A MONK’S GUIDE TO ZEN CLEANING

DAILY housework needn’t just be about cleaning. Here, SHOUKEI MATSUMOTO explains how . . .

TIME TO MAKE DO AND MEND

FABRIC that no longer fulfils its purpose is made into dust cloths. Treasuring objects until they can not be repurposed is at the heart of Buddhism.

HOLD ON TIGHT TO YOUR CROCKERY

IN ZEN monasteries, to drop a bowl on the ground is such a great sin that the person responsible must apologise to all the elder monks. Dishes must be carefully held in both hands, showing that you take care of everything you hold.

DO YOUR LAUNDRY RELIGIOUSLY

LAUNDRY needs to be done every day. Wash. Dry. Fold. Put away. If you do this, you will look neat and no longer require a large amount of clothes.

DON’T FORGET TO SHUT THAT DOOR

SHUT any drawer or cabinet door you have opened.

This not only helps to prevent dust from coming into contact with tableware, but symbolises the efforts made to organise one’s own heart.

NO GETTING OUT OF THE WASHING UP

‘ZENGOSAIDAN’ is a Zen expression that means ‘Don’t put it off till tomorrow.’ Leaving dirty utensils in the sink until the next day is not acceptable. Wash immediately: this is the way of Zen monks.

JUST A CRUMB COULD MEAN MURDER

AVOID killing living things. If you leave crumbs on the table or don’t take out the rubbish, insects will naturally emerge. Cleaning up properly is thus the first step towards abstaining from killing insects.

A MONK’S Guide To A Clean House And Mind by Shoukei Matsumoto is published by Penguin Books, priced at £4.99. To order a copy, visit mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640. P&P is free on orders over £15.