It's been officially a week since we've left Bryn Mawr's campus. I can't believe it has already been a week. My day started off by sitting in the service. We were also allowed to burn the incense. I had almost forgotten that we were practicing silence this morning, but once I remembered, the interactions I had with people had become more interesting, as it just wasn't the language barrier anymore. Compared to the Wernersville trip, silence here isn't a practice that the people around us are aware that we are doing. So at breakfast no one was talking and I kept thinking to myself what the people serving must think of us. Much of those kinds of thoughts filled my head.
I didn't go very much into detail, but the lodgings we are staying is also very cool. Yet again it has that dichotomy of old and new. If you walk into the kitchen, there are large wooden tubs to cook rice that is heated by fire underneath. And when you get to the sleeping area, the floors are newer, waxed, and not as much of a rustic feel. The bath is made of cedar, much different from the tile and stone ones we've seen in the last few places. The bedrooms are all linked in a row and open to each other through sliding doorways. Each come with a space heater that burns a fire instead of heating coils.
As you walk towards the more religious end of the complex, the architecture of the building gets more and more ornate. The dining room that we ate in had tall ceilings and the walls and sliding doors were adorned with gold leaf. Apparently in olden days it was supposed to help reflect light to make the room brighter. I have to say, I am just in awe of all the different architectural elements that I've run into this trip.
I spent the day the with Pao walking the streets and exploring the area, I just don't think we have enough time to see everything. As we were walking, we kept running into Professor Glassman, and one of the shopkeepers asked if we were his daughters. What an interesting thought. For me there wasn't much to buy, but they were selling lots of prayer beads, which I didn't realize were so expensive until now.
We had lunch together with Cristhel and the food was muy delicioso. I ate tempura udon whic was vegetarian, and they tempura-ed tofu. As a side, I had a tempura shrimp rice ball. I wish they had more rice balls in America. It really is a yummy food.
We returned to the lodgings collectively walked through the cemetery to the sacred area where it is thought that Kukai Kobo Daishi is still alive in a meditative state. He is the founder of Koyasan and built a temple here. You may be asking yourself why are they walking through a cemetery. But this one has hundreds of years of history and is still being used today. The paths are lined with electric stone lanterns that light the way at night which makes for a gorgeous view. It really is amazing how something so simple can have such a grand effect. We took a walk around the main building and went back to our temple before heading back up for the 10,000 lantern ceremony, which only happens twice a year. In that respect, we got very lucky.
The dinners here at Koyasan are very large, and apparently they are made to have 5 different colors and cooked 5 different ways. We are used to having food on one tray, dinner here is served on two. And the food is prepared ornately to look very pretty. I can only imagine just how much work it takes to prepare all these different types of foods. They also seem really big on different kinds of tofu here as well.
Right after dinner, Pao and I went to the ceremony ahead of the rest of the group. I had no idea what to expect, but I was amazed at the site that was before me. Unfortunately I couldn't take any pictures, so I will try my best to give a very vivid description.
Getting to the 10,000 Lantern Ceremony, we had to walk through the candle lit cemetery. As safe as it was, I couldn't help but get slightly creeped out that we were among thousands of spirits. But to keep my mind off of it, I talked to Paoli about other things, apparently she is fascinated by the fact that I am a Scorpio. The walk takes about 20 minutes but it was nice and brisk, and made me full of energy.
Upon arriving at the temple complex, we are faced with steps leading up to the the temple front. Hanging fro, the ceilings off the different building I'm tue complex are orange lit lanterns, which gives off an overwhelming feeling of awe and calmness. If you are a mawrter, try thinking about Lantern Night, it's slightly like that. In the main room, the main prayer area was blocked off by movable blockades. People sat as an audience on the red carpet, and you could hear the bustle of chatter, preparation, and coins being thrown in boxes as offerings. At the foot of the entrance to the main prayer area was a wooden plank for whack the monks would exchange their shoes for red embroidered gold slippers. There were even 5 men there to make sure the process was expedited.
I had no clue what to expect but what I saw had to be one of the coolest things I have ever seen. I felt as if I was in a movie, it was pretty epic.
We stood at the mouth of the main doorway into the building as we were waiting for the rest of the group to arrive. Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. Two men dressed in purple with beards were carrying metal staffs being dragged on the floor creating a rhythm. The sound was a bit unnerving as it reminded me of prison chains being dragged on the ground. Behind them was a man carrying a lantern, lighting the path for what looked to be 20 plus monks marching behind. They were wobbling as the plastic shoes they wore were big and loose, but helped to pull the attire together. When I saw the lantern holder, I was immediately reminded of historical dramas, and was intrigued that such an old tradition is still being practiced today.
Onlookers lined up at the top of the stairs to witness the procession pass them. The monk marched in one by one at what seemed like a never ending line. As they entered, chanting began as they took their shoes off and stepped on the plank, where the slippers were ready to be put on. As the monk walked away, his shoes were put to the side, and new slippers were replaced for the next monk to step into. I was amazed at the efficiency.
Each monk was wearing an orange embroidered garment, with a large orange knotted rope hanging off their left shoulder.
They marched into the main prayer room and seated themselves in two rows parallel to each other and perpendicular to the altar. The main monk began the ceremony, and as the other joined in, the collective sound they made echoed through the halls and filled the room quite fully. At first it gave me a shock, but it was a beautiful sound to hear.
Off to the left and right of the ceremony, were two monks clicking and clacking away, pouring water, and. Burning wooden planks with prayers on them in sets of three. It took quite a while to figure put what they were doing.
The chanting and metal clattering really made the scene epic and feel like a movie, as fire was burning high and the monks began to march around the middle of the room. I didn't stay for the whole thing, but I was in awe at hoe beautifully they sang, and how meticulous every movement was. They weren't all in sync, which makes me wonder if they are still in training, or are being initiated.
Silence follows again until the morning, as we follow the same schedule tomorrow.
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