i got rice from my friend today.

compared with other developed countries, Japan is far more dependent on imported foodstuffs, as i wrote about bananas the day before.

Rice is the principal crop in Japan.
In Eiheiji, we eat rice 3 times a day.
We put rice in the main bowl when we eat in the temple.

I keep on eating rice everytime in the life in Tokyo.
How to eat rice is really important for Japan to feed itself without imports.

dozoyoroshu

when you live in Tokyo, you have to face the stress of urban life.

when i feel "the stress of Tokyo", i feel like eating a junk food.
even if it's after 6 o'clock.

instead of eating, i force myself to sit Zazen, and once i'm in the Lotus posture, i can feel what i really want to.
what my body really want to have.

that is a first step to face the stress of urban life.

Dozo yoroshu

not only studying buddhism by using internet, let's put it into practice!
Knom(IBA) and Machiori(japanese page) will have a meeting in Asakusa, Tokyo next month.

we will walk around Asakusa with priests, and experience Zazen, Calligraphy, and Japanese buddhist style meals.

please refer to the link below for the details.

http://machiori.jp/en/iba.html

dozo yoroshu

i bought a bunch of bananas at a supermarket today.

the bananas are from Philippine and costs 128 yen.
however, a bunch of bananas from inside Japan costs 398 yen.

odd banana's...

there's a Mickey Mouse Exhibition in Shibuya.
Most of the art works are splendid, but i found some "simple air” in these dishes.

life in Eiheiji is really simple, but very functional.
after leaving Eiheiji, i found beauty in simple works.

i always wear GETA, the japanese traditional wooden sandals.

when i ride on my bike, i also wear my Geta.
it's cold these days and my toes feel so cold, especially my fourth toe.

i haven't had Shuku, rice porridge, for a week since i was in such a busy days.

i had it today.

it made my stomach clean and energetic.

i just felt it's like testing a liquid with a litmus paper.

dozoyoroshu

If you are brought up in the room with a TV, a Fridge, a Washing Machine, you may think you can't endure the life without them.

I don't watch TV, don't have a Fridge or Washing Machine in my place.
I can walk to the supermarket and i can wash my clothes with a Wash Board.

Of course, if i really "need" to get something, i'll have it.
but i try not to fill my room with "things".

if you are free from "things". you will fill up with something else

dozo yoroshu

BBA(bouz be ambitious), the inter school young priests conference took place the day before.
More than 40 young priests, from all over Japan, got together at Seisho-ji in Tokyo.

We discussed about funeral buddhism. Just hearing many stories from different schools were so much fun to me. as an Unsui, i don't have much chance to take part in a funeral right now, but i have to learn more about it.

dozo yoroshu.

i had a chance to be given a lecture from Dalai Lama the 14th.
here's a quick report of his lecture by Yuzuki(sorry... only in Japanese)

as he told, he, himself was really "ordinary person".
however, his behavior on the stage was so vivid, enegetic and full of humor.
i saw him waving his body from beginning to end. i wonder if he felt the stress of Tokyo life...

at the end of the lecture, there was a "Q & A" time.
since i had to leave on time, i couldn't ask him a question.

i wish i could talk to him in the near future...

dozo yoroshu

• self sufficient
• sitting Zazen at night
• spend a day to understand japanese culture and buddhism
• Bananas
• Mickey mouse in Tokyo
• toes
• rice porridge
• live without "things"
• BBA 11th
• Dalai Lama the 14th

2008:

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