You might want to read this news item about the world tour of some relics of the Buddha.

When I was in Taiwan in May a world tour of Buddha's relics had recently been there. They had been successively enshrined in a number of temples during the celebrations called Wesak. (This marks the start of the Buddhist new year during which the Buddha's Birth is celebrated). By all accounts this was a huge event with thousands of people walking past and paying their respects.

In July, back in the UK, I was taken to see some Relics in a temple in Birmingham. In a posting on July 15th I ponder on the issue of authenticity of such relics. Like the ones in the news item these were quite low key in their public presence yet non the less 'present' in an intangible sense.

Whoops! The link address referred to in the last article dropped out. Here it is. A fast line is needed.SVS Animation 10005 - Arctic Vortex

Time for a weather report. A number of far away people have a picture of Edmonton cold, white and beautiful and I'd just like to put the record straight. It's mild and very brown, and beautiful too in a certain way.

This winter has been the mildest since 1930 something, with hardly any snow and hardly any seriously cold temperatures. But that is all about to change, for one day! The drop in temperature is due to the Arctic Vortex which is pushing cold air at Alberta. Tonight's TV weather forecast shows an impressive mass of cold air spinning down from the top right of the screen bulging down to bottom left. We could have a high of -19 c on Thursday and then on Friday -2 c and Saturday -1 c. You can watch an animation of the Artic Vortex here.

Just because I wanted to end the day with something other than a spinning mass of air I offer this from the Denkoroku.

ITS solitary light, wondrously vast,
is never darkened
For the wish-fulfilling MANI-JEWEL
shines forth illumining everywhere.

This poem appears at the end of the chapter on Nagyaarajyuna, the fourteenth ancestor after Shakyamuni Buddha.