Good morning!
After a few solid, serene sittings, we can taste amrita, the ambrosia of immortality beyond samsara (vicissitudes in birth and death) and suffering here and now. Only by actual practice we can taste it. Only with actual practice and cultivation can we realize beauty, goodness, truth, and holiness.
When I came into this hall, I saw a beautiful flower at the altar, arranged according to practice in Japan, and smiled. Erin (恵林), one of our sangha members, visited Japan to practice at the international ango (peaceful living or residence) at Shogoji, which was created and started by Katagiri Roshi and Narasaki Roshis. I hope more people can participate in it in the future.
I also visited Japan to attend the annual conference and international symposium of the Global System Ethic Association as an initiator and adviser and, at the kind invitation of the former president, of the Japanese Association for Comparative Philosophy. I also went to visit Narasaki Tsugen Roshi and a number of other places.
We visited Tsugen Roshi at Zuioji, and traveled to Nara, the capital of Japan from 710 C.E., and Kyoto, the capital from 794 until about the time of Dogen’s birth. We visited many temples, meeting buddhas and bodhisattvas – living ones, and statues like the sun-light and moon-light and Avalokiteshvara bodhisattvas. We visited beautiful gardens and the remote countryside, meeting many very hospitable people.
Besides old beautiful cultural heritages we encountered another aspect of the new sad civilization brought by nuclear disaster. The small island country was recently swept by a huge tsunami and this artificial nuclear fire. This is not just another country’s story, but also ours here, with flooding at a Nebraska plant and a fire at Los Alamos, and of the whole globe.
The Buddha said that the world is on fire. Humans have spliced nukes to spawn hellish fire. After the Fukushima disaster 70% of the general public is against nuclear power, but 90% of the stockholders are still for it. So people must interconnect with each other to counter this power. People are serious about saving energy with new measures, shifting means, methods, day, time, etc.
The electricity we have is enough, with saving measures and renewable energy. People are now awakened to the danger of nuclear disasters, scared by radiation contamination, (environment, food, etc.), and familiar with new means of organizing, such as the Internet. People are disillusioned with the existing power systems and will deconstruct them.
When I came back from Japan, I found that a book containing Ryokan’s poems, accompanied by a Catholic nun’s responses to them, had been sent to me. There are always people like these, and eventually they become the keys to change society. Even though we cannot change society, we can change they way we live, and live our holy lives.
Junko-san, who happened to visit Zuioji from Hiroshima while we were there, invited us to tea and mentioned that Ryokan’s poem on butterflies coming to flowers is universally understood. I hope more people will appreciate nature, come, sit, taste amrita, and advance a step forward into our practice place, garden, and globe, enjoying holy (wholly/total) truth, goodness, and beauty.
7/3/11
