Chapter 10: Time

Who do the flowers bloom so beautifully for when spring arrives? is a Zen phrase that questions why the flowers bloom so beautifully all at once in spring and for whom. We may think to ourselves, Oh, how beautiful! It's so wonderful to see something that can make people so happy, but that is only our own selfish view. Flowers do not bloom just to make humans happy or to show off their beauty. Rather, they delicately sense the changes in the seasons and temperature, and fulfill their own duty as flowers within the great cycle of nature's laws, rules, and the circle of life, without being asked to do so by anyone. On the other hand, we humans often become trapped in our own selfish desires and wishes, such as wanting to be successful, liked, or to remain young forever, and constantly worry about them. The undeniable fact is that the laws of nature that allow flowers to bloom are equally accessible to each and every one of us. We should be grateful for the life and environment we have been given, and fulfill our duties as humans. Complaining and whining will only deepen our anxieties and uncertainties. We should strive to live a humble, selfless, and fulfilling life, like the white plum blossoms. As the poet Yagi Shigekichi once said, Why are flowers so beautiful? Because they bloom with all their heart. Now is the time for our hearts and lives to bloom with all their might. - By Daigo Ozawa, Head Abbot, TOKOZENJI, Japan Today's guest is very special to me. Without him, I could not even speak about Zen. He is the reason I am here with you in this show, Let’s open the box of zen. Thanks to him, I was able to encounter Zen and gained an attitude of understanding towards myself and life. In this episode, Ozawa head abbot will guide us through childhood memories of growing up in a Japanese temple to the training in a monastery, he will share with hints on how to become a master of time and of life. In busy modern society, why do we feel like we are always racing against time? His answer sheds light on our perspective of time.