Eiheiji Temple 1

　　We parked our car in the parking lot in front of the temple and stepped into the grounds of the temple which was forested as I'll show you in the picture at the foot of this entry. Visitors were allowed to take pictures freely inside the temple with a few exceptions. I'll post those pictures in the next entry and I'd like to write about the outline of the temple at this time.
　　Eiheiji temple was built in 1244 by a Zen Monk, Dogen, and so it means that the temple has almost eight centuries' history. This temple is the home of Zen monks and is famous for its long history, tradition and strict rules. However, it's not only due to them, but a noted TV program as well that it is so famous. NHK airs a program, "Yukutoshi, Kurutoshi", which means "passing year and upcoming year" in English, once a year for an hour from 23:45 on Dec 31st. In this program, Eiheiji temple has been frequently featured. Fukui prefecture, that Eiheiji belongs to, is very snowy and the scene of the Zen seated meditation in heavy snow evokes some special sensation in our minds. So, most Japanese know at least the name of Eiheiji.
　　Something survives after lots of hardships through eight centuries. Don't you think it amazing?

(Vocabulary)
religious meditation / seated meditation / Zen sitting meditation  座禅

(Vocabulary from comments)
serenity　(人の) 穏やかさ, 安らかさ／ (場所などの) 穏やかさ, のどかさ
reverence [U](フォーマル) 尊敬, 敬意 [＋reverence for]
Your/His Reverence (やや古)  尊師 (聖職者に対する敬称)
timeless 時代を超えた, 不朽の／(文) 永遠の, 永久(とわ)の
landscaping  造園／景観設計
line.....curve
in unison  同時に, いっせいに
work/act in unison   一致協力して働く［行動する］
betterment (フォーマル) (社会的・経済的地位の) 向上, 出世
for the betterment of sb/sth   ＜…＞を向上させるために［の］
epitomize …を集約的に示す, の典型である

Comments

[KUMO]

Hi, Shiroi_Tora

Thank you for your comment.
I totally agree with you.

[Shiroi Tora]

The temples of Japan were some of my favorite places to visit. I loved the serenity. Reverence of simplicity in thought, and in life, brought about timeless beauty in structure and landscaping. In a world of ever increasing complexity...it is the cleanliness of lines in simple structures...the gentleness of the curves blended into the landscape...which give ever increasing generations a solid tie to that which is most calming and beautiful to the soul.

A solid tie to that which is a correct way to think and live...is the meaning of culture. A strong culture is the soul of a great nation...that which without, becomes an empty shell...one which is destined to collapse.

It is the Japanese culture that binds the nation and its people. It allows you to work in unison for the betterment of the whole and for the future. It is what made Japan a great nation. It is this unique way of thinking that the temples and grounds epitomize. The temples stir the heart and soul because of the purity of the hearts and minds of those who had designed and made them. It demonstrates all that is good in mankind...and in it...all the greatness that we can be. For them to not stand forever...would be amazing to me.