Good morning!
Japan have now entered in the rainy season. Buddhists in India used to have the
Rain Retreat, which became Ango, Peaceful Retreat, for three months all over the
world. Ango is the time to have the intensive sitting and study for the Buddhist goal
of unconditioned peace, nirvana, and unsurpassed right, complete awakening,
anuttara samyak sambodhi. Anyone regardless of age, area, race, religion, gender,
genus, etc. can attain them with sincere striving.
Buddhas and Successors, being so merciful, made the great
gate of compassion open. This was to let all living beings
enter it for verification. Who, among human beings and
celestial beings, would hesitate to go through it? Even
though the retribution for the evil deeds of the Three Times
will be received without fail, repentance replaces a heavy
retribution with a lighter one and extinguishes and
purifies sins.
– Dogen, Shushogi, 修証義, Significance of Cultivation and Verification
Nirvana is supramundane, surpassing all mundane matters, maladies, and miseries
of money-ism, militarism, materialism, essentially coming from me-ism. It
transcends all samsara suffering of birth, breach, sickness, separation,
languishment, loss, disaster, death, etc. It realizes awakening in amrita, ambrosia of
immortality. Live on joy in the Dharma beyond home, job, even food in gratitude,
giving it to families, friends, flora, and fauna – all beings.
5/27/13
Note: Ango (安居, Safe/Comfortable Living/Residing) is the three month retreat with
intensive sitting, study, sewing, samu (作務, doing duty), ceremony, etc. now
practiced all over the world, started in India as its rainy season retreat (雨安居, u-
ango) lest wondering renunciants should disturb and destroy living beings and
system. The practice leader (Shuso, 首座) among monks have special duties, Dharma
combat-ceremony (hossen-shiki, 法戦-式 ), and can be fully ordained.
