Yokoji-Zen Mountain Center

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Celebrating Vesak at Yokoji

May 26, 2013 by David Blackwell

David Blackwell Rev. David Jokai Blackwell
Yokoji Zen Mountain Center

Today we celebrated Vesak, the commemoration of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death. Renka and Enguetsu rose early to create a wonderful floral bower for the Buddha, depicted as a child pointing to Heaven and Earth and declaring "Below the Heavens and above the Earth, I alone am the world-honored one!"

During the ceremony, service participants ladled sweet tea over the Buddha child and the children present added more flowers. It was a joyful event with a palpable sense of celebration in the Buddha Hall.

Thank you to all those who worked so hard in preparation.

As the officiant, I composed and read the following poem:

The standard for all ages,
Gotama of the sun race practices with us still.
A life of comfort cast aside,
His great achievement is our great achievement.
Awakening countless beings,
A legacy written in the clear blue sky.
Shakyamuni Buddha, please accept these poor words:

The trail once blazed,
Winds ever on
Distant peaks stand merged
In summer's haze.

Jokai

Comments

  • alston:

    26 May 2013 18:32:35

    nice flowers. like the poem.


  • Jim:

    27 May 2013 08:26:58

    Beautiful words Jokai


  • Hui neng:

    10 Oct 2013 09:37:19

    Master’s trail was blazed
    Through eternal haze
    Distant peak’s submerged
    Beneath where you laze.

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