Autumnal tints: Engaku-ji

In front of the imperial envoy gate decorated with exquisite wooden carvings, the old cherry tree, which was in full bloom the last spring, has lost their leaves completely and is quietly ready for surviving the harsh winter.

In the declining sun of the early winter, the autumnal leaves of the maple tree are vibrantly presenting their vivid flaming colors to the full before their gradual falling, as if to emit the blazing radiance of the sinking sun in the evening sky.

The seasons always continue changing rapidly like our fleeting lives. The living things around me have begun to quiet down and prepare for the coming grim winter as always.

Insects and birds are secretly disappearing somewhere to protect themselves from harsh winter. Trees and plants are shedding their leaves for passing the long cold season and are patiently waiting for their regrowth in the next spring.

Autumnal tints: Engaku-ji

In Japan, the scarlet maple leaves in autumn and the pale pink cherry blossoms in spring have long fascinated people with their striking splendor and transitoriness since the period called the Heian (794-1185).

They have been traditionally respected as the most essential aesthetic subjects of "Mono no aware," which is Japanese inherent feeling of sadness or pathos about our fleeting world. 

Autumnal leaves and cherry blossoms have been historically presented in various Japanese classical literature and fine arts and crafts.

In traditional Japanese expression, the vivid beauty of autumn leaves can be compared to the silk fabric “Nishiki” (brocade). Nishiki is a general term for brilliant silk fabrics in which the ground color and pattern are woven together with various colored threads.

In the glow of the autumn afternoon, the colorful leaves of Momiji (maple tree) are sparkling radiantly as if to try to crown their last glory.

Autumnal tints: Engaku-ji

A blaze of autumn leaves is covering the approach to the modest wooden gate leading to the Shariden (reliquary hall, National Treasure) and the Zen Dojo (training hall) of this old Zen temple. This gate is always closed not to allow outsiders to interfere with the quiet practice in the Zen Dojo.

The handwriting on the left wood plate hung on this gate reads "We advocate the Rinzai Roku." The Rinzai Roku is a collection of words by Rinzai Gigen (?-867), the founder of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. 

It has long been regarded as the most important scripture of the Rinzai sect and has been read as an essential model for Zen practitioners. 

Rinzai asserted the principle of "Furyu-monji," which is the notion that the status of enlightenment cannot be expressed in characters or discourses. In addition to this, he emphasized "Shishi-sosho," that is, the teachings and the way of Buddhism must handed down intuitively from a teacher to a disciple without words or letters in a mind-to-mind way by the use of "Koan" or "Zen mondo (Zen riddle)."

The the handwriting on right wood plate reads "the Dojo (training hall) dedicated to the Rinzai school."

The small black wood plate says that the strictest Zen practice called "Rohatsu Sessin" is currently being carried out in the Zen Dojo.

"Rohatsu Sesshin" is a Zazen practice held in memory of the Sakyamuni Buddha's enlightenment on the eighth day of December.

”Rohatsu” refers to the month of December and the eighth day of this month, and “Sesshin” means “to gather the mind”. In many Zen Dojo, it take places from the first day to the morning of the eighth day of December and is considered to be the most demanding period of training.

During Rohatsu Sesshin, the doors of the Zen hall are all closed and trainee monks must concentrate on Zazen meditation. A 45-minutes Zazen session and a 10-minutes sutra practice are repeated throughout the day and night.

Autumnal tints: Engaku-ji

Like a magnificent canopy for a Buddha hall, the brilliant cinnabar leaves of autumn are solemnly decorating the small shrine dedicated to a wooden statue of Sho Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokitesvara-bodhisattva).

Sho Kannon is one of the Avalokitesvara-bodhisattvas and saves the distressed people who are lost on the road to hell. He is always watching those people to surely save them in the blink of an eye at the voice of a call for help. 

When saving the afflicted, this "Sho Kannon" transforms into various forms, such as the Avalokitesvara Kannon (Thousand-armed Avalokitesvara), the Eleven-faced Kannon (Eleven-faced Avalokitesvara), the 33-faced Kannon (Thirty-three-faced Avalokitesvara) and so on, according to the types of salvation. To distinguish it from these transformed Avalokitesvaras, this archetypal deity is called "Sho Kannon" (Sacred Avalokitesvara).

With a heart of great wisdom and compassion, this Sho Kannon seems to be gazing calmly at the shining autumnal leaves that will soon fall and melt into the earth. He knows that all things are in a state of flux through the endless circle of birth, death and rebirth.

Autumnal tints: Engaku-ji

 

Autumnal tints: Engaku-ji

 

Autumnal tints: Engaku-ji

 

Autumnal tints: Engaku-ji

 

Autumnal tints: Jyochi-ji

 

Autumnal tints: Jyochi-ji

 

Autumnal tints: Jyochi-ji

In front of the austere Butsu-den (Buddha Hall), the leaves of an old ginkgo tree have already turned bright yellow and are adorning this small hall, like the golden robes which grace the wooden statues of Amitabha triad enshrined in this hall.

The wood plate hung on the facade is inscribed with "Donge-den," which means "the precious temple like an Udonge flower." Udonge is a mythical and legendary plant of India and is said to bloom once every 3,000 years.

Autumnal tints: Eisho-ji

 

Autumnal tints: Jyuhuku-ji

 

Autumnal tints: Kencho-ji

 

Autumnal tints: Tsurugaoka-hachimangu

 

Autumnal tints: Kencho-ji

Autumnal tints: Chojyu-ji

 

Sunset：Yuigahama-beach

With the arrival of late autumn, in which graceful autumn foliage begins, the clear and crystal air and the beautiful and ever-flowing clouds are dominating the sky overwhelmingly.

The gradually setting sun beyond the horizon is definitely painting the evening sky in front of eyes with the transient and subtle colors.

The rapidly changing lights of the setting sun are creating the glorious feast of colours with their endless delicate gradations. Such gradations of colours and sunlights are changing swiftly from moment to moment to let us awake to the very prompt transitoriness of our lives in this vast universe. 

See the rapidly sinking sun over the sea. This spectacle poignantly enlightens us all about our impermanence more than any other doctrine.

Sunset：Yuigahama-beach

The glow of the sunset is creating various bright colours with continuous gradations over the horizon. This exquisite tones of colour and light are changing constantly every second and are creating the remarkable moments of beauty that I can encounter only once in my life time.

The bright evening sun, which is silently and ceaselessly setting, are tinting the evening sky over the sea with varied glowing colors through the thick layers of atmosphere. 

The fine and delicate colours and tones, like those of Monet's paintings of impressionism, are constantly undergoing swift transformation before my eyes. 

They subtly keep changing while being accompanied by the soft sounds of the sea wind and undulating waves, and continue to create the radiant scapes of light and darkness on the far horizon.

　

I wish this incredible moment of the sunset could last forever, but, I know, in our transient world, that is impossible.

Sunset：Yuigahama-beach

 

Sunset：Yuigahama-beach

The evening sea breeze is flowing slowly over the calm surface of the sea, which is illuminated by the soft scarlet light of the setting sun pouring down through the thick moving clouds. The fine ripples of the sea are shinning faintly like the glossy silk fabric which covers the open sea.

A lone seagull was standing still on the edge of the waves and gazing at me as if to try to say something important just before flying away swiftly.