japan

okay, i admit i am a little smitten by japan. its not a mere coincidence that the three books on my bedside are authored by Murakami, Ishiguro and John Daido Loori respectively (for the curious, Soto zen is the thread linking the last author to Japan). There is something to be said about the Japanese aesthetic of wabi, sabi, yugen and mono no aware; well a lot to be said especially about the last one which is an almost inexpressible sadness at the passing away of things while at the same time accepting the transience. its almost like saying "Yes. things arise and cease as the Shakyamuni says but i still feel a tinge of regret". I am not sure if plain words can express the mono no aware aesthetic so much as art and not surprisingly Japanese poets of lore return again and again to the almost cliched dew drop, that evanescent reminder of the transience of all things. It is interesting that while the Zen masters exhorted students to express their understanding with their mouths shut and without words, they would resort to haikus or verses to celebrate their satori. I guess that's the uniqueness of haiku in literary forms. No other literary device is as suited to expressing mono no aware. This often makes some haiku cryptic or inaccessible to the reader, unless she has had a similar experience. Of course, the great ones try to create it in the 17 syllables.

from hokyoji

nestled in the folds
of the brass Buddha's robes
-a spider !

from hokyoji

cold rainy morning
during zazen,
even Buddha's nose drips