Ink & Paper

In 1929, there were 42 letterpress printers and 17 paper companies in downtown Los Angeles. Now there is one of each. This video by Ben Cloudfoot provides a lovely portrait of Aardvark Letterpress and McManus and Morgan, Inc., neighboring shops that are doing their best to hang on. "We have an electrical issue". A very worthwhile 9:11 minutes for your Friday. Best full screen. [NOTE: I am a big fan of letterpress and paper media (see Letterpress, Center For Book Arts, and A Bow of Gratitude, and I am very grateful for what these two men are doing ].

Thambuddhei Paya II

The inside of the main temple at Monhyin Thambuddhei Paya is pretty fantastic (see Thambuddhei Paya). The outside of the temple complex (shown above) may be even more so. You can't have too many spires, pagodas, or Buddha statues for me. Love this place.

Ichigo Ichie (From The Archive)

The Japanese saying ichigo ichie translates as "one time, one meeting". The expression is frequently associated with the Japanese tea ceremony (chadō 茶道), where the interaction between the tea, the host, and the guest is unprecedented and unrepeatable. Each meeting, each sip, is unique.

The saying also works well for students of Zen who come to appreciate that all encounters are unprecedented and unrepeatable. All new, all perfect - if you really pay attention. There is no "same old, same old".

[NOTE: The lovely tea cup, as well as the Bāozhŏng oolong tea in it, were gifts from a student (see Go Drink Tea). The tea table is a cross-section from a very large, old tea tree (Camillea sinensis L. Kuntze) from Yunnan, China].

Lacquerware Teacup

Vido clip shows a craftsman in a lacquerware, or "yun-de", workshop in Monywa making a teacup out of thin bamboo strips. Once the cup is made by tightly winding the bamboo, the whole thing is covered with lacquer.

These cups are amazing. The wound bamboo is water tight, extremely light, and an incredible insulator. Tea stays hot, but cup doesn't feel hot in your hand. I purchased one of these for about $5.00, and it has become part of my travel tea kit (shown below). [NOTE: Snowing like crazy in New York this morning].

Bodhi Tahtaung

Another bit of wonderfulness from the village of Khatakan Taung (see Lakyun Setkyar Buddha) in Sagaing Division. This fifteen acre grove, known as "Bodhi Tahtaung", contains 1000 young Ficus religiosa trees (see Bo Trees and Another Bo Tree), each tree with a lovely statue of Buddha sitting under it. The giant Buddha statues and Bodhi Tahtaung are both the work of the late Venerable Sayadaw U Narada who died in 2006. [NOTE: Bodhi Tahtaung was expanded several years ago. It now extends over 250 acres and contains more than 9000 Bo trees].

Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

We have lost one of the wisest, most courageous, and profoundly good human beings of the modern world.

Lakyun Setkyar Buddha

In the village Khatakan Taung outside of Monywa is a massive, 120 meter tall Buddha statue. It is still under construction, but 25 floors have been finished and you can walk up inside the structure. The elevator wasn't working the day I went, but I made it to the top floor. It was real hot and there were a lot of tiny steps, but I went slow, looking at all the paintings and statues and learning a bit about the Theravadan interpretation of Buddha's life.

Image above shows the view from the 10th floor, shot through the elevator shaft that was being repaired. [NOTE: Although the Myanmar signage says that the Monywa Buddha is the tallest Buddha statue in the world, apparently the Statue of Vairocana Buddha at the Spring Temple in Henan, China is taller.

From the Boat VII

Still on the boat. But a different one this time. Clip is from the shorter, six hour trip by water taxi from Homalin to Htamanthi.  Boat was smaller, there were only about a dozen of us on board, and the hull was apparently leaking a bit because they had to keep bailing water the entire trip.  Somewhat disconcerting. 

From The Boat VI

Back to the boat. Drift logs cut into firewood for the community, and villagers loading into a water taxi on the Upper Chindwin. Longyis and shorts. No long pants anywhere.

Rohatsu (From the Archive)

I interrupt the From the Boat images to remind everyone that today is the first day of Rohatsu Week.

Seated Buddha (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)

Rohatsu - the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month - is a time when Zen Buddhists commemorate Buddha's enlightement. It starts on December 1st and ends on Rohatsu or Bodhi Day (December 8th). In the seven days leading up to Rohatsu Day, Zen monks and lay practitioners spend their time in intensive silent meditation. The Rinzai master, Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1768; see Hakuin Ekaku) exhorted his monks during Rohatsu to "sit this week with a daring spirit". Be mindful. Sit hard. For all beings. [NOTE: I will be sitting twice daily at EHZC with an all-day retreat and a jukai ceremony on Sunday, December 8. Will also be finishing the report on my trip to Tikon for the Ministry of Forestry this week].