In the heat of the summer,Flowers that bring a sense of freshness and coolness are just now at their best in the precincts of the ancient capital. Lotus, one of the representative summer flowersIt is.

three-lips (freshwater fish of the minnow family, Opsariichthys uncirostris)

."The lotus comes from the mire, not the mire itselfAs they say.Symbolizes BuddhismIt is a flower that does.

The sight of a large flower growing out of the mud.Ha,The ideal that Buddhism teachesIt is said to be,Flower of HolinessIt has been revered as a It is believed to bloom in the Pure Land of Ultimate Blossom and when a person is reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Blossom, he or she is born in the flower. Its buds indicate the state in which a pure heart has begun to sprout, and the blossoming flower is compared to the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha.

 

I tried to find a place where I could meet the lotus in Kyoto city.

Right next to JR Hanazono Station.Hokongo-in Templeis filled with seasonal flowers,It is also famous as a temple of flowers.The temple was originally the mountain villa of Kiyohara Natsuno, Minister of the Right in the early Heian Period, and was temporarily in ruins until it was rebuilt by Chikenmon-in, the middle palace of Emperor Toba, and renamed Hokkemonin.

From early July to early August, the Pure Land Garden, which resembles the Pure Land of ParadiseAbout 90 varieties of lotuses welcome visitors.This year, until July 29, "Lotus viewing partyThe "Musee de la Fondation de la Lune" will be held and can be admired from as early as 7:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Hokongo-in Temple

Lotus of Hokkemongoin Temple

By the way, the Buddha image we see is seated (standing) on a lotus stand, and in Hinduism, Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune and beauty (in Japanese Buddhism, the goddess of good fortune) is depicted holding a lotus flower in both hands and standing within the flower. This goddess is said to have been floating on a lotus flower at the time of creation.

What is interesting,The cleaner the water, the smaller the lotus flowers, and the thicker the muddy water, the larger the flowers.It is said that the Because of its characteristics, the lotus flowers and fruits in muddy water,Enlightenment without being lost in BuddhismThis can be compared to the following.

Also,The moment the lotus blooms, there is a soundI ask. When I passed by a lotus field for an interview, I was able to talk to a farmer. He said, "In the early morning, you can hear a faint popping sound in the lotus field. As soon as you hear the popping sound, the petals open in a puff of air. The sound isIt's like tapping a wooden fish, it's comforting.That's what it means.

Lotus buds

One theory,The sound of a baby coming out of its mother's womb.I also heard that it is similar to the At the same time, I heard that the sound made by the lotus when it blooms dispels "demons" and "evil spirits. In Buddhism, there is a saying that those who hear the sound of the lotus at the moment of its blooming will "attain enlightenment" or "attain Buddhahood.

 

Because the flower is closely associated with Buddhism, there are many other temples where lotus flowers bloom. For example,Also worth seeing are Tazo-in Temple at Myoshin-ji Temple, Osawa Pond at Daikaku-ji Temple, Kyo-o Gokoku-ji Temple (To-ji Temple), and Mimuroto-ji Temple in Uji.Known as the

Lotus at Daikakuji Temple and Osawa Pond

And the lotus had another important role. The underground stems that grow in the mud become the lotus root we eat. The hole in theLentils are "good prospects."It is considered to be a good luck charm, and is an indispensable item for New Year's osechi. It has many beneficial effects, such as nourishing and tonic, beautifying the skin, and protecting the gastric mucous membrane.Lotus is a versatile plant that is good to watch, good to listen to, and good to eat.was.

Incidentally, the water lily, which is the same aquatic plant and looks similar, is a completely different scientific lineage.

This is water lily.
(Lotus has standing leaves, but water lilies have floating leaves)

According to the forecast, this year's summer in Kyoto is expected to be extremely hot. We hope to get over the extreme heat by visiting lotus flowers early in the morning when it is relatively cool, and have the sound of the lotus flowers blooming drive away the evil spirits.