8月14日に寂光院を訪問しました。
I visited Jakkoin on Aug 14.
平家物語ゆかりの地であり、京都市内中心部から外れた大原の里にあります。
The temple tells us the relation with The Tale of the Heike. It's located in rural Ohara district, away from the central Kyoto.
「祇園精舎の鐘の声、諸行無常の響きあり。沙羅双樹の花の色、盛者必衰の理をあらはす。奢れる人も久からず、ただ春の夜の夢のごとし。猛き者も遂にはほろびぬ、偏ひとへに風の前の塵におなじ。」という平家物語の冒頭にある、沙羅の花が辛うじて見れるはずと思い、足を運びました。
I went here to see sal flowers which blooms until around the mid August. Sal flower is mentioned in the beginning of the Tale of Heike, as "The bells of the Gion monastery in India echo with the warning that all things are impermanent. The blossoms of the sala trees teach us through their hues that what flourishes must fade. The proud do not prevail for long but vanish like a spring night's dream. In time the mighty, too, succumb: all are dust before the wind." (quoted from The Tales of the Heike by Burton Watson)
沙羅の花は白く、可憐ながら一日で落ちてしまう儚いものです。しかしながら今年は、つぼみの状態のまま長梅雨で落ちてしまい、あまり咲いていないそう。
The flower is white and very fragile that lasts only one day. However this year we had a long rainy season, so its buds fell down to the ground without opening.
加えて、境内のサルスベリも今年はほとんど花が咲いていないということでした。お寺の方は、「例年は美しい白色の花をつけるのに」とひどく残念がっておられましたが、それらもまた、「諸行無常」の一つなのでしょう。来年を楽しみにしたいと思います。
Also, the crape myrtle in the compound doesn't bloom, either. A lady told me that it's very sad that she cannot see flowers as usual years. Even so, this also teaches us impermanence. I look for next year to enjoy the flower with this teaching.
沙羅の花の白色、サルスベリの花の白色がなく、お参りされる方も例年より少ないことで、「毎日・毎年が繰り返しのように見えて繰り返しではないのですね」といった会話に及んだことがとても印象的でした。
I was very impressed by the conversation with the lady. The situation this year, no white color in the temple and less people visiting here made her realized again that no day nor no year is a complete repetition of previous day nor year, and every moment is different, although we often forget the fact.
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