Windows and red

Christmas trees have gone up in town but autumn's not quite done. This is what it looked like in the morning light at Genko-an.

The temple is known for its maple leaves but the front gate can be enjoyed in any season.

Most visitors though are probably there for these two windows in the main hall.

A signboard outside the temple explains: The round Window of Enlightenment "represents the spirit of 'Zen and Entsu', the calm state of mind free from anything and the universe". The square Window of Uncertainty symbolises "human life filled with the suffering of living, ageing, being ill and dying". Both windows are said to describe the truth of Buddhism.

There were quite a few people posing in front of this window with big smiles. 'Unenlightened and proud!'

I spent a long time looking at this one.

 But not so long I forgot the maples.

There were leaves in the water.

 

 

And against the gate.

 

 



And in a wall.

 

 

 

Flashing yellow like a signal...

 

 

 

...to stop.



Moss faces

In the west of Kyoto, north of the tourist scrum that is Arashiyama in autumn is one of the city's most underrated temples.

 Otagi Nenbutsu-ji clings to a hillside; it is not a large temple but it is peopled with some 1,200 stone statues of rakan, disciples of the Buddha.

There are the calm, expected faces.

And the exuberant, unexpected ones.

A few hold children.

At least one has a dog in its arms while another holds a sake bottle and a third brandishes a tennis racquet. Some distance away is a statue wearing boxing gloves - the sporting disciples of the Buddha.

 If you go, see if you can find them.

Rough and ready.

Flower child.

I admit it: I added the leaf.

Some statues look like someone you'd like to have a drink with.

 

 



They'd laugh at your jokes, I think...

 

 

 



...and listen to whatever you had to say...

 

 

 

...under the autumn trees.