Why is the Evening Gatha not the Morning gatha?

[Jika]

After a few days, I started saying it morning and night.

Maybe my memory is too short, but at night it just makes me regret the lost opportunities. The little quarrels that where not really necessary. Before going to bed, it's too late to call the friend I forgot to call again.

So why don't we say it in the morning (too)?

Gassho,
Danny

[Joyo]

What is the evening gatha that you are using?

Gassho,
Joyo

[Jika]

My apologies.
When you and others mentioned it, I googled it, and thought that "is" it...

Evening Gatha

Let me respectfully remind you
Life and death are of supreme importance.
Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost.
Each of us should strive to awaken.
Awaken.
Take heed.
This night your days are diminished by one.
Do not squander your life.

Please post yours. Thanks!

Gassho,
Danny

[Jundo]

Why is the Evening Gatha not the Morning gatha?

Because it is recited in the evening.

(Actually, that is a very "Japanese" answer when asking questions about Traditions here, in my experience over the years).

This "Evening Gatha" is written on the wooden "han" block outside our Zendo door, so in a way, always recited. Here is one similar to ours.



Sometimes I play with the words when I recite it ...

No "me" no "you", no life or death.
No time to pass, no opportunity lost.
No "us" to strive, no goal or striving.
Thus Awakended! AWAKENED!
How could one squander this life?

LIVE BOTH GATHA AT ONCE, AS ONE!

Gassho, J

[Risho]

Danny thank you for this thread. Jundo thank you for posting your variance!!! I've been meaning to write both down in my chant book. I love both versions; I think they just complement each other wonderfully!

Gassho,

Risho

[Jika]

No "me" no "you", no life or death.
No time to pass, no opportunity lost.
No "us" to strive, no goal or striving.
Thus Awakended! AWAKENED!
How could one squander this life?

Breathe... Aaaah. Less pressure with this one.
Thanks, Jundo.

LIVE BOTH GATHA AT ONCE, AS ONE!

How to!!
I'll put the first one in my mind, to rise to action accordingly.
I'll sit with the second, and live with the second, moment by moment, breath by breath.

Gassho,
Danny

P.S. Really sorry, but would someone PM me what the han is? Heard it during the retreat, but Google is showing me Han Solo frozen in ice and different types of furniture...

[Jundo]

P.S. Really sorry, but would someone PM me what the han is? Heard it during the retreat, but Google is showing me Han Solo frozen in ice and different types of furniture...

The Han is a kind of woodblock drum that hangs in the monastery, outside the Zendo, and is struck with various rhythms to signal to monks such information as that Zazen is about to begin and (by the pace of the beats) how soon they better get their asses on the cushion.

If one goes to the 2:00 mark here, you can see me striking our Han in Tsukuba for Rohatsu Retreat ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uMzfk8owCo#t=132

By the way, Han Solo frozen in Carbonite kinda looks like an inverted Han!



Gassho, J

[Jika]

It is definitely cool, anyway...

More luck with Google entering "wooden Han Zen" (instead of Han block):
Han　板 Lit., board; a thick rectangular wooden board measuring about 45 x 30 x 8 cm hung in front of the zendo; , on which a rhythm is beaten with a wooden mallet three times a day: at dawn, at dusk and before going to bed. One of the narashimono used to signal times at the monastery. Often one of the following verses appears on the han:
”Heed, monks! / Be mindful in practice. / Time flies like an arrow; / It does not wait for you.”
”Completely freed from yes and no; / great emptiness charged within; / no questions, no answers; / like a fish, like a fool.”
”Great is the matter of birth and death / Life flows quickly by / Time waits for no one / Wake up! Wake up! / Don’t waste a moment!”

http://terebess.hu/zen/szoto/szotar/szotar.html

Words "appearing" are also cool, but are they written with ink or carved (or both)?
(The wood sculptor and carver inside me asking...)
Yours is beautiful. Uhm, ours!
Looking forward to hearing it again.

Gassho,
Danny

[Jundo]

Ink and brush on wood, carved in heart.

Gassho.J

[Jika]

[Nindo]

So the Han calls it in the morning, your voice chants it in the evening - it is both the morning and evening gatha. It envelops each day. It is the gatha of all times.