The KOMPON CHUDO on Mt Hiei

Nov 2013 in front of the KOMPON CHUDO, the main hall of the Enryakuji. Twelve Tendai priests and their deshi came from outside Japan to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Overseas division. Center front is the Venerable Zasu Handa Kojun-sama, still amazingly vigorous at 97 years old. Inside the hall one can see the oil lamp with the flame continuously burning for over 1200 years.

A Young Pilgrim Contemplates the Bodhisattva Path

(From Thomas Cleary's Translation of the Gandavyuha Sutra)

Sudhana while walking from one town to another contemplated:

"CONTROLLING HIS THOUGHTS BY THINKING OF PAST MUNDANE
            MENTAL BEHAVIOR NOT CONDUCIVE TO PURIFICATION OF BODY 
            AND MIND,
CONTEMPLATING THE GREATER COMMON WEAL IN THE PRESENT BY THINKING
            OF THE VANITY OF PAST INVOLVEMENT IN HARMFUL MUNDANE 
            ACTIVITY, 
ESTABLISHING THE POWER OF FORMING CORRECT IDEAS OF THE PRACTICE OF
            BODHISATTVAS BY THINKING OF FORMER UNTRUE NOTIONS BASED ON 
            MERE FANCY,
STRENGTHENING THE WILL BASED ON THE EXCELLENCE OF STRIVING FOR THE
            WELFARE OF ALL BEINGS BY THINKING OF THE ILLS OF PAST STRIVING
            FOR HIS OWN PERSONAL BENEFIT,
INCREASING THE ENERGY OF HIS FACULTIES WITH GREAT INSPIRATION TO 
            STRIVE TO ATTAIN ALL ELEMENTS OF BUDDHAHOOD BY THINKING OF
            PAST INDULGENCE IN PLEASURE SEEKING,
PURIFYING HIS BEING WITH THE VOW OF BODHISATTVAS CONNECTED WITH 
            CORRECT PERCEPTION IN THE PRESENT FREE FROM DELUSION BY 
            THINKING OF PAST ENDEAVORS MADE UP OF ERROR INEXTRICABLY
            BOUND UP WITH DELUSION,
UNIFYING BODY AND MIND WITH GREAT VIGOR IN ACTION  BY THINKING OF
            PAST ACCOMPLISHMENT OF TASKS THROUGH EXERTION OF GREAT VIGOR
            AND STRIVING FOR THE ATTAINMENT OF COMPLETE BUDDHAHOOD IN THE
            PRESENT,
DEVELOPING GREAT JOY AND HAPPINESS BY THINKING OF HOW IT WOULD BE TO
            GO ON FOREVER AS IN THE PAST -- HELPLESS AMIDST THE ILLS OF 
            UNENLIGHTENED LIFE -- AND INSTEAD DEDICATING HIMSELF TO THE AID 
            AND BENEFIT OF ALL BEINGS BY ESTABLISHING ALL THE TEACHINGS OF 
            ENLIGHTENMENT,
DEVELOPING ENERGY IN HIS FACULTIES ROOTED IN INCONCEIVABLE GOOD BY
            SEEING THIS PRESENT LIFE AS A CAUSE OF SICKNESS, OLD AGE, DEATH, 
            AND GRIEF, AN ABODE OF ASSEMBLAGE AND DISINTEGRATION, AND YET 
            THE BASIS AND CONDITION OF CARRYING OUT THE PRACTICE OF
            BODHISATTVAS FOREVER."