Monshin

The American Debt Crisis through a Buddhist Lens

Monshin — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:04:26 +0000

Buddhist thought eschews duality. A perfect example of a dichotomous situation, a duality if you will, is the current debt ceiling crisis in Washington. Not all political issues are amenable to a Buddhist lens. This political issue is an example of where our faith tradition might advise us on a course of action.

. . . → Read More: The American Debt Crisis through a Buddhist Lens

Gyo 2011

Monshin — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:52:52 +0000

July 10, 2011 – After the 2011 Tendai-shu New York Betsuin Gyo and a short rest. He’s ba-a-ack . . . there was a hiatus on publishing a blog entry upon returning to the states from Japan. It is expected that the blog should come out every three or four days. Thank you for . . . → Read More: Gyo 2011

June 20th – Back in the States

Monshin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:44:37 +0000

TBI Crabapple in May

Travel back to the States was drama free. Trains in Japan, as usual, ran efficiently, flights were on time, and Tamami was waiting for me when I arrived in Albany, NY. My rule of thumb for travel between Japan and Canaan, NY, door to door, is that total travel . . . → Read More: June 20th – Back in the States

Reflections on Leaving Japan: Part 2

Jisen — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:10:23 +0000

This will be published as I am in flight back to the States. Japan Standard Time is 13 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time. One of the oddities of traveling from Japan to the East coast of the States is that I’m leaving Japan at 4 PM on June 14 and arriving in Washington . . . → Read More: Reflections on Leaving Japan: Part 2

Reflections on Leaving Japan: Part 1

Monshin — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:28:40 +0000

As I write this (11th of June) it is the three month anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. For those of us not in the tsunami and nuclear disaster area life goes on pretty normally. Concurrently there is always an undercurrent of awareness about the devastation which occurred three . . . → Read More: Reflections on Leaving Japan: Part 1

Japan 9 – Living in a 300 year old building.

Jisen — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:13:12 +0000

Living in a 300 year old building in an 820 year old temple is like being in a time warp. Driving from Chiba New Town Chuo train station to the Matsuzaki village and Tamonin Temple is like traveling back 60 or more years in 15 minutes. The taxi ride cost about $20, pretty inexpensive . . . → Read More: Japan 9 – Living in a 300 year old building.

Japan 8th Part 2 Tamonin Amidha-do

Jisen — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 13:03:50 +0000

In the previous blog I wrote about the Bishamonten-do. Today I’ll discuss the Amidha-do.

Amidha-do is the Kengyo (exoteric) hall and larger of the two buildings. The honzon in this hall is Amidha Nyorai, as the name implies, and it also houses, the lecture hall and the living quarters. It is about 50’ . . . → Read More: Japan 8th Part 2 Tamonin Amidha-do

Japan 7th – Tamonin Part 1 – Bishamonten-do

Jisen — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:58:38 +0000

Tamonin Part 1 – Bishamonten-do

One of the readers asked if I could write more about Tamonin. It is a good day to do so, danka (sangha members) started showing up yesterday morning about 7:30 for a clean-up / work day. It’s funny that sangha members at Tendai Buddhist Institute are doing the same . . . → Read More: Japan 7th – Tamonin Part 1 – Bishamonten-do

Japan 6th – Religious Observance

Jisen — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:19:50 +0000

A preface – This morning I received a brief message from Ryushin and Shingaku. The tornado that wreaked havoc through central Massachusetts was nearby, but they are uninjured. They are without electricity and the roads are still mostly impassable, but they are otherwise OK. Thanks for letting me know Ryushin.

The blog

The pattern . . . → Read More: Japan 6th – Religious Observance

Japan is a bathing culture.

Monshin — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:16:00 +0000

Japan is a bathing culture. Other bathing cultures include Korea, Turkey, Hungary and Finland, though I’ve not seen any literature about it, I would also include Iceland. The Romans, and Greeks were famous (or infamous) for their baths.

Especially captivating of Japanese use of o-furo (bath) is the onsen, or hot spring. These are . . . → Read More: Japan is a bathing culture.