New photo album: Fukui Prefecture, including Eiheiji Temple and Tojinbo.

This weekend was my fifth or sixth visit to Eiheiji Temple in Fukui Prefecture. At the end of the tour route is a modern reception room where visitors can drink free cups of hot tea and read bits of Zen philosophy printed on colorful posters. Two of these posters' short verses have long been stuck in my head.

The first applies well to current politics:

Righteous Religion
Too much devotion to one's own religion and slandering
other people's religions so the result is hatred and strife.
Is there any greater stupidity?
The righteous religion in every era is one that illuminates people
and leads to a peaceful way of life.
People of religion should never draw swords against each other.

The other captures Japanese culture rather brilliantly:

Illumination from Our Feet
Arranging our shoes neatly, we bring harmony to our minds,
when our minds are harmonious, we arrange shoes neatly.
If we arrange shoes neatly when we take them off,
our minds won't be disturbed when we put them on.
If someone leaves shoes in disarray,
let us silently set them to order.
Such an act surely will bring harmony
to the minds of people around the world.

Comments

[tomo]

thanks photomo, I appreciate that. I've always gotten along with other tomos. I think we're pretty cool people so no wonder you have so many in your life Karla. You have good taste in friends. Maybe I'm complimenting myself too much... this could go to tomo's heads. I wonder if we can create a club for tomos all over the world... "Tomos of the world, Unite!" ok i'm just going a little over the top at 4am. Anyhow, nice to meet you photomo, and nice photos.

[Karla]

That was easy. Not even a jan-ken!

Oddly, one of my best friends here in Japan is also named Tomo.

[photomo]

oh, i will change it. :-)

[tomo]

who's this other tomo? am i going to have to change my name on here?

[tomo]

beautiful photos from Japan! i loooove the "yukidaruma" one. :-)