The Intriging story of Mr Kenichiro Habu

I do not actually know too much about Mr Habu. I suspect not many people did or do.
he was a devout Buddhist that is for sure,and I assume he was connected with the Soto Zen Sect. It is a little different in Japan the difference between sects is not so important. The temple I stayed at had a Shingon temple, sort of in its grounds, we did a Shingon service there once a month, the Abbot said it was to keep the ancient religion alive, which is a beautiful attitude.
Our friend Mr Habu though, was having a returning dream, which worried him. The dream grew each time he dreamt it. It concerned him so much, that he told the Abbot of the temple he visited. The Abbot told him to let the dream go, practice his zazen,after all it was only a dream.
The dream started with him, having a very strong feeling to come to Europe, with the heart sutra. It was never expilicit where he had to go in Europe, but he knew it was a focal point, a a place at the end of land somewhere, where the land met the sea.
As the dream progressed , so did his concern, He was now dreaming of a potter and a little mouse running out of a hole,the more he dreamt the more the Abbot said put it down , do not be attached to it.
What no one knew was that Kenichiro Habu, had secretly been doing the lottery, and one day he won. His instant reaction was to go to the Abbot and give him the money for much needed repairs to the the temple. This time the Abbot was different, 'No ' he said 'Now you follow your dream'.
Mr Habu needed only to be told once, and he was off to Europe.
He had a selection of places, St Michael in Brittant, Cape Finistere, and Lands End in England. Since his dream was quite specific, in saying the End of Land, he knew this is where he had to go. He was amazed as anyone to find that there indeed, was a place called Mousehole. Now would there be a potter?
He traveled all the way to Mousehole,it was easy there was only one pottery. When he knocks on the door, Bill Picard who was the potter,was not there, his wife told, Mr Habu, to come back later.He did, an hour later, and unfolded a beautiful calligraphy of the heart sutra.Mr Habu had time only for a quick look at Lands End and then it was back to Japan.
Bill did ask Mr Habu if there were any Zen teachers who could speak English,eventually, a reply came back, that Jiju Kennett,spoke English, she had not finished her training, but she could speak English and she was connected to the head temple. Bill communicated with Jiju Kennett whilst she was in Japan, and arranged the first sesshin to be held in England

I like Mr. Habu's spirit very much. Adventurous, curious. To travel so far to see what a dream might mean . . . Kind Abbot, to bless the venture.

Did Bill know about Buddhism before Mr. Habu turned up at the door?

Why aren't more places named Mousehole. That's my question.

Yes Bill did know about Buddhism before Mr Habu,After the second world war he atayed near a Tibetan Temple, in the Himalyas, He visted the Lama there who gave him basic instruction on meditation, and said he would find his East in the West. the next part of this story is too long to tell. But Bill lived on the cliffs just outside Mousehole, near a beautiful cove called Lamorna. Here he live as a hermit for 2 years doing meditation. he had a hell of a time of it,The 22 year retreat ended with him stumbling over the cliffs to St Loy a tiny hamlet, Amazingly he ended up in a Japanese garden, an East in the West. He did have a huge experience told in Charles Luks book of what do you say Cosmic consciousness, Satori,whatever word.
After wards he came off the cliffs and worked as a potter. He would have made a great teacher, a man of great integrity, and dignity. He died a few years ago and his ashes were spread over the cliffs.He asked me to make sure told his whole story.I will.
As to are there any more funny manes, there are, England is full of them, Cornwall has a lot, also ancient standing stones and stone circles
He helped a lot of people and is nameless, I hold him forever high in my estimations of human beings

Wonderful story, Chisan Michael.

This forum is the first time I've heard Billl Picard's name. Thank you for introducing him to those of us who didn't know of him.

Warm regards,
mokuan

Mokuan
It is indeed a pity you have not heard of Bill, and heard of his stories.i think the Crles Luks books are hard to get hold of, If I have time I may write a description from one of the books.
You must also excuse my spellings, as I struggle with them a little

Sorry I made a mistake it was a 2 year retreat

I heard the story of Mr Habu, Bill Picard, and how Jiyu Kennett first came to England, many, many years ago. I'd completely forgotten it. Thank you for reminding me; fascinating story

Rev. Master talked about Bill Picard from time to time. I wish I had known the story, so that I could have understood the comments. Thanks for sharing. If I remember correctly, there is a series of three Charles Luk books. In the second book are some diagrams Rev. Master used to use when she lectured on The Way to Light of Heaven.

Charles Luk's books are available on Amazon: Ch'an and Zen Teaching is the 3 part series I mentioned above.

I would not know how many books charles Luk wrote, quite a lot.
He was a deciple of Hsu yun who was the Dharma successor of all five chan sects.Hsu Yun died at the grand age of 105 I think, and asked Charles to translate as much as possible which he did. Bill wrote to charles and they struck up a relationship that spanned many years, Charles referred to Bill in his books as my European friend.
After the second world war Bill was recovering from malaria, up in the Himalayas, and was taught to meditate by a Tibetan lama who was also a deciple of Hsu Yun. He met lama Akong, Trumpa and I think Chime there, Bill had a photo of them as young innocent men. Akong and Trumpa visited Bill at his cottage on the moors,when they were at Oxford.Trumpa would amuse them all with his great stories and antics. I was a friend with a london psyciatrist called R D Lang who was very well known who told very funny stories, to elaborate a point, he himself was very very aware of othe peoples problems, and the knots they twisted themselves up in. He told me a story about Trumpa,
" Trumpa had left the scottish temple, ( he had smashed his car up ) and was living in London having a bit of a party life style, he became friends with lang,and they were both curious about each other, lang wanted to know about the reincarnations, and Trumpa told him that actually, when he was reincarnated, his teachers from his previous life would try and find him, they would have been sort of told where to look. They would find the young boy and then remind him of his previous life, where he went and what he did, what his understanding was, they would help him remember his previous life, in this way, he could remeber 6 previous lives ! Well it was party time and Trumpa had a girl friend,who was also a friend of lang, Ronnie asked the girl what was Trumpa, like at sex, and she said actually really awful. Ronnie Lang waited his moment,actually a dinner party, and in front of everyone , told Trumpa that his girlfriend had said he was not very good at it. What do you expect replied Trumpa, I have not been doing it for 400 years

chisanmichaelhughes wrote:

... Ronnie asked the girl what was Trumpa, like at sex, and she said actually really awful. Ronnie Lang waited his moment,actually a dinner party, and in front of everyone , told Trumpa that his girlfriend had said he was not very good at it. What do you expect replied Trumpa, I have not been doing it for 400 years

What kind of people ask such questions? Or answer them?! I'm shocked at the want of decency, all round.

Gotta write this down so I can tell it at the next sangha picnic. With proper attribution of course.

Great stories, Chisan Michael Hughes. Thanks!
--Dan