how to be in touch with the life running through all objects

Beauty is ever alive, because for it there is no past, no future, but the present. You hesitate, turn your head, and it is no more. The morning-glory must be admired at its first awakening as the sun rises; so …

Japanese Poem/俳句

Japanese poet has a specific gift that detects something great in small things… This is the East. Zen way takes life as it is lived instead of chopping it to pieces and trying to restore its life by intellection. (DT …

Let your unconscious think/ 無意識で考える

The head is conscious while the abdomen is unconscious. When the master tells his disciples to “think” with the lower part of the body, he means that the koan is to be taken down to the unconscious… The koan is …

just a simple cup of tea, yet…？ ただお茶を飲む、ということ

The TEA DRINKING that is known as cha-no-yu in Japan is not just drinking tea, but involves all activities leading to it, all the utensils used in it, the entire atmosphere surrounding the procedure, and last of all, what is …

sabi against wabi わびとさびの違い

To put it simply, “sabi” is based on nothing-ness, whereas “wabi” is a contrastive idea. It is “small” against “vast”; “subdued” against “colourful”; “deficient” against “abundant”; “modest” against “luxurious”. Yet, somewhat feeling self-superiority.  (“Sen-no-Rikyu”  written by Junzo KARAKI , writer …

Religious ZEN (and Japanese) 禅という宗教

The Zen insights go far deeper into the source of life, where Zen is truly religious. By this I mean Zen is in close touch with Reality; indeed, Zen takes hold of it and lives it, and this is where …

Worshiping poverty? 貧を崇める？

The cult of wabi has entered deeply into the cultural life of the Japanese people. It is in truth the worshiping of poverty—probably a most appropriate cult in a poor country like ours. Despite the modern Western luxuries and comforts …

Being able to enjoy poverty. 貧にあって楽しむ

Wabi really means “poverty”. To be poor, that is, not to be dependent on things worldly— wealth, power, and reputation— and yet to feel inwardly the presence of something of the highest value, above time and social position: that is …

「自」について about “self”

「自然」「自分」「自由」…全ての文字に「自ずから」という字が含まれるところに、東洋の意識がみえる　（別宮美穂子氏　講演）