Post by Wan X. Wu on Oct 15, 2015 8:06:09 GMT
After reading this piece, I stopped and meditated for a bit looking for the message within the story. To me, the story is trying to tell me to find inner peace within myself, losing the attachments of life and reach a peace of mind. In Buddhism, to reach "enlightenment" one must cut off their ties and reach a stillness/peace of mind to reach a state of nirvana.
All the abbots that set sail before Konko all seem have cut off their attachments in life and reached peace. Therefore they set sail on the final trip to end suffering, thus they had a look on their faces that Konko can't replicate. Konko on the other hand, haven't found peace that's why he fears death. Buddhist monks receive a new name when they become a monk to represent a new identity and cutting off their past. In Konko's mind, he had too many attachments to previous abbots that's why their faces keep appearing in his mind. Konko does not truly understand Buddhism.
Question: Before Konko was sent off again, he wrote his last words on paper. How do you interpret the meaning of those words?
All the abbots that set sail before Konko all seem have cut off their attachments in life and reached peace. Therefore they set sail on the final trip to end suffering, thus they had a look on their faces that Konko can't replicate. Konko on the other hand, haven't found peace that's why he fears death. Buddhist monks receive a new name when they become a monk to represent a new identity and cutting off their past. In Konko's mind, he had too many attachments to previous abbots that's why their faces keep appearing in his mind. Konko does not truly understand Buddhism.
Question: Before Konko was sent off again, he wrote his last words on paper. How do you interpret the meaning of those words?