２月３日（木曜日）２０２２
多賀大社の厄除けをいただくために神社へ行ったら、人が多く節分であることを知りました。コロナで今年は豆まきは中止と聞いていたのですが、年男（女）の方達が拝殿で神事をなさっていて、これから豆まきが始まるとのこと。しばらくすると皆さん出てこられて、「鬼は外！福は内！」の掛け声に合わせてそれぞれの枡に入った豆を元気に撒いていらっしゃいました。いつもなら見物人が豆の入った袋を競い合ってもらおうとするのですが、今回は離れた所から見ているだけ。静かな節分の光景でしたがこれもまた珍しいと楽しませていただきました。その後、見物人の私たちにも豆袋をいただけるというので社務所の前に並んでいると大豆の香ばしい香り。そして炒り豆が５袋も入った袋をいただきました。厄払いでいただいた福豆と合わせて結構な量の炒り豆を多賀大社からいただきました。今夜は久しぶりにお泊まりのお客様と一緒に豆まきで春の訪れをお祝いしましょう。
お釈迦様がお亡くなりになったのが２月１５日ということで家に残る涅槃図を床の間に掛けました。
When I went to Taga Taisha to get the "warding off of evil" this morning, I saw many people there and knew that it was a holiday for the end of winter. I heard that the annual event of scattering perched beans by men and women who turn 60 years old was cancelled this year to prevent the spread of coronavirus but I saw people sitting in a front shrine hall for worship to celebrate and they were supposed to scatter beans on the stage outside. Shortly after, they came out and started scattering them saying " Good Luck in! Bad luck out!". The difference between previous year and this year was that usually onlookers were scrambling to try to catch the pack of beans which are called "Lucky Beans" from the people on the stage but this time onlookers had to stay far from the stage and just look at them scattering beans. It was peacefully done but I enjoyed that rare event. After scattering, we received a couple of packs of Lucky Beans from shrine people. I also enjoyed scattering beans at home with my friends in the night and celebrated the welcoming of spring.
By the way, Since Buddha died on Feb. 15th, I hung a scroll at the alcove and it is an image of the Buddha entering nirvana .
