Eiheiji Temple（Fukui）in Japan / 永平寺（福井）全国通訳案内士
[Music] [Music] welcome to my channel go to another world # Japan I’m takish a national license tour guide for foreigners thank you for joining me on this [Music] journey so today I’m going to take you to a Temple located in fukui preure spreading over the Serene Hillside and shaded by Majestic cedar trees deep in the mountains it is the main training Temple of the soo sect of Z Buddhism it has been said that this is the most demanding Temple throughout Japan since its founding even today many monks called uni live and practice in this Temple according to the traditional [Music] teachings a the head Temple of the soo Zen sector known as jaan’s former major religious in institution with 15,000 temples Nationwide and they following of 6 million Believers this Temple was founded by Z Master do in [Music] 1244 let me tell you about what I’m planning to share with you all today before we go there first I’m going to explain dogen’s life and why dogen built AI in these deep mountains and sec B next I’m going to share what unu practice is [Music] like for making this video I read several books which left an impression on me allow me to share a few quotes from the books I read one of them is about the real author true experience of the practice as uni for one year at this time and also I had a chance to stay overnight at this Z Monastery to get a glimpse of the Monk’s daily training I got to learn many things from unu directory and I participated in Jing kind of meditation where they clear their mind and focus on freeing one of them was from 4:00 a.m. as I heard the temple Bell it was definitely an unforgettable experience for me I really want to convey the true charm of this Temple I hope this video will help you gain a deeper understanding of a [Music] temple a couple of months ago the Washington Post introduced fukui prefecture as one of Japan’s most spiritual regions in a featured arle that selected 12 places around the world to Avo the crowds and the travel in 2024 isn’t that wonderful so without further Ado let’s go to another world the ah Temple [Music] a is located in the perfect place for Zen temple deep in the Mountain Valley if I had to summarize the overwhelming feeling of this Majestic Temple I would describe it as a very demanding Temple following the strict footsteps of the teachings of Z master doen [Music] a temple is an active religious Center where mon Tres called unu engaging daily training from dawn to [Music] dusk life for the unu is structured according to the principles described by Z Master doang accordingly the mon TR need follow demanding D today routine and live a s monastic lifestyle the ah is not just a t spot since 1244 it has been filled with a sincere atmosphere of G practitioners carrying out the Buddha teachings as they were transmitted by Doan ding says there’s nothing special about this practice we just eat clean up chant sleep and the daily activi is them SES are the practice chimon Gates found in prominent temples shrines and castles were reserved for esteemed visitors during ancient and medieval Japan an ancient stone staircase lined with 700 year old cers lead to the Sal a Chim gate modest yet dignified [Music] this gate can be considered a symbol of a temple depicted in many paintings and photographs and be loved by many [Music] people this is the beginning of the Sacred journey of ah ah Tempo is is famous for its layout in Z Buddhism temples are organized around seven fundamental structures that form the main spaces in which the monks live eat sleep and practice them these seven buildings are known as thear or seven whole Temple this gar comprises seven interconnected structures such as Mountain Gate Buddha Hall that Hall Monk’s Hall kitchen bath house toilet these seven buildings are linked through an ingrate network of corridors and stairways simly integrating function with architectural Elegance first of all let’s beat the mountain gate which is my favorite take a look it’s really shiny and Polished the isney the current Mountain Gate was rebuilt in 1749 and in the oldest surviving building in a monastery after several fires this is fairly recent compared to Temple in kodo and Nara of which many are hundreds and the oldest dates back over 1,400 years however the mountain gate of ah Monastery is very special for uni because the uni can only pass this mountain gate twice during their lifetime upon entering for training and departing after completion [Music] renowned Zen temples such as ah often feature a plag hanging at the entrance that embody their spiritual Essence and history the right plag says those lacking conviction should not enter the plaque on the left reads the gate is always open so anyone who want to come in is welcome to do so anytime let me share an experience recounted by a former monk who passed through this mountain gate the Osa is an ordinary person whose family has nothing to do with temples and he has a rare experience of becoming interested in Zen and entering ah Temple at the age of 30 after working as an office worker but sharing his direct experiences from his book we can gain profound insight into this spiritual pilgrimage looking back I realized how often I had envisioned myself standing at this mountain gate at certain times I felt a glorious vision and at other times a nightmare lost in the Rel ous rain I stood waiting time slipping away the cold seeping into the Earth the icy tiles steing my feet no longer mattered to me above all that I had lost my peace of mind I did not recall how long it had been since I had stood at this mountain gate in a moment suspended in time a long practicing monk emerged anticipating his approach I tensed holding my breath breaking the silence he questioned one of us in a deep resonant tone what brings you here I seek training the response came training you say what does that entail he proved why have you come you speak of training yet your silence suggest otherwise or perhaps you’re uncertain yourself no that’s not it then enlighten me your indecisiveness bars you from passing this gate return from which You Came the one low cheating voice thundered into a commanding shout heit my Wars you must [Music] depart the monk positioned himself at the gate center gesturing toward the pillars can any of you decipher the Chinese inscription up on this mountain gate he inquired presenting A new challenge behold the right pillar’s warning ah Temple’s quar is unyielding nether wealth status nor intellect to glance passage unless devotion is absolute yet the left pillar beacons ah Temple Gate remains doorless and open inviting all who bear sincere intent thus only those willing to stake their lives on this path may attempt training therefore search your hearts and let the only truly committed proceed leaving behind worldly attach ments finally we entered from the mountain gate we proceeded along the corridor turning left and right gradually moving deeper and deeper into the inner sanctum of ah Temple inside the temple complex every corner was dimly lit causing our eyes to focus and our minds to concentrate in in a Manor that it has never done before and everything existed with a Solem Simplicity and silence as we Advanced farther into the depths of a temple it felt as if time itself were flowing in the opposite direction this is amongst all called the SoDo the SoDo is is a sacred place of practice and only USI can enter this Monastery in this mon Hall each person is a given a tiny space called tongue which is a single tatami M for doing zazing eating and sleeping newcomers are led to a room behind the Monk’s Hall not directly to the Monk’s hall for seven days they spend most of their time there facing the wall in meditation from waking until bedtime just entering this sacred place doesn’t make them a monks yet this is just one step toward the process of becoming ah monks it will be a tough and grueling week for newcomers They will receive preliminary education on the correct way to practice zazing meal eate and various other body movements all Essential Elements for embarking on their spiritual journey it won’t be easy but the rewards will be [Music] profound once the period here is over there is a ceremony where newcomers join the ranks of Senor uni making the beginning of their former training at ah Temple by completing this ceremony they are officially recognized as members of the uni Community within the Temple they cutle all social interactions ow nothing but the bear Essentials shave their heads wipe out their egos in the S silent with their backs to the floor of the world Joan a memor to Z Master dogen stands at top a long staircase on High Ground revealed even after seven centuries offerings some made with respect though small it silent Ambience inspires reverence let me share why do built a in these deep mountains and secluded valleys through his life [Music] dogen was born into a prestigious aristocratic family in kyotto in 1200 ad his mother died when he was 80 years old and it is said that he decided to become a Buddhist monk when he saw a whisper of smoke rising from the incense offered for his mother and realized how transcent everything is in life dogen left his home and was ordained at Mount he at 12 years old at the time of the Dogan period new interpretations of the Buddha teachings were spreading throughout the country and gaining popularity many emerging sex argued that people were born enlightened and that anyone could attain Enlightenment and go to the Pand simply just by chanting the sutras however at that time dogen was a monk who questioned it if we already are Buddhist why must we undergo this extensive training although he asked all the senior priest that question he couldn’t obtain a satisfactory answer so he set out across the ocean to China to pursue the [Music] answer in China dogen met an elderly monk who said to dogen you do not yet understand the practice and you do not yet know what was me Doan asked what is practice the elderly monk answered it’s just in front of you it is your life itself there’s nothing in the world that is [Music] hidden D father asked what do words mean words are empty if they are not put to work the suit are empty if you do not practice them you Buddha only through [Music] practice Doan was deeply impressed and began to realize something for the first time even if we are originally enlightened beings we never appear as Buddha without practicing in accordance with the teachings of the sutras that is to say practicing and Awakening are not separable but [Music] one the Z Master told him to drop off body and mind Doan was completely awakened by these wars yet even after the transmission from his master dogen continued to practice diligently there’s no end to our practice in 1227 dogen returned to Japan and roaz zeni universally recommended instructions for zazen this is a poem that had been transmitted since shakuni Buddha from Master to disciple for Generation after generation and which was different from the style then practiced in [Music] Japan in 1243 Doan at the age 43 moved to hm Province supported by a samurai in this province dogen founded the a monastery there because his master had taught Doan that the Deep Mountain Valley far from the capital was the ideal State ofin practice and do himself long been keenly aware of this at the age he devoted the rest of his life to transmitting the true Buddha Dharma and training disciples he said that it was not important that he had many disciples and that it would be sufficient if there were even just one practitioner who could truly carry on his teachings 10 years after ah’s founding he passed away at the age of 53 he found the answer only in zazen and did not want to establish and become the top of his sect but simply moved to the land of zazen and practiced and handed down zazen so this is the ah that is still practiced and handed down in this place as you were told at that time in ag about 150 practitioners are still practicing wholeheartedly every day following the teachings of Z master doen the bud Hall called bum it was renovated In 1902 and is a very beautiful Temple paved with cobblestones in the S of the Chinese son Dynasty the Sut readings are held during the day and evening the dhall called hatto is a place for practice with an area of 420 tatami mats and it is here that morning Sut readings and various rituals are held where all gather together if you question the why of each of these actions you will not be able to do anything smoothly the OA says here at AG the question why makes little sense in carrying out our daily duties the important thing here is to take the movements you are told as they are and just stick to them naturally there is no room for subjectivity however it is not so easy for those of us who have the latent ability to find meaning and purpose in all [Music] things when his mind start to flood for a moment he thinks why am I doing this or what is this going to be he’s worried about it after this awaits a grand tour of riddles that cannot be answered the practice of mindless dazzing is called shikantaza single-minded sitting Z is considered a fundamental practice and is not for the purpose of obtaining some certification of a spiritual enlightenment Enlightenment is important but it is not to be attained after practicing step by-step zazing Zin practice itself is believed to manifest the enlightenment of the Buddha Doan said just let go and forget about both your body and mind throw yourself into the house of the Buddha this is based on the fact that the Buddha was practicing zazing when he attained [Music] [Music] Enlightenment I’m going to mention about the Intensive Z meditation called rooh which is a big event for the a months the Buddha attained Enlightenment on December 8 in order to follow the Buddha’s actions it is a period of intensive jazzing during this session period from December 4st to 8th the monks undertake a rigorous practice for seven consecutive days they gather in the Monk’s Hall Rising Before Dawn at 3 a.m. to engage in zzing as the session commenced the front gate of the monk hall closed and the signal for the start of zazen echoed throughout the temple their minds became hazy no longer possessing trivial emotions such as questioning the purpose of their practice toward the final moment of release the hall gradually they become suffocated by the heat emanating from the human body the body is ready and their limbs begin to tremble they got close their eyes tightly and cleans of their [Music] tea finally from a distance the sound of a board being struck announcing the end of session broke the Silence of the early morning and echoed through the hall suddenly the tension in their body left and with a loud sigh the suffering of the seven days disappeared without a [Music] trace the first no fell after December 13th after completing the session the temple regain the FL of time as [Music] usual snow looks good on a it is true that ah Temple is not stained by anything sacred and set apart by itself in [Music] nature the yearlong training at ah is gring causing some uni to flee every year [Music] among them two3 are University graduates and the remaining are high school graduates most of the noish monks who enter the monastery are born in bran temples and will eventually be trained in ah and then return to their own temples they are young people who until just recently enjoyed a splendid time of Youth and freedom at the University opened by their SE therefore it is not the case that the young monks who enter a monastery all seek Enlightenment in the Buddhist way the author of the book also says that it is a fact that some enter with a heart full of resentment toward their circumstances with they were born into he noticed that they were changing our bit little by little it seemed to him that the thought of sacrifice due to the circumstance es which they were born into was gradually fading as they lived in the monastery they seems to be beginning to gain the confidence to stay firmly on the ground where they are standing and to look for it without [Music] fear now let’s go to the mountain gate one last time spring at a temple in the season to welcome newcomers and at the same time it is also the season for some uni to leave the practice [Music] period at a temple when spring approaches they asked whether they want to leave ah this spring some of them stay here but most of them leave their training at this time of the year [Music] the author recalls the days at ah were terribly monotonous shortly after I enter in the mountain I was very confused and anxious by the monotony when I decided to leave a I felt that the fact that I was here now seemed Irreplaceable and I wanted to spend the remaining time here to the best of my ability from then on I devoted myself to sitting in the monastery as much as time allow I wanted to keep the darkness this tranquility and this air somewhere in my body life is a series of insignificant days except for a few special days after all human beings are more likely to be attracted and moved by things that are dramatic and buried and the more monoton things are the more they are neglected buried in everyday life in the past by without noticing however I think that it is the monotonous and mundane things that we repeat every day that pass by without realizing that there’s a true lcking within ourselves that we must be aware of this is one of the answers I felt with my body at ah parking was easy when I arrived at the mountain gate the was of the plugs on this mountain gate which had been read out loud by Senor uni a year ago were repeated over and over again in my head it was indeed a ridiculous place I was disgusted by my own incompetence and it was bothered but what exactly was this tolerance it gave me the courage to accept everything Embrace everything and live in the present while remaining silent for a long time this is the nature of humans I put on my straw sandals and walked out of the mountain gate I just looked ahead and walked [Music] [Music] the last I live with my [Music] [Music] foree for [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] to the mountain to pick me up [Music] [Music] [Music] welcome back how did you like the a temple finally I would like to introduce aage in this book which really impressed me it says that one of the tourists from overseas who visited the anient capitals other there are many anient temples and Antiquities in Kyo and Nar but there’s no Buddhism there on the contrary the author report to this sentence and said about ah there are no ancient buildings or statues to see ah however there is a living form of Z here therefore at a to all people who visit here whether they are tourist or not the temp want them see the true life of a that is the living form of Dan their eyes and heart the temp at AG welcomes all Ts with open arms if you visit here I’m sure you will receive a warm welcome on this channel I regularly take you to another world mainly Western Japan I also have an Instagram account go to another world Japan for my daily vlog be sure to check it out if you found this video informative don’t forget to like And subscribe I hope you’ll have a wonderful trip to Japan people are a little bit shy but warm and friendly and the food is [Music] p next time I’m going to take you to another world is Grand Trine located in M prefecture is Grand Trine the most prent in Japan don’t miss it thank you so much for watching today I’ll see you again soon bye for now [Music] [Music] out of words to say I Clos my eyes and head away watch from mind bend and break no save in face just knees on I think [Music] I time let go and light through let go and let through let the sun R fly time let go [Music] made my way back to [Music] standing watch The Shadow walk off empty handed took a breath and set it down all my doubts like is it over [Music] time [Music] go let go and let through let the sun R flood my living [Music] room time I go by let go [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] so time let go and by you and Light
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