Iwaya-ji

Today we visited the 45th temple, Iwaya-ji. It is in the mountains, and is considered a difficult place to get to.

At the temple, we were given a piece of paper, which said:

“Look up to the sky, view the ocean, see the forest, and adore the beauty of flowers.

We live our lives amongst Mother Nature.

We cannot live without any of the sun’s light and heat, oxygen, water, earth, and various animals and plants.

The sky is infinitely high, and the clouds change shape in numerous ways. The sea is vast and filled with abundant water.

The greenery of the forest is full of colours, and the flowers and plants appease the eye with their colouring. The changing of the four seasons also adds to the delight.

Although we cannot help but live in association with others, their thoughts change constantly, quite often bringing about difficulties.

By turning our attention to Mother Nature for even just a little while and unleashing our hearts, we may be able to find a clue to unravel the cumbersomeness of human affairs.

It is thought that the reason Kobo Daishi founded the principal training centre of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism in Mount Koyasan was that he thought that there was much to learn from Mother Nature in order for humanity to lead fulfilling lives.”