Zen and the art of surprise

Arayshima Bamboo Forest

Tenyru Temple

Zen Garden at Tenryu-ji Temple 

Zen cuisine at Tenryu Temple

Arashiyama local area

Shoes off for the sutra writing session 

Moss Garden, even the path has to be perfect

These bus seats are beautiful, sakura (cherry blossom)
and autumn leaves 

No photos allowed at special
sutra writing session,
this is a couple of extra characters
from my holiday notebook

We nearly loose Henry before we even get on the train but all is well and we are squished in with locals and tourists. I think this is the squishiest train ride so far, a grandmother that comes up to my waist is trying to push me out of the way. Thankfully it is only a short ride and we are ejected into Arashiyama, once a favourite relaxation spot of the emperors.

We start by walking along the back roads around streets filled with villas (holiday houses), this would be a lovely place to stay a mix of old and new houses, adorable gardens and old men playing croquet in a park. Before we know it we are immersed in the bamboo forest.

Effortlessly Ken directs us onwards towards our goal, little do we know what is ahead for the rest of the day. We arrive at Tenryuji Temple and marvel at the borrowed landscape garden that uses the background hills to create part of the structure. Ken also has us spotting dragons in the landscape. Once you start looking they are everywhere. They say if the pond looks tranquil or messy to you this an indication of your state of mind. Today it looks tranquil with a little bit of mess on the sides. So I guess that is my mind today.

Now Ken has asked us to sit on a bench seat and admire the garden, a few minutes later he comes back and says we are ready. We follow him to another temple building (shoes off to enter) and then are lead to a beautiful private room for a special lunch. It is Zen cuisine prepared by the monks to match the season. The various dishes are strictly vegetarian with cooking broths made from sea kelp, mushrooms and dried gourd. Ken explains each of the dishes and how to enjoy. We all try to be mindful and chew each mouthful and savour this wonderful experience.

We are all feeling a bit relaxed now, maybe the Zen is seeping into us. We move onto Kokedera, the moss temple and we have another surprise in store, we are here to use ink and brush and copy sutures all whilst monks are chanting. Everyone is quite and studious copying their sutras it is a surreal experience, the faster the monks chant, the faster I work. It is very meditative to hold the brush, mix ink and concentrate on each character.

We offer our work to a Buddha created in the 8th century and move onwards to sit and reflect on the sutras. David (a tour buddy) reads out the heart sutra and Ken invites us to interrupt what this means to us as an individual.