Kondo Hall of Horyuji Temple

Link: The link goes around and has photos of the art inside the temple. They're so old, they're pretty faded, but there are some things you can see.

"The Kondo, or Main Hall, at Horyuji Temple is the world’s oldest extant wooden structure and enshrines the temple’s most important treasures. It and the Five-storied Pagoda form the centerpiece of the temple’s Western Precinct. " (source with photos)

Wikipedia: "...world's oldest wooden building..."

I find it so amazing that there are buildings that Kukai could have gone into in Nara, Kyoto, Xi'an, that still exist. Halfway to the life of the Buddha from our vantage point in time.

Kukai went to college in Nara, went there at age 16 in 790 to study with an uncle before college, and then at 22 writes his "Indications of the goals of the three teachings" which I'm trying to read right now. And then he wanders around as an unaffiliated mendicant Buddhist monk until he goes to China at age 31. I'm fascinated with this time between ending college, and going to Xi'an China, the start of the silk road, to get the teachings, so that he can go home to found the Shigon school in Japan. This Horyuji temple would have been there, they think it was rebuilt in 711.

I was looking around for Kukai representations in art and found this one. It's kind of dark, and I think it's really old. Found it at the Nara National Museum:

Facts and details about Kukai

Seattle sangha led meditation .