Comments on: Hiroshima and Miyajima

By: kevinjames

kevinjames — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:27:32 +0000

The residual radiation from the bomb has subsided to the point that Hiroshima has the same level of background radiation as anywhere else on Earth (any "ordinary" place, that is). Some links: Wikipedia - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Wikipedia - Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Good luck with your studies.

By: Siobhan

Siobhan — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:14:41 +0000

Hello, I’m studying radiation in my environmental science class and the bell tower in Hiroshima was mentioned, so thought I’d do some research. Was just wondering if there was anything else alarming about it? If not, well I personally thought that Hiroshima would still be radioactive, would that not be true? Many thanks :)

By: kevinjames

kevinjames — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:48:16 +0000

Actually, medashi Daruma, okiagari Daruma, and engi Daruma are three different types of doll or carving. See here and here. I agree, the sand mandala was very cool. The Kannon Hall had a no-photos policy, but fortunately, the temple's website has pictures. (From the menu on the left, click on 砂マンダラ, two boxes above the reddish one.)

By: johan

johan — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:28:01 +0000

Your are right KevinJames, Daisho-in is a Shingon temple. Actually one of head temples of the Shingon sect in Japan.
The red Daruma is an Okiagari Koboshi: Daruma “tipping doll”
It is one of the most popular talismans of good luck in modern Japan. It is armless, legless, and eyeless.
Daruma (sanskrit: Bodhidharma), is as you mentioned is indeed considered to be the undisputed father of Zen Buddhism in both China and Japan.
There are countless legends, some conflicting, about this sage who originated from India. The best-known legends say he attained enlightenment after meditating in a cave for seven years (some say nine years) without blinking or moving his eyes. In most legends, this occured while Bodhidharma was facing a cave wall at the Shorinji Temple on Mt Song in China. During those years of meditation, his arms and legs atrophied, shriveled up, and fell off. Legend also credits Bodhidharma with cutting off his eyelids. Apparently he dozed off during meditation, and in anger, he cut off his eyelids, which fell to the ground and sprouted into China’s first green tea plants. All this helps explain the shape and form of this “tipping doll”.
Also, the Japanese associate Daruma not with piety, but with roundness.

I was in Miyajima in July this year and really enjoyed it. I liked it so much I decided to spend my limited time there instead of a planned visit to Hiroshima. There are many wondeful temples to visit on Miyajima. I spent a lot of time at Daisho-In temple not only because of its beauty and all the wonderful things to see such as those photographed here above, but also because it is very much “alive” meaning there’s a lot of energy there (those who are sensitive or who practice meditation should feel it). Anyone planning to go to Miyajima would be missing a gem if they did not visit this temple, not least because of the large sand mandala which is displayed in the main Kannon hall if I recall correctly. Stunning!

By: kevinjames

kevinjames — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:08:40 +0000

Quickly, before I brush my teeth and head off for China . . .

The red guy is Daruma, aka Boddhidarma, an Indian monk who founded Zen Buddhism (CH: Chan) in China. When I come back, I’ll see if I can zoom in enough to make out the sign next to the sculpture. All I know is that it calls it Medashi Daruma, or “Bulging-Eyes Daruma.” And I think it said that that’s a pun for “me” as in “sprout,” instead of “eyes,” but I don’t know what that means. The language was too tricky without a dictionary.

Anyway, despite the Daruma carving, Daishō-in isn’t a Zen temple, it’s Shingon, which is an esoteric sect, like Tibetan Buddhism.

Okay, gotta go.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:28:15 +0000

what a fun post! the link to the recipe was cool; those pictures walking one through each step is quite impressive. I trust you didn’t get any tickets or other important scraps of paper munched on? what is the first carving (the round red little guy)? the basement picture gives a whole new meaning to overhead lighting!!

By: Doug

Doug — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:23:34 +0000

I’m glad you made time for this post. The proximity of Hiroshima and Miyajima have me thinking about the human capacity to surive cruelty and war and the potential for sacred things to persist. While the U.S. is of course a much younger country, it’s hard to picture many sacred places or things. We also lack our own mystical icons like tanukis to remind us of spiritual realms. Travel safely in China and have a great time. We’ll be eager to hear about your adventures.