Moss Temple, Part I

It is complicated to see the Moss Temple -- you have to apply by postcard at least a week in advance, then they reply by postcard.  They have only two admissions times each day, and in some seasons, they are full.  Well, Kyoto was NOT full of tourists this spring, and our Guest House helped us with the arrangements.  There were maybe 20 or 25 people only.  Very sparse for the large groundsl.

We started by copying the sutras on desks that were outside.  This is a spiritual practice that I have seen before, but never participated in. We purchased a special brush pen, and they gave us lightly printed sutras to literally ink over.  Since we could not read the kanji characters, it was a bit mindless.  I tried to make the strokes in the right order (Did you not know there was a right order?  For example a square is made with three strokes.  Vertical on the left side , then top and right side as one stroke, then across the bottom from left to right.). It was very soothing and peaceful.

It put everyone in a quiet and mellow mood for almost 2 hours of wandering the Temple grounds.