Trick or Treat ?

Jupiter swirls light throughout the night !

...

.

2012

may-june

... if our ideas

of "good" and "bad"

were left to the costume

making rituals of halloween

and the rest of our days and nights

of the year were spent celebrating one another

without ego driven needs to condemn

life through contrite authorships

spinning about like animation

comically forgeting who

we are in the world

... sea water

shining

star-lit

eyes

?

--j.a. knolls

Bhaishajya guru – the Medicine Buddha

In East Asian temples, the Medicine Buddha is usually represented seated as part of a massive trinity with Sakyamuni (in the center) and Amitabha (on Sakyamuni’s right). His right hand is raised, forming the Varada mudra, the hand-and-fingers gesture symbolizing offering, giving, compassion. The left hand usually rests on his lap, holding a jar of medicine (or sometimes a healing fruit or stupa). The medicine jar, painted dark blue (the color of the gemstone lapis lazuli), is the distinguishing feature of this Buddha, although it may be missing from some statues.