Good morning!
We heard strong winds blowing while sitting. This may be the First Spring (Haru
Ichiban: 春一番), clearing clouds so that we may see the full moon tonight. With it
we start settling into the spring equinox, equal in day and night, chill and heat,
thus called hi-gan (彼岸：yonder shore: nirvana). Then all starts to spring up –
plants and animals, especially plants with bulbs and buds, leaves and blossoms.
Crocuses, cherries, and other flowers bloom. Then, the Flower Festival, the Buddha’s
Birthday, comes.
The full moon represents the Buddha’s heart fully blown and blooming, clearly and
calmly illuminating the whole world. Last night TV Japan aired the program Science
Zero, which featured the space station. Satoshi Furukawa said that one can widen
one’s views in space. he had thought of his native place as being Japan, but after
staying in space for about a month he changed it to being the entire globe. He said
there is no war in space lest you are blown back by blowing someone else with the
same reaction force.
This year the Soto School will hold the Preliminary 650th Anniversary Ceremony for
Gasan Zenji, the Second Ancestor of its Head Temple Sojiji, followed by the 650th
Anniversary Ceremony next year. It will then hold the 700th Anniversary Ceremony
for Keizan Zenji, the Founder of Sojiji, and in between these two events it will have
many activities. Their main theme is “Sojo: Can you hear the footsteps?” Sojo (相承)
is mutual transmission of the true Dharma, or rather mutual maintenance
throughout limitless time and space.
The true Dharma of the Buddha has been rightly transmitted to us through so many
ancestors with the true awakening and unconditioned peace (nirvana) mutually
witnessed and upheld throughout ages and areas, mutually maintained in
responsibility for all throughout the cosmos in time and space. Keizan Zenji told
Gasan Zenji that if he did not know the two moons, he could not succeed to the
Dharma. Gasan Zenji strove hard and at last awakened by hearing the sound of
Keizan Zenji’s snapping fingers while sitting with the two moons, beautiful and
brilliant.
3/16/14
