The Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple in Kyoto, Japan is not only a temple but is also the mausoleum of Shinran Shonin (1173- 1262), founder of the Jodo-Shin branch of Buddhism. The Founder’s Hall part of this shrine is one of the largest wooden structures in the world. It has burned several times in its history, and the current building only dates back to 1895.

When the latest Founder’s Hall was being built, the workers could not find ropes strong enough to lift the heavy beams into place. The female devotees promptly cut off their long, beautiful hair, and ropes were woven from their sacrificial contributions. Fifty-three such ropes (called kezunas) were woven. The larg­est of the ropes was 360 feet long, with a cir­cumference of about 16 inches and weighed more than a ton.

One Buddhist devotee’s hair would not make much of a rope, but the hair from many women made this largest of the kezunas pos­sible, along with the 52 others. Tom Miller

How many spiritual lessons can you find in this article?