the plates are made of birchwood the mirror image characters are worked in high relief the wood remains sound even today there is no decay no wood one. for three years the wood was left to soak in seawater then it was cut boiled in salt water dried and finally polished. one of the buddha's greatest teachings is the awareness of the unity of all that is the lotus flower for example may have its roots in a swamp yet the flower opens pure and fair towards the light the legends share the simplicity and benevolence anyone who walks across this tree trunk it said can be