Buddhas of the Henro: Fudō
He sits or stands on a boulder surrounded by an aureole of flame. His name, “Fudō,” simply means “Unmoved.”
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May 234 min read
Buddhas of the Henro: Shaka Nyorai
The first deity we encounter on the pilgrimage is the one who started it all.
Apr 93 min read
Lessons from a 350-year-old Ritual Manual
Last year, I put together an English shidai, a liturgical manual, and accompanying video to help non-Japanese people get a handle on the...
Feb 64 min read
Generosity outside the box
It'll be no secret to you that we live in tough economic times. So much of the discourse surrounding dāna or generosity centers on money,...
Feb 23 min read
How much should I put in the box?
You walk through the gate and approach the main hall of a temple or shrine. Standing between you and the Buddha or Kami you see the...
Dec 16, 20233 min read
Sutra Copying
We live in an age where almost the entire corpus of Buddhist literature is at our fingertips and much is translated into our native...
Nov 8, 20233 min read
Small Advice and Baby Steps
Researching the Shikoku Henro seems like an endless collection of lists, with all the temple names and deities, the costume elements, the...
Nov 3, 20234 min read
Meeting a Buddha in Hell
I caught the earliest train to Tatsue Station after a somewhat sleepless night. The dry autumn air parched my eyes, enhancing the...
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