One pine, unmoved in the cold flow

From this month’s second Zen maxim in Japanese site of Rinzai-Obaku Zen.

In today’s SNS age, we can connect with people all over the world — yet we often find ourselves drawn to trending topics and surrounded by those who share similar opinions.
Even so, we already have the means to stay connected while remaining ourselves.
That is why it feels important to value our own place of standing, even as we move within the flow.

寒流石上一株松 (かんりゅせきじょういっしゅのまつ)

臨黄ネットの今月のふたつ目の禅語から。

SNS 時代の今、世界中の誰とでも繋がれるようになった一方で、流行の話題に飛びつき、似た意見の人とばかり交流してはいないでしょうか。
人は人、自分は自分。それでも十分に繋がれる仕組みを、私たちはすでに手にしています。
だからこそ、流れの中にいながらも、自分の立ち位置を大切にしたいものです。

Kotahi te rākau, e tū pūmau ana i te au makariri

Hei tā te kōrero tuarua o te marama i te wāhanga Hapani o te Rinzai-Obaku Zen.

I tēnei ao pāpāho pāpori, ka taea e tātou te hono ki te tangata o ngā wāhi katoa o te ao — heoi anō, he maha ngā wā ka whai noa tātou i ngā kaupapa rongonui, ka noho ki waenga i te hunga e rite ana ngā whakaaro.
Ahakoa tēnei, kei a tātou kē ngā ara hei noho hono tonu, me te pupuri i tō tātou ake tuakiri.
Nā reira, he mea nui kia tiaki i tō tātou ake tūrangawaewae, ahakoa e rere ana tātou i roto i te au.

Plum blossoms share their fragrance with the snow

From this month’s first Zen maxim in Japanese site of Rinzai-Obaku Zen.

Although cherry blossoms are now seen as Japan’s representative flower, it was once the plum that was more highly cherished.
Rather than cherry trees that bloom once spring has fully arrived, people found the first signs of spring in plum blossoms opening quietly while the cold still lingered.
In uncertain times like these, it feels important to value not visible outcomes, but the subtle signs of new life beginning to stir.

梅花和雪香(ばいかゆきにわしてかんばし)

臨黄ネットの今月の最初の禅語から。

今では桜が日本を代表する花のようになっていますが、かつては梅のほうが好まれていました。
春の訪れが確かになってから咲く桜よりも、まだ寒さの残る中でほころぶ梅に、人々は春の気配を感じ取っていたのでしょう。
先の見えない時代だからこそ、目に見える結果よりも、芽吹きの兆しを感じ取る感性を大切にしたいものです。

E hongi ana ngā puāwai ume ki te huka.

Hei tā te kōrero tuatahi o te marama i te wāhanga Hapani o te Rinzai-Obaku Zen.

Ahakoa e kīia ana ināianei ko te sakura te putiputi māngai o Hapani, i mua ko te ume te mea i tino whakanuia.
Ehara i te mea i tatari rātou kia tau pai mai te kōanga pēnei i te sakura, engari i kitea kē e te tangata ngā tohu tuatahi o te kōanga i roto i ngā puāwai ume e puare māhaki ana i te makariri tonu.
I ēnei wā rangirua, he mea nui kia poipoi i te māramatanga ki ngā tohu ngū o te oranga e tīmata ana te oho.