As if to bless those entering the majestic San-gedatsu-mon Gate (the three gateways to enlightenment), the fresh flowers of the Somei-yoshino sakura trees, that are awaiting their full bloom days, are quietly shining in the bright spring sunlight.
The plaque displayed above the gate bears the characters for the temple’s official name, “Kencho Kokoku Zenji.” This name combines “Kencho” (the era name of its founding in 1253), “Kokoku” (prosperity of the nation through the spirit of Zen), and “Zenji” (the temple of the Rinzai school of Zen).
Hojo Tokiyori, the fifth Shikken (regent) of the Kamakura Shogunate, invited the Song Dynasty monk "Rankei Doryu" to Japan in hopes of bringing peace to the land and established this Zen temple.
The San-gedatsu-mon is the main gate representing Zen temples and symbolizes the three essential gateways of liberation (Gedatsu) that Zen monks must pass through to attain enlightenment, namely, Ku-gedatsu-mon (the gateway of realizing that all things are empty and intangible), Muso-gedatsu-mon (the gateway of realizing that everything is formless, transient, and interdependent), and Musaku-gedatsu-mon (the gateway of realizing that all things exist naturally as they are, letting go of the mind that vainly seeks fictitious enlightenment and artificial artifice, and intuitively realizing all things without thinking and word-splitting).
These three gateways of liberation represent the three fundamental paths to freeing oneself from the three fundamental afflictions (three poisons) in Buddhism—namely, burning desire, ill will, and ignorance—and reaching the state of ultimate enlightenment.
In accordance with the universal law of interdependency, every living thing endures harsh environmental burdens, living naturally without any artifice, and fades away just as they naturally do. These innocent Sakura flowers, blooming so beautifully, are no exception.
