I first encountered the number 84,000 when I began practicing Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. I had skimmed other Buddhist teachings before, but this number was new to me. The historical Buddha is said to have given 84,000 teachings, and each one offered a path to enlightenment. The lesson is simple: there is more than one way to reach perfect understanding. We can all arrive at the top of the mountain by walking our own path.
84,000 is about accepting that our individual efforts are not separate from one another, that we are part of the same movement, and that the capacity for understanding is not scarce or reserved. It belongs to everyone.
There is something fitting about explaining the name of my site. In Jodo Shinshu, we recite the nembutsu, Namo Amida Butsu, which means: I rely on Amida Buddha. The nembutsu is the Name That Calls us to the Buddhist teachings. In saying the Name we express our gratitude for Amida’s Infinite Wisdom and Compassion. To hear the Name is to hear an invitation toward a heart of true entrusting. Writing about 84,000 feels like that. The name of this site is a constant reminder to be grateful for life’s experiences.
My photography is an effort to be fully present in a moment before it passes. A camera captures what the eye sees in a fraction of a second. Most moments go unrecorded. But the practice of showing up, of paying attention, of being grateful for what you witness even when you don’t capture it — that is the point. It’s like being at the airport and seeing a traveler lock eyes with their waiting loved ones before they’re close enough to embrace. There’s no way to capture a picture of the entire scene, but you’ll never forgot the way Love showed up in their eyes.
The photograph is evidence of presence. The missed shot is too.