To My Friends

Since the most devastating earthquake and Tsunami hit the Northeastern Japan on March 11th, the worst scenario has been rewritten every minute. Now nobody knows what will come next.  My heart is being rent.  Fortunately I live in Nara far away from the epicenter and these disasters could have happened anywhere in Japan. While watching TV news, I find myself not listening nor watching but just sitting there. For the time being, I 'll be absent from my blog.
How I have appreciated your warm concerns about my country and the people! How encouraging it is that global rescue teams are arriving one after another!  My deepest gratitude to you and the world.

This is a beautiful sunset. A small silhouette is the roof with a pair of "Shibi"s, of Great Buddha Hall of Todai-ji Temple.

Amida Buddha resides in  the Western Pure Land of the Buddhist universe and welcomes the people who pray to Amida Buddha by name. So in  olden days, children who lost their parents would join their hands and pray to the sunset, thinking "Father is over there, Mother is over there."

The superintendent of Todai-ji Temple made the special announcement to tell us to do three things.
1.  "Pray for the souls of the dead."
2. " Think about the people in suffering and share the sufferings."
3. " Find what you can do and do your best to help recovery."

Now we are finding what we can do.