2017-01-09

　昨夜我猫ジローの主人達は放光寺に雪の中出かけた。30回を数えるという。一年間主人達を見守った“だるま”は両目を入れられて我が住むここ極楽にもうすぐ昇ってくるだろう。孫達が参加した“三九郎”の写真が送られてきた。多くの願がかかったのだろう。皆いい目を入れられている。朝22cmの雪が積もっていた。主人はサザンカにカメラを向けた。

夕方から雪.まだ参拝客はまばら.大切にダルマをもって.

だるまさんの極楽への旅立ちを見守る. the Houkouji temple

孫達の三九郎の様子が送られてきた(松本　上野地区）. Matumoto, Ueno.

積雪22cm. "Sazanka" in our yard

The last night, it was snowing. Jiro’s owners went to the Houkouji temple bringing the Daruma doll painted both eyes. And they got a new bigger one.
Daruma is a tumbler doll representing Bodhidharma who founded Zen Buddhism. Most of people buy it during Daruma fairs, which are held mostly at New Year’s time. Darma dolls sold at the fairs have no eyes painted on the face. The owner of it paints the left side of eye with some wish. If the wish is coming true through one year, the owner paints another side of eye and brings it back to the temple or other places at the next New Year’s time. Those dolls are burned and going up to the paradise of Buddhism.
Today we have a lot of snow, accumulated to a depth of 22cm. Jiro’s owner took one picture of “Sazannka”.