Zen Words for Everyday Life Vol. 9

The literal meaning of 看脚下 (kankyakka) is to “look at the ground beneath your feet.”

There is another Zen phrase that is similar: 脚下照顧 (kyakka shoko). Often displayed at entrances to Zen temples, it means: “Be mindful of the ground beneath your feet. When you take off your shoes, arrange them neatly together.”

When people take off their shoes upon entering someone’s home, as is customary in Japan, it is of course appreciated if they would put them neatly together in pairs. However, when you look around the vestibule of the main hall here at Saihoji, you might notice that it can get quite cluttered, with people leaving their shoes in varying states of order. In the old days, temple staff would have tidied up and rearranged the shoes, but many people nowadays prefer not to have someone else touch or move their belongings, so we leave them alone.

Another meaning of the phrases kankyakka and kyakka shoko is: “Think about the actions you have taken today and consider whether your current state of being is right or wrong.”

Try to remember these Zen sayings whenever you take off your shoes. Put your shoes neatly together and look at the ground beneath your feet. In addition to physically putting your shoes in order, take a short moment to order your mind. Reflect on yourself, and you might discover a little bit of extra space opening up in your daily life. You will surely take your shoes off at least once every day, so this is a simple way to add a bit of Buddhist training to your life.

As I wrote in an earlier piece on “Aisatsu” (greetings), I hope you will understand that Zen practice is not something extraordinary, but a series of ordinary things rooted in our daily lives. No matter what you do, if you think about it in your own way and try to deepen your understanding, you will come to realize what is important.

The sutra known as the “Hymn of Zazen of Zen Master Hakuin” (Hakuin Zenji Zazen Wasan) states that “All living beings are Buddha by nature. Their relationship is like that of water and ice; their essence is the same. There is no fundamental difference between a Buddha and an ordinary person. How sad to see people seeking the Buddha somewhere far away, when the Buddha can be found within themselves.”

People have all sorts of desires, saying:

“I want to do this.”
“I want that.”
“If only the circumstances had allowed it, I could have done this...”

It is indeed in such situations that Kankyakka is required. As the phrase suggests, the truly important things should be right at your feet. It is essential to take the time to look for and notice them.

In this day and age, we all tend to be so busy all the time, constantly bombarded by information and various stimuli, making it difficult to find the time to stop and stay still for a moment. For this reason, we hope that when you come to the temple and step inside the vestibule, you will take some time, if only just a moment, to put your shoes in order and reflect on yourself.

Saihoji　 　 FUJITA Ryuko