Today, I spent a hour in a temple called Myoung-jong-sa, which means bright-something-temple. I'll have to ask what "jong" means, the next time I'm there.
In university, after I discovered and became attached to Buddhism, I longed to see "real" Asian Buddhist temples. There were temples in Ann Arbor, and I often visited a a Japanese Zen temple close to downtown Ann Arbor. Yet I rather naively thought "it's not the same."
Myoung-jong-sa was the first temple I ever went to in Korea. It's an urban temple, meaning it's pretty easy to get to, sitting as it does right in the middle of downtown. My first room-mate Michael and I were walking downtown and kind of discovered it by accident. He wasn't even sure it was a temple, but I recognised some of the paintings and wall decorations. I still remember the thrill I had when I achieved one of my university dreams.
Despite being an urban temple, Myoung-jong-sa sits in a forested nook, which lends a nice backdrop to the temple; the birdsong lends a nice compliment to the fish bells ringing in the breeze.
As temples go, it is not a spectacular one, although I didn't know that at the time, of course. Since then, it has improved a good bit: a massive main hall has been built, for instance. It's three stories high, with a long balcony running all the way around the hall. Downtown stretches into the distance below you, and the view is incredible.
The new main statue, one of 1000-handed Kwan-seum (better known for her Chinese name, Kwan Yin), is quite large. Also, unusually for a Korean temple, she is multi-armed (12, I think). In each arm is a an object used to relieve the suffering of all sentient beings: a sword, book, bell, etc.
I spent the hour doing sitting and walking meditation. The new main hall is cavernous, a virtual barn of a temple. And I had the whole thing to myself for most of the hour. At one point some southeast Asians came in, which surprised me. Towards the end, a woman sat down with her back to the wall, and immediately began chanting "Kwan-seum bo-sal" again and again in a melodic voice.
Temples are always very calming places. I like to think of buildings as semi-sentient, that they've soaked up the events that happened within their walls. A house in which a murder has taken place retains an atmosphere of pain and fear, for instance. Buddhism is a religion of peace: therefore temples are islands of calmness and silence [even if they are in the middle of a city!]. For me at least, to enter a temple, is to enter a space filled with solemnity and silence. When I leave, my mind is settled, and I want to smile and give a "namaste" bow to everyone I meet.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
A White Flower for Roh Mu Hyun
The suicide of former South Korean president Roh Mu Hyun has become a huge public outpouring of grief.
All across the country, "satellite" funeral halls have been set up in public places. Always interested in Korean culture, I went down to see the Cheongju city one last night with my wife's family.
There were two "funerals": one set up in the provincial hall, and another set up in the park right down the street. We went to the hall one first, which was a quick in and out. You went in, took off your shoes, laid a white chrysanthemum on the altar, and then prostrated yourself two times. Then you signed your name in the guestbook, and out. The picture of Mr. Roh was in color, surprisingly, and he had the little smile he was famous for on his face. We picked up some candles to bring with us to the park shrine.
Then we turned the corner to get there, and holy crap! There was a line. Not just a line, but an immense snaking line that wove for hundreds of meters down the street. A line to bow twice to a picture. Interesting. We weren't going to do the bowing again, but we were able to wiggle our way into the park itself.
Hundreds of long streamers with mourning messages written upon them hanging from ropes strung between the trees. Lots and lots of pictures with messages written upon them. Hundreds of people milling around with lit candles. A video tribute of the highlights of his long political life.
The shrine itself was pretty much what we'd just come from, but on a little grander scale. I was interested to see that people were offering cigarettes to the former president. He had asked for one just before he'd jumped off the cliff, but his bodyguard didn't have any on him. The woman behind us had tears pouring from her face.
The actual funeral is on TV right now, and sheer masses of people are in Seoul for it. It is being held in the ancient Kyoungbuk Palace. Many of the mourners are wearing yellow, which was apparently a color connected with Mr. Roh. They just showed an immense line of colorful banners blowing in the breeze -- gorgeous!
The ceremonies will be Christian, Catholic, and Buddhist, as Mr. Roh was religiously flexible; he visited a temple on the last day of his life. He will be cremated later on today, and his grave will be close to the mountain in his hometown from which he jumped.
His suicide note said "Don't be sad". I wonder if he knew how upset the Korean people would be. Although, to be honest, I suspect this immense grief is a reaction in part to the extreme unpopularity of the current administration, just as part of the joy of Mr. Obama becoming president is that George Bush is no longer president.
A white chrysanthemum for Roh Mu Hyun. May your rebirth be a good one.
All across the country, "satellite" funeral halls have been set up in public places. Always interested in Korean culture, I went down to see the Cheongju city one last night with my wife's family.
There were two "funerals": one set up in the provincial hall, and another set up in the park right down the street. We went to the hall one first, which was a quick in and out. You went in, took off your shoes, laid a white chrysanthemum on the altar, and then prostrated yourself two times. Then you signed your name in the guestbook, and out. The picture of Mr. Roh was in color, surprisingly, and he had the little smile he was famous for on his face. We picked up some candles to bring with us to the park shrine.
Then we turned the corner to get there, and holy crap! There was a line. Not just a line, but an immense snaking line that wove for hundreds of meters down the street. A line to bow twice to a picture. Interesting. We weren't going to do the bowing again, but we were able to wiggle our way into the park itself.
Hundreds of long streamers with mourning messages written upon them hanging from ropes strung between the trees. Lots and lots of pictures with messages written upon them. Hundreds of people milling around with lit candles. A video tribute of the highlights of his long political life.
The shrine itself was pretty much what we'd just come from, but on a little grander scale. I was interested to see that people were offering cigarettes to the former president. He had asked for one just before he'd jumped off the cliff, but his bodyguard didn't have any on him. The woman behind us had tears pouring from her face.
The actual funeral is on TV right now, and sheer masses of people are in Seoul for it. It is being held in the ancient Kyoungbuk Palace. Many of the mourners are wearing yellow, which was apparently a color connected with Mr. Roh. They just showed an immense line of colorful banners blowing in the breeze -- gorgeous!
The ceremonies will be Christian, Catholic, and Buddhist, as Mr. Roh was religiously flexible; he visited a temple on the last day of his life. He will be cremated later on today, and his grave will be close to the mountain in his hometown from which he jumped.
His suicide note said "Don't be sad". I wonder if he knew how upset the Korean people would be. Although, to be honest, I suspect this immense grief is a reaction in part to the extreme unpopularity of the current administration, just as part of the joy of Mr. Obama becoming president is that George Bush is no longer president.
A white chrysanthemum for Roh Mu Hyun. May your rebirth be a good one.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Nice quote
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson.
[Thanks, Sonya from Texas!]
Now I want to go see "Groundhog's day" again!
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson.
[Thanks, Sonya from Texas!]
Now I want to go see "Groundhog's day" again!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
A Second Big Boom
Yet more bad news. This seems to be the week for it.
I refer to North Korea's second nuke test, of course. It's interesting how blase the people in Korea are about their not-so-friendly northern neighbor. But I guess they've been living with the threat of war for over 50 years now. It's a bit like the boy who cried wolf, but instead of wolf, he says "war". They've heard it all before.
South Korean people generally long for reunification with North Korea. Some Korean people believe that NK would never go to war against SK because their common ancestry. Others believe Kim Jong Il is pretty much the Devil in high hair and sunglasses.
During the Kim Dae Jun administration, things were looking up. President Kim had his Sunshine policy, which was basically a policy of gradual northern engagement. This policy continued under the next president as well. However, the failure of the sunshine policy can be laid firmly at the feet of the north. SK gave and gave and gave, and NK took and took and took, and gave very little back in turn. Eventually, SK got tired of this never-ending generosity, and the current president, Lee Myoung Pak, was elected pretty much because he would be more rigid against NK.
Wither North Korea? Who knows? But I can say this: the USA has an open-minded and liberal leader who would no doubt love to put a negative relationship in the positive column. If NK wants to change its relationship with the west, now is the time. But I suspect this will go the same way as the defunct Sunshine Policy. Like a feral cat, North Korea seems incapable of real trust and friendship, and seems to only snarl at an open hand.
And yet, neither can they continue upon their present path of militarism and starvation forever. Their country has an expiration date that is fast approaching. Kim Jong Il and his government would be wise to change their minds before somebody else changes it for them.
I refer to North Korea's second nuke test, of course. It's interesting how blase the people in Korea are about their not-so-friendly northern neighbor. But I guess they've been living with the threat of war for over 50 years now. It's a bit like the boy who cried wolf, but instead of wolf, he says "war". They've heard it all before.
South Korean people generally long for reunification with North Korea. Some Korean people believe that NK would never go to war against SK because their common ancestry. Others believe Kim Jong Il is pretty much the Devil in high hair and sunglasses.
During the Kim Dae Jun administration, things were looking up. President Kim had his Sunshine policy, which was basically a policy of gradual northern engagement. This policy continued under the next president as well. However, the failure of the sunshine policy can be laid firmly at the feet of the north. SK gave and gave and gave, and NK took and took and took, and gave very little back in turn. Eventually, SK got tired of this never-ending generosity, and the current president, Lee Myoung Pak, was elected pretty much because he would be more rigid against NK.
Wither North Korea? Who knows? But I can say this: the USA has an open-minded and liberal leader who would no doubt love to put a negative relationship in the positive column. If NK wants to change its relationship with the west, now is the time. But I suspect this will go the same way as the defunct Sunshine Policy. Like a feral cat, North Korea seems incapable of real trust and friendship, and seems to only snarl at an open hand.
And yet, neither can they continue upon their present path of militarism and starvation forever. Their country has an expiration date that is fast approaching. Kim Jong Il and his government would be wise to change their minds before somebody else changes it for them.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The Buddha on the Ganges: a Visualization
It's a overcast day, the sky uniformly dull with pending rain. It's still hot though, and the slight breeze is refreshingly cool against your skin. The plants and reeds on the shore of the Ganges river are lush, thick, and vibrantly green. The warm smell of the mud is cloying at first, and slowly becomes comfortable. Lap of water and sound of frogs. A cobra slips through the reeds, not less than a meter away from your bare toes. And yet you feel no fear.
The Blessed River is wide here, and the hazy far shore is hundreds of meters away. The water is cloudy with silt. Blooming pink and white lotuses hug the muddy odoriferous shore; the lily pads are the size and thickness of dinner plates. A heron skims over the water, touching its wings to the surface. Buzz of insects.
The Buddha is sitting upon a rock several meters from the shore. The rock is spear-head shaped, and quite large and flat; it is not much higher than the water's surface, and one imagines that is probably underwater in the rainy season. It is surrounded by the lotus flowers on all sides, yet you have a clear view though them to the Buddha.
He is younger than you thought he would be. His face is thin and delicately boned. A slight scuff of black beard covers his lower face. His eyes are downward cast, as if he were looking at the bottom of the river, and half closed. His hair is long and gathered together in a ponytail, tied with a long strip of frayed orange cloth, and the ends are dancing in the breeze. As you had heard, his earlobes are long and bear the marks of piercing.
He is thin with his ribs showing, the Buddha, yet something more than skeletal; there is a solidity to him that belies his seeming fragility. He is sitting in lotus position, his hands folded together and placed in a loose knot in his lap. There is a smear of dried mud on his left bicep, and the upturned bottoms of his feet are brown with old, ingrained dirt.
You step forward for a better view, and a twig under your foot shifts and then snaps. The Buddha raises his head and opens his eyes. They are unsettling, those eyes, but you're not sure what it is that makes them so. They're just eyes... and then again, they're not.
The Buddha smiles at you, and puts his palms together and bows namaste-fashion. He beckons to you, still smiling, and indicates the space to his right.
You step into the blood-warm water that laps at your ankles and you sink a bit in the mud. You step forward into the lotuses, and their heady scent fills your nostrils. The water creeps up your legs, and the head-sized lotuses block your view of the Buddha, and you must push them aside gently. You lose sight of him completely, and with lotuses on all sides, you wonder if you're going the right way; you pull your feet from the thick mud with difficulty. The muddy water is up to mid-thigh now, and something living slides along your bare leg. And then, through the blossoms, his open hand is held out to you. You take it and are pulled gently upwards. The blossoms part, and there he is, smiling.
The Blessed River is wide here, and the hazy far shore is hundreds of meters away. The water is cloudy with silt. Blooming pink and white lotuses hug the muddy odoriferous shore; the lily pads are the size and thickness of dinner plates. A heron skims over the water, touching its wings to the surface. Buzz of insects.
The Buddha is sitting upon a rock several meters from the shore. The rock is spear-head shaped, and quite large and flat; it is not much higher than the water's surface, and one imagines that is probably underwater in the rainy season. It is surrounded by the lotus flowers on all sides, yet you have a clear view though them to the Buddha.
He is younger than you thought he would be. His face is thin and delicately boned. A slight scuff of black beard covers his lower face. His eyes are downward cast, as if he were looking at the bottom of the river, and half closed. His hair is long and gathered together in a ponytail, tied with a long strip of frayed orange cloth, and the ends are dancing in the breeze. As you had heard, his earlobes are long and bear the marks of piercing.
He is thin with his ribs showing, the Buddha, yet something more than skeletal; there is a solidity to him that belies his seeming fragility. He is sitting in lotus position, his hands folded together and placed in a loose knot in his lap. There is a smear of dried mud on his left bicep, and the upturned bottoms of his feet are brown with old, ingrained dirt.
You step forward for a better view, and a twig under your foot shifts and then snaps. The Buddha raises his head and opens his eyes. They are unsettling, those eyes, but you're not sure what it is that makes them so. They're just eyes... and then again, they're not.
The Buddha smiles at you, and puts his palms together and bows namaste-fashion. He beckons to you, still smiling, and indicates the space to his right.
You step into the blood-warm water that laps at your ankles and you sink a bit in the mud. You step forward into the lotuses, and their heady scent fills your nostrils. The water creeps up your legs, and the head-sized lotuses block your view of the Buddha, and you must push them aside gently. You lose sight of him completely, and with lotuses on all sides, you wonder if you're going the right way; you pull your feet from the thick mud with difficulty. The muddy water is up to mid-thigh now, and something living slides along your bare leg. And then, through the blossoms, his open hand is held out to you. You take it and are pulled gently upwards. The blossoms part, and there he is, smiling.
Terminator Salvation Review (minor spoilers)
On Sunday, I saw the movie "Terminator Salvation" with my friends Tim and Alan.
I did enjoy it. I did. But.
I found the movie unrelentingly grim. I don't need my science fiction happy-happy positive all the time, but there's a limit of how much darkness I can enjoy. The recent movie "The Watchmen" for instance, was also quite grim, but also contained a good bit of humor, and laugh out loud humor at that. Not so the new Terminator movie, and that's too bad.
In fact, the whole movie was fairly colorless: nothing was particularly bright, not even the blood.
Things that have been pretty fun or at least interesting just seemed to fall flat, as in the signature line which was simply delivered wrongly. It also seemed to be missing something vital about it, something that the other movies had, but this one didn't. I can't define it, but it wasn't there. I had the same feeling about the last "Aliens vs. Predator" movie.
There were also several things that seemed to stretch the credulity limit. Are we really supposed to believe Conner could just grab a motorcycle-bot, stick some handle bars in, and then be able to control it like a horse? Really?
The interplay between the two men, John Conner and Marcus Wright, was pretty interesting, and I wish they'd done a bit more of it. I would have also have liked see more of Marcus dealing with his ... special problem.
I also enjoyed seeing all the new robots, especially the giant one, which reminded me of my favorite Playstation game "Wander and Colossus". The special effects were quite good as well.
Overall, a solid if dull-black installment in the ongoing story. I look forward to the next one [I just hope it's better].
I did enjoy it. I did. But.
I found the movie unrelentingly grim. I don't need my science fiction happy-happy positive all the time, but there's a limit of how much darkness I can enjoy. The recent movie "The Watchmen" for instance, was also quite grim, but also contained a good bit of humor, and laugh out loud humor at that. Not so the new Terminator movie, and that's too bad.
In fact, the whole movie was fairly colorless: nothing was particularly bright, not even the blood.
Things that have been pretty fun or at least interesting just seemed to fall flat, as in the signature line which was simply delivered wrongly. It also seemed to be missing something vital about it, something that the other movies had, but this one didn't. I can't define it, but it wasn't there. I had the same feeling about the last "Aliens vs. Predator" movie.
There were also several things that seemed to stretch the credulity limit. Are we really supposed to believe Conner could just grab a motorcycle-bot, stick some handle bars in, and then be able to control it like a horse? Really?
The interplay between the two men, John Conner and Marcus Wright, was pretty interesting, and I wish they'd done a bit more of it. I would have also have liked see more of Marcus dealing with his ... special problem.
I also enjoyed seeing all the new robots, especially the giant one, which reminded me of my favorite Playstation game "Wander and Colossus". The special effects were quite good as well.
Overall, a solid if dull-black installment in the ongoing story. I look forward to the next one [I just hope it's better].
Bad News
Former South Korean president Roh Mu Hyun is dead. He committed suicide by jumping off a cliff.
When he was elected, he had a reputation for being free from corruption. Yet once out of office, he came under fire for allegedly taking money illegally. There was even a likelihood that he would be arrested. Not only was he in trouble, but his family was also implicated.
I couldn't believe it when my friend told me the news over the phone. It seems unreal that such a man, a former world leader, would kill himself. Let's hope that his death is not the beginning of a new round of suicides. Korea already has a huge problem with people killing themselves. In fact, the world suicide has recently been banned from Korean search engines, as people have been forming suicide "clubs".
I remember President Roh as being an adequate if not spectacular leader, and a man who always seemed to be gently smiling. It is hard to think of him being so depressed and unhappy that he would kill himself.
Two bows for Roh Mu Hyun. May he become a great and powerful Bodhsattva in his next life, one dedicated to the happiness of all brings. Om Mani Padme Hum.
When he was elected, he had a reputation for being free from corruption. Yet once out of office, he came under fire for allegedly taking money illegally. There was even a likelihood that he would be arrested. Not only was he in trouble, but his family was also implicated.
I couldn't believe it when my friend told me the news over the phone. It seems unreal that such a man, a former world leader, would kill himself. Let's hope that his death is not the beginning of a new round of suicides. Korea already has a huge problem with people killing themselves. In fact, the world suicide has recently been banned from Korean search engines, as people have been forming suicide "clubs".
I remember President Roh as being an adequate if not spectacular leader, and a man who always seemed to be gently smiling. It is hard to think of him being so depressed and unhappy that he would kill himself.
Two bows for Roh Mu Hyun. May he become a great and powerful Bodhsattva in his next life, one dedicated to the happiness of all brings. Om Mani Padme Hum.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)