‘In the study hall, do not keep things such as bows and arrows, spears and clubs, swords, or helmets and armor. Generally do not keep any military equipment. If someone stores short swords and the like, they must be expelled from the temple right away. Implements that violate prohibitions should never be brought into the study hall.’ (Eihei Shingi)
It is always fun to open Dogen’s Pure Standards at a random page to see what comes up. This is a salutary reminder that, while some aspects of monastic practice have not changed over the course of eight hundred years, I don’t recall there being any danger of this regulation being invoked at Tassajara…
Shundo David Haye 