New Year's Greetings from Treeleaf, Japan 2020

[Jundo]

The year has passed here in Tsukuba! A New Year's tradition at Buddhist temples across Japan is the ringing of the Joya-no-kane (除夜の鐘) ...

... the temple bell near midnight. The bell is typically rung 108 times (sometimes by the temple priests, sometimes by parishioners, and really nobody keeps count) to cleanse the listener of the 108 mortal afflictions (bonno ... anger, greed, ignorance, envy, hatred, arrogance and the rest) that, in traditional Buddhist thinking, are the causes of suffering. By ringing out the old year and ringing in the new, each earthly desire will be taken away and therefore we can start the New Year with a pure mind.

Past moments ... the up and downs, happiness and sadness ... are now gone, and a new beginning rings out ... ever new and renewing.

Master Dogen wrote, "Zazen ... is like the hammer striking emptiness, the bell's melodious sound continues to resonate as it echoes, endlessly before and after. It is not limited to this moment."

HAPPY NEW EVERY-MOMENT, EVERY-ONE!

Joya-no-kane atmosphere at a neighborhood Soto Zen temple ...

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

MAY YOU HAVE A NICE YEAR OF THE MICE!

[Jundo]

Actually, this year, we were invited to a local Shingon Buddhist temple, were an esoteric Goma fire ritual was performed much like this, but just at midnight ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUfXxdV1tgk

Very powerful, a ritual filled with mystical Dharani chants and mysterious Mudra hand gestures, pungent leaves, spices and wood pieces being burned. It is not commonly found at Zen temples, and is performed mostly within this sect of Buddhism which came to Japan many centuries before Zen. The ritual derives from the influence of Indian Hinduism on Buddhism, and very similar ceremonies are still found in India to this day.

[Amelia]

Wow! He is very graceful with his stick tossing! Each one lands perfectly on the fire.

Happy New Year everybody!

Gassho
Sat today, lah

[Rich]

Will try that next time I go camping [emoji16]

That was a big fire for indoors.

They were sweating [emoji29]

Sat/lah


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[Doshin]

Happy New Year

Doshin
St

[Kotei]

Thank you Jundo Roshi.
A Happy New Year to everybody!
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Michael Joseph]

Happy new year.

Gassho

Hobun

STLAH

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[Shokai]

That's one big fire!! I attended a fire festival in Fuji Yoshida and my geta (Wooden Shoes) were charred and still smoking by the time we got home.

Happy New Year 2020 everyone

gassho, Shokai 🙏🙏🙏

[Tenrai]

Happy new year from Eday, Orkney in Scotland
Gassho
🙏🙏🙏
Sat/Lah

[newby_x86]

Happy new year guys!

Gassho
Anant
SaT

[Naiko]

Thank you for sharing those traditions—far more interesting than the American tradition of...getting drunk on NYE. Wishing all a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year!
Gassho,
Krista
st

[Kyōsen]

Happy New Year & New Decade, everyone!

I spent some time celebrating with good friends yesterday evening; it was nice to see them all again.

Gassho
Kyōsen
Sat|LAH

[Daitetsu]

Happy New Year everyone!
Hope you had a good start.

Gassho,

Daitetsu

#sat2day

[Meian]

This put our fire pit to shame! They were much warmer than we were. [emoji4] Beautiful ceremony! Lovely way to bring in a new year. [emoji323][emoji322]

Gassho
Kim
St lh

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[Horin]

Happy New year! I wish you all the best for the next decade contentedness, luck, health and/or the ability to accept and master any condition that will come.

I'm looking forward to another new year with you, my Dharma family. You are awesome!

Gassho and deep bows,

Ben

Stlah

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