On 16th Aug in 1994, When I was accidently alone at the main temple in HAKUSEIJI temple, all windows were opened and a strong wind was blowing. A flame of a candle in SHOURYOUSAMA (special ornament for BON festival) was laying over horizontal. If this candle stand was laid down by the wind or the earthquake, a big fire would be caused and a main temple building and AMIDASAMA (statue of Buddha) would be burned out. I thought it should be terrible thing. I tried to let a candle stand lay down by left hand and pushed it by right hand , so I recognized that it would be laid down easily.
I told to a young wife of the temple about that soon, she said they did not realize due to usual custom and she putted a candle out. I sensed this noticed me by an ancestor to let me teach to think about protection of a candle laying down and keep a light.
There was the party of a war comrade at YAMAGUCHI prefecture in September. Then I dropped in OKIKAMURO and told to Tomoichi Nishimura about a candle stand. I showed him a sketch and explained it, but he said that it was no so easy for him to understand. He suggested me to provide a sample in order for everybody to understand it easily.
When I joined in FUREAI (contact) festival at TOWACHO (town where Okikamuro island belong to) on 3rd November in 1994, I also dropped in OKIKAMURO. I brought a clay at that moment and discussed with the chief priest Shizuo Niiyama, the temple representative Tomoichi Nishimura, Tadashi Yanagihara about a candle stand. I explained how to tighten the heavy metal fitting under a candle stand. Then I asked everybody to think about more good method and went back to Tokyo.
There was vigil before funeral for the wife of Tetsuro Hoshino (famous poplar song writer in Japan and his birth town is Towacho where Okikamuro belongs to.) on 2nd December. At that moment , Niiyama of HAKUSEJI temple came there so that I could discuss about a candle stand. However he said that a candle stand was designed to avoid laying down by wind, then I said it would be not only wind , but also earthquake.
When I turned on TV involuntarily at 5:46 am on 17th January in 1995, TV was broadcasting a big fire. It was the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.
I suddenly concerned about a candle stand at HAKUSEIJI temple.
Even though an ancestor suggested me to avoid a candle stand to lay down, if the temple would be burned out by a candle laid down because I did not do anything, I could not excuse to an ancestor. I thought what I should do or how I should do. Finally I could not sleep. I heard that a candle stand laid down at FUKAJIZOU (left side building of Hakuseiji main building) and fired and it was reroofed.
I talked about a candle stand when I came back to OKIKAMURO for BON (during this period, ancestor’s sprits come down to own home) in 1995, but there was not any progress. However I heard a voice of an ancestor that why you are saying a cowardly mind and take an action and not to be emotional and if you did not make it, who makes it ?
I realized that I had to make it first, then I asked a young wife to borrow me a paper, a pencil and scale.
Although a candle stand would be watched by everybody and every time , I had to make it a beautiful style , stronger and should endure wind or earthquake. I told Iwao Otani about this, and he said that it was just Yamada who can claim anything to the temple freely.
When I went back to TOKYO, I thought a stainless as a material dose not rust, but it is not easy to work. I thought to plate an iron, but it is my shame to be told a material is an iron when plating would be removed after several years passed due to be stingy of an material. Then I decided to use a brass. Although a brass caused a blue rust, it would be protected by plating a chrome and a style looked good.
I worked seriously because a candle stand should be used every day for several 100 years in front of HOTOKESAMA (statue of Buddha).
I would like to end with pray safe of HAKUSEIJI temple.
printed July 8th,2000 10:03
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