#Buddha Day Ceremony

[look-into-our-heart]

Tzu Chi’s Buddha Day Ceremony

To commemorate the Buddha for coming to the world, teaching us the Dharma, and guiding us to the path of enlightenment, we hold Buddha Day Ceremony. In participating in the ceremony, we remind ourselves to purify our heart so that we may become just as pure as the Buddha having wisdom, blessings, and virtues.

 A traditional Buddha Day ceremony is marked by pouring water on a statue of the baby Buddha, which symbolizes the bathing of the baby Buddha after he was born. However, Dharma Master Cheng Yen says that the Buddha is inherently pure, why would he need ordinary beings to bathe his body? Thus, Tzu Chi’s Buddha Day Ceremony has been modified to pay respect at the Buddha’s feet and receive a bodhi leaf-shaped card. Touching the feet of elders is an age-old Indian tradition to express one’s utmost respect. For the Buddha Day Ceremony, Tzu Chi specially designed a mist machine with the footprints of the Buddha on it. Participants of the ceremony bow to a Buddha statue and place their hands on top of the machine above the scented mist gesturing touching the Buddha’s feet to pay respect to the Buddha.

 The ceremony is presented in beautiful and solemn formations. The formations in this year’s ceremony include the Chinese words of “working for Buddhism and for living beings” and “spreading the Dharma to benefit living beings.” Master hopes that such an orderly and dignified ceremony can bring out a heart of gratitude in people thus bringing about a harmonious society.

  Watch the magnificent 2023 Buddha Day Ceremony in Taipei, Taiwan (English)

[hallowpen]

Episode Eleven has a lot to unpack... including some cultural nuances that even I wasn't too knowledgeable about (so I had to ask my mom for clarification)

We're heading to Chao Fah Palace (คุ้มเจ้าฟ้า) in the province of Phrae (แพร่) for this episode... which is derivative of the old Lanna Kingdom and its culture. (We spoke a little bit about Lanna traditions when referencing the hairpins in episode five). Lanna territories are now part of modern-day Siam. In Lanna tradition, women were known as ช้างเท้าหลัง (pronounced 'chang tao lahng') which would literally translate into "the hind legs of the elephant". What it meant was that the direction of a woman's life and family were to be guided by the authority of a man, ช้างเท้าหน้า (pronounced 'chang tao nahr') "the front legs of the elephant". The woman must learn to accept her place. Lanna Buddhist tradition would preach that being born as a woman in this life meant you had not earned enough merit to be born a man, and to pray for better karma in the next lifetime. Ironically, before the rise of Buddhism, Lanna was one of the few territories to practice matrilineal succession... where lineage was passed on from mother to daughter.

Both of these beliefs were somewhat knit together for TLP's narrative in regards to Uangfah... which we'll talk about later.

ผ้าซิ่นตีนจก (pronounced 'pa sin tin jok') is a traditional skirt worn by women in Lanna. The skirts are known to have elaborate borders with strips of precious metals woven together, with spun gold or silver threads, by using a traditional loom. This technique emphasizes the beauty and value of the weaving, as well as the social status of the person wearing the skirt. The garment was generally reserved for high-ranking members of society.

Another practice steeped in Lanna tradition, is the art of making ตุง (pronounced 'toong'). In the northern dialect, this refers to a type of flag used in Lanna art and Buddhist ceremonies. The flags, adorned with various patterns and designs, are used to mark the boundaries of sacred sites as a symbol of the pathway toward enlightenment.

The series highlighted the Phra That Cho Hae Temple (พระธาตุช่อแฮ), which has rich history as a spiritual center and the most sacred Buddhism site in Phrae. Its highlight is the brass wrapped pagoda that stands 33 meters tall, which enshrines holy relics of Lord Buddha.

The Peacock Feather Dance (รำฟ้อนหางนกยูง - pronounced 'ram faan haang nohk-yuung') is a cultural piece of entertainment that sees dancers move in a circle and change positions in order to imitate the movements and courtship "dance" of a peacock. The dancers wear traditional northern costumes while holding peacock feathers. Known for its striking appearance, the peacock holds deep cultural and religious significance in Thailand. It is often associated with the ideas of beauty, royalty, prosperity, and spiritual awakening.

We are introduced to Uangfah's mother this episode. Princess Dararai holds the title of หม่อมเจ้าหญิง (mom-jao ying or M.C.) for being married to a descendant of the king. Princess Dararai wishing for her daughter to remain close to her after marriage has inklings of matrilineal customs, where the husband would typically come to live with the wife's family... and not the other way around.

The suitor Princess Dararai has chosen for her daughter to marry is Lord Muang-Rahm. Muang-Rahm holds the tilte of หม่อมราชวงศ์ (mom rat-cha-wong or M.R.) as a child of one "commoner" parent, but whose ancestry can be traced back to the king.

Uangfah has accepted the fact the she must submit to her mother's wishes and marry a man she does not care for (he's truly terrible... lesbi-honest). It's a bittersweet moment where we realize the realities of a woman who cannot openly pursue the love of another woman, given the views of society.

The proceeding conversation Uangfah has with Muang-Rahm is subtlety indicative of Lanna women who were in charge in their own relationships. Uangfah quietly inserts her authority over their future courtship by informing Muang-Rahm of her intentions to not wed straight away AND by addressing him by his nickname in front of Pia. Given his behavior, Muang-Rahm knows he cannot say anything untoward in order to save face... such a fun scene.

SHE KNOWS!!! The facial expressions 😂😂😂... you have to laugh

Anil and Pin have become more reckless the more comfortable they have become in their relationship... and that spells trouble ahead.

[megyulmi]

➠ Symbolism of Yuuji’s childhood memories in Chapter 265 and how it connects to his conversation with Sukuna:

I was rereading the latest chapter and ended up dwelling on how the order in which certain things appear along the path Yuuji and Sukuna are walking connects with the progression of their conversation and the outcome of it, so I want to point out a few of such details in case someone else finds it interesting.

First, I will start with Morning Glory (asagao, 朝顔, lit. morning face) Yuuji mistakes Ajisai for. Asagao was brought to Japan with the advent of Buddhism and came to represent Enlightenment. When one thinks of the flower, an old line often comes to mind: [Asagao blossoms and fades quickly to prepare for tomorrow’s glory]. It is the theme of one of the oldest songs on the morning glory, written by the Chinese priest at the temple of Obaku near Uji, who is said to have been the first person to introduce the flower to Japan. Since its arrival, it has been a frequent theme in Japanese Buddhist poetry, particularly when writing on the fleeting condition of human lives, as the poets found a congenial subject in the morning glory, for they considered no flower has a briefer life and beauty, and the buds of yesterday are flowers to-day, but only for a few short hours, and then nothing will be left but ruin and decay; though how quickly fresh buds will appear and fresh flowers open to be the tomorrow’s ‘morning glory’. Therefore, in Japanese culture, asagao is a symbol of new beginnings. The flowers open in the morning, representing the dawn of a new day, and close in the evening, symbolising the end of the day and the passing of time.

Next comes Ajisai (紫陽花), the Japanese hydrangea. The flower has both positive and negative connotations in Japanese tradition, symbolising both deep or heartfelt emotion and also a fickle or changeable heart. However, I mentioned in this post that the blue hydrangea (I am assuming blue, because Yuuji mistook it for asagao) can mean sincerity, forgiveness, remorse and spirituality. Ajisai are also an important part of the ceremony in celebration of Buddha’s birthday (Kambutsue), where his statue is washed with sweet hydrangea tea by the visitors of the temples. As such they are often found at shrines and temples.

After that, Yuuji and Sukuna catch Crayfish. Interestingly, Buddhist philosophy references the crayfish when speaking about the temporary nature of existence. All that seems solid and permanent, like the crayfish shell, eventually disappears. There is a famous painting of Priest Xianzi (Japanese: Kensu) by Unkoku Tōgan from the Momoyama period. It depicts a seated figure of a Buddhist monk who appears to be contemplating the large crayfish (or shrimp). Kensu or Xianzi is a semi-legendary eccentric priest of the Tang dynasty, who spent much of his time wandering along riverbanks, eating crayfish and clams. He allegedly achieved Enlightenment while catching a crayfish.

Later they come across Horses, which hold a special place in Buddhism, embodying spiritual virtues and the timeless quest for Enlightenment. The story of Siddharta Gautama Buddha’s renunciation and his separation from his beloved horse, Kanthaka, is a significant story in Buddhism. As Siddharta decided to leave behind his life of luxury and embark on a spiritual journey, he faced the task of saying goodbye to his beloved horse. The separation from Kanthaka symbolises the profound sacrifice he took when he renounced worldly attachments in the pursuit of Enlightenment. Additionally, in the Shamanistic tradition of East Asia and Central Asia, there is a concept of the Wind Horse, a flying horse that is the symbol of the human soul. In Tibetan Buddhism, it was included as the pivotal element in the centre of the four animals symbolising the cardinal directions.

After the horses, we see them engage in Archery. As a Buddhist symbol, the bow and arrow are found throughout the art, mythology and theology; held by gods, part of vivid legends, lauded in sacred texts and painted on the walls of the temple fortresses. They are symbols of the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. Just as the arrow flies straight to its target, so too must the mind of the archer be focused and free from distractions.

And lastly, Snow. As a symbol of purity, it is taken as representative of naive innocence behind heroic undertakings. In this regard, it is also a subject of paintings in special combination with cherry blossoms as a symbol of what is ephemeral and transitional as is the life of the hero. However, snow is often associated in the Japanese short poetry with the Zen notion of Emptiness. This is because, to quote the poet Naitō Jōsō, snow covers and clears everything: [fields and mountains / all taken by snow / nothing remains]. From the lens of Buddhism, as the defilements—greed, hatred, and delusion—melt away like snow, the process of purification speeds up our relinquishment of impurity. To do this, one needs to be able to feel their humanity from within, where the invisible factors of mindfulness, clarity, faith, energy, concentration, and wisdom can dismantle and dissolve years of deluded ways of perception, of relating to life. Only then will the ground of awakening begin to appear.

I find Yuuji’s conversation with Sukuna to be rich in symbolism, each element along their path reflecting deeper themes of compassion and Enlightenment. Their journey begins with the morning glory, symbolising a new beginning and Yuuji’s offer of redemption to Sukuna. The hydrangeas, mistakenly identified as morning glories by him, signify Yuuji’s readiness and offer of remorse as he sincerely reminisces on his childhood with him. The appearance of the crayfish continues this theme, highlighting that this conversation is a chance for Sukuna to contemplate the temporary nature of existence and the path he wants to continue leading from there on. The horses, embodying spiritual virtues and the timeless quest for Enlightenment, appear as Yuuji’s way of asking him to renounce his old ways in pursuit of Enlightenment, followed by Archery right after, emphasising his readiness for compassion despite all Sukuna has done to him, mirroring the Buddhist ideal of a concentrated, undistracted mind. And lastly, comes snow as a symbol of purity and the potential for redemption, evoking the Zen notion of emptiness and the purification of defilements. Yuuji, by invoking these symbols, offers Sukuna the last chance at redemption and Enlightenment. He shows Sukuna the final act of compassion if Sukuna shows remorse, which Sukuna refuses.

In the end, Yuuji and Sukuna walk the same path, but their choices lead them in opposite directions. Yuuji embraces the symbols of Enlightenment, striving for a higher understanding and compassion, whereas Sukuna rejects these ideals, choosing instead to renounce the path to Enlightenment.

[deathmetalunicorn1]

How would Thor, Loki, Apollo, Hades, Buddha Rudra react to arranged marriage? fem!Raeders (human or go, idc) is a perfect fit for a wife - smart, attentive, attractive, a bit motherly, if possible she can be chubby/busty, how would everything work? (if possible can you write some nsfw stuff?) I sent a lot of love and support 💋

-For many, the thought of an arranged marriage would feel controlling, stifling, like one’s freedom was being snatched away.

-That’s what both you and (Love) had initially thought when you were told that you were to be married, however, your opinions had changed after you both met each other.

-(Love) had never met someone like you before, you were witty, funny, caring and motherly, but also intelligent and you weren’t a pushover by any means, you were feisty, but he liked that.

-You were stunning to him, your looks made his blood run hot, seeing how curvaceous you looked, and pairing your stunning looks with your wonderful personality- you were the perfect person!

-It was you that took a bit longer to warm up to him, as you found him to be almost a little intimidating, being such a powerful god, you felt like you weren’t worthy of being with someone so perfect.

-To (Love), you were the perfect one, and he had started courting you, properly courting you so instead of being a loveless arranged marriage, this union would be one of love and happiness.

-You appreciated his honesty and his attention to you, unlike others in your past who just expected you to roll over and do what you were told, and you loved that he was taking time to woo you.

-Many had learned of this arranged marriage and many were expecting to see both of you looking miserable as you were being forced to do this, but seeing the smiles on both of your faces was quite surprising.

-The ceremony was lovely, and the party afterwards was so much fun, you enjoyed yourself, dancing with your new husband and he loved seeing you so happy as the two of you celebrating the first day of the rest of your lives together.

-Once at home however, (Love’s) switch was flipped, as you had been playfully flirting with each other leading up to the wedding, teasing each other, and now he finally had you.

-The first two days of your honeymoon were spent in bed, as he refused to let you get out of bed, he waited on you hand and foot, getting you anything you needed, food and drink wise, and refused to let you wear any clothes. Other than that, you were having your mind blown by his skillful hands and wicked tongue, bringing you mind blowing pleasure until you were near passing out, begging him to stop. He couldn’t and he didn’t, he adored seeing you writhing beneath him, drunk from pleasure, the pleasure he was giving to you. He couldn’t help it- you were too alluring, and he just wanted to keep drowning in you. He felt like he could have you every day and never get tired of your breathy gasps or hearing you calling out his name in want.

            -Apollo, Rudra, Buddha, and Loki

-You were his queen, his partner, and he treated you as such, putting himself beneath you- you were the leader in this relationship, he would do anything you asked of him. However, that led to some issues during your honeymoon, where he would praise you, showering you with his love, worshipping your perfect body. He told you numerous times that you were the boss, but then when you would beg him to stop pleasuring you, your mind melting from pleasure, he would just grin, almost evilly, and tell you no, going even harder. It would up being a big part of foreplay in your relationship, where you would tell him to do certain things and he would defy you and you were powerless to stop it, not that you minded~

-Thor and Hades

[ryin-silverfish]

What are monks and what do they do?

are they religious leaders like priest or are they schoolers or something else?

How did someone become a monk in ancient times? Was it a boys only position? Could just anybody become a monk or did you have to do something or be something to qualify?

By monk, I assume you mean "Buddhist monks"?

Well, they are members of the Sangha, one of the "Three Jewels" (三宝) of Buddhism, which consists of the Buddha, the Dharma (Buddhist Teachings), and the Monastic Community.

(Once again, I can only talk about Mahayana Buddhist monks in imperial China. If you want more info, I recommend talking to an actual Buddhist.)

Usually, when we say "monk" (僧/和尚), we don't just mean "adherents of the Buddhist religion", since you can offer incense at a temple, copy sutras, or have a statue of Bodhisattva Guan Yin on your private altar without becoming a monk.

These are people who 1) have gone through the relevant ordination rites and swear to abide by a set of religious vows, and 2) are part of a monastic community.

In other words, they are "cloistered" (出家人), leaving their home to learn and practice their religion in a temple, as opposed to lay practitioners (在家人) who carry out their religious activities in daily life.

And no, it's not a boy-only position——there are plenty of Buddhist nuns (比丘尼/尼姑) too.

Officially, to become a monk, you need to leave your worldly life behind. Which means, if your parents are still alive, you need to get their permission, if you are a court official, you need to quit your job, and if you are married, well, you cannot remain married.

Also, living in a monastic community means you were no longer considered viable for conscripted labor or taxation, and temples owned private lands, the increase of which could, well, depriving the imperial court of available land.

(This is one main motivation for historical prosecutions of Buddhism by certain emperors: the seizing of temple property + returning the monks and nuns back into the taxable population.)

As such, the imperial court tended to keep a firm control on the number of monks and the size of the temple. Basically, you need an official permit (度牒) from the state too, given out to each temple by the officials, and the monks didn't have the authority to make you one of their own in private.

Those who have committed one of the five grave crimes——killing their father, killing their mother, killing an arhat, destroying the unity of the monastic community, and "wounding the Buddha"——cannot become a monk either.

The most visible change one must make is shaving their head, like, entirely bald.

Those above the age of 7 but under 20 can become monks-in-training, called 沙弥/沙弥尼, but not formal member of the clergy because they are still considered too young to endure the physical and mental hardships.

(Similarly, adults who seek to become a formal monk must also pass through this training stage first.)

An aspiring monk, after receiving his permit, must first find a respectable monk, answer a series of questions that assess his fitness for monastic life, pay his respect to the Buddha and the monks of the temple he's joining, then becomes the disciple of one of those monks.

One monk will shave his head and bath him, while his master clothes him in his monk robes. Then, on the next day, he will receive his ordinations inside a temple hall, in front of the entire community, where he recites the monastic percepts (read: rules a monk must follow) and agrees to abide by them.

At this point, he has become a monk-in-training, which is a prerequiste stage for formal monk ordination, 比丘戒.

Usually, the latter ceremony is carried out at an actual altar, and the candidate must have already bought the "six necessasities" of monkhood ——three sets of robes, almsbowl, sitting cushion, and water container.

In Chinese Buddhism post-Yuan dynasty, the ordination rites may also include using burning incense sticks to leave a bunch of little marks (usually 12) onto one's head.

(Source: 《中国古代僧人生活》)

[blue-lotus333]

What are Nuns?

Nuns are a member of a religious community of women, especially a cloistered one, living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

They dedicate their lives to religious observance. Most nuns spend their time praying or meditating and doing service work in their communities.

Nuns in different religions 👇

Nuns in Christianity.

Nuns and sisters in Christianity belong to various religious institutes, each with its own charism. Both take vows, pray, do religious services/contemplations & live modestly. Nuns traditionally recite the full Divine Office in church throughout the day, while lay sisters perform maintenance or errands outside the cloister. Externs, who live outside the enclosure, may also assist with tasks.

Nuns in Buddhism.

Buddhist nuns, called bhikkhunis, mostly live under disciplined & mindfulness. They share important vows, offer teachings on Buddhist scriptures, conduct ceremonies, teach meditation, offer counseling, & receive alms. Bhikkhunis are expected to go against the materialistic values, focusing instead on spiritual aims outlined by the Buddha. They adhere to specific precepts guiding their behavior/lifestyle, which vary based on tradition & monastery.

Nuns in Hinduism.

Hindu nuns, also called sanyasini, sadhavi or swamini, practice a monastic life of religious devotion by living simple lives of study, meditation & prayer. Some nuns seclude themselves in Hindu communities while others wander from place to place spreading the teachings of their faith, all their actions are directed as a service to Brahman. Hinduism teaches followers to respect these nuns for renouncing material things.

Nuns in Taoism.

Taoist nuns typically lived in temples known as guan, Celibacy was associated with early Taoist schools. They are solitary practitioners who take modesty & Clarity. In the Shangqing School, Taoist nuns are called nü daoshi or nüguan. their daily schedule included chanting scriptures, community work, and individual practices, including inner alchemical exercises.

Nuns in Shintoism.

Shinto nuns are called miko, or shrine maiden, they’re young nuns who work at shrines & heavily worship Shinto Kami (gods). Miko were once likely seen as shamans & priestesses but they are understood in modern Japanese culture to have an institutionalized role in daily life, trained to perform tasks, ranging from sacred cleansing to performing the sacred Kagura dance.

Nuns in Jainism.

Jain nuns are known as Aryika, or as Sadhvi. Aryikas (sadhvis) mostly meditate near Vrindavan, India. In Samavasarana of the Tirthankara, aryikas sit in the third hall. The Aryikas lead a simple life, with few possessions, and consider the world their family. They live in small groups and dedicate their days to meditation, study, carefulness & extreme compassion.

[red-hot-temper]

Villains Are Destined to Die calendar 2023

January: 1 - New Year's Day, 22 - Lunar New Year (there is a quote of Penelope at the end of the page)

February: 14 - Reynold's birthday (Reynold's quote)

March: 1- March 1st Movement, 31 - The day that Siyeon transmigrated into the game (Penelope's quote)

April: 1 - Siyeon's birthday, 5 - Sikmogil Arbor Day, 15 - the imperial ball (second prince's birthday, but who cares THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING OF PENELOPE AND CALLISTO AAAHHH) (Penelope's quote)

May: 5 - Children's Day, 6 - VADD Festival (I think it refers to the beginning of the festival), 27 - Buddha's Birthday (Derrick's quote)

June: 6 - Memorial Day / Hyeonchungil, 24 - a banquet hall commotion, 25 - the opening day of the hunting competition, 30 - Eckles' birthday

July: no VADD events or holidays (the two quotes are from Eckles)

August: 1 - Callisto's birthday <3, 15 - The National Liberation Day of Korea, 16 - Penelope's coming of age ceremony (I swear I thought it was a week after Callisto's birthday) (Callisto's quote <3)

September: 13 - Winter's birthday, 29 - Chuseok Festival (Winter's quote)

Since Tumblr limits the number of images in the post, I'll do a reblog with the remaining months, wait a little!

[thaifanfests]

🌸Vlogs on Songkran🌸

While reading information about Songkran is useful, many Thai creators and vloggers walk us through Songkran in different parts of Thailand. Take a look at some of these videos to learn more!

What have we done in a provincial during Songkran? by ChawbanDoo

In this video, ChawbanDoo takes us through what he does in Singburi during Songkran. The vlog, which spans a few days, shows key components of Songkran, such as shopping and preparing for the holiday, bathing the Buddha image with nam ob, and water pouring with family members. Food is also central in this vlog: mu kratha and other dishes are shown. Finally, he pans to “playing Songkran,” which is him mostly watering his plants and then kids splashing cars with water.

Songkran Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand by Thailand Travel

Thailand Travel’s video is on Songkran 2023 in Chiang Mai. As described, the video “highlights… the colorful parades, traditional ceremonies, and playful water fights. The parade of Buddha statues is one of the most important activities in the Songkran Festival in Chiang Mai. People believe that throwing water on Buddha statues or others will bring good luck to Buddha statues, others and themselves.”

ก็มาศิวัช EP.1 เมื่อศิวัชเล่นมุขเสี่ยวเที่ยวสงกรานต์ (Episode 1 Vlog) by Mark Siwat

Mark’s first vlog, Gor Ma Siwat, takes place on Songkran Day 2019. The day begins with the water pouring ceremony with his family. Afterwards, Mark shops for a Songkran outfit, looking through several floral and Hawaiian shirts and, as he stresses, a waterproof bag for personal items. Finally, the blog ends with some tips for the water gun fights (and other antics) at Siam Square’s Songkran Festival.

Battle Trip | 배틀트립 – Ep.93 Songkran Water Festival VS Thingyan Festival by KBS WORLD TV

In this 2018 episode of Battle Trip, one team of travelers attends Songkran and the other attends the Thingyan Festival to see which is the superior festival. In the first half of the video, the team travels to Chiang Mai to join the water fights there. Other important details are highlighted here, such as transportation during the holiday, smaller shops being closed, how to refill water guns, shopping at markets, street vendors, etc. 

Tawan the Wanderer, EP. 6 by GMMTV

GMMTV’s series Tawan the Wanderer has a 2019 episode dedicated to Songkran. The video opens with some basic information about the Thai New Year before transitioning to Tawan going to markets to get flowers for the temple and celebrations. The video includes Tawan near Wat Phra Singh (a prominent temple), conversations with people in Chiang Mai about the festivities, and Tawan’s family as they cook food and spend time together.

🌸 What's SongkranFest2024? 🌸 Guidelines 🌸 Prompts 🌸 Discord & Carrd 🌸

[lantur]

trip updates part one: Tokyo

It was a mercifully smooth 12-hour flight from Minneapolis to Tokyo! The seat next to me was unoccupied, so I could stretch my legs out, sleep a bit, read, and watch my shows. I finished Black Friend by Ziwe, which I loved, and Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read. I also watched the first five episodes of Succession, season one! I'm so into this show.

It was so easy to navigate Tokyo via the subway. I took the train from the airport to my hotel, dropped my stuff off, and had time to visit Senso-ji Temple that evening. Visiting a religious site is something I like to do as soon after landing as possible. Senso-ji in the evening, lit up, was beautiful. I wandered through the temple grounds to look at the pagodas and the stone Buddha statues, while listening to the clinking of people dropping their coin offerings into the metal collection area. I found a little ramen spot nearby, and the ramen was incredible and very comforting after 12+ hours of travel, going through customs, navigating around a new city, etc.

The next day, I found a cute little cafe right next to my hotel where I could start my day with my caffeine fix. I headed to Tsukiji Market, and I LOVE a market. Normally I hate crowds, but when there's food involved, that hatred goes away. :) I explored the food stalls and ate all the seafood my little heart desired - crab legs, eel, scallops, a sashimi bowl.

I went to Meiji-Jingu shrine, in the middle of Yoyogi Park, which is very forested. One of the coolest things about this location was seeing a wedding ceremony that was taking place, with the couple and family dressed in traditional Japanese clothing. It was a lovely area to explore, and after I inevitably got lost in the park and found my way again, I had sakura flavored soft serve ice cream as a treat.

The Hamarikyu Gardens were an unexpected stop for me, while I waited for my evening kabuki show to start, and I'm so glad I went. The flower field there was yellow as far as my eyes could see, and there were tons of hummingbirds around.

The kabuki show was a cool experience - I loved the music, and the body language of the actors!

Other highlights of the rest of my time in Tokyo:

Matcha lattes and pancakes at the cafe near my hotel

Seeing cherry blossoms at Ueno Park!!

The collection of art and artifacts at Tokyo National Museum

The food - ramen, katsu curry, pho!

Soaking in the large, hot public bath at my hotel, which I had to myself that night.

One thing I didn't expect:

The weather! Coming from one of the coldest places in the United States, where it gets to be -30 F, I didn't think that Japan in spring would challenge me. And yet, it did. I brought my mid-weight spring coat, which has been working fine for me at home. For some reason, I found Tokyo very windy, and the wind cut right through me. I was very uncomfortable walking around, and finally, I had to buy another coat at Uniqlo here, as well as a scarf. I got both for ~$40 USD so it didn't break the bank, at least. :)

I got to Kyoto yesterday morning and I have more to journal about that, but I will do so in a separate post. :)

It has been amazing to be on vacation. To not have to worry about work, or grocery shopping, or cooking, or getting my workout done before work starts, or anything. I love my job and it still feels AMAZING to not work.

Oh, also, I almost forgot to add - I got an email as soon as I landed in Tokyo, confirming that I have been accepted at the university I applied for, and will be starting my MSW in fall. It's been a lovely celebratory trip!

[recentadultburnout]

Info for writer in Thai series fandom: Holidays and Festivals

In my opinion, most holidays and festivals can be sorted by their relevance into a few categories, like the royal family, religion, or something inbetween. If its origin is something related to the royal family, it is likely that it will have fewer activities for people who are not government officers or students to do than when it relates to religion.

Piyamaharaj Day

Date : Oct 23

King Chulalongkorn (or Piyamaharaj) Day is to commemorate the day King Chulalongkorn passed away. King Chulalongkorn made many contributions in his reign, like the educational system, military affairs, national communication, the state railway, and the Slave Liberation Act without bloodshed in Thailand. Piya (ปิย) means beloved and Maharaj (มหาราช) means the Great King. As the name suggests, he was really popular. Many people have his picture in their house or their shop. He is also somewhat considered sacred, and some people will make a wish to him. The offerings that people believe he liked consist of brandy, cigars, shrimp paste rice, pink roses, and other general offerings. 

Activities

The various departments will send their representatives to lay wreaths of flowers to pay homage at his statue and make merit in His Majesty King Chulalongkorn's name. People who loved him will do that too. Many government agencies, schools, and universities will also hold exhibitions to educate the public about his life and work.

The current queen’s birthday Date : Jun 3

The current king’s birthday Date : July 28

Activities Most government agencies and schools will set up the king or queen's picture, decorate it, and arrange a place for people to sign their name to wish them a happy birthday. They might also hold exhibitions about their lives and the work they do for the public too.  I'm glad I didn't have to do it anymore. It's really hard to make an informative board when there is so little information in the first place.

Coronation Day

Date : May 4

In Thailand, we call it Chat-Mong-Khon day. Chat (ฉัตร) means several-tiered umbrella. In this case, it is nine-tiered, symbolizing the sovereign. Its Thai name refers to the ceremony they do on the date that the coronation of the current king happens. Originally, this ceremony was considered a private ceremony of the King, held in the royal court, but later it became a national holiday.

Activities

There are none, but like every special day and occasion in Thailand, it was encouraged to make merit on this day.

The Royal Ploughing Ceremony

Date : May, at the beginning of the month, depends on what day is the most auspicious according to astrology.

The main purpose of the ceremony is to boost the morale of farmers across the nation. The highlight is the sacred bull's choice, which will predict the amount of rain and which product will flourish, and the rice sowing, which won't really have a chance to grow because the audience will collect it up immediately as it is believed to bring luck and help the crop grow when they mix the seed in. After the ceremony, the model farmer usually received a plaque of honor from the king or representative. 

Activities

Other than in the ceremony, there are none.

Magha Puja

Date: The 15th day of the waxing moon (full moon) of the 3rd month according to the Thai lunar calendar.

A day celebrates a gathering that was held between the Buddha and 1,250 of his disciples who came to see the Buddha without being summoned. From the tale, all of them are already Buddhist saints (Arhat) and all of them are direct disciples ordained by the Buddha himself. 

Activities

Go to the temple, abstaining from all sins, offer alms or make merit by giving freedom to animals (release birds or fish) that got caught-about this one, I must say that it's a thing you shouldn't do on a whim. Too many people do it without any consideration for the environment or even whether the animals they release will survive. They do it just because it's a "tradition". Their actions also create demand for birds or fish that wouldn't get caught otherwise. It's more sin than merit at this point.  Listen to a sermon and go wian tian (เวียนเทียน) which is to walk with lighted candles in hand around a temple in the evening.

Visakha Bucha, or Vesak

Date: The 15th day of the waxing moon of the 6th lunar month or, in other words, the full moon day of the Visakha (visakha is the name of the month in the lunar calendar).

It is a day that marks the three most important events in Buddhism, namely the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha, with all three events taking place on the same day but in different years according to Thai interpret.

Activities

The same thing you do on Magha Puja.

Asanha Bucha

Date: The full moon day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar.

It is the day that Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutra, to Kondanna, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama, and Assaji. The day after Asanha Bucha will be the day Buddhist Lent starts.

Buddhist Lent or, in Thai, Khao Phansa.

"Khao Phansa" means "Rains Retreat", which means all monks must stay at any temple during the rainy season. Because the monks in Buddha's time had a duty to make pilgrimages to animals and spread the Dharma and teachings to the people in various places. There is no need to have a fixed place to live, even in the rainy season. The villagers blamed them for stepping on the seedlings and other crops until they were damaged. Therefore, the Buddha laid down a Buddhist Lent regulation for the monks to stay stationary for three months in the rainy season. 

Activities

Because Asanha Bucha and Khao Phansa are next to each other, sometimes the activities get mixed up. For Asanha Bucha, we do the same thing we do on Magha Puja and Visakha Bucha days. Khao Phansa will have more occasional things happen, but like I say, it can get mixed. One day is not a big deal at all. There will be a Buddhist ceremony, as well as preparations for the monks' and novices' residence to be in good enough condition to be used for three months during Buddhist Lent. There will also be a Candlelight Procession (Phi-Tee-Hae-Tian-Phan-Sa:) in which we will take special candles (one of the popular activities is to cast that candles by providing materials such as wax, candle wicks, crucibles, and pans for the crowd to use to make them together in a public place such as in front of the mall), we make before Khao Phansa Day, go to the monastery to present the candle to the monk, then put candles into the temple, and light candles to worship the Three Jewels. There are also other activities, such as offering clothes to the monk, praying that they will conduct themselves within the framework of the Five or Eight Precepts, listening to sermons, and the Dharma. You can choose to participate as much or as little as you want. It is up to your faith and abilities. For monks, there will be a lot of other activities, but for ordinary people, I think this will be all. At the end of Buddhist Lent there will be Tak Bat Devo festival.

The Vegetarian Festival, or Tesakan Gin Jay (เทศกาลกินเจ)

Date: Start on 1st day of the 9th lunar month according to the Chinese calendar and last 9 days.

It is came from Taoist tradition. During the fastival people who choose to paticipate will only eat food that prepared without meat or products of animal origin (e.g. milk, eggs, honey, fish sauce, gelatin, collagen) and not flavored with strong smell vegetables such as garlic, onions, spring onions, shallots, chives, and cilantro, some also Including hot and spicy spices.

Moon Festival

Date: The full moon day of the 8th month according to the lunar calendar.

It is a traditional Chinese cultural festival that takes place in the middle of autumn to celebrate the harvest. Some households will celebrate it with their family, some don't. The ceremony will be held in private, so I'm not sure how popular it actually is, but the mooncakes sure are.

Chinese New Year

Date: The 1st day of the 1st month in the Chinese calendar.

Thais of Chinese descent will follow the tradition for 3 days: pay day (wan jai/วันจ่าย), pay respect day (wan wai/วันไหว้) and travel day (wan tiao/วันเที่ยว).

Pay Day is the day before the end of the year. It is a day when we have to buy food, fruits, and various offerings before the shops close for a long vacation.

On Worship Day, the day starts in the early morning by paying homage to "Bài lǎoyé" (拜老爺 / 拜老爷) which is a form of worship to various gods. The offering is three meats (Sasae, Sam Cheng), pork, duck, and chicken, and liquor, tea, and paper money. After that, we pay respect to "Pai Pae Bo" (拜父母), which is to pay respect to ancestors, parents, relatives, and relatives who have passed away. This will be completed no later than noon. The offerings consisted of sa sae, sweet and savory dishes (mostly done as the deceased once liked), as well as the burning of paper money, gold paper, and paper clothes to dedicate to the deceased. Then the whole family will be gathered to eat and exchange red packets afterward. Finally, we will pay homage to "Pai Ho Hia Tee" (拜好兄弟), which is respect for the spirits of the deceased brothers and sisters. The offerings will be kanom keng, kanom tian, taro in syrup, silver and gold paper, along with firecrackers to ward off evil and for good luck.

The day of travel or holding day is the new year's day. It is the first day of the first month of the year. Today, it is a tradition called "Pai Jia," which is an occasion to go to another's house to wish them luck and ask for blessings from the elders and loved ones.

Qingming

Date: 15 days after the spring equinox.

It is believed that Qing Ming Day is one of the three days when the human world and the spirit world are closest to each other. So during this period, it is a custom to go sweeping and pay respect to ancestors' tombs. Moreover, during Qingming, the weather is good. Therefore, it is suitable for the descendants to travel to the graves of their ancestors to pay homage, sweep and clean around the graves of their ancestors.

( He is coming to me's Thai name is He came to Qingming next to my grave.)

Songkran or Thai New Year

Date: 13 April

The word "Songkran" comes from Sanskrit and means "moving." It refers to how the zodiac sign is moving, which means the new year. Songkran is a traditional family practice where water is the main element of the ceremony. Basically, there will be  1.Bathing Buddha images at home and at temples for good fortune and making merit, offering food to monks ***By bathing, I mean gently pouring water from a water bowl (ขันน้ำ) onto the Buddha images. 2.Gently pouring water from a water bowl onto each other and wish each other luck in the new year. It will be more formal when it's between an elder and a child than between friends. 3. Ask for forgiveness for something that has already passed or a New Year's wish from an elderly person. 4.Loading sand into the temple. It is believed that it will bring auspiciousness, happiness, prosperity, and a lot of money, like the grains of sand that are carried into the temple. Another belief is that taking the sand that is attached to the feet from the temple is a sin. Therefore, to not commit a sin, we should bring it back to make up for what we take during the past year.  It is mainly a family event, so it is also a time when most people travel back home to their family. Many people work far from home and don't have many chances to go back, so in the Songkran period they will go back and have a family gathering.

The water fight is not really traditional, but it's a main event that has many people waiting eagerly now.

Loy Krathong Festival

Date: The 15th waxing moon of the 12th month according to the Thai lunar calendar.

Loy means float, and Krathong, in this context, means banana leaf vessel or floating basket. The traditions vary by region, but one thing they all have in common is that it takes place at night and includes float Krathong. The purpose of this event is to either worship the goddess of water, Ganga, pronounced in Thai as "Khong-ka", or to worship the Buddha, or both. The krathong that is used in this event can be made from a lot of things, such as banana leaf, banana stalk pith, foam, coconut shell, or bread. There are many beliefs around this event. For lovers, sometimes the pair will use one Krathong together or go float it together and try to make it stick together after it goes into the water, as it is believed to be a good sign for a pair of lovers. During fastival, the atmosphere can be quite romantic. There is also a belief that you can float away all suffering along with the krathong by cutting nails, hair, and money and putting them into the krathong before floating it.

Yi Peng Festival

Date: the 13th to the 15th waxing moon of the 12th month according to the Thai lunar calendar or the 15th waxing moon of the 2nd month according to the Thai Lanna lunar calendar. On the same day as the Loy Krathong Festival.

Yi Peng is actually a variation of Loy Krathong, but instead of only Krathong, it will also have Khomloy, which is some kind of hot-air balloon, and it will actually happen two days before. The Yi Peng starts on the 13th day of the waxing moon, which is considered "Wan-da(วันดา)" or the day of the preparation to make merit at the temple. When it comes to the 14th day of the waxing moon, Father Oui (grandpa/elderly man), Mae Oui (grandma/elderly woman), and those who have faith will go together and conduct themselves within the precepts, listen to the Dharma, and make merit at the temple. A large krathong will be made in the temple courtyard. Inside the krathong will be food and other consumables. Anyone can bring something to make a contribution. Those items will be given to the poor to make merit. On the 15th day of the waxing moon, the big Krathong at the temple and the small personal Krathong will be floated on the river.

Index

[atmymercy]

anniversary book club post #1 - the how of pooh!

sit down! pull up a chair and feel free to express yourself here about the first chapter in the book! feel free to say or ask about anything you want here! no answer is right! no answer is wrong! we are all just here to discuss and broaden our minds and souls to new concepts and understandings! woot! let's start!

obviously i'll go first since i'm the crazy person in charge! sort of! lol i've never run one of these book clubs (or even been a part of one really, unless school counts! lol) before so please ignore my lack of decorum! lol

So first thing I took in this time while reading the first chapter was how the "Three Teachings" of China mirror the human experience! What I mean by that is that Confucius (K'ung Fu-tse) teaches us about the rules of this world and what is expected of us. Aka the teachings of others. So this could include our parents, our religious ceremonies we were raised in and other teachings from our ancestors. It's what other people have already figured out about this world and they're trying to bestow it upon us.

It's like our background work and the building block to our stability! A place to jump from. I would describe these years as child to young adult. A lot of learning and taking in of information. Which can of course be a sour time because being a student isn't easy! lol

The Buddha teachings to me represent the young adult to mid/older adult range in my mind. You take what you learned from others in your time and teachings of Confucius to try and navigate the landscape of Earth to do the best that you can! But of course, because you are on your own for the first time, it feels like "the world was seen as a setter of traps, a generator of illusions, a revolving wheel of pain for all creatures" (hoff, 1982).

The world can seem like such a hard and scary place when you are learning to actively use the teaching of Confucius (and others in your life who raised you) in your day-to-day life. Especially if the people before you never experienced what you are experiencing (because the human experience is also always changing and evolving!) and make it taste bitter because you are sometimes learning on your own or in the dark!

And finally the teachings of Taoism, represent when you are able to see through the illusions of earth with the help of people who taught you before (Confucius) and your own life experiences (Buddha) to find harmony in your human experience. It's about finding your own natural law so that you can be "in essence a reflection of heaven, run by the same laws - not by the laws of men" (Hoff, 1982).

So the teachings of Taoism represent an older adult or elder who has gone through all these "Three Teachings" of China and has found the Tao or, "the Way". I would almost call this "the Journey of the Elder" because you do not become wise without first learning and revering the way of our ancestors (once again, this is Confucius teachings) and then experiencing first-hand the world (the teachings of Buddha) to lastly find Tao ("the Way"). Where you learn to smile through your journey!

Aka you will probably be all three teachings in your lifetime! woot! lol

Such amazing stuff here! I hope I described it okay! It's pretty much the journey of the human! First you learn, then you experience, then you know the way. Ugh! It's so beautiful, complex and simple all at the same time!

I can't wait to hear all your thoughts on this too! What things did you guys pick up? What stood out to you? I tried to add in any lines that really spoke to me or seemed beautiful! Like I loved the mention of "happy serenity is the most noticeable characteristic of the Taoist personality" and it's like no wonder he picked Winnie the Pooh then because happy serenity is so pooh bear! Omg! lol

[giuliacolla]

A TRIP TO JAPAN

We recently flew from Milan to Tokyo for a 12-day holiday in Japan. The trip was organised by an Italian tour operator for a group of 12 people.

All in all it was a pleasant experience, firstly beacause Japan is a marvellous country and then beacause the group was well assorted: 3 young couples on their honeymoon, a middle-aged couple, and two mature ladies of our age.

From Milan to Tokyo we had an adventurous flight but at last we reached the Japanese capital.

If you visit Japan neither in April (cherry blossom) nor in mid-October (foliage) it won’t be crowded and two days in Tokyo are good enough to enjoy shopping in Shibuya, taste an ice-cream or pancake in Harajuku and visit both the Meiji Shintoist Temple and the Kannon Buddhist one without queuing. Moreover, as soon as you enter the beautiful park of the Meiji Temple, you breathe absolute peace.

Worth visiting is the nearby city of Nikko, where the Shikyo Bridge and the Futarasanjin are a World Heritage Site.

In the following days we had two nice excursions, the first one from Magome to Tsumagotwo, where you walk for 8 km in the ancient street that three centuries ago connected Tokyo to Kyoto.

The second walk was in Takayama, a beautiful small town in the mountains.

In the evening, though, we were quite disappointed: the dinner based on the famous Hida meat, booked from Italy for 300 euros each, we found out we could buy there for 30 euros.

We consoled ourselves at the Mercure Hida, where we had the pleasant surprise to get a complimentary access to their onsen (thermal SPA), wearing nice kimonos provided by the hotel.

The following day we went to Shirakawago - by the way, in all our trips by bus or train we were accompanied by absolutely well-organised, guides speaking Italian, provided by MTJ - where we witnessed the most beautiful village we have ever seen; then in Kanazawa we went to the Samurai Noumura house and its splendid garden Kenrouken.

We spent the night in Kanazawa at the Onyado Nono, where we enjoyed another marvelous onsen for free.

Then it was Kyoto, the former Japanese capital, where we spent the last 3 days

Here is the tea ceremony, followed by a tour of the ancient city of Higashiyama.

Then we visited the bamboo forest, the rocks garden and the Ryoanji Temple (World Heritage Site)

We then went to Nara, where, at the Todai-ji, we admired the biggest bronze Buddha in the world, and we had a nice walk in the park that hosts 1200 deer.

The last stop of our journey was the Osaka Kansai airport (designed on an island by Renzo Piano)

[thiziri]

The Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence visit Sri Lanka.

Day 2: Kandy and Jaffna

Today, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence began the day at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, in Kandy, the most significant Buddhist Temple in Sri Lanka. 

The Temple, located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha.

At the Temple, The Princess Royal was met by the Acting Chief Custodian of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Mahinda Dela who hosted Her Royal Highness for the visit. Her Royal Highness took part in a traditional ceremony and offered a plate of Jasmine flowers to the tooth relic.

Next, Her Royal Highness travelled to Jaffna, a city on the northern tip of Sri Lanka. At the Jaffna Public Library, The Princess Royal was greeted by the Commissioner of Jaffna Municipal Council, Mr. Thanabalasingham Jayaseelan and Chief Librarian of Jaffna Public Library, Ms Anushiya Sivaharan. 

The Princess Royal received a traditional welcome and was presented with a garland of flowers and received a pottu in the middle of her forehead. During the tour, Her Royal Highness met members of Sri Lanka’s Tamil and northern communities to hear how the Jaffna public library is a symbol of northern education and culture.

On the final visit of the day, HRH visited The Halo Trust’s Muhamalai Demining and Resettlement Site in Muhamalai.

Joined by The Halo Trust, Mines Advisory Group (MAG), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Her Royal Highness heared more about the work of UK-funded and international organisations in supporting the clearing of mines and the sustainable resettlement of people on cleared and safe lands.

The princess met members of the community who have been resettled on the land following the successful mine clearance.

© Royal UK | 11 January 2024

[splendentmoon]

I’ve noticed in your forgotten prince au that you have yet to mention MK and Bai He’s parents, so if you’re interested I came up with an idea that involves ShadowJadePeach that could give the story a bit more uniqueness:

Parents:

Sun Wukong: Monkey King

Liu’er Mihou: Shadow Queen

Sun Nüwa: First Consort of Mount Huaguo

Wukong and Nüwa had become close friends with Wukong even sneaking her to his home on a few occasions. While planning the havoc in heaven with the brotherhood, Nüwa came to Wukong in tears, she revealed that her father had been looking for suitors for her (because of her friendship with Wukong) and that even without the true sight that Wukong and Erlang possess she could tell everyone of them were selfish people who only wanted her for her position and powers. She felt completely hopeless, as even if she brought up her worries to her father, he’d brush her off without a second thought.

Seeing his friend’s despair, Wukong came up with a plan to help (with advice and approval from Macaque). He travelled to the western kingdom and with a bit of persuasion (and a lot of pleading) he married Nüwa with the approval of Buddha, not only that but the ceremony itself was ordained by Guanyin. This basically made it impossible for the Jade Emperor to refuse or annul the marriage (much to his seething anger).

This event would cause a ripple effect in the brotherhood, with DBK deciding to settle down with PIF (who he met at the wedding ceremony) and the Camel Ridge Trio being banished from FFM after Azure suggested they use Nüwa to take down the Jade Emperor.

The three would live in (relative) peace for a long while, then came the day Macaque and Nüwa brought up the idea of children. Wukong was excited about the idea, but he was also worried that people would treat one of his spouses as inferior because the other would be the mother of his first born hair, he felt bad enough that people treated Nüwa as less than because she’s a consort and not a queen like Macaque.

(Which he feels is ridiculous because in his eyes Macaque and Nüwa are not only equal to each other, but are both equal to him as well)

He comes up with a crazy plan to avoid such an outcome, using Nüwa’s magic, the remnants of his stone egg, and a sliver of Macaque’s shadows, they craft a child that would be biologically related to the three of them.

Much to their surprise the new egg hatches into not one but two little cubs.

Their happiness was unfortunately cut short once news of the children reached the Jade Emperor who became blinded with anger. He felt it was insulting enough that his daughter married a monkey and became a consort despite being of higher status, but for her to taint their bloodline and in such an unnatural manner, was the final straw for him.

He sent his armies to capture the three of them and destroy the children. They succeeded in capturing them, but by then Nüwa had already hidden Xiaotian and Bai He away. The Jade Emperor decided it was fine as the children showed no physical indication of being related to Nüwa or more importantly him and would likely parish on their own.

He imprisoned the three rulers in specially crafted prisons with seales that could only be undone by someone of his direct bloodline (aka him, Nüwa, or the cubs). Wukong was trapped under a mountain in the mortal realm. Macaque was bound in mystic icy chains in Diyu (wild guess who is responsible for those). While Nüwa was kept under house arrest in the Jade Palace, with a collar that not only cancelled out her powers, but whenever she tried to leave the palace it would inflict unspeakable pain.

The only solace the three of them had in this new miserable existence was the fact their children were safe, far away from the Jade Emperor and that Nüwa could still dream walk despite the collar, connecting herself every night to her husband and sister-wife (idk if there’s a better phrase for two people who are married to the same spouse).

Xiaotian and Bai He grew up in (relative) isolation, fully aware of being related to the Monkey King and Shadow Queen, but unaware of their relation to the Goddess of Creation. While they shared no physical similarities with her they did inherit her powers, though they often mistook them as either an ability one of their other two parents had that no one knew of (ex: healing) or as one of their other power acting up for one reason or another (creation accidentally mixing with hair clones equals unpredictable trouble).

Around this time the Jade Emperor would send his armies to hunt the two of them down, hoping to end them before they or anyone else discovered their connection to him, what he hadn’t anticipated for was one of his soldiers developing a crush on his disowned granddaughter. (Bai He x Nezha)

How do I tell you this without making me hate myself?

First of all, it sounds great and it would be great if it were, but….

I can tell you didn't know that the story was already explained and how things were.

I'm not trying to make you feel bad, I swear, but I already have the story planned out, if I change it for me it would be like throwing a sleepless night and mumbling like a schizophrenic in the trash.

But I can tell you'd be a good writer, because that sounds like something incredible.

HERE is the question I answered telling the story of Forgotten prince, sorry and bye!

[shintoinenglish]

Japanese Ancestor Worship in Shintō: Part 1

In Shintō, ancestors become 神様 kamisama instead of 仏様 hotokesama which, while written the same as Buddhas, has a different connotation and just means the spirits of the deceased. There are a lot of similarities between the Shintō and the Buddhist methods, however.

There is a central item of worship called the 霊璽 reiji or 御霊代 mitamashiro, which is a wooden item imbued with the soul of a recently deceased person by a priest at the 遷霊祭 senreisai ceremony. A priest is the only person who should be making a reiji. It is usually covered by a special curtain or by the doors of the ancestor altar, which is kept separately from the kamidana and called a 祖霊舎 soreisha. A soreisha should be positioned lower than a kamidana, though they can be along the same wall of the same room. Soreisha should not be positioned in front of a window or directly below stairs; you do not need to worry about it facing specific compass directions. You pray and offer to a kamidana before doing so at a soreisha. A soreisha should be on a stable table with four legs or more; there should be no wheels on the legs. It can be a temporary setup if need be, just make sure it is clean and the area around it is clean.

A very fancy soreisha. Image source.

The ancestors then become guardian kamisama of the family. After a certain period of time and rituals, the ancestors’ mitama becomes part of a more general, less personal ancestral kamisama – a single individual joins and becomes part of the collective ancestral spirit, losing their individual character. Needless to say, this should not be done if none of your ancestors were Shintō.

Various types of reiji, image source.

The other, less individual type of Shintō ancestor veneration one can do at home is using tanzaku. This method does not require access to a priest to make reiji for you. I have adapted this from this source sent to me by Ise Miyachū.

A tanzaku with incense offered in front of it. Image source.

Some preliminary notes: if your home situation does not allow for it, you can just pray to your ancestors in your heart. Also, chanting Oharae Kotoba should be done at the kamidana before doing anything for your ancestors. You only need to worship once, at most two, times a day at the ancestor altar, and you do not need to worship daily. You do not need to offer anything other than incense, save for drinks or snacks on special days like Bon or death anniversaries. Like with kamidana, do not place dolls and the like on the altar.

The central part of Shintō ancestor worship is the hard piece of paper stock called a 短冊 tanzaku, which is the white rectangle bordered with gold you see in the image. A blank tanzaku is best – keep the back side blank. It is recommended that you use one that is about 30 cm (12 in) long. Do not cut or fold a ready-made tanzaku. These can be purchased online, but if you truly cannot find any, you can make one yourself from thick white paper that isn't floppy. A holder of some kind is necessary as a tanzaku should never be leaning against a wall. Small stands for plates can work well for this; just make sure that it's wooden. If you ever need to touch the tanzaku, wrap it in tissue paper or cloth instead of handling it directly. It functions as a yorishiro for your ancestral spirits and is very sacred.

You must handwrite "__家先祖代々之霊位" (meaning "The Great Spirits of Every Generation of the Family of ___"). Write your current last name in the blank portion, whether in katakana, romaji, or kanji. Ideally, you should write it in sumi ink, but if that's difficult, a black or gold sharpie or a black brush pen is an okay second choice. It doesn't matter how it looks: what matters is that you, their descendant who wishes to practice ancestor veneration, wrote it. Make sure that 位 is written largest and isn’t hidden by the tanzaku holder. Never write the names of deceased individuals on a tanzaku; this is focused on the collective of your ancestor spirits. Unlike ofuda, you do not need to change tanzaku annually unless there is significant damage.

My grandmother practiced this method and offered candies in front of her tanzaku. Ise Miyachū recommends even more: Burn incense in a bowl, preferably white, filled with sand. These can be purchased online and usually look like this:

Incense bowl for Shinto ancestor worship. Image source

A 茶碗 chawan bowl (i.e. a deeper, generic ceramic bowl) or similar deep white bowl is fine. Below is an example of a white chawan:

White chawan bowl.

White incense sand is fairly easily found online. Place a plate or something else to catch ashes beneath the incense bowl. Make sure the incense burner is placed as close as possible to the tanzaku, with the bowl closest to you. Of course, be mindful of fire hazards as well!

Worship method discussed in Part 2

[pompomqt]

Journey to the West Chapter 12

12 chapters and 12 weeks in and we are finally being the Journey to the West with @journeythroughjourneytothewest so let's get into it shall we?

First, we have to tie up all the loose ends from the last chapter, starting with Liu Quan and his wife returning from the underworld. So Liu Quan makes it back to his body no problem, but for his wife, the demon's escorting them push the princess to the ground, grab her soul, and then shove his wife, Li Cuilian's, soul inside her instead. So the palace folk are freaking out that the princess just dropped dead, but Taizong is chill with it since he had already been warned that she would die soon. However it seems that rumors of her demise were greatly exaggerated as the princess starts breathing again. So Taizong rushes to here side, but Li Cuilian is freaking out, since she has no idea where she is, or who all these people are. Anyways Liu Quan tells her whole life story, but they still brush her off as the princess just hitting her head and babbling, so they haul her off for some medical treatment.

After that Taizong returns to court to find that Liu Quan has returned to life. So Liu Quan explains what happened in the underworld and that his wife should be in the body of the princess. So they go and fetch the princess who is still throwing a hissy fit about being locked up, and bring her before Liu Quan and asks if she recognizes him. She does of course so the emperor sends the two off along with some of the princess's old belongings.

Next up we have Taizong repaying all that gold he borrowed while in the underworld. Or well, trying to at least, since the couple he borrowed if from have no idea about the vast wealth they have in the underworld and don't dare accept this repayment. So Taizong uses the money to make a temple and shrine instead.

So with that all taken care of, it's time to prepare for the Grand Mass that Taizong promised to hold to grant salvation to all those souls in the underworld. So they invited together a bunch of monks to perform the ceremony, and Chen Xuanzang is chosen to be the alter master because he's such a good monk. (I'm so glad he's back, it's only been two chapters but I missed him.) So with all the preparations complete they start the Grand Mass which will last 49 days.

Meanwhile we cut back to Guanyin who is still looking for the perfect scripture pilgrim when she hears about the Grand Mass and Chen Xuanzang. Anyways, so Guanyin is pretending to sell the cassock and staff that Buddha gave her for an outrageous price, but says it will be free for someone truly virtuous. She also claims it offers protection and stuff, but considering how often Chen Xuanzang gets captured by demon's I wonder how true that is. Then again, he's never actually eaten by demons so maybe it works after all. Upon hearing this the chief minister brings Guanyin to Taizong. So Guanyin once again names her price, and what's so great about the items, but upon hearing that they want to give it to Xuanzang, she say's she'll give to them for the grand price of free, and refuses to accept any payment. Man, the emperor is not having much luck giving money away this chapter.

So they present the staff and cassock to Xuanzang and then begin the seventh day of the Grand Mass with Guanyin secretly watching to see if he's worthy, and also to check what division of Buddhism he's preaching about. Anyways after a while Guanyin interrupts the ceremony to give her sales pitch on the Tripitaka, that can send the lost to heaven, deliver the afflicted from their sufferings, fashion ageless bodies and break the cycle of reincarnation. So order now!

So Guanyin shows her true form which causes quite the stir and Taizong even orders a painter to paint her. And recites some of the scripture that she remembers. And the Emperor is so impressed that he suggests they pause the Mass until they can send someone to go and fetch the scriptures, and asks for a volunteer. And resident good boy and teacher's pet Xuanzang is of course the one to volunteer.

Anyways, so the emperor is pleased by this and becomes bond brothers with Xuanzang. And Xuanzang swears not to return from his journey without the scriptures even if it kills him. So Xuanzang says his goodbyes to his disciples and tells them that when the branches of the pine tree's point east he is coming back. And with that the emperor sends him off along with a purple and gold begging bowl, two attendants, and a horse. Guess which one of those three things are going to last the longest.

Anyways, as the Emperor is sending Xuanzang off at the gates, he gives him the byname Tripitaka and offers him a cup of wine. Which Xuanzang initially refuses because he practices abstinence but Taizong insists. And then proceeds to throw a handful of dirt into Xuanzang's cup. Which... uh, Xuanzang isn't quite sure how to respond to that. Then Taizong ask's him how long he thinks he will be gone, and Xuanzang says three years which... bit of an underestimate. Then Taizong tells him to drink his dirt wine and remember to 'Treasure a handful of dirt from your home, but love not ten thousand taels of foreign gold.'

So Xuanzang drinks his dirt cup and with that finally sets off... for his journey to the west.

Current Tang Sanzang stats: Names/Titles: River Float, Xuanzang, Tang Sanzang, Tripitaka Abilities: Curing Blindness, making branches point a certain direction (allegedly) Cry Count: 9 Bandit Problems: 1