2014 Year of the Horse - Chokudai: SEI Purity

Awaken your vows, lift up your spirits! No matter how long it takes!

Without notice the spring arrives, surrounding the old dojo.

Weapons already laid down, arrows shot into the sky,

The dragon horse returned to the sunny side of Mount Kasan

2013 Year of the Snake - Chokudai: Stand

Drinking down the Universe, all dualism is extinguished

When no fixed forms are anywhere, then wherever you stand is true

Entering the weeds and becoming a snake, our boundless intent

Is to be ever fresh in our vow to love all beings.

2012 Year of the Dragon - Chokudai: Cliff

The dragon is bringing forth great waves and drinking up heaven and earth

Difficulties have opened our eyes, cutting through the root of life and death

Pressed by a rock, hanging from a cliff, the flower grows upside down

The wish for new life comes forth, the source for great peace

2011 Year of the Rabbit

The message of the quietly returned spring,

The old Zen Temple

In prostrating to Bodhidaruma,

The whole assembly as One.

One flower blossoms and five petals open,

The Mind Direction of Bodhidaruma.

The Path of the Ancients reaches

To the four corners of the earth.

2010 Year of the Tiger

The old tiger, in one great roar, shakes the ancient wind.

On Gokoku mountain, the new spring morning´s light illuminates the sky.

From the beginning of the year many people gathering,

For what do they pray?

For the Four Seas knowing true peace, giving life to the Patriarch´s zen.

2005 Year of the Rooster

The new year opens as the dawn bell rings out,

Entreating us to see the truth within us all.

In this time of tragedy and sorrow, keenly I feel

How vital it is to realize the Spring of Enlightened Peace.

2004 Year of the Monkey

The one drop of Sogen relieves The whole world’s thirst

The iron-headed people of practice gathering with vigorous full tautki

From sunrise on the new year’s morning,

Hands and feet of the awakened move in prostration, dancing eternal life.

In this new spring, singing our life is the way to the peace of the world

2003 Year of the Goat

To celebrate the new spring

At the ancient zen temple

From west to east they gather

The ones of iron resolve.

More than the sacrificed sheep’s life,

The great vow energy is prized.

Dharma Light once again radiates throughout one thousand worlds

2002 Year of the Horse

Break the circle of love and hate

Like a burning house

Stop the love-hate attachments

Then the true universe appears

There are ten thousand things in a man’s life

Nothing more than the horse of Saio

Discouragement and deceit put aside

And the iron tree will bring forth flowers mysteriously in endless spring