2009/01/28＊Takuro

「A cool Buddha」

1/29 (Thu) Kobe → Kyoto

Arriving at Kyoto, we went to Toji. We were thinking how it’d be nice if we got to do some sightseeing, so everyone was happy about that. First we took loads of pictures of our gear van with an awesome background. It seems you can’t usually get inside the pagoda but we were lucky as it was open today. Once we got inside, I was enjoying myself while eavesdropping in on the speech of the tour guide. There were national treasures and important cultural property scattered about, and the bhaisajyaguru of the main temple structure inside was cool. It’s intense～. Who knew Buddhist statues were this cool. There’s this garden here, and with today’s cold wind and yet warm sunlight, it has the kind of atmosphere that just made me think “Buddha lives here!“. But, in reality there’s just a person doing gardening. Seeing the old woman doing her weeding, I realized how everything here is made by people. This garden and that statue as well. It feels like I discovered something. The original purpose for those Buddhist statues having been made has most likely already disappeared. Only the statues themselves remain now, and if you feel something when you go see them, it’s probably the same as what you feel with art. The same as with movies, paintings, music or photographs. The now vanished original purpose of the statues was, roughly speaking, probably for people to say something like “oh Buddha～, please help me with my painful existence“. But before we noticed it, that “please help me～” is now being directed elsewhere. Simple things, or in recent times, I guess it’d be the internet. People are now searching for salvation elsewhere, so the statues continue to exist now perhaps just as works of art. But as I was there, standing in front of the huge Buddhist statue, I instinctively made a wish.

To change the subject, right after the start of the ’09 tour, I received some anti-travel sickness goods. It’s called “Seaband”. You just put this somewhat narrow wristband on both of your wrists. The only thing special about it is pretty much just that there’s this plastic orb inside. You’d think “Huh? That’s all?” but after continuing to try it out on the tour, it does seem to be effective I think… Is this something great? Does it actually work? Or is it just my imagination? In any case, leaving aside these riddles that you can’t even really call riddles, thank you. But even if I use it, I occasionally do still get sick. I think those times it’s because of lack of sleep, or I’m just not feeling good in the first place. Whether you get or sick or not has to do with your physical condition…? Wait, this was about  physical condition to begin with it. As I’ve started to contradict myself now, this is probably a good time to call it a day. Tomorrow it’s Takutaku!!

Seaband

Fortune slip