Sunday, October 29, 2006

Kesa of the Buddha


A kesa drying on the line behind Edmonton Priory.

Photo taken early this year.

I don't find it easy to write about the Kesa because of the need to talk on several levels all at the same time. So I'll not try right at this moment as I'm off to make one, and that's a good few hours work ahead.

When Rev. Master Jiyu gave the first, five striped, brown kesa to a lay woman at Shasta Abbey it fell on me to show the recipient how to put it on and wear it, as well as take it off again. At a certain point she got a tad flustered about the whole thing. Out rolled from who knows where, "Well, what you are doing each time you put on the kesa is wrapping yourself in the Life of the Buddha's and Ancestors", "So you are wrapped in the Precepts, right"?

Housekeeping.
I've been a bit tardy around responding to comments these past days or is it weeks. However today I went back and left some. The dial-up speed here is 31.2 kbps and so I use what time I have in the day for making new postings rather than responding to comments. It is always good to see what you have to say though and will endeavour to respond when I can.

Now, off to the sewing room.