DOUGHGEN'S COMMUNITY was not an attempt to dismiss the teachings of the Tathagata but to connect once again with what was essential...AND the role of the baker was singularly instrumental in this. The baker, as a proper and established member of the community, was expected to rise at the same time as those going to sit for zazen. Of course, by the time zazen was over, the bread was never ready for the hungry community. It was decided that the baker should get-up earlier. He was not very happy. If he/she had to get-up earlier, there had to be some give-and-take by the meditators. Thus it was decided that the baker would start just a little earlier, say, about 2 in the morning, and the rest of the community would sit 2 extra periods of zazen. It was in this way, that the baker was seminal in the origination of sesshin and those long hours of sitting...they were waiting for their bread!!! (Golden GOJI Hermitage...4TH/JULY/2014...written just before i put my own bread in the oven @ 5.30...while the loaves were proving.).

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