Good morning!
We can still see the full moon of the spring equinox. The small song (小唄)
of Gion sings, “The moon is in the mist at Higashiyama, East Mountain,…”
Spring snow seeps into the air and the earth making mist and moistened ground.
So, this is the good time to sow seeds of spring season, pulling down broken
branches, pulling out plants and putting them into grounds.
The famous opening passage of the Tale of Heike tells, “The bell sound of Gion
Monastery sends the sound of all created things being impermanent.”
This is the good time to sow seeds of saving sentient beings, cultivating the fertile
ground of the awakened way and world, weeding and watering, so that we may
witness unconditioned peace and unsurpassed awakening.
3/29/13
Note: Gion (祇園) is the famous “Flower Town” in Kyoto named after the Jeta Vana,
Grove (Monastery), donated to the Buddha by Anāthapindada, Food Feeder for the
Deprived, first in exchange for the equal area of coins to the ground, but then given
by the Prince Jeta, who recognized the sincere wish of him. When I visited there,
there were beautiful flowers blossoming and many butterflies flying around them.
Song: http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/putisato/article?mid=16278
Dance: http://vimeo.com/52127630
Jetavana Monastery site with Ananda Bodhi tree (from Wikipedia’s Jetavana)