals.

A typical day of a tenzo goes as follows: As soon as the noon meal is finished, the tenzo goes to the tsusu and kamsu to gather ingredients for the next day's meals. The tenzo has been trained to handle the food "as carefully as if they were his own eyes." (p.4) Once the food is procured, all of the community's officers meet to decide the menu for the next day, down to the minute details. After the menu planning, the tenzo begins to prepare the following morning's meal. He not only focuses on the immediate task at hand, but also keeps in mind all aspects of the meal. The tenzo must pay such close attention that while washing the rice, he does not lose even one grain. Nothing in the kitchen is wasted, including the water used to wash the rice. Washing utensils is carried out with equal mindfulness and great care; everything is stored where it "naturally belongs."

Next the tenzo begins preparing for the following day's noon meal. Once again, acute mindfulness is pertinent. The quality or quantity of the food is not judged, for it is essential that each ingredient is valued for what it is. "A person who is influenced by the quality of a thing, or who changes his speech or manner according to the appearance or position of the people he meets, is not a man working in the Way."(p.7)

After all dishes are washed and stored where they "ought to be," the tenzo returns to his room. Even while closing his eyes, the tenzo accounts for every person that will be eating a meal the next day; this way the meals will not be in excess or lacking even one grain of rice. Once morning arrives, each meal is carefully prepared and served. Every moment of a tenzo's life is focused on arranging meals; this "nurtures the seed of the buddhadharma." (p.9) Even the most practical and simple act can be in alignment with the Way.

There are three essential components of proper attitude for all officers: "to see that working for the benefit of other benefits oneself, to understand that through making every effort for the prosperity of the community one revitalizes one's own character, and to know that endeavoring to succeed and to surpass the patriarchs of past generations means to learn from their lives and to value their examples." (p.15) In any office, including tenzo, one should always carry out his or her duty with "joy and magnanimity." (p.16) We must all be grateful to have been born in this world as humans, and we should rejoice in this life while keeping in mind the Three Treasures; namely the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.