Wednesday, weather variable, sometimes cool and windy, sometimes still and hot, hard to know how to dress. Sweater on, sweater off, on, off.
It was a busy day today. Heather sent me some of her photos from the cruise, so I thought I'd share them here. This is Heather in the spa as we were leaving the San Diego harbor.
Me in full vacation regalia.
Heather and Ron posing in the artwork. Heather attached the two photos as if they were one.
The model of the ship in the dining room.
Arriving at Catalina, a couple of shots stitched together.
We went shopping for new dining room chairs this afternoon, and well, we figured out what we don't want.
Then we went to dinner with Dan's family visiting from Germany. Pizza Nova on the yacht basin. Fun place.
When I got home, my friend, Dee, asked me why Dragon Dotr for my blog. Well, the spelling came from the number of characters Live Journal allowed me, LOL. The meaning is from the Lotus Sutra. You know I am a Buddhist. I have been one 32 years. I am a member of the SGI-USA. There is lots of good info at www.sgi-usa.org if you are curious. I chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo every day. This school of Buddhism is based on the Lotus Sutra. In the 12th chapter of the Lotus Sutra lies the explaination for the equal treatment of women in the SGI.
The Buddha is greeting various Buddhas visiting from distant places and asking them how the progression of Buddhism is doing at their home. Manjushri comes from out of the sea and tells him how wonderful it is that so many of the folks under the sea are attaining their enlightenment under the Lotus Sutra, and how quickly. Bodhisattva Wisdom Accumulated objects, saying that the Buddha himself struggled for a long time to attain his enlightenment, so how could any teaching cause folks to get there fast. (You can tell I'm telling this in my own words, right?)
A young, female sea serpent comes out of the water and bows to the Buddha. She is the eight year old daughter of the Dragon King of the Sea, Sagara. She praises her teacher and tells the Buddha her vow, "I unfold the doctrines of the Great Vehicle to rescue living beings from suffering." This is the vow of a great Buddha.
Wisdom Accumulated objects again, he can't quite get his head around her gender, nevermind that she is a child and a dragon. She shows them by way of explaination how quickly she takes a jewel from the folds of ther robe, a jewel worth as much as a major world system of stars and planets, and quickly hands it to the Buddha, who quickly accepts it. Then in an instant, she transforms herself into all the different kinds of beings she needs to be and in a flash attains her enlightenment. Then they understand.
The story in the Lotus Sutra is the foundation of the gender equality in the SGI, so that's why the name has meaning for me.
BTW, my friend Dee sells Avon. Go here to see her web store. http://youravon.com/dbaldus I just got some yummy new perfumes from her and a very sexy lounge set. In My size...
I'm very tired so I'd better stop here and go to bed.
Lilo sez "Bye" as she heads out the window for her nightly walk on the wild side.
Love,
Julie
- Location:at home in San Diego
- Mood:
tired - Music:Chris Botti, Italia
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