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We Are Trees, Trees Are We
By Toyo Teru Katamori
We Are Trees, Trees Are We! Why? Check this out. Trees and human’s are part of this earth and they are very much the same. Humans and trees start they’re lives from a seed. How this seed is germinated is quite different, but if you think about the union of the fertilization, in some aspects they are the same. Trees grow in groves, groups, dense forests, along rivers, on hills and in valleys all around our planet. People grow and live in other countries, cities, towns and villages along rivers, on hills, and in valleys as well. There are many types of trees and there are many types of people. In comparison as a young tree grows, it is small and fragile like a human baby. It is nurtured by its mother, the earth, rain, and sun. A baby is nurtured by it mothers milk, her love and protection.
The trees bark is its skin and as the tree grows the skin becomes dense, strong and shows its age. The bark can become scarred, burnt and even diseased. It is judged for its purity, chosen for its color and favored for its texture some have nice subtle fragrances and some stink. Trees leaves are its hair and also are favored, groomed and admired. The branches of a tree are its extension and resemble a human’s social life. They are many sizes shapes and all sorts of different direction in which they reach out. Sometimes a tree can have too many branches. Some branches break away and fall as does a humans relationship. Some branches grow crooked and never grow leaves. Some branches die and fall and take lives. Some even suck from larger branches prohibiting them from proper growth. Branches can cover other branches, get in their way and cause social issues until they are pruned. The trees roots grow large and become firmly planted in the earth. As persons roots are planted from their fore fathers lives. These roots have an effect on human live and trees roots depend on the soil that has existed for millions of years.
The interior of a tree is its spirit. It is thick, pure, and is the life line to all the trees branches and leaves. When a trees spirit is broken it turns gray and rots away into the earth eventually turning to dust then absorbed back into the earth. A tree can be killed, chopped down, taken away, and injured by natural disasters, by humans and disease. It can be transplanted away from its origin to be displayed in a garden or as a Christmas tree far away in another world. A trees spirit is processed into lumber and cut into different shapes and spread all over the human world. Some spirits are beautifully shaped, stained and displayed in human houses and buildings as furniture. As humans are, trees can be made into tools that build and repair broken things. They are made into weapons that kill and destroy life on the planet in which they evolved from. Some trees get in the way and have to be removed. Some provide shade and are favorable to its neighbor.
A tree is like a human, it needs to be taken care of, loved, respected and honored. Trees are like humans and humans are like trees. We share this planet and must use one another to survive. There are many similarities and the one most important comparison is we both stand up right. If you plant a tree or have a tree in your garden or even a tree that stands alone in a field, you must think of your life, your roots, your branches, look at your bark, and your wood/spirit, what does it say, stand next to it, admire it and ask yourself, can I be like that tree?, standing tall, long thick branches with many colorful leaves and large spread out roots?
Toyoooooooooooo
The Nut Monk
Once upon a time there lived a Buddhist monk on top a mountain in a far away land east of China. Every day at the crack of dawn the aging monk would set out in search of food. The monk traveled great lengths down wrier mountainous trails, through dense, haunted woods, and forded across wide rivers to beg for food in a small village. While in the village the monk would rest from his lengthy, strenuous travel along the main road where many village folk passed. Many villagers had gotten to know the monk well and would fill his bags with plentiful food from there harvests. In return the monk would recite to them a prayer of gratitude. Every week the monk would execute this journey. After returning from his journey the monk worn out with aching feet prepare his meal and happily consume it. The next morning the monk would disregard his scraps in a small plot next to the temple. Months later after tossing some scraps, he noticed a small sprig growing. The monk was curious and every day watered and pruned the sprig until to his surprise grew to a large apple tree. Soon the apple tree was producing beautiful luscious green apples. Then during the next spring another sprig soon sprouted up from the earth. This time it to grew, and produced golden peaches. After many seasons the monk garden had many plants producing different types of vegetables and fruits. The monk soon realized that he did not have to make the strenuous journey down the wrier mountainous trail, through the dense haunted woods and ford the wide river into the village and take from the villagers any longer. The monk had grown all the food he would need to survive atop his mountain temple.
Back at the village the folks began to miss the monk. One day the village headman rallied the village folk and forded across the wide river, trekked through the dense haunted woods and climbed up the wrier mountainous trails to the monks temple. When they had arrived to their amazement they had found the monk tending to his large garden. The monk was surprised and greeted the villagers. He could not accept there offerings and instead had thanked the villagers for all the years they have supported his needs. The monk provided them with a special service and blessing. Soon the folks returned to the village and reported to the rest that the monk was well and had blessed them. The monk remained to tending his garden and many years would pass. That spring the river had flooded. The winter snow had been high and the warm spring sun melted the snow to fast. Soon the villagers found their fields flooded. With their fields flooded the villagers could not plant their seeds. They were in desperate need. Many would die if they couldn’t crow there crops. After many years atop his mountain temple the monk decided to travel down to the village. Once again the monk would make the journey he had for so many years in the past. This time it was very different.
The wrier mountain trails were washed away and the dense haunted woods were toppled over and broken, and the river was to high to ford. The monk was concerned for the village and now determined to cross the river at all costs. He had built a raft battled to the other side. Soon upon entering the village he had notice the villagers had been suffering. The villagers rushed to the monk begging him to pray for the river to subside so they can plant their seeds. The monk was saddened and trekked back to his temple, gathered all his food and returned to the village. Every day the monk made the same journey. Soon the river would subside and the village folk were able to plant there seeds. All became well in the village and the monk would return to his mountain temple happy. Soon after, the monk grew old and passed into nirvana. The villagers found out about his death and were sadden deeply about this great lose. Every year villagers would pilgrimage to the mountain temple and pay their respect to the monks grave. The monks grave was just outside the temple were his garden had flourished for many years. In the middle of the garden was a great nut tree marking the site of the monks tomb. Each villager had picked the nuts that fell from the tree and returned home to plant them next to their fields. Soon those nut trees would grow strong and provided security for the villagers. When the river had flooded once again they had store enough nuts to help them survive. It is said that the nut tree is a symbol of the monk who still brings food to the village.
July 22, 2009
Toyo Katamori
I am the greatest Man in The World!!
How can it be said? Can I or others think of such a title of me? Sure why not. It has been said.
I am the greatest man in the world. As well as being said, I myself think that I am the greatest man in the world. Why such a title? Why not? I am a good man, a hell of a friend, a fellow among fellows and even a fraternal brother of good report and well recommended. I am the greatest man in the world and that sums it up to just that. Is this thinking to highly of oneself? Not at all. Why wouldn’t you? you that man in the skin on the bones your head is attached to think that way. You! And only you. If any one person in this world is going to think of you as the greatest man in the world, let it be you, and firstly starting with you. It begins now, not yesterday, and not tomorrow, but only now with you.
Sure, yesterday you were the greatest man in the world and today certainly you are the greatest man in the world and no doubt tomorrow you will hold that title true. It is true and only truth holds witness to that title. Authentic truth is all it takes. Every thing has a beginning or is a continuation of a process of life. Being the greatest man in the world is in there revolving, around and around and around. It may have simply started like the big bang theory. BOOM!! There it is, you are the greatest man in the world. Can this title be compared to? No! every one man is his own separate greatest man in the world. Was this done by only you? Absolutely no way. Interdependency was and is the only way this title can ever be bestowed upon that skin on those bones supporting that head.
Every action has a reaction and every action is causation with its effects being the perquisites to being the greatest man in the world. These actions are whatever they may be and no one action is ever greater than the other. What the effects of that action has left to someone is the perquisite to this title. Building the tallest building in the world is the same as replacing the batteries in the Wii game controller for your daughter so she can continue to play her favorite horse game. Holding up a door, so your friend can sure it up, level it and secure it grandly is the same as a man setting foot onto the moon. Interdependency is a grand part in all the greatest men in the world. Every action you have took and will take is dependent upon your present self, and what your self general feels it to be must be considered. Ourselves are reliant upon those around us and every one around us is dependant of our actions. Walk tall, look up, carry on and continue to be the greatest man in the world. The world is dependent upon that!
Sensei
Toyo Teru Katamori
The Greatest Man in the World
This page was last updated: April 21, 2011
A Buddhist Tool Box
The tool box. Everyone has one, or two, conveniently with in reach, so to allow the proper fixing of just about everything at home or at a friends house. Tool boxes are in every persons life, no matter if they don't know how to use what’s in them. There are many types of tool boxes. Some larger, and more elaborate then others. But its not the size or elaboration that counts, it is what’s in the tool box that really is most important. These are the tools in the tool box, and they are chosen because of the application they serve. These tools are our servants and serve our needs. Sometimes they need to be borrowed by our buddies and friends. There are always the basic tools in the box, and common tools, like screw drivers, hammers, rulers, squares, levels, and plumbs. In many cases there is a special tool in there, one that was only used once or twice, and cost the most, however it had gotten the job done.
There is another tool box which you will not find in the shed or garage. It is a Buddhists tool box. It is stored apart, unseen and within. It is our tool box that so many have. It is now loaded with tools, full to the top. These tools are so different in comparison, but all have the same type of results. In the end not every one really knows how many tools they even have, not to forget to mention how to use the tools in there. Many have used tools by accident and didn’t realize until later. Some are neglected and turn rusty over time. How many times do we as Buddhist go to the tool box looking for that right tool? As we develop in our Dharma, we have learned through practice which tool is right for a particular job. We still screw it up, but we work it out with another tool and eventually make it right. We struggle as we open up the tool box and find it at its capacity.
We find usages for our tools. We bring them to the Sangha, a work shop for Dharma tools.
These tools we have were given to us by the Buddha our teacher. He is the teacher and has provided use with the knowledge of tools. The Dharma is the teachings, and they are the tools in our tool box. The Sangha is the taught and the workshop were we use our tools. There are three major tools in our Buddhist Tool Box that are most important to our Dharma. They are the Square, Level, and the plumb. These are old tools and have been around since the Neolithic period. Once designed, time was invented. Buildings were erected and roads were laid across our world. But for Buddhist these tools, Square, Level, and the plumb are old as well. Many fraternal societies over time used these same tools and all adapted their own meanings and relations to comparisons.
The Level is the Three Treasures, using the Buddha in the middle to balance the ends which the Sangha and the Dharma are perched. With out these three coinciding with one another the level does not show true. A Buddhist acts on the Level and conducts themselves in a level state in all transaction in Nature. The Buddha is the teacher, the Dharma is the Teachings, and the Sangha is the Taught.
The Square is the Four Noble Truths. The square is the fourth part of a circle to in which is oneness. The square put to work that as it is used to give an four equal proportion so the level and the plume show true.
1. The Noble Truth of the reality of Dukkha as part of conditioned existence.
2. The Noble Truth that Dukkha has a causal arising.
3. The Noble Truth of the end of Dukkha,
4. The Noble Truth of the Path that leads to Awakening.
The Plumb is the Eight Fold Path, and is worked in such a way that it exemplifies 8 degrees of the Dharma, Right Speech, Right View, Right Thought, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Mediation. As we pass through the Dharma sometimes we are not level and our actions not square and we need to focus on which degree of the plumb we are standing.
There are other tools that we use after checking our work for Level, Square and plumb. The hammer, screw driver, ruler, pliers, and scissors are also in our Buddhist tool box. These five tools can be related to the five precepts.
1. Abstain from killing living beings;
2. Abstain from taking that which not given;
3. Abstain from sexual misconduct;
4. Abstain from false speech;
5. Abstain from distilled substances that confuse the mind. (Alcohol and Drugs).
However they are not defined as the Square, Level and Plumb, which allows all of us to decide which precept is matched with these five subordinate tools in our Buddhist tools box. Although on fact remains certain, they all are Anicca — Impermanent and need to be replaced with a new and all are interdependent of one another. So take care of those tools, and every now and then start a project to in which you will need to use a Square, Level and plumb in your
Buddhist Tool Box.
Sensei
Toyo T. Katamori
Eastern Sun Sangha
