Ground clean on the stone
Edges polished, Far sharper
Than by water alone
石で綺麗に摩った
刃が磨いて、水ばかり
よりもっと鋭い
I sure hope the Japanese here can read English.... Because the Japanese won't make any sense!
What is it?
This is a Temizuya or Chouzuya. They are found at the entrance to Shinto Shrines and are in place so one can cleanse themselves before entering the inner areas. A Shinto Shrine is made so as you proceed deeper and deeper in to the Shrine you pass into more and more sacred locations. Usually the Temizuya is just inside the Torii. Wikipedia has a decent link showing the lay-out of a Shinto Shrine.
There are different ways to use the Temizuya. The water source and cleanliness of the Temizuya may affect your use. Usually there is a stone basin surrounded by a drainage area or smaller stones.
One can alternately rinse each hand by ladling water over each. If there is a fresh source of water you may rinse your mouth out, or drink the water from the ladle. Of course this is your own call here. Be sure when you are rinsing that the water doesn't pour into the fresh basin.
Kiyomizudera's water flows past an ultraviolet light to ensure sterilization. It is meant to be drunk rather than as a rinse.
The photo
This photo was taken in Kurama, North of Kyoto. This temple is the birthplace of the holistic therapy called, Reiki.
You can see that the dragon has a spout of water filling the basin with fresh water.
The symbols in the stone "奉納" （ｈｏｕ ｎｏｕ） means 'dedication' or 'offering'. Often at shrines and temples there are symbols of important mantras. Because of the close relationship in Japan between Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines, some of the trappings are intermingled. For example the Torii gates or the Temizuya basins.
Something of note....
This marks one year of blogging on the Pool of Zen. I'm actually surprised that I have lasted this long. It all boils down to about 80 posts and adjoining haiku. The driving factor for the 'next' post has always been my friends and visitors who for whatever reason, share my interest in Japan and Japanese.
Heck maybe you even enjoy the Haiku!
So what is your favorite Haiku?
Mine is by Issa,
A World of Dew
And within every dewdrop
A world of struggle
And within every dewdrop
A world of struggle
And now as promised...
少し日本語。。。
一年間でこのブログを書いているところだ。 去年、僕は友達から感化が出ました。 本当に有難うございます。
もうすぐ、クリスマスと正月になります。 そのとき、僕は私の全部友達が懐かしい覚えている。 本当にメーり クリスマスと明けましておめでとございます。
そのポスットはてみずやについて話しました。 アメリカ人で手水舎はトテモ変です。 アメリカではてみずやがありません！ それから、最小先ずに手水舎を見るとほとんどのアメリカ人は丁寧ことが知っていません。 それから、アメリカ人（西洋人）ははずかしいだ! そのポスットからアメリカ人は正しい丁寧を習うかもしれません。
皆、 来年。。。。頑張りましょう!
真秀
All photo's, original works, and comments are my personal property. Please be respectful of the effort I've taken.
Your comments are welcome, be polite:
No throwing pebbles in my pool of zen.
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