Word 036
I climbed the covered corridor at Hasedera Temple — 399 stone steps rising through shadow and light.
Somewhere along the way, I had imagined there would be a moment of arrival. But reaching the main hall, I found the path opening further still — into the mountain, into the sky.
There is no final destination here. Only the next step, and the one after that.
Do not strive for "perfection."
Life is a "journey" of constant growth.
That is to say — we can never, in truth, reach "perfection."
If you ever mistake yourself for having arrived at "perfection,"
and begin to settle there in comfort — "decline" begins in that very moment.
Therefore, you must not pursue "perfection."
To seek perfection is, in a way, to seek an ending. But life as a journey has no final stop. And when we understand that — walking itself becomes enough.