Pray for Tohoku, 3.11

On March 11th, 2011, devastating earthquake hit Tohoku Region of Japan. The great earthquake triggered Tsunami and leakage of radiation from the destroyed nuclear power plants.  15,881 people were killed, 6,142 people were injured, and 2,668 people were missing. A number of people have still been tormented.

Yesterday (on March 10th) I was in Todai-ji Temple.  It  was a rainy day, but around a sunset it stopped. Sunlight came out of thick dark rain clouds.  The sunlight looked as if benevolent saving hands of Kannon Bodhisattva, Buddhist deity of mercy and compassion, had reached us and given hope.

The big roof in silhouette is the one of Great Buddha Hall of Todai-ji Temple.

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Great Buddha, Great Cleaning

Once you see the Great Buddha of Todai-ji temple 東大寺 in Nara, you will be overwhelmed by the magnitude. The great Buddha  is 15 meters tall and the largest bronze Buddhist statue in the world. 

His face is 5.3 meters long.  He is the Cosmic Buddha, 

representing the infinite universe.

 "Ceremony of Cleaning the Great Buddha" is held every year on August 7th . The Great Buddha takes a bath once a year. This is a good chance to see in person how huge the Buddha is! 

Before the cleaning ceremony, a special ritual is held to remove the soul of Great Buddha.  So that stomping on his  head,  slapping his face to wipe off dust with dusters and mops won't be blasphemous. 

About 150 priests, worshipers and volunteers clad in white are honored to clean the Great Buddha and collect at least 10 buckets of dust.

"A Voyage to Lilliput" in  "Gulliver's Travels"??         

That tickles! 

                         
The history of the Great Buddha is the history of destruction and restoration. The most part of the pedestal is the original cast in 752. The torso dates back to 1580. And the head was newly cast in 1692.  That's why his face is more black and shining compared with his body. There is the time difference of about 100 years between the face and the body.

 His hand is more than 2.5 meters long.

This is a secret door to climb up to the top of the head. 

The door is at the lower back.  The inside of the Great Buddha is hollow 

and the huge wooden frames are inserted to support the statue.

5 meter tall lotus flower

The great cleaning is finished. Now Great Buddha becomes more handsome and is happily smiling. 

They are going home.

Lotus flowers are symbolic and divine flowers in Buddhism. Event though lotus flowers grow in muddy ponds, the stalks rise high above the ponds and the flowers bloom purely.

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More Loudly They Cry, More Healthy They Grow Up!

"The Second Month Ceremony  （修二会）" is the most exciting one in Nara,  well known as Torch Ceremony or Water Drawing Ceremony. Eleven Buddhist priests are confined to February Hall of Todai-ji Temple and perform strict rituals following precise schedule for two weeks ( March 1st to March 14th). The ceremony has been held since 752 without interruption!  The core of the ceremony is the repentance held in front of  eleven-faced Kannon (十一面観音）, Buddhist deity of compassion and mercy . Eleven priests pray to Kannon for peace, happiness, welfare, good health, good weather and harvest on behalf of all the people of the world.

Torch Ceremony is part of Second Month Ceremony.

On March 15th, a lot of children are climbing up the stone steps to February Hall .

On 15th March , one day after the two-week long  second month ceremony was completed, the special event "Cap Dattan-bo, 韃靼帽いただかせ”　is held for children in February Hall.  A precious cap called Dattan-bo is symbolically  put on  the head of a child. The caps of the same type were worn by the priests while they were performing the unique ritual. The children who wear Dattan-bo are promised to grow up healthy and strong. Many children start crying  loudly, but do not worry. Because it is said more loudly children cry, more healthy they grow up.  This day, their cry blows like pleasant breeze. Mothers' happily smiling faces make me feel as if I were in comfortable sunshine. Toast to wonderful families!

When my son was a child, I did not know this ceremony. Now it i s too late for him.

Many Cameramothers! From the balcony of February Hall,

the vast view of Nara Basin is enjoyed.

 Around 1pm on the same day, the side door of February Hall is open. Eleven priests who successfully finished hard rituals appear. Now is the time when the elven priests go home. They look covered with aura of contentment and relief. How venerable they are! People join hands and bow to them.

They are climbing down the stone steps.

Quiet footsteps sound.. This is a residential area for the priests.

One by one, saying "Good-bye".

Mischievous spring winds surprise them.

Once the second month ceremony is over, real spring is said to be here in Nara!

This is the approach to Great Buddha's Hall of Todai-ji Temple.  Around South Great Gate, 

 it is always crowded with  visitors and deer. The deer are usually very amicable

and friendly, but on this day  they seem to be terse and fed up with people. 

 Because of two-week ceremony, too many people have visited the temple!

Crimson Ume, Japanese apricot flowers in full bloom.

Ceremony of Fire and Water,

 my blog about the second month ceremony, written in March, 2011.

Entrance to Great Buddha's Wlorld

On February 11th, Nara had more than 10cm fall of snow  for the first time in tree years.  I grabbed my camera and rushed to Todai-ji Temple.

This is Great Buddha Hall of Todai-ji Temple, the largest wooden　building　in　the　world,  where the　lagest　bronze　Buddha sｔatue(Great Buddha）　is　enshrined. Designated as a World Heritage Site. 

                         Going  through the main gate,  the gentle deer always welcome you.
                  Over there you will see Great Buddha Hall, the main hall of  Todai-ji Temple.

Snow made the silent black and white world.

I saw the subtle reflection of Great Buddha Hall on its approach.  Even though I  had visited this place

many, many times, I had never found this reflection.  What a transient and dim image like mirage!!

This is the entrance to Great Buddha's World.

           On the way back, I found crimson Japanese apricot blossoms blanketed with pure snow.

 They looked like crimson flowers in white blossoms.

According to the myth, Feb 11th is Birthday of Japan  when the first Emperor Jinmu established the Imperial Government about two thousand seven hundred years ago.

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