A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind

by Shoukei Matsumoto

  Samue Robes

  Samue robes are worn by Japanese monks when they perform their daily duties of cleaning and looking after the temple (this is called samu).

  Samue are easy to move in and they are perfect for cleaning, basic clerical work, and running errands around the neighbourhood. They are also useful in many other situations, and easy to wash and care for.

  I prefer to wear subdued colours like deep indigo and black, but as there are a wide variety of designs available, it’s not uncommon to find monks wearing patterned or brightly coloured samue.

  Impervious to the passing of time, these simple garments are well suited for any season. Lightweight samue are perfect for summer, while thickly lined cotton samue are just right for winter.

  Selecting a Samue

  In summer your samue should have shorter, wider sleeves, while in winter the sleeves should have elastic at the wrists to keep warmth in. The more pockets, the better. Avoid choosing highly absorbent fashion fabrics, and instead pick a durable material that will be easy to wash.

  Looking After Your Samue

  Samue made out of cotton can be washed at home. If you are worried about wrinkles and creases, lightly beat the fabric with the palms of your hands, and straighten the samue back to its original shape before hanging it out to dry.

  Tenugui Hand Towels

  Tenugui hand towels have been in existence for so long that one could say that Japanese culture has developed along with them. In fact, along with the samue, a tenugui hand towel wrapped around the head is a perennial choice for many monks doing their chores. Some say that wrapping the towel around your head mentally prepares you for the tasks at hand.

  However, it is not uncommon these days to see monks using regular terry towels in place of the Japanese tenugui. Apparently the Yamamotodai of the Soto Zen sect, as well as unsui monks of Eihei Temple, call terry-cloth towels ‘work towels’, and always wear them wrapped around their heads while cleaning outdoors. Since the shaved heads of monks are delicate, the tenugui towel provides protection against branches, doors, corners, and any other potential sources of injury. Tenugui towels are also useful for women who want to keep their long hair clean and protected.

  I purchase nearly all of my tenugui towels from the specialist outlet Kamawanu, which has shops located all over the world, as well as in Japan.

  Taking Care of Your Tenugui Towels

  You can wash tenugui towels as you would normally wash other items, but to prevent colours from fading, it is best to wash them by hand. After washing, hang them to dry. One of the great things about tenugui towels is that they dry incredibly quickly, so you can do all of your daily cleaning with just only one tenugui.

  Setta Sandals

  Leather-soled setta sandals are the standard footwear of monks. These Japanese thongs made from natural grasses are said to have originated in the time of Senrikyuu (1522–91), one of the great masters of Japanese tea ceremony traditions.

  The leather soles of setta sandals prevent moisture from penetrating through, even from puddles or snow, and slows down the gradual wearing down of the heel.

  As setta sandals go well with samue work clothes, and are rumoured to improve the leg muscles with their thong construction, I highly recommend wearing them during your daily chores.

  In recent times more and more people have been making their own cloth sandals (nuno-zori) for indoor wear. I would love to try making my own!

  Cloth Sandals (Nuno-zori)

  Nuno-zori are made of old material that is no longer usable, sturdy string, a bamboo spatula and soles (available in shops in Japan). You’ll need scissors and pliers.

  Work Gloves and Socks

  Work gloves and socks are an essential for doing outdoor work. Not only do they prevent your hands and feet from getting dirtied by mud, they also protect you from thorns and glass shards. They must provide protection to your hands and feet without impeding movement.

  However, for monks doing work inside the temple, bare hands and feet are the norm (though socks are permissible).

  Japanese work socks (gunsoku) are split between the big toe and the other toes, so you can easily wear them with your setta sandals. It is best to select a white pair, with the heels and toes, areas most prone to get dirty, dyed grey in order to preserve a fresh and clean feeling.

  Care of Work Gloves and Socks

  Since dirt can be difficult to remove from work gloves if they are left unattended to, it is best to wash them with hand soap and wring them out to dry immediately after use.

  Broom and Dustpan

  Brooms and dustpans have been used at temples for hundreds of years. They don’t require much space, nor electricity. They are lightweight and can be carried anywhere with ease, and they can be brought out without fuss when you need them. In short, they are the perfect tools for cleaning.

  A small broom with shorter bristles is ideal for indoor cleaning, while a large bamboo-handled broom is better suited for sweeping up fallen leaves outdoors.

  The dustpan should be light and of simple design, made out of sheet metal or a similar material. In addition to a regular dustpan, it is also useful to have a larger-sized one for outdoor work.

  The Broom

  Some of Buddha’s disciples attained enlightenment while sweeping.

  The Dustpan

  One variety of dustpan made from sheet metal which has been used in Japan across the ages is called the bunka chiritori, or ‘culture dustpan’. It is lightweight and durable.

  Dust Cloth

  In the past, dust cloths and towels were made by folding old pieces of fabric in half and sewing them together. However, nowadays more and more people are using readymade dust cloths purchased from shops. This may perhaps be because an increasing number of households no longer own sewing machines. However, I recommend making your own dust cloths at home if you can.

  Traditionally, in Zen Buddhism, practitioners wear funzoun clothing, that is clothes made from old pieces of fabric which are sewn together. The wearing of these repurposed rags symbolizes the importance of caring for worldly objects as well as casting out conceit. This practice removes impurities from the heart.

  As with funzoun clothing, the dust cloth contains the heart of those who carefully put their time and energy into making it.

  The Dust Cloth

  In the world of Buddhism re-using items is a standard which guides our day-to-day lives. There is no such thing as making a dust cloth out of a brand new piece of fabric. Instead, we find a piece of fabric that can no longer fulfil its original purpose, and make it into a new dust cloth. This commitment to treasure objects until they can no longer be used or repurposed is at the heart of Buddhism.

  Bucket

  When it comes to cleaning, water, a gift from the heavens, is the ultimate natural cleaning tool. As we must in some way contain this gift, the bucket is another tool that we must treasure.

  When cleaning out of doors, utilize rainwater; when cleaning indoors, use leftover bath water. It is of utmost importance that we do not waste this invaluable resource.

  Placing a bucket directly on the wooden floor can leave a ring of water behind. To prevent this from happening, place the bucket on top of a dust cloth. When removing the dust cloth from the floor, be especially careful so as not to spill any water.

  The Bucket

  Many people will have used some kind of bucket at some point during their childhood. The ideal bucket for cleaning should be light to carry but sturdy: a metal bucket is best. However, as metal objects have a tendency to rust, make sure that you remove any moisture from the bucket when you have finished using it.

  Brush and Feather Duster

  A brush is ideal for cleaning lacquer ware, shoji screens, and other delicate objects that can be easily damaged.

  As dust tends to collect in the frames of a shoji screen, trying to clean such small areas with a dust cloth would be ineffective. The screen is made out of paper, so you cannot clean it with water either, as this
would simply spread the dust around and makes it look even dirtier than before. With that in mind, a brush is the perfect tool to tackle these challenges. If you brush the screen carefully enough, there’s no need for a dust cloth at all.

  When it comes to cleaning the family altar, including the bodhisattva figure and the ancestors’ name tablets, a soft feather duster is ideal. After briefly joining your hands together and paying your respects, remove dust from top to bottom in a gentle stroking motion. As long as you use a feather duster manufactured in Japan, even delicate figures decorated with gold leaf will be safe from damage.

  The Feather Duster

  Feather dusters produced in Japan are made by talented craftsmen who carry on the tradition of manufacturing quality tools by hand. Keeping in mind the care put into these objects by their makers, we as users can also put our own hearts into the cleaning we do.

  Feather dusters with long handles are especially useful for thoroughly removing dust from the ceiling, starting from one side of the room and going towards the other.

  Sickle, Pruning Shears and Grindstone

  When caring for your garden, a sickle and pruning shears are vital tools. After you have used them, it is essential to give each the maintenance it needs. In order to do this, you will need a grindstone. If you simply leave them as they are they will rust. To prevent rusting, thoroughly wash and remove any leftover soil and moisture. You should sharpen the sickle with the grindstone so that it’s ready for immediate use.

  Using a sickle or shears that have not been sharpened properly requires much more effort and will lead to exhaustion or even injury. It’s best to have garden tools at hand that one can use effortlessly at any time.

  The Sickle

  Not too big, not too small. The best sickle is one which is large but not difficult to wield. Sickles should be held with the thumb, index and middle fingers, with the ring and pinky fingers lightly wrapped around the handle.

  The Pruning Shears

  Take care of your pruning shears as if they were one of your own children. Before using them, I look at the plant from top to bottom, then I find areas that need pruning and carefully remove that part of the plant with my shears.

  The Grindstone

  I use a grindstone for sharpening my sickle and shears. If your grindstone is in poor condition then your blades will also become of poor quality. Rinse your grindstone off with water after use, remove any moisture, and wrap it in a tenugui or other cloth before storing.

  The Kitchen

  The cook position at a Zen temple, the tenzo, is extremely important. This role is permitted only to those who are deeply committed to their search for enlightenment.

  Tenzo epitomize those on the path to enlightenment who possess pure hearts, unplagued by worldly desire, so it is essential that they devote their hearts and souls to work in the kitchen.

  At an ordinary temple, the kitchen is normally used to prepare food for parishioners and town council members who come to visit, so it is much bigger than a kitchen you might find in an average household. The sink, the pots and even the sieves are incredibly large.

  When I was a child, I always looked forward to the local women’s association New Year’s gathering at the local temple, where they would make delectable hot-pot meals.

  Since so many people can cook together in these large temple kitchens, they are always polished to perfection, with all the cooking instruments returned to their proper places.

  If a kitchen is kept in good order, anybody who needs to work there can immediately begin to do so with comfort and ease, keeping preparation times short and allowing delicious dishes to be served while they are still hot.

  One thing that I would like you to pay particular attention to while cooking is to shut any drawer or cabinet door you have opened. When you’re busy it is easy to forget to do it, but this is a sign of your heart being untidy.

  After taking something out, you must close what you have opened. This not only helps to prevent dust from coming in contact with tableware, but also keeps your heart tidy and clean.

  The cornerstone of a monk’s diet is vegetarian food. Meat and fish are, of course, prohibited, but vegetables that have a strong odour such as onions, leeks and garlic, are also not acceptable for cooking.

  Ingredients like konbu (a variety of kelp) and shiitake mushrooms are popular with many of the monks I am acquainted with for the exquisite dashi soup stock that they can produce. Once you become used to a diet based on mild vegetables, the ability to identify even the most subtle of flavours with your tongue enhances the joy of eating, greatly improving your sense of taste.

  Dishes that feature seasonal ingredients and highlight their natural flavours are also key in a monk’s diet. As a result, unusual cooking spices and large amounts of cooking oil are rarely required; instead we use ingredients in the most natural way possible. Since only a small number of kitchen appliances and implements are involved in the preparation of a meal, cleaning up is always very easy.

  It is essential to leave as little cooking waste as possible. Using up all or as much of your ingredients as possible will naturally reduce the amount of waste you produce. For example, if you are cooking Japanese radish (mooli), you can also use both the leaves and the skin, which can be turned into kinpira (a side dish containing julienned carrots and other root vegetables cooked in soy sauce and sugar). If there are still leftovers, they should be used as fertilizer whenever feasible.

  Even if you are part of a regular household, you will find that making an effort to consume a diet as similar to a monk’s as possible brings many benefits. Cleaning up after meals becomes much easier, and the more you stick with this diet the more you will appreciate it.

  The tenzo takes a meal’s ingredients into his heart, and it is said that through the preparation of vegetarian meals, he becomes at one with the food he cooks. You can prepare hearty healthy meals with fresh, seasonal ingredients and clean, neat tools.

  Let’s do our best to create a clean and comfortable kitchen to work in.

  How to Clean the Sink

  Baking soda is particularly effective for cleaning sinks. To prevent water stains from forming around the sink and drain, be sure to completely dry any leftover water after using it. You should also always empty out any food left over in the drain catcher. Do not leave this to be done the next day.

  How to Clean Cooking Utensils

  Soaking cooking utensils that have been burned or dirtied in the sink and leaving them until the next day is not acceptable. Wash immediately after use: this is the way of Zen monks. Dishes and other items that are more difficult to clean should first be rinsed with water (hot water is best) so as to loosen any stuck-on food, and then, using a metal scouring pad, scrubbed until clean. Baking soda is also effective when tackling pots and pans. Don’t forget to dry everything off when you are done.

  The Secret to Washing Dishes

  The most important thing about washing dishes is not to allow them to pile up. In order to do this:

  1. Visualize what kind of meal you are going to cook and do only the work necessary for this meal.

  2. Use any free time during the cooking process to wash dirtied dishes and tidy up the kitchen.

  If you are able to do these two things, the cooking process itself will become shorter, drastically reducing the amount of water you use for washing dishes, and also the amount of time you spend clearing up after a meal. Cleaning up after cooking will become a breeze.

  The Bathroom

  What comes to your mind when picturing a bathroom? Taking a nice soak in the bath after washing all of the day’s dirt away with the shower? Somewhere to relax after a hard day and refresh the spirit? I think that many people probably have this image in their mind.

  According to tradition, unsui monks of the Soto Zen sect must obey the ‘Three Mandas of Silence’, which forbid them to speak in three areas of the temple: the zodo hall (where monks meditate, eat and sleep), the yokusu (bathroom), and the tousu
(toilet).

  The one element that connects the Three Mandas of Silence is water. Water, the basis of all life, enters and circulates through our body before leaving it and becoming part of nature again in these three areas, and silence enables us to be mindful of the cycle of life. It is therefore very important to keep the hall, bathroom and toilet meticulously clean.

  The way in which a Japanese monk takes a bath is predetermined, with those just beginning on their path to enlightenment being accompanied by their elders to be instructed in it. Because of this, even when taking a bath you are always extremely aware of yourself. Before entering the bath itself you must wash your body thoroughly, making sure to remove all dirt. You do this in seiza, a posture in which the legs are bent at the knees and folded beneath one’s body. In order to save water monks collect it in a pail.

  At the temple, although there are baths large enough to accommodate up to ten people at once, the ideal is that even if 100 people were to enter the bath at the same time the water should remain clear like that of a river. The idea is to make as little noise as possible when entering the bath. Splashing around loudly when bathing breaks the silence and contributes to the waste of water.