Weird Buddhist Dream IV

I had a pretty weird dream this morning. Last night, I was thumbing through the epitomized version of the Lankavatara Sutra last night, when I read this passage:

As for teachings: there are priests and popular preachers who are given to ritual and ceremony and who are skilled in various incantations and in the art of eloquence; they should not be honored nor reverently attended upon, for what one gains from them is emotional excitement and worldly enjoyment; it is not the Dharma. (pg. 55)

Then, last night I remember dreaming that I was in a big temple in the West that I wasn’t familiar with, but I knew it was a Japanese Shingon temple somehow. It was my first time visiting, and all the old Japanese ladies greeted me and told me how exciting today was because such-and-such famous priest was coming to do some big ceremony. The temple was packed as the priest’s luxury car drove up to the parking lot, and somehow I had my digital camera with me, so I was recording footage. The priest, dressed in purple robes that Japanese priests often wear, walked quickly past the excited crowd without taking notice, while accompanied by body guards. Somehow the flashy, rock-star entrance really bothered me. Then the priest went into the main hall, and most of us were shut out except for some privileged members of the congregation who were allowed to watch the proceedings. I stood there outside for a bit near the half-closed doors while drums were beating and some kind of ceremony went on. This too bothered me, but then I woke up.

Weird.

Namu Amida Butsu