“Life is like a Journey”
No one knows who first said this or from when it has been said, but we feel as if these words are spot on.
Like a trip, many things happen that are unexpected in our lives, and if things are going the way you planned them, like a sudden rainstorm, something comes along to obstruct your way.
When you are tired from traveling, you take a rest. You find somewhere to stay for the night and re-energize yourself. For the people who passed through Ohara, Ōjō Goraku-in acted as a sanctuary, a place to take a rest from everyday life.
Are you aware that you hold this same kind of space within your own heart?
In Buddhism, they say that any human or living thing has the potential to become a Buddha. This potential is called Buddha nature. The tool for discovering your own Buddha nature is Buddhism.
The pure land already exists within your own heart. Like the folktale, L'Oiseau bleu, everything is closer than we actually think.
People travel seeking places that provide an easier life and continue this cycle throughout their lives. Maybe you are in the middle of your search. But we want to remind you that what you may be searching for may already be inside of you heart and that you remember this place every time you gaze upon a temple.
ON THE TRIP Editing Department
Original Japanese Text:
Gaku Suzuki
Translation:
Autumn Smith
Farshad Khansari
Audio:
Farshad Khansari
Photography:
Hiroshi Honma
With Special Thanks to:
Kōichi Miyashita
Kenji Sakai