A rainy day at Ryōan-ji Temple’s rock garden

a rainy day at  Ryōan-ji Temple’s rock garden

i sit

on ancient wooden steps

and stare at boulders in the sand

blanking the brain

forgetting the wet socks and cold feet

no shoes allowed

forgetting the glistening streets out there,

the pouring rain

it helps to cleanse the mind

the simplicity of it all

forget for a moment

which will not last long

no doubt

about the world outside the temple’s walls

i look

deeper

at more rocks

smaller

gravel neatly raked in lines and circles

water ripples in the sand

slower

cast away the thoughts

i look closer

at even smaller rocks

grinded to sand over millennia

the glue to it all

keeping boulders and gravel

and tiny spittle’s of green moss together

as one

a tranquil sandy enclave

no doubt

inside the embrace of the temple’s walls

i listen

to the rain

cascading down

a modern gutter-chain

a single-stream waterfall

rustling over river rocks

to silently flow away

no doubt

to the lake outside the temple’s walls

i hear

but don’t hear

the stir of people

just the sound of my breathing

goes in and out as it always have

no dreams no wishes

no wants no denials

no why’s no when’s

just the calmness of the present

don’t touch

it will burst

the moment

it won’t last

too soon

it will flow away

like the rain

no doubt

to the world outside the temple’s walls

The Zen Buddhism Ryōan-ji Temple is one of many temples and shrines scattered in and around the hills and mountains of Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. The temple, originally an aristocratic villa was converted to a temple after Japan’s Civil War, the Ōnin War (1467-1477). Situated in park-like surroundings with a large lake and beautiful gardens, it is also the site of Japan’s most famous rock garden. The garden’s creation date and creator are unknown. The meaning of the garden is also unclear. Although there are many suggestions and speculations about the meaning of the garden, no historic facts exist.  It is up to each viewer to find the meaning for him/herself. I have always believed that is how all gardens should be seen.

The rock garden consists of fifteen boulders of different sizes, some of them moss-covered, in a bed of raked gravel. The boulders are placed in such a way, when looking at the garden from any angle only fourteen of the boulders are visible (excluding looking from above.) Tradition maintains that only through attaining enlightenment would one be able to view the fifteenth boulder.