Yesterday afternoon (Saturday 11th August), I arrived back at the temple…finally!
I was joined for the last 18 miles, from Battersea to Dagenham, by Mitsutake-san which was very much appreciated, as his energy gave me the push I needed for the last leg of the journey. I’m also very grateful to Simon, a member of our temple, who has been very supportive of the Angya trip, for joining us for the last part of the day. The three of us walked and chanted through Ilford and Goodmayes before reaching the temple in Dagenham at around 4:30pm.
There are more photos to come, and more details to fill in about the last few days of the trip which I haven’t been able to put up yet, but in the meantime, please enjoy the videos on the temple’s Facebook page, which Simon kindly took for a taste of the energy. (Unfortunately I can’t upload videos here)
https://www.facebook.com/NichirenShuUK/
Amazingly, as we made our way to the temple, we had one woman dancing to the Odaimoku, one man honked his car horn in time with our drumming, and people put their hands together from a pub garden we passed by.
It has been a wonderful time, and it will take some time to process everything from the last 3 weeks. I was fortunate to meet many wonderful people, and received lots of support to keep me going, which I’m very grateful for. Thank you everyone!
My prayer is that the sound of “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo” which I chanted and drummed was able to awaken the sleeping Buddha-nature (the potential for enlightenment that everyone, without exception has) of everyone who heard it, and that they can go on to develop an enlightened mind, whatever path they take, and have peace and happiness.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo!
“A singing bird in a cage attracts uncaged birds, and the sight of these uncaged birds will make the caged bird want to be free. Likewise, the chanting of the Odaimoku will bring out the Buddha-nature within ourselves.” – (Hokke Shoshin Jōbutsu-shō) 13th c., by Nichiren Shonin, the founder of the Nichiren Shu school of Buddhism
Walking With Captain James 