Anshin David Steel – Temple Blessings – October 3, 2021
Prelude to Temple Blessing
Way back in time, in the naughts
we, the Zen Center, held seminars on Buddhism.
Mark Unno, a professor of Asian religions at
University of Oregon and Pure Land Buddhist
was a speaker. His talk was on “Buddhism is
a Crooked Path.”
So true, if you look at our search for a home.
There was the Chiropractor’s Office in
the IGA parking lot.
The Artist’s Studio at Ellisport.
The Land Trust Building.
A sweet little church on the Westside Hwy.
A hemlock grove and a green field
on 7 acres of woodland.
And let us not forget ZOOM.
And you know what?–All of them have been
perfect. Because it’s not the place, it’s the practice.
3 sq. ft., the size of a zabuton, times all of us.
Which brings us to here.
Temple Blessing Poem
Now we will count to twelve
and we will keep still
for once on the face of the earth,
let’s not speak in any language’
let’s stop for a few seconds,
and not move our arms so much.
(silence)
This is an original calligraphy by Thich Nat Hahn
“I have arrived, I am home.”
What did he mean by this?
What do we mean by this?
This building is not the world.
It isn’t even the first page of the world.
But this building wants to flower, like a flower.
It knows that much.
It wants to open itself,
like the door of a little temple,
so that you might step inside and be cooled and refreshed
and less yourself than part of everything.
And perhaps arrive.
Be it so humble, there is no place like home.
Your home. Our NEW home.
Now I will count up
to twelve and you keep quiet and
I will go.
And we will chant the Heart Sutra.
