2015年08月30日 08:48
"SYOUEN" (nice active relativity)
Tuesday, August 25 ”Honey bees”
Early in the morning, when I opened the door of the hondou (the main building of the temple), a fresh and cool wind blew into the room. It was still dark outside, and autumn insects such as pine crickets were already chirping in the garden.
I heard there’s a big typhoon approaching the Kyushu area. I hope the damage won’t be so enormous.
After breakfast, I walked around the garden and found some weeds growing in the lawns. They are really strong to live.
Persimmon, jujube and Chinese citron, trees in the garden have borne a lot of fruit in recent years. I guess Japanese honeybees nested in the hole of the tree beside the temple entrance are helping them pollinate the flowers.
Four years ago, we tried to breed Japanese honey bees in a wooden beehive, but alas, many wasps attacked the beehive and they all went away. Perhaps, they would have nested in that hole.
Life of all beings is going with active relativity, Wasps attack honey bees in a wooden beehive, honey bees go away to make a new nest in the hole of tree, flying honey bees help pollinate the flowers, and we enjoy the fruit.
My life also has been going on with active relativity, and I feel lucky to have met only nice gentle people like honey bees until now.
SYOUEN≫
カテゴリー
"SYOUEN" (nice active relativity)
Tuesday, August 25 ”Honey bees”
Early in the morning, when I opened the door of the hondou (the main building of the temple), a fresh and cool wind blew into the room. It was still dark outside, and autumn insects such as pine crickets were already chirping in the garden.
I heard there’s a big typhoon approaching the Kyushu area. I hope the damage won’t be so enormous.
After breakfast, I walked around the garden and found some weeds growing in the lawns. They are really strong to live.
Persimmon, jujube and Chinese citron, trees in the garden have borne a lot of fruit in recent years. I guess Japanese honeybees nested in the hole of the tree beside the temple entrance are helping them pollinate the flowers.
Four years ago, we tried to breed Japanese honey bees in a wooden beehive, but alas, many wasps attacked the beehive and they all went away. Perhaps, they would have nested in that hole.
Life of all beings is going with active relativity, Wasps attack honey bees in a wooden beehive, honey bees go away to make a new nest in the hole of tree, flying honey bees help pollinate the flowers, and we enjoy the fruit.
My life also has been going on with active relativity, and I feel lucky to have met only nice gentle people like honey bees until now.
2015年08月17日 22:14
8月17日の記事≫
カテゴリー
Thursday, August 6
Cicadas are singing in the trees in my garden, and big white cumulonimbus are shining in the blue sky. Today is also a fine, tropical day, but it is too hot for us to work in the garden, weeding and cleaning.
Now I am also 68 and my wife is 62, so working in the temple garden becomes harder year by year, therefore sometimes I think of how we could lighten our work.
A few months ago, on Facebook, I had the luck to meet a master of weeding and cleaning the garden. His name is Ikegawa, I met him first more than 15 years ago in my Zen school. In those days he was the managing director of his father in law’s amusement company.
I guess that he was frustrated with his job and his father in law. Several years ago he left the company and became a master of weeding and cleaning the garden after practicing as an apprentice.
Of course, soon, I asked him to help us to weed and clean the garden. The day before yesterday, in the morning, he came to my temple with his young assistant. “Hello, Mukaisan! Nice to see you. How have you been?”
He said with a smiling, sunburnt face. He looked very happy and vigorous, I also felt happy to meet such a nice old friend.
It was a very hot and humid day, but they worked eagerly and carefully the whole day. Now my temple’s garden is well cleaned and beautiful.
In Dogen’s story Tenzo said, “Other people are not me”,
but, now I can say “Other people are me.”
Cicadas are singing in the trees in my garden, and big white cumulonimbus are shining in the blue sky. Today is also a fine, tropical day, but it is too hot for us to work in the garden, weeding and cleaning.
Now I am also 68 and my wife is 62, so working in the temple garden becomes harder year by year, therefore sometimes I think of how we could lighten our work.
A few months ago, on Facebook, I had the luck to meet a master of weeding and cleaning the garden. His name is Ikegawa, I met him first more than 15 years ago in my Zen school. In those days he was the managing director of his father in law’s amusement company.
I guess that he was frustrated with his job and his father in law. Several years ago he left the company and became a master of weeding and cleaning the garden after practicing as an apprentice.
Of course, soon, I asked him to help us to weed and clean the garden. The day before yesterday, in the morning, he came to my temple with his young assistant. “Hello, Mukaisan! Nice to see you. How have you been?”
He said with a smiling, sunburnt face. He looked very happy and vigorous, I also felt happy to meet such a nice old friend.
It was a very hot and humid day, but they worked eagerly and carefully the whole day. Now my temple’s garden is well cleaned and beautiful.
In Dogen’s story Tenzo said, “Other people are not me”,
but, now I can say “Other people are me.”
2015年08月17日 21:48
8月17日の記事≫
カテゴリー
Friday, July 31
I got up at 5am this morning, and I went out to sweep the garden soon after washing my face and brushing my teeth. The last night’s weather forecast on TV said that it would be very hot and humid today, so I tried to finish sweeping as soon as I could.
When I was working hard to sweep the garden, I suddenly remembered Zen Master Dogen’s famous story as follows.
In China, he saw an old, hunched tenzo (head cook or kitchen master) drying shiitake mushrooms in the heat of the sun.
Here is a re-creation of their conversation:
Dogen: How old are you?
Tenzo: Sixty-eight years.
Dogen: Wow, you're old! Why don't you get an assistant to dry the mushrooms?
Tenzo: Other people are not me.
Dogen: But why do this now when the sun is so hot?
Tenzo: (smiling) If not now, when?
I got up at 5am this morning, and I went out to sweep the garden soon after washing my face and brushing my teeth. The last night’s weather forecast on TV said that it would be very hot and humid today, so I tried to finish sweeping as soon as I could.
When I was working hard to sweep the garden, I suddenly remembered Zen Master Dogen’s famous story as follows.
In China, he saw an old, hunched tenzo (head cook or kitchen master) drying shiitake mushrooms in the heat of the sun.
Here is a re-creation of their conversation:
Dogen: How old are you?
Tenzo: Sixty-eight years.
Dogen: Wow, you're old! Why don't you get an assistant to dry the mushrooms?
Tenzo: Other people are not me.
Dogen: But why do this now when the sun is so hot?
Tenzo: (smiling) If not now, when?
2011年07月14日 22:45
Living Buddhas.≫
カテゴリー
We had a devastating earthquake and a big Tsunami in northeastern Japan this year. I was in my temple when the earthquake hit, I felt dizzy and had to sit down. My first thoughts were that it came from overwork as I was doing so much in those days and because the movement was so slow and a little too long. Soon I knew from the television reports that it was a big earthquake one of the worst kinds of natural disasters.
In April our Shinryukai called for donations in order to start volunteer works to support the disaster victims. Soon a substantial amount of money had been donated not only in Japan but also from Oi Roshi’s German Zen Samgha disciples. In all it was more than 5,000,000 yen . I really appreciated their kindness. We have already supplied meals, such as Zenzai(sweet red-bean soup with rice cakes) and Donburi( Japanese "rice bowl dish" ), and some other foodstuffs. The money which is left over we will contribute to the building of a nursing institute for the earthquake orphans. I also visited Rikuzentakata and Kesennuma which are on thei Northern Pacific coast to participate in volunteer works with my friend Osyo. We carried mud out from under the floors and generally cleared up in private houses. We worked from 9 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon making sure to take proper rests. Having finished our work we also felt our hearts become clear and warm.
The Great Earthquake and Tsunami left immeasurable scars across northeastern Japan on unprecedented scale. But we Japanese shall overcome this catastrophe. They said that before any guidance came from local governments some of the residents naturally started to organize relief activities and demonstrate soft leadership. Despite the gravity of the disaster people did not appear devastated. They were and are maintaining their presence of mind and standing firm to help each other in harmony.
While the earthquake was natural disaster, the nuclear accident was man-made.
The following article in Jiji-tsusins (Jiji Press is a news agency in Tokyo) descibes that men of Samurai sprits are now living in Japan.
“Tokyo Electric Company asked different cooperative firms for help in finding volunteers who would literally be a suicide squad to do the technical work inside the atomic power plant. One of the volunteers who had been working at an atomic power plant in West Japan for 40 years volunteered saying he would have only one year till his retirement and his children were grown up now. His family couldn’t dissuade him. He is quiet but firm in his determination that such a difficult job should be done by veterans like him. His daughter said this is a side of her father that she has never seen before.
The next day, 20 more volunteers left their homes for this mission as if it was just a usual morning of going to work.”
Zen Master Lin-chi said "Followers of the Way, as I look at it, we're no different from Shakyamuni. In all our various activities each day, is there anything we lack? The wonderful light of the six faculties has never for a moment ceased to shine”.
Really these Japanese people are living Buddhas. They are demonstrating Buddha nature of Prajna wisdom and Compassion.
The Tibetan Meditation Master Chogyam Trungpa also said “Prajna is a very clear, precise and intelligent state of being.
Compassion is the open atmosphere in which Prajna sees. Compassion contains fundamental fearlessness, fearlessness without hesitation.”
About Shinryukai
Shinryukai received its name from Oi Rhoshi who took two words, “Shin”(firewood)and “ryu”(stream), from the poem ”Student Life at Keirinso” written by Hirose Tanso(1782-1856). a Confucian scholar living in Hita who founded the private academy Keirinso which produced many talented and renowned people. The motto of Shinryukai is “aspiration to enlightenment and salvation of humankind”.
In April our Shinryukai called for donations in order to start volunteer works to support the disaster victims. Soon a substantial amount of money had been donated not only in Japan but also from Oi Roshi’s German Zen Samgha disciples. In all it was more than 5,000,000 yen . I really appreciated their kindness. We have already supplied meals, such as Zenzai(sweet red-bean soup with rice cakes) and Donburi( Japanese "rice bowl dish" ), and some other foodstuffs. The money which is left over we will contribute to the building of a nursing institute for the earthquake orphans. I also visited Rikuzentakata and Kesennuma which are on thei Northern Pacific coast to participate in volunteer works with my friend Osyo. We carried mud out from under the floors and generally cleared up in private houses. We worked from 9 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon making sure to take proper rests. Having finished our work we also felt our hearts become clear and warm.
The Great Earthquake and Tsunami left immeasurable scars across northeastern Japan on unprecedented scale. But we Japanese shall overcome this catastrophe. They said that before any guidance came from local governments some of the residents naturally started to organize relief activities and demonstrate soft leadership. Despite the gravity of the disaster people did not appear devastated. They were and are maintaining their presence of mind and standing firm to help each other in harmony.
While the earthquake was natural disaster, the nuclear accident was man-made.
The following article in Jiji-tsusins (Jiji Press is a news agency in Tokyo) descibes that men of Samurai sprits are now living in Japan.
“Tokyo Electric Company asked different cooperative firms for help in finding volunteers who would literally be a suicide squad to do the technical work inside the atomic power plant. One of the volunteers who had been working at an atomic power plant in West Japan for 40 years volunteered saying he would have only one year till his retirement and his children were grown up now. His family couldn’t dissuade him. He is quiet but firm in his determination that such a difficult job should be done by veterans like him. His daughter said this is a side of her father that she has never seen before.
The next day, 20 more volunteers left their homes for this mission as if it was just a usual morning of going to work.”
Zen Master Lin-chi said "Followers of the Way, as I look at it, we're no different from Shakyamuni. In all our various activities each day, is there anything we lack? The wonderful light of the six faculties has never for a moment ceased to shine”.
Really these Japanese people are living Buddhas. They are demonstrating Buddha nature of Prajna wisdom and Compassion.
The Tibetan Meditation Master Chogyam Trungpa also said “Prajna is a very clear, precise and intelligent state of being.
Compassion is the open atmosphere in which Prajna sees. Compassion contains fundamental fearlessness, fearlessness without hesitation.”
About Shinryukai
Shinryukai received its name from Oi Rhoshi who took two words, “Shin”(firewood)and “ryu”(stream), from the poem ”Student Life at Keirinso” written by Hirose Tanso(1782-1856). a Confucian scholar living in Hita who founded the private academy Keirinso which produced many talented and renowned people. The motto of Shinryukai is “aspiration to enlightenment and salvation of humankind”.
2011年07月14日 22:19
What is Zen and how to pracice Zen≫
カテゴリー
In our life there are the two aspects of body and mind. Our aim in practicing zazen is to realize oneness of body and mind, and ultimately to enter the state of “Samadhi”. We also call this state “ Dhyaana”. “Samadhi” and “ Dhyaana” are old Indian words. We translated these into Japanese as Zanmai and Zen-jyo. In this state of “Samadhi”，you are happy and at peace, you see that just “Being” without getting something special is happiness, your true and pure self is happy by nature.
How to practice Zen in life.
For example, when you stand in the baseball batter’s box to hit the ball, you take up a batting stance(form) with your body. But, if you are thinking about yesterday’s quarrel with your girl friend “Sally” in the batter’s box, your body and mind are separate and you cannot hit well.
You say “Oho Sally I am sorry!”
We call this “Hosin 放心” in Japanese. It means absence of mind.
If your mind is always separate from body, you cannot live a real life and you could become mentally ill. On the other hand, when you take up a nice correct batting stance with your body, your mind also becomes only “batting mind” of here and now. Then you will hit a home runs like our great japanese baseball players Matsui and Ichiro. This is positive “Samadhi” batting. When your body and mind come together as oneness in every situation, you will be able to exercise fully your ability to attain intuition and to realize a sound and happy life day by day.
Posted by Kossan at 23:15 1 comments メールで送信
How to practice Zen in life.
For example, when you stand in the baseball batter’s box to hit the ball, you take up a batting stance(form) with your body. But, if you are thinking about yesterday’s quarrel with your girl friend “Sally” in the batter’s box, your body and mind are separate and you cannot hit well.
You say “Oho Sally I am sorry!”
We call this “Hosin 放心” in Japanese. It means absence of mind.
If your mind is always separate from body, you cannot live a real life and you could become mentally ill. On the other hand, when you take up a nice correct batting stance with your body, your mind also becomes only “batting mind” of here and now. Then you will hit a home runs like our great japanese baseball players Matsui and Ichiro. This is positive “Samadhi” batting. When your body and mind come together as oneness in every situation, you will be able to exercise fully your ability to attain intuition and to realize a sound and happy life day by day.
Posted by Kossan at 23:15 1 comments メールで送信
