August 21, at 12:30～17:00
[Spot] Kenchoji Temple
[Visitors] 3 Americans (The total number of participants of Zazen meditation was about 18 including 5 Buddhist monks)
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members
[Language] English
It was a hot day with the sound of cicadas. From Kita-Kamakura Station to Kencho-ji Temple, I guided three American women. Two of them, whom I happened to meet at the station, were going to attend the Zazen meditation. The Zazen meditation was held at noon at Kenchoji Temple.
In spacious Hojo with a high ceiling, we concentrated on Zazen, feeling the strong sunlight in the afternoon and listening to the sound of cicadas and other insects. We felt comfortable in the hall with a breeze from an electric fan and the natural wind. I felt as if the 15-minute-Zazen session 3 times had ended in a moment. It sounds like I concentrated on Zazen, but I couldn’t shut out idle thoughts like “Don’t monks really think anything during Zazen? ” or “If they don’t, what does it mean? ”. As was expected, I was still a beginner who experienced Zazen just twice. At Kenchoji Temple, they had a question and answer session about Buddhism in the hall on the 2nd floor after the
Zazen meditation, which was interesting indeed.
On that day, 5 monks attended the session and the participants asked them interesting questions, such as “Why did you become monks? ” or “What should I do to get the spiritual state of nothingness ?, ” and so on.