Loneliness

The moon looks very lonely while it goes aound the vast , vacant sky alone. The sun , just like the moon, also goes around the vast, vacant sky, but its beam is so strong that it won't enable us to look at it. On the other hand the moonlight is gentle enough for us to have a look at it all the time. So we want to appeal our loneliness by looking at the moon even every night.

If we look at the autumn moon, our heart will be filled with loneliness though it shines so brightly. Saigyo

Death means being alone and lonely by giving away all things occupied with nothing.
We were all born alone and die alone. So we are lonely while living with our spouse, for we cannot die together. Ippen Shonin

It is natural that we should be alone and lonely. We can understand others' loneliness because we are lonely.When we understand others' lonelieness, we sympathize and empathize others, finally loving them with deep understanding. Love is consideration.

Imagine a fetus while it is in its mother's womb. It puts its head onto its knees, hugging them with its arms. How lonely it looks! We cannot but think we were, have been and are alone and lonely since we were in our mothers' womb. So we posture in the same style when we feel lonely and sad.

(Quoted from Setouchi Jyakucho's 'Live loneliness'(1998 Published by Kobunsha Co. Ltd. Tokyo)