Carpe Diem #398, Jorakuji (Temple 14)

Dear O-Henro ... Haijin, visitors and travelers,

We are on our way to Jorakuji, one of the temples on the 88 temples pilgrimage on Shikoku Island. And of course all the temples are places to meditate and contemplate, but the roads between them are even more important. In the post of Managua Gunn of "Beautiful-Haibun" of yesterday (or today) in response on our last temple Shozanji I read a wonderful thought. I have to share that thought with you all, because I think it's the truth, the goal of a pilgrimage.

Jorakuji (Temple 14)

[...] "I am following the 88 temple spiritual quest, from a distance, and write one haibun a day in support of this quest, which takes place in Japan. This quest is called the Shikoku pilgrimage, and recently skirted Osaka. The act of walking from temple to temple is where the spirituality lies, on the road, in the questions formed, the information sought, without even the forming of hypothesi. The concept of searching by dropping all judgment and suspicion and other mental baggage is an appealing one". [...]

It 'hit' me as I read his post and especially this sentence: "The act of walking from temple to temple is where the spirituality lies, on the road, in the questions formed, the information sought, without even the forming of hypothesi".

thoughtful walking
my mind is open for God's lessons =
pilgrim's path

(c) Chèvrefeuille

I think Managua says something here from which we can learn that every walk we made can be a pilgrimage and that's (in my opinion) a true saying. As I look at myself ... than I see that my thougths are always busy, but as I am walking my thoughts become quiet and than I can enjoy my surroundings ... As I enjoying my surroundings as I am walking the most spiritual ideas emerge from the depths of my heart. Every walk is a lesson which we have to cherish.

Jorakuji Temple is devoted to the Miroku Bosatsu Bodhisattva or Maitreya the Buddha of the future.

Miroku Bosatsu or Maitreya

Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on Earth, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma. According to scriptures, Maitreya will be a successor of the historic Śākyamuni Buddha. The prophecy of the arrival of Maitreya refers to a time when the Dharma will have been forgotten by most on Jambudvipa. It is found in the canonical literature of all major Buddhist schools (Theravāda, Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna), and is accepted by most Buddhists as a statement about an event that will take place when the Dharma will have been mostly forgotten on Earth.

It's very similar to the idea of the returning of Jesus Christ in Christianity. Maitreya will bring Dharma back to Earth and will give comfort and peace back to Earth. Is it possible that religions have fused with eachother? Because in several different religions we can read about the returning of a Maitreya, Jesus Christ or Mohammed?

In a way all religions are one, but that's a very controversial thought in our time.

walking the path
together as one with nature
finding the truth

(c) Chèvrefeuille

Let's go on this pilgrimage together and let us contemplate about the future of our world. This episode will be open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until February 13th 11.59 AM (CET). Feel free to share your inspired haiku with us all here at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai.

Our next episode will be published later on. That episode will bring us to Tatsueji (Temple 19).