Saturday, May 7, 2016

Ryoanji - A Peek Into Zen Traditions... Part II

And we go further into Ryoanji Temple complex to look for what we had been so enchanted about after reading through the travel guides to Kyoto...



Moving through the enchanting pathways...



And we enter the main shrine, the courtyard of which is home to the karesansui...


This karesansui (or the dry landscape) rock garden, is believed to have been built in the late 15th century.
The "garden" occupies an area of 248 square meters and placed within it are fifteen stones of different sizes, carefully composed in five groups; one group of five stones, two groups of three, and two groups of two stones. The stones are surrounded by white gravel, which is carefully raked each day by the monks. The only vegetation in the garden is some moss around the stones.
The garden is meant to be viewed from a seated position on the veranda and trust me, sitting and watching and watching the garden is indeed relaxing.


The stones are placed so that the entire composition cannot be seen at once from the veranda. They are also arranged so that when looking at the garden from any angle (other than from above) only fourteen of the boulders are visible at one time. And legend has it that only through attaining enlightenment would one be able to view the fifteenth boulder!



This was indeed a healthy dose of visual meditation...




Ryoanji's tsukubai, the basin provided for ritual washing of the hands and mouth...


A stupa inside the complex...


Another shrine...



Selfie-time...


Another lovely pathway...

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