Tribute to Mother

At the age of 59, Sasakawa Ryoichi carried his elderly mother on his back and climbed 739 steps up a shrine in Shikoku and wrote a poem in memory of the event:

おが母への讃歌
　　　　　　　　　　笹川良一作

　　　母背負い宮の
　　　きざはしかぞえても
　　　かぞえつくせぬ
　　　母の恩愛

(a literal translation)

''A Song of Praise for Mother by Sasakawa Ryoichi
Mother hoisted upon back
Even as I count the palace steps
Mother's love and affection is countless.''

*Happy Mother's Day*

Oh, Mom I'm in Tokyo

*東京だよおっ母さん*

久しぶりに　手をひいて
親子で歩ける　うれしさに
小さい頃が　浮かんできますよ
おっ母さん　ここがここが二重橋
記念の写真を　とりましょうね

やさしかった　兄さんが
田舎の話を　聞きたいと
桜の下で　さぞかし待つだろ
おっ母さん　あれがあれが九段坂
逢ったら泣くでしょ　兄さんも

さあさ着いた　着きました
達者で永生き　するように
お参りしましょよ　観音様です
おっ母さん　ここがここが浅草よ
お祭りみたいに　にぎやかね

Japanese is a nation with high national consciousness (民族意識). The lyrics are made up of 3 verses. 1st, after Japan suffered a defeat in WWII, they feel no discouragement, instead, through Niju Bashi (二重橋) which represents patriotism they manifest their love to the motherland and solidarity in spite of being defeated. Next, they profusely express deep grief by bereaved mother paying her visit to her son in Yasukuni Jinja (靖国神社), a resting place for the dead soldiers. Last, filial piety is highly valued with the scene of daughter bringing her mom to the temple of Bodhisattva (観音様) to pray for her longivity. This accounts how precious filial piety stands in their society.

Click here to listen

Beyond Heaven

I have doubt that why do so many religious people feel the need to defend the All Beneficent, The Most Merciful in Essence, The Compassionate, The Most Gracious? God Almighty does not need your help. Religion was merely a man made tool to keep control of the ladies and to put fear into the hearts of children. God exists, but if you say your parents are greater than God, He would be please as love is the most wonderful thing ever. Followers of Confuscianism don't believe in the supreme being, yet they share many of the beliefs of any major religions around where they have beliefs of righteousness,honesty, and trustworthiness. The concept of worship is a combination of demonstrable honor, respect, and focused attention..Not groveling! My lessons came from the world around me as it IS as well as the knowledge of those who have come before - the ancestors. Some folks give more honor, respect, and attention to certain things than others. Monotheistic thinking simply for me by nature, cannot accommodate multidimensional complexity. Our world, as polytheists, tends to be more complex with multiple changes occurring on multiple levels.

A person with good moral upbringing that's all that is important.

Pleasing God solves your problem and makes you happier it seems..Believers of God, you may find it insulting, yet if God ask you to harm your mother, would you do that merely to please Him? I won't! It's just like saying you love God but you hate your mother.. If you cannot love your mom whom you can see, how can you love god whom you cannot see!? "The mother, again, is superior to ten fathers, or perhaps, the whole world, in importance. There is no one that deserves such reverence as the mother." - Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my mom. I believe the existence of God, and for me my mother my father are my God.. I do not expect you to take my words. We just agree to disagree and laugh that we'll find out (or not) when we're dead.

"Honour your mother. Look upon her as god.
Honour your father. Look upon him as god." - Taittiriyopanishad