(Photograph of Mt. Rainier, Washington State August 2024, taken by my cell phone through one lens of Nikon binoculars, one lucky moment I had the steady hands of a surgeon. ~~ djl)
Katagiri Roshi Says:
“The mountain is a mountain.
Then the mountain isn’t a mountain.
Then the mountain is a mountain.”
The mountain message —
It made no sense to me.
How can the mountain
no longer mountain be?
Years went by since those three lines
to me seemed nonsense upon nonsense every time.
Seasoned as a thousand-year-old tree
now that mountain message
makes complete sense to me.
We are happy.
Then we are not happy.
Then we are happy.
The mountain stands clear.
Then the clouds make her disappear.
Then she stands 14,000 feet in the air.
In the photograph, Mount Rainier looks like it's floating in air like an island onto itself. It is certainly a monument that stands for the state of Washington.
I know that Rainier is a volcano that could have the same fate as Mount St. Helen. Or worse, run a pyroclastic flow all the way to Seattle like it has in the past. A sleeping giant of fire and brimstone.
On a Thanksgiving trip from Redwood City, California in 1968 to Washington and back, I decided to take the park road around Mount Rainier on my way home. When I got to Chinook Pass, the worn tires on my 1957 Desoto were losing traction and I was crab walking just to make it over the top. Recall a 1954 Buick loaded down with skiers and skis, passed me easily on that stretch, when normally, no car would ever get past me in the mountains. When I got to Cayuse Pass, the sign said, "Chains Required." Fortunately, I could continue on down the other side of the mountain and toward home rather than having to backtrack.
Having spent some time on that mountain, your words give such a serene and eloquent meaning to our paradoxical life, at least for those of us open to thinking seriously about what seems obvious. Rainer was a pleasant climb, but Mt Adams nearby gave me a taste of whiteouts and rappelling down into a 60 ft crevasse of ice. I think I had a similar impression of a mountain's multiple personality as Ranier gave you. I went from rock to snow to a whiteout, to ice. Yes, it was truly an educational climb. That was in 1982. Today, I don't think I'd risk it, given all the volcanic activity of late. Back to your piece here, as usual, whatever you pick to write about, it's always an epiphany kind of experience for me... and you art work and photography are always in such harmony. I only had the opportunity to spend time with but a few pages of Katagiri's writing while involved in philosophy classes at SOU, but I am compelled to study more of him after reading your work here. Namaste.
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I know that Rainier is a volcano that could have the same fate as Mount St. Helen. Or worse, run a pyroclastic flow all the way to Seattle like it has in the past. A sleeping giant of fire and brimstone.
On a Thanksgiving trip from Redwood City, California in 1968 to Washington and back, I decided to take the park road around Mount Rainier on my way home. When I got to Chinook Pass, the worn tires on my 1957 Desoto were losing traction and I was crab walking just to make it over the top. Recall a 1954 Buick loaded down with skiers and skis, passed me easily on that stretch, when normally, no car would ever get past me in the mountains. When I got to Cayuse Pass, the sign said, "Chains Required." Fortunately, I could continue on down the other side of the mountain and toward home rather than having to backtrack.
Ron
The enigma, the perplexity, the mystery of the mountains laid bare for all to see.
The mountain beautifully (and simply) juxtaposed against the mountain valleys within. Love this.