Word 070
Not far from Todai-ji, in the northern part of Nara City, stands Hannya-ji — an ancient temple said to have been founded in the Asuka period. Its two-story gate, built during the Kamakura era, still stands quietly as it always has.
Passing through the gate, stone Buddha figures dot the temple grounds. Each one wears a slightly different expression, gazing somewhere distant and still. Moss quietly covers the stone pedestals, and patches of sunlight drift across them in the breeze.
Only the sound of wind moves through the still grounds.
When people feel anxious, or when they seek stability of mind,
they tend to cling to habits and familiar things.
People also feel anxious about what they do not know.
If that is the case, by starting with "knowing," anxiety eases,
and when anxiety eases, we find the courage to take on new challenges.
First, let's try knowing.
The doorway to knowing is there for anyone. We simply haven't noticed it yet — but the door has always been open.