Japanese Flowering Cherry Tree

My timing was perfect, even if the place was not asMyriads of things past
I imagined. How could two cities be so different yetAre brought to my mind -
share something so distinct as to make them likeThese cherry blossoms!
sisters in a family? There was no doubt in my mindBasho Matsuo
that it was the cherry blossoms that created theJapanese haiku poet
illusion before me - an illusion of something Japanese,A few days ago, we were at the Senso-ji Temple, in
in a place as American as New York City. Today wasAsakusa, Tokyo, Japan where I noticed the cherry
the annual Sakura Matsuri or cherry blossom festivalblossoms within the courtyard of the famous
at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden where more thanBuddhist Temple. Our good friend Yachiyo explained a
200 cherry trees were in full bloom. I rememberedlittle about the cherry and Buddhism.
the Japanese because of the cherry trees."Those are not real anymore but made of plastic,"
In this shimmering spring dayshe said. "They are there all year round so that
Ah, with ever anxious heartpeople could hang their prayer petitions under the
The blossoms are falling...trees. We don't have a mass like you do. We don't
Ki no Tomonoriworship a God like you do."
Japanese waka poetYes, I did notice several sheets of paper (with
What could be more joyful than this moment, whencharacters on it) hanging under the shade of the
all the Japanese flowering cherry trees or Sakuracherry trees. It was something that even I could
were bursting with pale pink and white blossoms? Irelate to. The scene reminded me of how the Jews
could see the delicate blossoms falling to the groundinserted prayer petitions between the bricks of the
even before withering out, as if someone had shakenWestern Wall in Jerusalem. Even Catholics have
the cherry trees and thrown the petals in the air. Theprayer petitions thru lighted candles or written paper
scent of cherries wafted the cool breeze in thethat are burned after praying.
garden, blending like a symphony with the laughter ofFrom a Buddhist's perspective, however, the cheery
the people who posed under, besides or in front oftree is a deity and each petal of cherry blossom is a
the cherry trees.person who sacrifices himself for a certain mission or
The radiance of cherry blossomsideal. It is as simple as the flower will wither, the
Their scent, ever fresh with every passing year,warrior will die, and the world will fade away.
So man grows old, eternally.The rains poured down as I sat to eat our bento
Ki no Tomonorilunch underneath a large tent. Surrounded by cherry
Japanese waka poettrees, I understood how people see the world from
Like any tourist, I admired the cherry blossoms forthe perspective of their own faith but regardless of
its aesthetic value, not knowing the Sakurafaith, I sensed the connection of mankind to nature
symbolized something more profound to theand to a higher power above. Yes, immortality was
Japanese. The falling leaves or blossoms are anever meant for man on earth but how beautiful it is
metaphor for death in Buddhism. That's because theto know that we have a purpose to strive for and
Japanese compared the short life of a cherrylike the Buddhists, we could live well at the moment
blossom to the life of a samurai or warrior who waswith eternal spring in our heart.
fully prepared to sacrifice his life in the cause of hisThis year on, forever,
master. I thought the samurai was rather like aIt's all gravy to me now-
Christian martyr who was fully prepared to sacrificeSpring arrives.
his life in the cause of his faith in Jesus.