We celebrated Buddha's birthday last Saturday, and it is one of the most festive occasions in the year for Zen Center. This year the weather didn't fully co-operate, as it was grey and a little chilly, but seeing as we had rain the day before and the day after, we can't complain. Blanche Hartman gave the talk beforehand, wearing her 'party dress', as she announced at the beginning - meaning her ceremonial okesa - and giving people, especially the large group of children who had come for the monthly children's program, a taste of what was coming up. Which was a procession across the street to Koshland Park, and then a circumambulation of the altar and the flower house of the baby Buddha, at which people stopped to bathe the statue ceremonially with sweet tea, all the while chanting the Heart Sutra. As ino I don't necessarily get to enjoy these occasions as much as other people, as I have to be sure that everything is in place, all the elements have been taken care of, that people are more or less doing the right thing, that the chanting stays together and so on. The bright side was that I was also the kokyo and thus led the dedication and the vigourous 'homage to Shakyamuni Buddha' at the end.
I have to confess that I have been pretty tired since sesshin, and so I am glad that we are having an interim week this week, when zazen becomes optional for the residents, and that there is nothing looming on the horizon until Lucy's tokudo on the 17th. I can start planning seriously for that next week. This week I am on a mission of spring cleaning in the ino's office...
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