FROM THE GARDEN OF ZEN: June 2024

June 18, 2024

Pond garden: Chishaku-in Temple (Kyoto)

The first time in half a year, I visited Kyoto just after the lively Hanami (cherry‐blossom viewing) season.

Chishaku-in Temple is the head temple complex of the Chizan School of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism, which is located in Higashi-yama (eastern mountain) district of Kyoto.

This tranquil pond garden, that is beautifully composed of an artificial mountain, stone arrangements, and a deep-green winding pond, is said to represent the mystical landscape of Mount Lushan and the Yangtze River in China.

The Chozubachi (stone washbasin) placed on the edge of the eaves modestly emphasizes the refined perspective of this mountain-and-water landscape.

This garden in front of the Hojyo (large study hall) has been designated as one of the gardens of scenic beauty which Sen-no-Rikyu is said to have been particularly fond. Sen-no-Rikyu is known as the founder of Wabi-cha (hermitage tea ceremony) and is called the greatest tea saint.

This tasteful landscape takes advantage of the topography of the slope at the foot of the Higashi-yama of Kyoto.

The various greeneries and flowers, which are changing ceaselessly at every season, keep adorning this miniature landscape surrounded by the mirror-like surface of the water, which must symbolically reflect the ever-changing aspects of nature and the timeless flux of our human minds.

Pond garden: Chishaku-in Temple (Kyoto)

The droplets of water falling intermittently from the gaps in the stonework strike the tranquil surface of the pond water to continue creating faint sounds and ripples.

The subtle sounds of the water drops suddenly break the stillness of the garden and, like the sharp impact of "Kyosaku" (Zen stick) in Zen meditation, break the slumber of the our minds and awake us to the meaning of stillness again.

The intricately arranged beautiful stones of this garden must represent the magnificent appearance of the abrupt canyons deep in the mountains.

The stone is a symbol of eternity, which maintains its form forever without being affected by anything. At the same time, the stone keeps transforming bit by bit like a living creature, changing its figure from moment to moment under the ever-changing sunlight, rain, wind, and snow.

Pond garden: Chishaku-in Temple (Kyoto)

Higashiyama of Kyoto is famous for the beauty of the Mid-autumn Moon. When the autumnal equinox approaches, the bright full moon rises high above this pond garden and reflect its serene moonlight on the still surface of the water.

On such a moonlit night, this narrow stone bridge over the pond would lead us to the island mountain, which is faintly illuminated by the clear moon and the twinkling light of the stone lantern.

This artificial mountain may symbolically represent Hourai island (Mount Penglai) which is the enchanted island of perpetual youth in Chinese mythology.

Pond garden: Chishaku-in Temple (Kyoto)

Pond garden: Sanjusangen-do Temple (Kyoto)

The golden yellow flowers of Yamabuki (Japanese rose) are quietly reflecting in the dark green pond that spreads out in front of the fresh vermilion cloister.

The pale pink blossoms of the weeping cherry are subtly swaying in the mild breeze as if to try to gently touch the stone arrangement which may symbolize the classic Shaka triad (a group of 3 Buddhist images composed of Shaka Nyorai flanked with 2 boddhisatvas).

What characterizes this graceful garden is thought to be the well-selected garden-rocks arranged artfully around the pond.

The garden, which has been recently restored, is based on the classical landscape gardening design, while at the same time it skillfully incorporate a certain modern expression that suggests the aesthetic sense common with contemporary sculptures.

Yae-zakura flowers: Sanjusangen-do Temple (Kyoto)

Sanjusangen-do Temple (hall) is renowned for the 1001 gilded images of Senju Kannon (thousand-armed bodhisattva of divine mercy) enshrined within it.

Kannon in Mahayana Buddhism is the young saint who remains in the human world as a Nirvana Buddha in order to compassionately save people and all living things from all kinds of suffering in this world.

The thousand-armed bodhisattva has the thousand arms for relieving a thousand kinds of pains and agonies in this world.

This temple is located in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto and is the prestigious Buddhist temple of the Tendai sect.

It was founded in 1164 by shogun Taira-no-Kiyomori for the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa. It is officially known as Rengeo-in Temple (lotus-king temple) and belongs to the Myoho-in (lotus-sutra temple) complex.