I love walking and hiking, but I tried to do these walks a little differently. A pilgrimage is not merely a walk, it is a meditation that uses all the 5 senses so that we can awaken the 6th sense (mind consciousness) and the 7th sense (ultimate reality). I read somewhere that if you can only hear yourself breath, you are walking too fast; slow down and hear Koba Dashi! For those of you who have hiked with me, you can imagine how difficult that must have been for me! But, walk slowly I did. Everytime I was tempted to break into a run, I heard Koba Dashi tell me "You will not be laughing when you fall and slip on the wet rocks!" In the mountains, there is no telephone reception and I'd walk 15km without seeing a single soul!
After a few hours I think I started to understand. I saw beyond what the eyes could see (mirages in the sky and reflecting off the trees - or maybe that was too much sun and exhaustion!); I heard beyond what the ears could hear (There was a lot of chat
ting with Koba Dashi, I heard birds chanting the Hannya Shin Gyo, rivers singing.... The songs of the mosquitos and flies in my ears where a little less pleasant at first, but even that became a friend by the end of the 1st day!); I smelt beyond what the nose could smell (There were times when I had wiffs of fragrant incense burning like in a temple. This was actually kindda creepy. As the smell came and went, it felt like someone was passing through!) I tasted beyond what I would normally taste (Parts of the route go through orchards and gardens and I was plucking and eating everything in sight- oranges, plums, prunes, apricots, berries (and it is not berry season I don't think!). Generally the fruits were delicious, but I tasted some pretty odd stuff. I don't know if I was eating things that weren't meant to be eaten or maybe they were not ripe.... but I have now experienced bitterness and sourness beyond what I have ever tasted before!) The sense of touch I am not so sure about; I think it is partly feeling the rootedness and groundedness with the earth, but also feeling the touch of the breeze and the rain mist!
ting with Koba Dashi, I heard birds chanting the Hannya Shin Gyo, rivers singing.... The songs of the mosquitos and flies in my ears where a little less pleasant at first, but even that became a friend by the end of the 1st day!); I smelt beyond what the nose could smell (There were times when I had wiffs of fragrant incense burning like in a temple. This was actually kindda creepy. As the smell came and went, it felt like someone was passing through!) I tasted beyond what I would normally taste (Parts of the route go through orchards and gardens and I was plucking and eating everything in sight- oranges, plums, prunes, apricots, berries (and it is not berry season I don't think!). Generally the fruits were delicious, but I tasted some pretty odd stuff. I don't know if I was eating things that weren't meant to be eaten or maybe they were not ripe.... but I have now experienced bitterness and sourness beyond what I have ever tasted before!) The sense of touch I am not so sure about; I think it is partly feeling the rootedness and groundedness with the earth, but also feeling the touch of the breeze and the rain mist!
I had 2 sutras (The Rishi Kyo & Hannya Shin Gyo) and some Koans (I think I am getting somewhere with the Sound of One Hand Clapping!) that I meditated on. Before I set-off on the Henlo (Shikoku Pilgrimage), I went to the temple with some friends and after 1 and 1/2 hrs of chanting the Rishi Kyo, I asked them what it meant. Makoto broke out into song "Everything little thing, is gonna be alright!" I guess Bob Marley understood the Rishi Kyo! The Hannya Shin Gyo is one of the most popular sutras (I guess it is equivalent to our Lord's Prayer.) Every good buddhist knows it by heart! I tried to learn the Hannya Shin Gyo, but it was too tough, so I focused on the last stanza "Gya Tei, Gya Tei, Hara Gya Tei, Hara So Gya Tei, Bo Ji So Wa Ka, Hanny Shin Gyo" and that basically means to "Go Forth"! So , my meditation was "Just Go On, Everything is gonna be alright!". Funny thing is, I already knew that! I was actually looking for "Where to go on to!!!"
Jokes aside, I think I did see some light! I used to think that life was a journey and it didn't matter much which path one took because it was the journey that mattered. Well, I think I see things a little differently now. Life is not just a journey, it is a pilgrimage. We walk through life with all our senses, completely in the NOW, but there is a purpose in the walk; a destination. Socrates said that Knowledge is the most important thing and the most important knowledge is to know thyself. When we know ourselves, we will know what our purpose is (our destiny)! Pretty good stuff right? I guess it is much better than just wandering through life..... you can enjoy every moment, but after a while, it is just pointless without that greater meaning!
The Kumano Kudo & Shikoku 88 temple are both pretty well marked trails but I had this uncanning knack of getting lost! And the reason I always got lost was because I turned off the trail when I wasn't supposed to. It seems pretty obvious that one should stay walking along the path unless told to do otherwise, right? Well, it isn't! Trail runners can tell you how we zone-out and very often don't even see the signs! But in my case, I think I got lost because I imagined a turn-off when there wasn't one! The sign would look like it was pointing off, or it seemed like there would be a village if I turned off, or the map looked like there should be a turning.... And if we take this learning into the pilgrimage of life, it works in exactly the same way! So often we beat ourselves up over having to make some decision or other... "so many roads, which should I take???" When in fact, making a decision is actually really easy. If something is meant to happen, the universe will work in such a way that it will be obvious (everything will just fall into place!). The road is very clearly marked and when it is time to turn-off, signs to turn off will be there! If you have to battle, fight and are not sure... better stay put on the path!
The Kumano Kudo & Shikoku 88 temple are both pretty well marked trails but I had this uncanning knack of getting lost! And the reason I always got lost was because I turned off the trail when I wasn't supposed to. It seems pretty obvious that one should stay walking along the path unless told to do otherwise, right? Well, it isn't! Trail runners can tell you how we zone-out and very often don't even see the signs! But in my case, I think I got lost because I imagined a turn-off when there wasn't one! The sign would look like it was pointing off, or it seemed like there would be a village if I turned off, or the map looked like there should be a turning.... And if we take this learning into the pilgrimage of life, it works in exactly the same way! So often we beat ourselves up over having to make some decision or other... "so many roads, which should I take???" When in fact, making a decision is actually really easy. If something is meant to happen, the universe will work in such a way that it will be obvious (everything will just fall into place!). The road is very clearly marked and when it is time to turn-off, signs to turn off will be there! If you have to battle, fight and are not sure... better stay put on the path!
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