Seeing the moon, he becomes the moon, the moon seen by him becomes him. He sinks into nature, becomes one with nature. The light of the 'clear heart' of the priest, seated in the meditation hall in the darkness before the dawn, becomes for the dawn moon its own light.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Kawabata describes a unity with the moon and nature, where the priest’s clear heart light becomes the moon’s own light at dawn.
- In plain terms
- He feels one with the moon and nature, and the priest’s pure heart lights the dawn moon.
- What can you take from it?
- Deep meditation can create a sense of oneness with natural cycles.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does meditation change perception of nature?
- What is the 'clear heart' metaphor?
Another view
The metaphor may be inaccessible to non‑spiritual readers.
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