moss carpets, Bodhisattva and enterprising monks There are places where I can not get enough. One is the Saihoji 西 芳 寺 岚山 in Arashiyama, Kyoto 京都. A large area landscape garden, which shall in its entirety, a multicolored carpet of moss is covered. One has the feeling of being in a breathing masterpiece. With 120 species of moss bring any light out new shades. Here are some impressions:
The second place that keeps me always on tenterhooks with his mysterious light and its centuries-old history is the necropolis of the Temple Mount Koyasan 高 野山 south of Osaka 大阪. The hillside cemetery avenues are lined with ancient Rotsicheltannen (sugi 杉), on the basis of weathered Jizo statues (地 蔵 菩萨) should be. Although it is located in a place of death, the atmosphere is in no way scary or morbid. It has rather a feeling of solemn silence. The Jizo, who in many forms, such as rough stones; Satuenpyramiden appears in tribes or used ghost figures, totemic figure of Japan is absolute. In fact, it is with him to the Indian bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, which should comfort the believers as a stepping stone bodhisattva until the coming of the new Buddha. He also drew Wandermoench traditionally considered by the 6 Hoellenbereiche order with his luminous gem wish the fallen entities the way into higher realms of existence to white. In Japan, he has some still has this feature, but in the Middle Ages the function over the Comforter of mothers who had lost their children or had an abortion. At the same time pray but still expectant mothers for a good birth or comfort their crying babies with blessed water from Jizo-sources (eg Yonakisen 夜 泣 泉 in Sanjusangendo 三十 三 间 堂, Kyoto). Besides, he is responsible in Kyoto for a toothache and eye problems.原 to the former Edo Richtstaette in Kozukappara 小 冢 (now in Minamisenju 南 千 住, Tokyo), there is still a great Kubikiri jizoson 首 斩 地 蔵 尊 ("decapitation-Ksitigarbha"), which should appease the spirits of the beheaded. Totem, obstetricians, ENT Doctors Hoellenwanderer - no Bodhisattva Japan has more of Buddhism from India and also attributed to so many different tasks get, as the Japanese Jizo. To date, it will be children's toys, donated red Haekelmuetzchen and bib, which will include pacify the spirits of the dead wrong.
Here are some pictures from the necropolis of Koyasan (1-3: Jizo statues, 4: Graeber):
is also on the Koyasan is the largest rock garden in Japan, in Kongobuji 金刚峰 寺:
As befits Japan, mixes here too bizarre / cute with the sacred. Adjacent to a large temple, which the dead Burma intends to place a condom vending machine (note the wonderful brand name) and a Grabsteinhaendler with a penchant for Walt Disney:
The most extraordinary spiritual experience
this week was the Buddhist temple in the house Sutrenrezitation the hostel. After a good minute 40th Song and prayer was the abbot to the front, leave the name in front of the recently deceased and had immediately the stall next to the altar, where sutras, incense and other devotional objects were for the salvation of the departed just sold. At this point, one would now expect a lesson (Seppo 说法), instead of the good abbot made once vigorously promote the hot springs around the corner and the other sights of the mountain, before finishing with the comment "we try to Koyasan to protect the environment and keep the water clean. I wondered then, is whether the entire ceremony was sponsored by Fujitsu. This brings back memories of the priest in his youth, which made it very clear after the blessing on the collection plate at the church gate.
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