FROM THE GARDEN OF ZEN: October 2019

October 17, 2019

Statue of Birushana butsu (Vairocana) : Engaku-ji (Butsuden)

In the Buddha hall filled with deep tranquility, Birushana Buddha is sitting and shining still on a lotus pedestal with a gracious look of wisdom in the pale light calmly streaming in through the windows.

According to Avatamsaka Sutra (the Flower Garland Sutra), Birushana Buddha (Vairocana or the shining one) originates from the sun god and is regarded as the central deity of the universe.

Birushana Buddha mercifully lightens up all things in the universe with his light of supreme wisdom and compassion. This universe is called "Rengezo Sekai", which means the paradise created by billions of Buddhas sitting on lotus flowers.

Statue of Jizo-bosatsu: Kencho-ji (Butsuden)

Statue of Jizo-bosatsu: Kencho-ji (Butuden)

Jizo Bosatsu is one embodiment of Kannon Bosatsu (Kannon Bodhisattva) who devotes himself to relieve all living things in this world of suffering.

He has a youthful monk-like figure holding Shakujo (priest's staff) in his right hand and Hoju (sacred gem) in his left hand.

He travels everywhere on foot with his staff to find agonizing people in the land of the living and compassionately relieves them by presenting his great wisdom (sacred gem). Furthermore, he goes into hell to rescue all lost souls from the flames of hell.

Statue of Shokannon: Engaku-ji (Oubai-in)

Buddha descends from his pure land to our earthly realm to save all living things universally. He transforms himself into various figures of "Kannon Bosatsu" to pityingly fulfill the diverse wishes of the distressed.

"Kannon" means the deity of mercy who can see through all things in this universe and "Bosatsu" means an avatar of Buddha who devotes himself to spiritually relieve all living creatures from this world of agony.

Shokannon Bosatsu is the most fundamental shape of Kannon Bosatsu and has a modest human-like figure. He wears the jeweled crown in which a small avatar of Amitabha is enshrined and he has a sacred lotus flower in his left hand as the symbol of his divine wisdom and mercy.

Statue of Shaka-nyorai: Tokei-ji

"Buddha is waiting on the other shore; that is, His world of Enlightenment, wherein there is no greed, no anger, no ignorance, no suffering, no agony, but where there are only the light of wisdom and the rain of compassion."

(Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai. "The Relief Offered by Buddha." Japanese-English, The Teaching of Buddha. 1272nd edition (2009). pp. 468. Tokyo: Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai.)