Great Samurai Prints 1

I will treat you all with some great Samurai Prints.

The first print is Endo Kiemon Naotsuga. Warding off a heavy arrow barrage, Endo is preparing to return fire with the severed head of an enemy warrior. The multi hooked weapon above his right elbow is a kumade, or a bear's clutch.

The life cyckle, karma, and reincarnation

Indians tend to worry less that Westerners about missed opportunities, as they believe that what goes around comes will come around again, perhaps in a different guise. Their fundamental beliefs in the continuity of live, and the western notion of ‘seizing the day’ is less current in India than ‘going with the flow.’

The cause of this attitude is the very deep seated belief that what you do in this life will affect you in coming lives. If you had a bad situation in this life, then it may be because of something you did in a previous life. Karma may be good or bad. If I am successful it is good karma: if I have bad fortune it is bad karma. I may do what I can to enhance the influence of good karma or mitigate the influence of bad karma, but ultimately everything that happens in my life is my karma and must be accepted with self-control.

Alongside the belief in karma is the belief in reincarnation. Traditional belief says that we have been born many times and will be born many times more. When we die we are reincarnated according to our karma, what we have done in our previous life. Life on earth is intended to improve our spiritual state by doing well with the good things we have, or working through the harmful things we have done in previous reincarnations. Therefore beggars subsiding in hovels in the center of towns are not a national scandal: it’s just karma. The begum in her stately palace is not socially irresponsible. It’s her karma. If you believe in improvements over many lifetimes, it certainly means you take a long view.

An old proverb sets out the pattern if Indian life. When you are young you grow up and have a family; then you make money to keep your family and yourself in good health. When you are old you stop making money and work to attain wisdom and improve your karma for your next life.

Japanese Youth Hostels

Japan offers a great variety of accommodation including, Ryokan 旅館, private lodging 民宿, and Western style hotels.
Youth hostels are also popular among low budget travelers, and are found all over Japan. You will need to be a member pf a Youth Hostel association, otherwise you may not be able to stay, or you will need to pay extra. Many youth hostels are privately run, but there are some run with government subsidies or even operated by temples. There are various types of Youth Hostels: dormitory only or both dormitory and private rooms: including dinner and breakfast or with just cooking facilities. Some organize tours and other events. Unlike other backpacker hotels, Youth hostels can be strict with regulations such as set checkouts, meals and bath times, and renting regulation sleeping sheets if you do not have one. Youth hostels in Japan used to be much more popular among students in the 1970s that they are now. Many hostels organized meetings for guests at night with activities such as song (with folk guitar), games and dances, providing opportunities to meet others. These "group activities" became unfashionable and gradually many hostels stopped them and at the same time time eased some restrictions such as cleaning pr the method of folding the blankest correctly!