Sensei's July/August 2008 Message
Aisatsu – Buddhist Attitude
Whether toward a god, a mountain, or to the sun in heaven, there can be no pretension in a heart that bows sincerely. Regardless of the object of reverence, those who can bow in deep emotion with their entire body, are very fortunate. In the beautiful world of faith, there is neither doubt nor fear. The gassho that has been freed from all display of affectation, is gratitude, just as it is. The feeling of gratitude is a world of ecstasy that only those with faith can know. I believe everyone wishes to live in a world without lies. But precisely because we live in a world full of deceit, we yearn for a world of mutual trust. Such a world, however, will come into being only when everyone is grateful for what they have, which finds expression in placing our hands together in gassho.
Muyuge – Flower Without Sorrow, Takeko Kujo
My ordination experience in Japan was very special because of what I observed in the gestures of ordinary people and ministers there. Of course, having been raised here in the States, I have adopted the customs and mannerisms, and also the attitude, of individualism, brashness, and selfishness. Aisatsu, a simple act of courtesy practiced in many other parts of the world, is so different from the local custom that I did not realize how much I missed it in myself. Even to this day, I am unable to do it naturally. As a brief training exercise, we were required to attend the daily service at Hongwanji early in the morning. I looked forward to getting up and waiting for the bonsho to ring so we could start walking to the Somido. When we left the International Center, we would bow to the huge statue of Shinran Shonin that stood near the entrance and we would lower our heads and say “Shinran sama, ohayo gozaimasu – Good morning, Shinran Shonin.” We did this each time we passed him. It felt rather awkward and seemed corny in the beginning, but as I became re-culturalized to ordinary Japanese customs, it became especially meaningful with each bow. Recently, I noticed that several ladies who walk our West LA neighborhood do the same thing when passing the temple and the statue of Shinran Shonin. In Japan and other Asian countries, this is simply an everyday, natural expression. Inside the Hongwanji, the daily services are exceptional. It is a moving experience to see the many ministers taking their positions, chanting, and reading the Gobunsho, etc. Seeing their refined saho (religious etiquette) made me realize how different our saho is here in the States. However, it is the reflection of who we are, whether good or bad. It is a lesson in humility and mindfulness. The morning and afternoon services at the Hongwanji feature a special guest speaker called a fukyoshi (a specially trained speaker who goes around the country giving howa (Dharma talks) and study classes). These ministers rotate weekly and it is quite a treat to listen to their Dharma messages. I was especially impressed by one little minister (well, he was shorter than I am) whose voice was strong and commanding. Each time he walked up to the podium he would face the Honzon (Amida Buddha statue) and say “Amida sama, ohayo gozaimasu.” He would then turn to Shinran’s portrait and say “Shinran sama, ohayo gozaimasu.” He would do the same to Rennyo Shonin’s portrait and say “Rennyo sama, ohayo gozaimasu.” Finally, he would turn to us and say “Mina sama, ohayo gozaimasu.” When I first saw him do this I was shocked, impressed, overwhelmed, embarrassed, and simply moved. His voice, gesture, and confidence were beyond what I could ever have imagined from any minister, but this was simply an awe-inspiring yet ordinary expression made without hesitation or self-consciousness. It was one of the most sincere and open gestures of Onembutsu I have ever witnessed, and it still moves me today.
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Sensei's June 2008 Message
Bougainvillea
This may be a silly article but I’m compelled to write about our bougainvillea that continually wants to overwhelm the veranda and litter its flowers all over the driveway and onto our neighborhood. It is particularly embarrassing at this time of the year when it seems to thrive and shed its thousands of flowers after a long rainy season fed by warm, sunny days. It is showing its colors in arrogant, humongous blooms and flexing its muscles on its own terms. Two years ago our old tree died and left a bland dirt hole next to the steps of our entry. We decided to replace it with something that would cover the veranda and also provide a small piece of privacy from the constant and busy foot traffic. The veranda is our only so-called green sanctuary since we have no yard or patio. Our first choice was wisteria but it only blooms in the summer and in the winter the veranda would be bare. So we decided on bougainvillea in a standard red from Orchard Supply Hardware. In the beginning, because of our anxiety and uncertainty as to whether it would take to the old dirt, we were excited to see its new sprouts and signs of a little color. As time went by we were amazed at the many new shoots that started to cling to the new lattice. I began to train it with constant pruning. Now it is on its own, having secured its place at 2006 Corinth Avenue. At first, we used to receive many compliments but recently no one seems to care, or they may be upset with the litter. I am still in amazement and look it over each time I leave and return home. At the same time I get excited at seeing its flowers, it leaves a mess in the driveway, around the building, and all the way to Sawtelle Avenue. I don’t know what happens to them beyond there, but I’m sure they are bothering someone else. When I first considered bougainvillea I heard many good comments about them, but at the same time there were many, many bad comments as well. Either you like them or hate them. Well, I had to have one so now I have to live with it. Isn’t this exactly like our lives? What you have is what you will live with, with constant maintenance of good and bad aspects, an ongoing love-hate relationship, and perhaps, on occasion, some semblance of balance. But the worst part of it is that we don’t keep our anxieties, problems, and joy to ourselves. Since we are naturally social animals, we have to share all the good and bad with others whether they like it or not. We have the need to go and bother others, just like our bougainvillea. It is one thing to be a plant that is constant, growing with the seasons and doing its thing when it is time. We know when it is time to water, feed, trim, and sweep. Plants and flowers are predictable. But human emotions do not coincide with the seasons. We are agitated, happy, sad, troubled, and joyful at the slightest provocation. Therefore we are extremely unpredictable and bothersome to others. When these emotions arise then we want or need to share them with others. So, what are we to do? The answer is right in front of us. Shakyamuni Buddha and Shinran Shonin are constantly reminding us of our shortfalls. However, we only embrace their wisdom when we are troubled and insecure but fail to heed their teachings when we are happy and secure. Again, unlike the bougainvillea, despite its messy outbursts, we are neither predictable nor constant. This is the central problem with humans and our only hope is that we continue to listen to the teachings and practice mindfulness. Each time I go in and out of the house I am reminded of my shortcomings as well as their remedy. The only way to maintain some constant sense of humility is to be mindful and cultivate it through practice, just like trimming the bougainvillea so it does not use its tentacles to overwhelm our neighborhood. I’m sure all of you have a similar situation in your life that could be tempered with a little dose of the Dharma.
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Sensei's May 2008 Message
Shinran Shonin Day
May 21 is Shinran Shonin Day. It is also known as Shuso Gotan-E (Founder’s Birthday Gathering) or celebrated as Fujimatsuri (Wisteria Festival). This year we will observe Shinran's 835th birthday and I’m sure no one will be baking a birthday cake or bringing balloons to the temple and singing “Happy Birthday.” We are beyond celebration. Rather, our observances have turned into a day of reflection and mindfulness for the gift of awareness of the Onembutsu teaching that he clarified for us so we could truly live in this complex world with relative peace of mind in the light of Ultimate Wisdom and Compassion. Shinran, unlike many Buddhist teachers of the past, was particularly special due to his extraordinary honesty and humility concerning his personal Onembutsu experience and the way he shared it with ordinary people like you and me. He engaged with any and all who would listen. Like Shakyamuni Buddha, who wandered the countryside and marketplaces begging for food for forty-five years, Shinran spent time sharing the Dharma. Shakyamuni and Shinran held no organized ceremonies, rituals, funerals, or fundraisers. They did not meet at temples and were completely free of organized religion. Nor were they attached to any authority but were motivated by their own free will and aspiration. They held no occupation nor did they work for room and board. Instead, they accepted only the gratuities that were offered to them. We can see from Shinran’s passages (See Shinshu Corner following this article) that he was dedicated only to the truth of life that helped him identify his own limited human condition and the reality that prevailed over it. This awareness and the ever-present benevolence of Amida Buddha preoccupied Shinran’s life until his death. Although Shinran was also highly educated and knowledgeable concerning the Buddhist scriptures and practices, he saw that the practicable options for enlightenment available to him at the time were already beyond what ordinary humans could achieve. The only path left to him was that of Onembutsu taught to him by Honen Shonin. He never claimed that his realization of the Onembutsu way was due either to special understandings or secret teachings. Everything Shinran expressed was from his sincere experience, honesty and understanding that awakening can be made possible through attaining true entrusting in Amida Buddha’s Vow. We can identify with Shinran because his life was no different from ours. As human beings, we trust and follow those who are like us and who have experienced firsthand the similar pain of mistakes and failures as well as the beauty of birth and the sorrow of death. We are often cynically hardened by our misfortunes and experiences and have learned to distance ourselves from those we perceive to be arrogant, selfish, self-serving and opportunistic. We like nice and sincere people and make no room in our lives for others. Although the people we keep at a distance may speak the truth and offer genuine advice, we have conditioned ourselves to say, “No, Thank You.” There is something about sincerity that we can accept while we distance ourselves from those whom we do not feel are trustworthy. Although eight centuries have passed since Shinran encountered the Onembutsu, we can identify with his life and struggles today. Therefore we embrace him wholeheartedly. His words are what we might say if we had his faith, humility and sincerity. This is why he is very important to us today. It is his humanity that made him popular to other religious leaders and scholars in the past and today. This is apparent in the popularity of Tannisho. Shinran’s spirit and teaching are very much alive and available to us today. We need only to make the effort to take the time from our busy lives to reflect and become mindful of the importance of trying to live authentically, knowing that we are sustained, just the way we are, by Infinite Wisdom and Compassion.
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Sensei's April 2008 Message
80-PLUS LUNCHEON
Eternal Peace There is no place the Buddha trod that he did not influence. The world is in harmony, and the sun and moon shine brightly. The wind blows and the rain falls when most desirable. No unfortunate events take place. The country prospers and the people are secure. There is no war, virtue is worshipped, charity practiced, and everyone is polite. Daimuryojukyo (The Larger Sutra)
In the last Bulletin, Mrs. Chiyo Nitta was recognized for having started the 80-Plus Luncheon program that serves a monthly meal to those Temple members who are eighty years of age and older. It was her innovative vision and sustained hard work that have enabled many seniors to enjoy a wonderful yet simple gourmet-style meal for many years. Her menu has become an art form. Today, the luncheon is going stronger than ever and about fifty seniors enjoyed the food last month (February) which was prepared by ten or so volunteers, including Mrs. Nitta.
It is with fascination and joy that I am able to witness this great program at our temple and at the same time I am encouraged to see many ladies and men who are much older than eighty years. The eighty-year-olds are called babies, just youngsters in the group. Last month we celebrated the birthdays of four ladies, Mrs. Torako Akutagawa, Mrs. Alice Umeda, Ms. Kiyo Teramaye and Mrs. Dorothy Ikkanda. Mrs. Akutagawa turned 95 this year and she is still going strong, waking up before 6 am and going out for her morning walk and exercising regularly. As I looked around the tables I counted nine or more men and women in their nineties and they are still either driving on their own or car-pooling with others. Each and every one of them has told me how much they look forward to this event. Just like the old-timers, they are prompt and always ready well before the food is ready to be served. I enjoy our little chit-chat and they are always full of smiles and laughter. In this crowd, I don't know exactly who speaks Japanese or understands English so I end up speaking mostly Japanese when I should be speaking English. I have a strange suspicion that everyone understands English but it is easier for them to speak Japanese. They also attend our regular Sunday services, especially when we have Japanese speakers. They have been coming to the temple for many decades and I feel terrible when I do not deliver my message in Japanese. But they don't seem to mind. Perhaps they have already attained the state of perfection or contentment in their life when they simply appreciate everything they encounter. It is this sense of serenity and naturalness I feel when I am with them. Compared to them I am just a little rat running around trying to find anything in my path, and not enjoying what I found but still looking and chasing things that are still afar. This often reminds me of Takeko Kujo's poem reproduced here:
Whether toward a god, a mountain, or to the sun in heaven, there can be no pretension in a heart that bows sincerely. Regardless of the object of reverence, those who can bow in deep emotion with their entire body, are very fortunate. Muyuge, Flower Without Sorrow
In our temple we have supported each other and enjoyed the many fruits of this temple for about 80 years and we're still trying to fulfill the religious and community needs of our members. We appreciate and need each individual who contributes his or her time and energy for the benefit of all members and I extend my sincere appreciation to all of you for a job well done. Gasssho
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Sensei's March 2008 Message
Beauty of Looking Back
Where external beauty is lacking, something is always lacking internally. Beauty is a requisite for giving form to the ideal life. The fact that we all seek beauty is an indication that we continually burn with the desire to attain perfection. The natural unadorned form is both simple and sacred; it is attractive precisely because it has no deception about it. To aimlessly decorate ourselves without revealing the natural beauty with which we have been blessed, results in the destruction of our inner self. Directing ourselves towards beauty is very important, both to make our lives more abundant and also to nurture our inner life. Muyuge, Flower without Sorrow – Takeko Kujo
Each newsletter article gives me the privilege to find something new or share meaningful expressions that we may all have in common. When the article is completed we may nod our heads together and confirm that which Shinran Shonin and all the teachers before us have tried to convey. As I am writing this article, I am in Oxnard recuperating from knee replacement surgery that was done four days ago. One process of recovery and physical therapy requires that I lie down strapped to an automatic knee bending machine for up to eight hours each day along with other exercises. You would think that with this much time on my hands I could write all the articles I need for the next two years but it's not that simple. As you know, everything meaningful requires sincere effort, not just time. Yesterday I went to the garage and looked for old photos of images that were implanted in my mind for the last 48 years, and I want to share these with you.
There are two photos of my family when we first landed in L.A. in January 1960. My father, Hideo, had come here four years earlier as a contract farm laborer (inmin) just like many of the new Japanese immigrants during the 1950s through 1970s. Many of these men found work as gardeners after fulfilling their contracts in truck farming places like Fresno, Imperial Valley, and Coachella Valley and moved to places like Southern California. At one time, I heard that there were as many as 5,500 such men here. West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple Gardener's Association registered over 300 such men as well. The first photo of my family includes my father and mother, together with me at 9 years of age and my younger brother, Yoshiaki, at 7 years. It was taken just after we arrived in the USA. We were on the way to Oxnard and stopped just outside of Malibu. I discovered yesterday that the photos were taken on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) as you approach the hill before Pepperdine University. You may recognize it but the landscape seems barren with no buildings or street lights. Today, the land on the left side is a shopping center that was recently damaged by the Malibu fires. My mother always told me that we came to the States with only two small suitcases in which she had neatly tucked our handsome traveling clothes. You would think that we were normal Japanese American citizens with a nice late-model Oldsmobile. I think I fell in love with American cars on that day. Of course, in Japan, we had never ridden in an automobile. My father borrowed the car for this occasion to impress us. On that day, everything we saw and touched was new and my mind was filled with excitement, anxiety, and confusion. The second photo is of my brother and me standing in front of dairy cows and I can't express how weird this experience made me feel. I like this photo because it was taken at Chase Brothers Dairy very close to our first home just outside of Oxnard on Fifth Street and Rice Road. It has now become strawberry fields, and my wife and I drive past it on our visits to Oxnard. As I look at these photos my heart is still filled with the anxieties of being displaced, and I still feel unsettled to this day. It seemed as though the four of us, poor and unaware of the new life that was to develop from this point forward, were the only family members leaving Japan. There were many stories and anxieties that were awaiting us and that included two more kids born within the next two years, brother Frank, and sister Lilli. We all experienced unique adventures. Today, we are extremely fortunate to be able to say that our lives are comfortable and with few difficulties. Unfortunately, my father passed away within six years from the date the photos were taken. We owe our lives to the generosity and compassion of those people in our community to whom we could go for friendship, advice, and even financial assistance as we struggled to make it with the obvious language and cultural difficulties. It was the people at Oxnard Buddhist Temple who helped the most. Although I did not particularly enjoy attending the temple due to the language problem, somehow it sparked something inside of me that made me go into the ministry to share my life with those who helped develop it. It is an irony that I continue to be amazed at but thoroughly enjoy at this moment in my life. It is difficult to recount and credit the numbers of people who came into our lives through various causes and conditions and contributed to our family's welfare. When we leave our homes, like millions of others seeking a new existence and life in other countries and places, it is never our own doing that contributes to our success. Although our life was difficult, and uncertain, many of you have experienced similar life-awakening situations and may nod your heads in agreement at the realization that we share in the endless wisdom and compassion that sustains and influences our lives in this difficult world. Gassho
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Sensei's February 2008 Message
Shinran and the Ultimate Tribute
I have never said the NAME - Namo Amida Butsu even once for the repose of my departed father and mother. For all living things have been my parents and brothers and sisters in the course of countless lives in many states of existence. Upon attaining Buddhahood in the next life, I must save every one of them. Shinran Shonin Tannisho Chapter 5
Shinran Shonin, our religious teacher, made this statement regarding his deceased father and mother, namely, that he never said Namo Amida Butsu in their remembrance or for their welfare in the afterlife. This is a profound and delicate message for all of us who have personal ideas and wishes regarding our own loved ones when they are ill or about to leave us. It is particularly difficult because we are challenged by how and what we should feel, believe, and act at such a sensitive moment and time. There is no escaping these moments at funerals and the many subsequent memorial services that follow. So what does Shinran say in regard to temple tradition where the activities include events such as Shotsuki (monthly), Eitaikyo (perpetual), Hoji (family), Obon, and other services of remembrance?
This issue involves a long Buddhist history that went through many transformations since Buddhism was first introduced in India and changed dramatically as it migrated from China to Japan. It is difficult to understand and express the ideas, beliefs, and confusions that exist in a Buddhist history that is greatly influenced by folk religions, superstitions, and social differences, so it is critical for all of us to understand what Shinran is still trying to tell us today. In any given Jodo Shinshu funeral or memorial service, many believe that rituals performed are for praising the deceased in order to secure merits toward his or her Buddhahood, and that our acts during such ceremonies help ensure the final resting place for our loved one. Some may believe that we will meet our loved ones in the Pure Land after we die. Some may think that continuous memorial services will help keep them from falling into hell and that our attendance bears merit for their sake. Incense is offered in the mistaken belief that it feeds and appeases the gaki (hungry ghosts). These are only a few of the beliefs that have come down to us through Buddhist mythology and stories from various schools and traditions. Although these ideas are not what Jodo Shinshu teaches, they continue to be expressed and believed even as they fail to express the true intent of Amida Buddha as seen through Shinran.
Although Shinran is sympathetic and appreciative of his parents, his expression is the ultimate religious commitment and dedication that is far beyond our ordinary faith and understanding. He sees that ultimate faith in the form of gratitude for all lives, living and dead, lies in the Buddha who embraces all living beings, whether parents, children, animals, plants, without preference or discrimination. This means that ultimately we are all one and the same and embraced as such...
while (all beings) still travel though births and deaths and commit acts in their coming and going because ignorance covers the eyes of wisdom, (beings) are mutually fathers and sons and acquaintances are often friends and enemies while enemies and friends are often acquaintances. Therefore, the monk abandons secular life and betakes himself to the truth, - Benshoron
In our everyday existence our family is our own and we share very little with other families. It seems impossible for us to love those whom we do not know as our own and embrace them as equals. But through Amida Buddha, Shinran was able to transcend this limitation and experience the ultimate lesson in life. For Shinran, Namo Amida Butsu is all life. Gassho
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Sensei's January 2008 Message
Happy New Year. I sincerely hope you will have a joyous and prosperous year. New Year's Day, or Shusho-E, is set aside for rededicating our minds and bodies to all the activities that will be forthcoming during the year and to thanking everyone and everything for allowing us to be here today. In this sense, whatever you encounter in 2008, though it may be exactly the same as what you have done for many years-whether getting up and going to school, work, or shopping, or dealing with your children or fellow workers—you will approach it with a new mindset and see different challenges. Although this may simply involve an attitude change, it is still an important process in your life. Personally, I enjoy the New Year because it gives me a new start and an opportunity to look at the same things differently. Isn't this an odd idea? What is really new about the New Year? Nevertheless, I'll take it because doing the same thing over and over again is no fun. The same thing can be said for new technologies and ideas we seem to discover, create, or invent. What is interesting about this concept of discovery is that we are building and creating new ideas and things from all the existing material and laws of nature in this tiny world in the universe. Of course, inventing new medicines, microprocessors, and rockets are tremendous accomplishments. But we also must be humble in achieving such feats. Perhaps we could include them in the process of the Buddhist law of causes and effects and name the process BCE. Sakyamuni Buddha was born about 600 years Before the Common Era when even simple technology was scarce. From his process of trying to understand the true nature of human life, he discovered the Buddha-dharma or the truth of life. He articulated his findings and spoke to many people, and eventually what he said was written down several hundred years after his death. His discourse on humanity was so profound that the writings became known as sutras, or Buddhist doctrine. However, we must also understand that what he articulated in a concise and understandable way to ordinary people was a philosophy of life that preceded even the dawn of mankind. Therefore, he did not discover, create, or invent the teachings. It is this realization that we must come to accept about Buddhism, namely, that the dharma is intrinsic to the existence of all beings. It is the one constant in this universe of change. The Buddha's discourses on such principles as the nature of impermanence, interdependence, and cause and effect reflect natural laws that are true and constant throughout the universe. Sir Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravity but, like his apple, all things have been falling to the ground since the formation of the Earth. Just like Sakyamuni, Newton searched for an explanation for a phenomenon that already existed and found a natural law of the universe. We live in a world of continual discovery and invention, and nowadays it seems as though our lives will evolve at a pace that will be difficult to keep up with unless something dramatic happens to slow everything down. But the mystery of life has not changed since Sakyamuni Buddha sat down under the Bodhi Tree, meditated on human suffering, and articulated his findings. The process and the nature of life have been told over and over again for the last 2,500 years, and we need to rely on this Buddha-dharma more then ever now due to the complex lives we have created through science and technology. Therefore, it is most important for all of us in this New Year to take a step back and become mindful of our existence. The teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha and Shinran Shonin are now more critical in our lives than ever before. Finding peace and harmony within the human race, and on this fragile Earth, begins with each of us, individually, as responsible and compassionate beings. We can make a difference when more of us awaken to this reality.
Wisdom for the New Year
In the sky, there is no distinction between east and west. People create these distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true. Mathematical numbers from one to infinity are each complete numbers, and each in itself carries no distinctions of quantity. Yet people make the discrimination for their own convenience in order to be able to indicate varying amounts. One who is to enjoy the purity of both body and mind walks the path to Buddhahood, breaking the net of selfish, impure thoughts and evil desires. He who is calm in mind acquires peacefulness, and thus is able to cultivate his mind day and night with more diligence. Inherently there are no distinctions between the process of life and the process of destruction. People discriminate and call one birth and the other death. In action, there is no discrimination between right and wrong, but people make a distinction for their own convenience. Enlightenment has no definite form or nature by which it can manifest itself, so in enlightenment itself there is nothing to be enlightened. Enlightenment exists solely because of delusion and ignorance. If they disappear, so will Enlightenment. And the opposite is true also: There is no Enlightenment apart from delusion and ignorance; no delusion and ignorance apart from Enlightenment.
Being grasped by Unhindered Light is felt, but is beyond conceptual understanding; “to be free of any form of calculation” is to have realized Other Power.
Shinran Shonin
Hindered by Worldly desires, Our mental eyes cannot see the Infinite Light. The untiring Great Love of the Buddha, Nevertheless Embraces us with His Boundless Light.
Shinran Shonin
Happiness that you experienced because things went your way will eventually crumble; The happiness that you experience while being unable to change some difficult circumstance will never crumble.
Hasumaro Sasaki
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Sensei's December 2007 Message
Monpo – Hear the Dharma
… If Amida’s Primal Vow is true, Sakyamuni’s teachings cannot be false. If the Buddha’s teaching is true, Shan-tao’s commentaries cannot be false. If Shan-tao’s commentaries are true, can Honen’s words be lies? If Honen’s words are true, then surely what I say cannot be empty.
Such, in the end, is how this foolish person entrusts himself [to the Vow]. Beyond this, whether you take up and accept the nembutsu or whether you abandon it is for each of you to determine.
It is the end of another year. Time again to survey and take inventory of our accomplishments and to try to evaluate them. I’m sure all of you are especially mindful while looking forward to the coming New Year as your energy and emotions are particularly filled with anticipation and joy. We have always trusted in this traditional time of change knowing that we can begin another year with a fresh and energized mind and body. Yet it is difficult to do all this on our own. We look to others and perhaps to our teachings to give us the wisdom that will help us kick-start this holiday season.
But at this very moment my energy is at its lowest because it is only mid-October as I write this article to submit to our publisher. I’m also rather annoyed because I have to study for the driver’s license exam which I have not taken in over 10 years. I’m looking over the 240 questions that are neatly listed in both English and Japanese as published in the Japanese Telephone Directory. Like my 81 year old mother, foreigners can now study the written driving test in their own language.
Of course the answers are conveniently provided so there is no need to labor over the Driving Manual from DMV. This certainly is a great find for me.
My mother and people like her have had to slave over these questions for months trying to memorize the English to prepare for the exam. Like her, many do not understand the words or their meanings but they somehow manage to remember the sentence structure or certain word patterns. I’ve been amazed at this for years because I wondered how she passed the test 45 years ago when no such cheat-sheet was available and when she could not speak English at all. For my mother and for all those who endured similar problems, a driver’s license was like lifeblood to their existence. Without a driver’s license they could not go to work to sustain their everyday life. Thus, they did everything they could to pass the test. Isn’t this similar to Buddhist followers of the past, especially those Jodo Shinshu followers who had no means of truly studying and understanding the teachings? Rather, they simply trusted the words and guidance provided by Shinran Shonin and other teachers.
There are times when we simply have to go beyond study, calculation, analogy, and reason to embrace the wisdom that has been taught to us for 2,500 years. And following Sakyamuni Buddha, we have also come to rely on Shinran Shonin, Rennyo Shonin, and other teachers of Onembutsu to “just listen” and trust in their profound wisdom and compassion. In our advanced and complex world where technology and communications have overwhelmed human nature and instinct, we are still in need of the true profound wisdom that only Amida Buddha can provide. In this holiday season, let’s try to simply hear the Dharma (monpo), putting aside our calculating minds, and hear the beautiful words that have been echoing through our temples for hundreds of years.
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Sensei's September 2007 Message
Awakening to Your True Self
The lotus flowers in the lakes, large as chariot wheels, are blue-colored with blue splendor, yellow-colored with yellow splendor, red-colored with red splendor, white colored with white splendor, and they are most exquisite and purely fragrant.
The Smaller Sutra on Amitayus
There are many Buddhist icons and symbols that express the very nature of human existence but none is more important or well- recognized than the lotus flower. Over a long history, the lotus has come to represent the very nature of the human passions that bind us to this world, yet its flower is also symbolic of the human potential for awakening, leading not only to personal peace but also to universal peace.
Rooted in muddy waters, the existence of the lotus mirrors the impurities inherent in both individuals and society, but the simple beauty of its flower reveals that each of us, too, is capable of displaying the splendor of a wise and compassionate nature that glorifies an interdependent world. The key to this is through realization of the true self and awakening to the compassion of the Buddha who accepts all of us just as we are — sono mama.
It is unrealistic to think that any one person can be counted on to save the world and bring global peace through ideology and hope alone. This is to imagine that one being cannot only rise above human frailties, but also cause all other people to do the same. However, rather than being pessimistic in the face of this reality, we can look at our true potential and see what can be done. The arena in which we can contribute is within our own hearts and minds, as long as we can see them as they truly are. It is vain to believe that we can have only good thoughts when our daily lives are filled with contradictions of desire, anger, hatred, and opinions about even the smallest things.
Most of us aspire for beautiful thoughts and to do wise and noble deeds, but when our true nature emerges, we don’t always like what we see and it is easy to give up not only on ourselves, but on others. So how can we benefit others if we do not even like ourselves at times? The task is impossible as long as we do not respect ourselves and have compassion for who we truly are, as we are.
The opening passage above is taken from the Amida-kyo, in which the Buddha describes the Pure Land to be the most beautiful of Buddha-lands and a place to which we would want to go as a reward of our enlightenment. There are four colors of the lotus flowers there, blue, yellow, red, and white. In the Larger Sutra (Muryoju-kyo), it is said that:
Each lotus flower has a hundred thousand kotis of petals with lights of numerous colors ... The brilliance of these lights is so magnificent that it outshines the sun and the moon. Each flower emits thirty-six hundred thousand kotis of rays of light, each sending forth thirty-six hundred thousand kotis of Buddhas.
Each flower, just as it is—sono mama, is unique in appearance, fragrance and beauty. Each of these flowers is distinctively different, just as each of us is uniquely different. “Sono mama” is being mindful of and grateful for the special qualities of each individual. However, understanding sono mama also allows us to be aware and accepting of the personal bonno and defilements that each person possesses as well. In having compassion for ourselves, just as we are, it helps us to generate compassion for others, and from this compassion, wisdom grows.
Recognizing this uniqueness, not only in personalities and characters but also in the various ways people suffer with their individual frustrations and anxieties, is what sono mama addresses. So, in this sense, the root of all misunderstanding and frustration in life comes from our inability to accept ourselves as we really are, as well as others as they really are.
Therefore, when it is said that the green flowers radiate green light or the yellow flowers radiate yellow light, it means that we cannot be anything but ourselves and to try to be something else is a hypocrisy that will eventually cause further frustration and disharmony. To understand and accept ourselves as such is to see blue as blue and yellow as yellow. This is the beginning of enlightenment and compassionate engagement with others.
When Sakyamuni Buddha spoke of suffering, he meant that the way we viewed everything caused our suffering and frustration. It is due to our ego and self-centeredness that our way of perceiving the world is limited so we do not see things as they truly are.
As long as we project our ego onto others, our vision will be monochrome and unsatisfactory. Instead, we could learn to enjoy life as it is, and appreciate this wonderful world in which every person radiates a unique light to illuminate and enhance all others. This is the true world of Amida Buddha, where everyone is different, everyone is special and important, just as they are.
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Sensei's July/August 2007 Message
Too Many Choices – Too Little Time
As fall and spring slip away, the months and years go by; yesterday is spent, and today draws to a close. Little did I know that I would grow old before I was aware of it, with the unnoticed passage of the years. Yet, on occasion during that time, I must have known the beauty of flowers and birds, the wind, and the moon; I must also have met with the joy and sorrow of pleasure and pain. But now there is not even a single instance that I remember in particular. How sad it is to have grown gray with age, having done no more than pass the nights and days to no purpose. But when I deeply reflect on the apparent soundness of my own existence, it seems like a dream, like an illusion. As for now, there is nothing left but to aspire to the one way of getting out of birth-and-death. And so, when I hear that it is Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow that readily saves sentient beings like ourselves in this evil future age, I feel truly confident and thankful.
Gobunsho - “On a Hymn in Three Verses” by Rennyo Shonin, 1477
Have you noticed something very unique about Pico Boulevard on the Westside? You many have counted the number of mattress stores that line the street from Santa Monica to Century City. By my estimate there must be fifty stores that specialize in mattresses. I say fifty but it could be more, or I may be delusional and there may be only five. I will go out tomorrow morning and count them all. Is there such demand and do people replace mattresses the way they do a pair of shoes? I get flustered just thinking about mattresses because I could never decide what is right for me simply by testing it at the store. I’m sure quality is not measured only by its price. It is not until I bring it home that I get to truly know if it is perfect just for me.
Looking at the many new Buddhist groups that have surfaced over the past twenty years may also seem like a mattress revolution: too many choices and too little time to try them. But I am convinced that, like mattresses, there is a perfect Buddhist teaching that suits each and every one of us.
Perhaps the different Buddhist schools have existed all along like the mattress stores, but the interest in Buddhism has risen to such a state that new seekers and those who have been Buddhists all their lives are discovering them and becoming curious. Of course, the most visible schools are Tibetan and Zen, and the most established temples here in the states are Jodo Shinshu (both Nishi and Higashi), Nichiren, Koyasan, Jodo Shu and many more. The Vietnamese and Chinese schools such as Hsi-Lai are also becoming well known. Hybrid Buddhism has also entered the mainstream.
So, if you are not convinced of your own faith, these new discoveries must be like noticing the many new mattress stores in your backyard. You may want to try out what they have to offer and perhaps consider that you may need a new mattress. Of course, this analogy is too simplistic and we should take our faith more seriously. But don’t we find ourselves thinking about our own faith and questioning the intent and meaning behind our own path? Isn’t the process of doubt also part of securing our own faith?
The other day a young woman came to the temple asking about our old sign that has been there for a while above the entrance door. It is printed on the glass but the lettering is showing its age. She was a Tibetan follower and asked What is a Buddhist Church? I immediately reacted and explained that we are really a Buddhist temple and that history had something to do with having to call ourselves church. She had taken Buddhist Church literally and thought it was an oxymoron, asking whether we were some kind of confused Buddhist-Christian Church. I was very impressed with her question and believed that her faith was probably much deeper than mine. Our life path is full of such interesting encounters. It is a road that constantly challenges our faith and decisions. Although we may have followed one path all our lives, might look at forks in the road and wonder where they may lead. Rennyo Shonin was already 62 years old when he wrote the above passage and found renewed confidence and joy in reaffirming his faith.
As for now, there is nothing left but to aspire to the one way of getting out of birth-and-death. And so, when I hear that it is Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow that readily saves sentient beings like ourselves in this evil future age, I feel truly confident and thankful.
After sleeping in the same bed for so many years, have you ever thought that you needed a new mattress?
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Sensei's June 2007 Message
Federation of Dharma School TEACHERS’ LEAGUES
(FDSTL) Conference at Sacramento
A Buddhist life, a “Life of Nembutsu,” is often called a Life of Appreciation. As soon as we complain or whine or become angry, there is no room for Appreciation in our hearts and minds.
To live without “Monku” (complaint or whining) is a way to begin living a “Life of Nembutsu.” Realizing this, we would like you, the teachers of the Federation of Dharma School Teachers’ Leagues to experience the effort that it takes to live a “Life of Nembutsu.”
“No Monku” Contract for Teachers and Ministers
Rev. Patti and I are attending the FDSTL 56th Annual National Conference this weekend at Sacramento and soon we will be going to the opening service and workshops, a day full of activities for teachers and ministers. Most BCA ministers and over two hundred Dharma School teachers are here today and tomorrow to share in the conference theme of “Dharma for Dummies II—Discover, Go Deeper and Make It Real. The keynote speaker today will be Dr. Satsuki Ina, Ph.D. and her resume in the program reads:
Dr. Satsuki Ina’s keynote address, entitled; To Know Me is to Love Me: Taking the Buddhist Path of Self-Awareness; will present a conceptual framework about self-awareness that provides an insightful perspective regarding its role and relationship to Buddhism.
One of the primary exercises within the Buddhist tradition is self-examination. And, specifically, the last two points of the Eightfold Path, Mindfulness and Meditation, encourage the continuing process of self-knowledge and self-awareness. Using her experience as a professor, therapist, and Buddhist, Dr. Ina will explore the process of developing a compassionate Awareness of Self as an ever-changing and interdependent process that unfolds in relationship with others.
Through activities and discussion in the breakout workshops, participants will be invited to experientially engage in the practice of self-reflection as a dynamic process, as a Buddhist practice.
So, here we go and I will report back after the sessions. I’m back. Well, the service was excellent and we heard from our Socho (Bishop) and Dr. Ina. As described above, her speech was insightful and she spoke about her childhood experience at San Francisco Buddhist Church where she knew Rinban Bob Oshita as Little Bobby and now she is a member of Rev. Bob’s Sacramento Buddhist Temple. I will not expound on her talk because of the limitation of this article but she did make a good lead into the three separate workshops on Discovery, Going Deeper and finally, Making it Real. The workshops consisted of several psychological exercises such as Dr. Phil’s Test, Identifying Your True Colors, Your Favorite Animals? etc. These exercises were geared toward defining and understanding our true self and leading eventually to the Buddhist notion of self-reflection. I must commend the conference committee for truly putting on an engaged and informational seminar geared toward the teachers, and even the ministers.
Generally, the ministers are allowed to float around and visit the various workshops but this year we were corralled in a room all day, just like the teachers, and we engaged in the same exercises as the teachers. We also had intense discussions during the Socho Hour; and discussed the many critical issues facing the BCA such as the current 21st Century Campaign, Jodo Shinshu Center and the future of Jodo Shinshu in America specifically, Socho’s challenge to; Make Jodo Shinshu a Major Religion in America.
We have many annual organizational conferences that continue to help us define our place in the life of Onembutsu and to engage with our fellow members and ministers. This conference revitalized us personally as teachers and ministers so that we can continue to be better leaders in our temples and communities. Let us continue to go beyond our temple and learn from the greater sangha and share new and wonderful ideas.
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Sensei's May 2007 Message
“Like cherry blossoms are the minds
That think there is a tomorrow,But who can tell, there may beA tempest in the night.”
The photos above are of the statue of Jodo Shinshu founder, Shinran Shonin, and of the Myogo, Namo Amida Butsu, which you will see in our temple garden. The garden modestly adorns the temple grounds and it is a wonderful reminder of our great religious history. The two monuments sit beautifully and quietly among the many manicured trees and plants. It is an experience of naturalness and tranquility that exists within our busy neighborhood, a juxtaposition of harmony and confusion. As we celebrate Shinran Shonin Day, also known as Gotan-E or Fujimatsuri, along with Mother’s Day and Memorial Day in May, it is appropriate that we reflect on Shinran and his life and how he helps us to transform our busy life into one of true gratitude and appreciation.
Shinran did not live an easy, comfortable or happy life. Rather, he lost both his parents during his childhood and lived an extremely difficult and unpredictable existence. At the young age of nine, his only option was to enter a monastery. He stayed there for the next twenty years trying to make the best of his situation. The poem above was written by him when he entered the priesthood.
After leaving the monastery to pursue his own path to enlightenment, his living conditions were modest at best and he had no thoughts of making himself prominent or impressing others. He believed in human equality and salvation for all and lived among the common people, sharing the message of the true salvation of Onembutsu received with sincere heart and mind. Shinran is known in Japan as the monk who formulated a unique but relevant path to salvation for ordinary people during a time of incessant warfare, religious persecution, famine, and social decay. This was 750 years ago, but what can we say about his teaching today and how do his thoughts translate to our modern life?
When carefully reflecting on this question, we see that our lives in 2007 are no different from that of Shinran. Logic and rationality tell us that the advanced knowledge, communication, and sophistication we enjoy today should also bring us universal understanding, harmony, and peace. However, our world is filled with incessant warfare, famine, economic competition, and environmental uncertainties. We often celebrate our contemporary world as being an economic and social triumph over past conditions, but I believe all of us know that we have also created a world that lacks human dignity, naturalness, and self-reflection. Instead, we focus on self-accomplishments, ego, and self-interest. Shinran tries to teach us that it is humility which transforms our ill thoughts into a life of gratitude, appreciation, and seeing life as is in its natural sense.
He discovered peace and happiness with utmost confidence and faith in the truth of life, as represented by Amida Buddha. Thanks to Shinran and his experiences, millions of his followers have been able to live a life of true natural existence.
In the month of May, let us reflect on all life and the countless causes and conditions that brought us to this life, and let us express our joy and gratitude through the simple recitation of Namu Amida Butsu.
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Sensei's April 2007 Message
I just came back from an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) appointment for a bad knee which was operated on 23 years ago. Before I get any older I’m planning to have it repaired again. MRI is like a high tech 3-dimensional X-ray machine.
When I went to the clinic they said it would take about 45 minutes for the exam and I became anxious about what to do for that length of time. I can usually find ways to keep busy during long durations so I can be productive and not waste time. When I got there I made sure I went to the bathroom and wore comfortable clothes, including shorts, hoping that I didn’t have to dress in a patient robe with no behind. Lying down on a patient table with only a paper sheet can be cold, not to mention noisy.
I was greeted by a technician and led into a changing room. I was able to put my personal items in a locker and went into the MRI room where I was asked to lie on my back under a huge metal machine. I was told that I had to stay still and if, for any reason, I needed to cough, scratch, or move my body, I was to warn him with a push of a button. So, I decided to do my best to stay put and be a good patient. This was a challenge—to stay completely still and not move at all.
I cannot remember the last time I tried to stay still for 45 minutes. The thought of meditation immediately came to my mind so I decided to take note of this experience and report it to you. I was also reminded that in my active career, sitting still is a rarity, and I compared it to chanting during service. When I chant I can feel every bit of my body and mind and when bothered by a cough or itch I will clear my throat or shift my body. For the MRI, I would have some control and flexibility but in this case I decided to lie still and take in the experience. There would be no clock to help anticipate the end so I would have to guess the time left. I was also given ear plugs because the machine makes constant clicking and motor noises. Entering into the process, I could feel the socks and shoes on my feet, the button in my right hand, the coldness of the bed surface under my left hand, the gurgle in my throat, my eyelids, several aches in various parts of my head, and many more body sensations which I normally cannot feel because I’m always on the go. How was I to keep these senses still and quiet? How long is 45 minutes when you have no sense of time?
The time came to begin the adventure. The machine warned me that it was ready to start with the bed automatically sliding me in and under the metal canopy. The electronic lights and timer lit up above my eyes. After several preliminary settings, the timer was set for 7 minutes, 40 seconds. So I decided to go into meditation. Of course, when you first begin to calm all the senses and the mind, too many things are in motion and every feeling in the body seems exaggerated. The experience is overwhelming but the idea is to lie still and not move a muscle. I thought that 7:40 was the only time set in the program but the machine went on for four more settings of 11:15, 7:30, and 5:30 minutes and finally the last interval of 5:00 minutes.
My first mindful encounter was watching the clock run down in seconds from 7:40. As I counted down the seconds with the clock, I realized that seconds and eventually minutes were being counted down from my life. Seconds were being withdrawn from my savings account without my approval. The precious moments which we tell ourselves everyday must be enjoyed were going away with no way of stopping them. Time is our boss and it does not wait for my decision. What a humbling moment.
The next set of 11:15 minutes was spent with my eyes closed and I decided to let the time go, let it run, and try not to estimate how much was left. At this moment, I realized everything that was happening to my life and each moment of the past were preparing me for the next. This was karma in action and I could actually feel the next moment and understand much of what was unfolding step by step. I could imagine how my life tomorrow and years to come could be made different by this realization and awakening. Meditation is really about no-calculation but I succumbed to my own struggle, judgment, and estimation. What a humbling moment.
Now I’m into my third set of time of 7:30 minutes. By now my body is numb and I do not own it. I can only feel the sensation of holding on to the button in my right hand but having no control. Feeling like floating on air, my left hand tingles with no feeling of its weight. My feet no longer sense my socks or shoes but I know they are still on. My mind is loose and I do not have the need to sense the time or care about what I want for lunch. Everything is just as is with no expectation and there is no need to qualify or quantify things outside of this experience. What a humbling moment.
I was able to guess at this point that I was on the shorter end of the allotted 45 minutes and this wasn’t bad. I had not moved a twitch and had had no need to cough, clear my throat, or adjust my shoulders. I was going along fine but it was still a challenge to see whether I could be a good patient and walk away with a sense of accomplishment. What an ego trip. What a humbling moment.
I don’t want to bore you with other thoughts but when it was all over, the voice over the speaker said “Mr. Usuki, it is over and you did an excellent job.” What a humbling moment.
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Sensei's March 2007 Message
What is our Religion?
The true meaning of the Jodo Shinshu Onembutsu is not a retreat from active life but a life of dynamic and progressive action, forever expressing gratitude and humility in the saying of Namu Amida Butsu. It is not the faith of the future or the past, but of the here-and-now.
What is our Religion? What is Buddhism and what do we do here at this temple specifically? We are participants in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism but what does that mean and where does it fit into the whole scheme of things? Do we understand it well enough to express its essence?
There are many questions we have about our religion for many reasons. We’re asked about it as compared to other faith traditions and also within so many Buddhist schools. Although we have been here in the U.S. for over one hundred years, we’re constantly trying to explain what and who we are to others and to ourselves.
So, I think it is important to validate this question for yourself and come to accept it as one of the most important things in your life. Let us review the meanings of religion and Buddhism and what we should get out of them.
Following are passages from Rev. Shoken Yamasaki, who wrote an article for the June 1979 issue of The Pure Land - Journal of European Shin Buddhism.
I thought this might be a good starting point because in Europe, Jodo Shinshu is relatively new and this article articulates our own issues:
Religion is a cultural phenomenon which, in the belief of the people concerned, clarifies the ultimate meaning of human life and during life brings the ultimate solution to human problems.
A true and sound religion brings satisfac-tion on the personal, emotional level as well as on the intellectual level. It must satisfy the emotions by means of a warm and personal relationship, and, at the same time, it must satisfy the intellect by basing its doctrines on sound philosophy.
The ultimate goal of Buddhism is the per-fection of personality in the full realization of the truth of life.
The true meaning of the Jodo Shinshu Onembutsu is not a retreat from active life but a life of dynamic and progressive action, forever expressing gratitude and humility in the saying of Namu Amida Butsu. It is not the faith of the future or the past, but of the here-and-now.
Living with the Nembutsu is working with joyfulness, contributing something to the happiness of others, and expressing our thankful recognition of Amida Buddha’s great compassion.
People are spiritually emancipated and assured of birth in the Buddha Land the Pure Land, not only in the future but here and now, when they put their faith in Amida Buddha and repeat the Nembutsu.
“Far-reaching is Amida’s Light of Compassion.
Wherever it reaches,” said Sakyamuni Buddha,
“There arises joy of the Dharma.”
Let us take refuge in the Great Teacher.
(Hymns of the Pure Land)
Here is another fine example of the Buddha’s teachings, the Dharma, by Rev./Dr. Hisao Inagaki (The Pure Land, June 1979)
Whether a Buddha appears in the world or not, the Dharma exists at all times. It is the eternal and immutable Law beyond all relative laws in diverse fields of human and natural sciences, and regulating their states of existence, course of action, etc. He who realizes the Dharma in its full implication and to its profoundest depth is a Buddha. He is the Lord of the Dharma, to whom there remains no secret of the universe yet to be revealed; he is the Revealer of Dharma, able to expound it at different depths to suit different levels of understanding.
During the forty-five year period of his mission, Shakyamuni revealed the Dharma in various ways sometimes in spoken words, sometimes in unspoken, intuitive methods of communication.
The enormous amount of scriptures which exist in each of the Theravada and Mahayana traditions bear witness to the extraordinary scale and the unfathomable depth of the Dharma to which the Buddha was enlightened.
The Dharma, being in itself beyond logical analysis and verbal expression, is better explained in symbolic and metaphorical terms. As one understands its more subtle aspects, one goes farther away from the domain of logic.
We read about innumerable Buddhas, their lands, and their activities in Mahayana scriptures, which appear fantastic and unreal to ordinary minds. However, as our understanding deepens, we come to accept the indisputable reality of their existence.
I think these passages explain more than I can ever do in my own words. I hope this helps you to understand and express your religion Jodo Shinshu.
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Sensei's February 2007 Message
Money, money, money….is this what runs our world today? There is no denying that money is the lifeblood of commerce, giving us the means to exchange goods and services freely; it is this very convenience that makes much of our civilization possible. But our personal relationship with money is also at the core of the desires that bring dissatisfaction and suffering to our lives. In the past people would turn to religion to look for direction in life, but haven’t our personal values become affected by our obsession with objects of monetary worth? Our world is so materialistic that money is becoming another form of religion in itself. This has put tremendous stress on the way we act and behave in our everyday life.
To Buddhists, especially in Jodo Shinshu, it seems to be taboo to talk about money openly and many of us have a phobia about it. We’ve been taught that money is evil and having too much is not good for us. Certainly, we’ve been taught to treat money with humility. But at the same time we were brought up to succeed in life and for many of us this means having a good career with the highest possible income. But no one told us that it is okay to make lots of money. So, what are we to do? How do we deal with our need to live in this society that centers on money and still live as Buddhists? Well, I think it is important to discuss this issue and talk openly about it. Someone should say that it is okay to make lots of money and to enjoy the fruits of our labor and have a good life. This may only confirm what we are already doing.
The problem with money is not something new to the 21st century and does not have a unique relationship to the current trend in the economy. It has to do with our human nature and the problem is more acute than ever because we are able to attain tremendous success that makes us even more materialistic. We have come to worship money like a religion through which we try to redeem ourselves–and because money is easier to attain than spiritual redemption, we devalue the worth of our human lives.
When we think we don’t have enough love and happiness in our lives and when we are full of anxiety and frustration, we often dream of having enough money so we can go to live on an island alone without worries or bother. It is an easy solution and escape for we do not have to confront tensions of personal life. So, as we dream unconsciously of what money can bring, it becomes a symbol rather than a tool of exchange, and it gives a false sense of human happiness. When we’re incapable of attaining happiness through the natural processes of life, we become preoccupied with this symbolic kind of happiness.
Money is one of mankind’s greatest icons because there is nothing like it. Money in itself is just a worthless piece of paper. You can’t eat or drink it, plant it, ride in it, or sleep under it, and you can’t hug it. Yet, it has more material value than anything else because it has the power to transform itself into anything you wish. The problem for us is that when we get hooked on the desire to have money instead of its means to buy things we need, then we have succumbed to its symbolism. And when we lose focus of what we can do with money to live in our community, we end up losing a real appreciation of life. Instead of feeling good about having done a good job at work or meeting a friend, or hearing a bird sing–of really enjoying the naturalness in our lives–we look at happi-ness as accumulating pieces of paper. In this respect money has become a symbol of freedom but in a different way and to those who are trapped in this scenario, money has replaced the value system in our life and it becomes another form of religion. The problem with money is not the money itself but rather our love of money.
Shinran Shonin used the word “money” only once in his writing and it was to acknowledge receiving “money” that was sent to him. But he used terms such as “fame and profit” to address the same problem we have with money. He says that there is no quick solution that can be conditioned into us and that the true remedy is in the personal transformation that occurs when we follow Amida Buddha’s path. Shinran reminds us that we’re all subject to getting caught up in self-praise, ego, and other self-serving thoughts rather than relying on and feeling gratitude toward Amida Buddha. If he were alive today he would probably be amazed at this world but I don’t think he would be surprised with our problem with money. To this, he would scorn us as he did 700 years ago.
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Sensei's January 2007 Message
New Year’s Greeting
Where Do We Begin?
When persons doubt as they plant roots of good,
The lotus (in which they gain birth) will not open,
But for those whose Shinjin is pure,
The flower opens, and immediately they see the Buddha…
Carried on the ship of the Eightfold Path,
One crosses the ocean difficult to cross.
One crosses oneself, and also ferries others across,
For this reason, I worship Amida, the one freely working.
- Kyo Gyo Shin Sho (CWS)
Happy New Year to everyone at West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple and to all those whom I had the pleasure of meeting this past year. This may be an old cliche but here at the temple each year keeps getting better and better as I am allowed to explore the many opportunities and adventures that await discovery.
Getting to know you more on a personal basis, watching the children growing up and also saying goodbye to some as they move on to college and beyond, sharing the grief of the loss of a loved one and truly being allowed to reflect on the depth of our own suffering and joy have all been an adventure. With this process were allowed to understand and appreciate the fruit of our relationship through the causes and conditions of our existence and the guidance of the Onembutsu that embraces all of us at all times. As we greet the coming years while enjoying the day-to-day adventure, I hope that your gratitude toward all things in life becomes more apparent and real. With this understanding I also hope that you become more conscious of your own spiritual health and the welfare of the family so that we can all continue to enjoy this rare life we share.
As we reflect on our life, where do we begin our personal journey with the Buddha? Just as in any major endeavor we undertake, the commitment and first step are very difficult and we may feel anxiety and doubt. Thereafter, it is extremely rare that many can finish the job and complete the mission through their own efforts. But for those who make this rare journey, our teacher, Shinran Shonin, tells us of the wonderful joy that awaits us. He also refers to the Buddha’s Eightfold Path as the ship that can carry us to the Other Shore.
One enters the Eightfold Path through Right Understanding of the truth of the dharma and then initially proceeds in a linear direction through Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. However, the Path is not a gradient series of steps that culminates in enlightenment upon engaging Right Concentration. Rather, it becomes a circular path that becomes deeper and clearer as we travel around it on our life’s journey. With Right Understanding, we cannot help but follow through with Right Thought, Speech, Action, and Livelihood. As we live our lives in the dharma, we accustom ourselves to Right Effort, Mindfulness, and Concentration. Concentration leads us back to a closer look at our Understanding. It takes a lifetime to hone these skills but the more we practice one, the better the others become, one after another, around and around.
As our Understanding becomes clearer, we come to see that we cannot perfect ourselves only through our own efforts. It is for this reason that we can gratefully rely upon the power of Amida Buddha’s Vow to save all beings. In this knowledge, we cannot help but continue to follow the Noble Eightfold Path set out for us by Sakyamuni Buddha while living our lives in the Nembutsu. Indeed, Shinran likens the Vow to the right path, for it leads the multitudes of beings into the capital of wisdom it brings one to ride on the ship of all-knowing wisdom (CWS pp. 67-68).
Once we have traveled the path once, it is like having learned the individual steps of an Obon dance. We are ready to put it all together in a smooth-flowing rotation of beauty and joy, imperfect though it may sometimes be. If we take a good look at what each component does, we see that they are all interdependent and connected to each other with each one having all others incorporated within it.
Following the Eightfold Path will lead you to let go of your own hesitation, doubt, and ignorance and in a natural state, you may feel the spontaneous working of Amida’s Vow Power just as you are. Perhaps, this is what Shinran tried to communicate to us in his passage from Kyo Gyo Shin Sho. If this is true, then you have discovered the ship to the Other Shore and will become one of the rare persons who can complete the mission.
Namo Amida Butsu
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Sensei's December 2006 Message
Wisdom for the Holiday Season
I believe we should at least bow our heads in gratitude when we sit before food. Shinran Shonin showed us by his example of reciting the Nembutsu for even one tiny fish.
When we consider that even a bowl of rice comes into existence only through painstaking hardship and the interacting of many conditions, how can we not place our hands together in Gassho with tears of gratitude in our eyes?
Let us praise the blessing of nature and the work of those around us. How sad that we neglect to be grateful for ordinary things
Takeko Kujo, “Muyuge – Flower Without Sorrow”
As we approach another holiday season that marks the end of an eventful and busy year, I’m sure we’re all in need of wisdom that will help us get through the rest of the year to welcome the new. I came across something very interesting and unexpected when a couple of fourteen-year-olds came to visit me yesterday for their class research project on Buddhism. Here were two fine young men from a Catholic school accompanied by the father of one student. We entertain many Jr. High, High School and college students at this time of the year. Now with the convenience of our website and the popularity of Buddhism, people are calling frequently to inquire about us and many even decide to visit us for Sunday service as well.
The young men came with pages full of questions and, as usual, many had to do with a comparison of Buddha to God and other typical questions. But they also impressed me with some unique questions such as, “Does a monk or priest live a long time?” I immediately pointed to several examples, one being Sakyamuni Buddha who lived to be eighty, and if he hadn’t died prematurely from food poisoning, who knows how long he might have lived. Shinran Shonin lived to be ninety and Rennyo Shonin lived to be 84 after fathering 27 children. This is all remarkable considering the times in which all three lived, and when our life expectancy today is only in the low 70’s for men and little higher for women. So we have an excellent history of long life associated with Buddhism.
The students made me think about the fact that Buddhists, because of our teaching that is based on mindfulness, calm and the middle path that avoids extremes, should live long lives that promote healthy and humble diets and other meaningful lifestyles that minimize medical, mental and physical problems. But I am a bad example of such a life. Whether it is the good life here at West L.A. or lack of time for meaningful exercise, I need to think carefully about the student’s question.
I suppose they read or imagined that Buddhists were peaceful, calm and diligent people who looked after their lives both mentally and physically. I can understand how they came to this conclusion after their brief research. The first image they had arose from seeing the statue of the laughing Buddha who seems happy, joyous and fat. It was the basis of their first question. Unfortunately, we all know that the laughing Buddha is a misrepresentation but it is an irony of what we are today. Buddhist life is not always what it should be due to the busier-than-ever lifestyle that contradicts the simple and harmonious Buddhist ideal. Our life is often full of contradictions and paradoxes and perhaps we are in need of more wisdom and compassion than ever before.
Now that the holiday season is upon us, we begin to question what we accomplished this year and whether it was meaningful or not. We also look at it as another year that is behind us and another pound or two added to our behinds. But on another note we are grateful that we were able to live another year in relative safety and peace. This is all due to the many wonderful causes and conditions that indirectly or directly helped shape our lives. For all of us who follow the Onembutsu path, we must understand that this present life is the last life and we will never be born again. This awareness gives us the mind of gratitude for all things in this universe. Takeko Kujo understood this fully and she expressed it vividly in the above passage. We live an ordinary life yet invisibly we are nurtured by incalculable actions and events that are constantly working to create who and what we are. The wisdom and compassion of Amida Buddha is with us constantly whether we are awake or asleep but we can only realize this by opening our hearts and minds. If there is a good time to see this reality in our lives, now is the time to once again embrace the wisdom that is always there for us.
I wish you all the best, and hope for safe holidays for all of you.
Namo Amida Butsu
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Sensei's November 2006 Message
Novelty Of Buddhism
“My disciples, the teachings that I have given you are never to be forgotten or abandoned. They are always to be treasured, they are to be thought about, and they are to be practiced. If you follow these teachings you will always be happy”.
- Teaching of the Buddha
If you have been paying attention to the Buddhist movement here in America over the past 10 or so years, you’ll find that it has grown in many unimaginable ways. After all, this is America. Buddhism has grown especially interesting outside of our temples, with those people who are seeking Asian culture that some translate as being Buddhist. You can even find Buddhist statues and figures in restaurants to convey a peaceful theme and ambiance, especially in sushi restaurants. I found one in a new restaurant in Oxnard where a sitting Buddha has been placed under a waterfall in a small pond where people offer or throw money. In Santa Monica there are actual statues behind the bar with lights and a tranquil décor. I’m sure new sushi creations are named after certain Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This may be a new take on the laughing Buddha of many years ago that was associated with good luck. Major discount stores such as Target, Pier 1 and others offer Buddhist fountains and statues for as little as $10.00. Consumers with more serious tastes opt to pay up to six figures for authentic statues. They have become part of the latest furniture décor craze that incorporates an Asian ideal but more importantly compliments today’s architecture, landscaping and furnishings.
Recent issues of a very popular Buddhist magazine, Tricycle, allow such advertisements as “Dharma Match – Where spiritual singles meet”, or “Intimacy & Awakening – A Retreat for Couples.” Even bolder is a Zen center in Florida that offers: “Nuddhism – Do you find it hard to get into the full lotus position while wearing constricting pants? Well… (we) have a solution for you: bare bottomed Buddhism! A nudist Zen group who meets Wednesdays for sitting and walking meditation in the raw.” Nuddhist Buddhist? With such a novel approach, are they being disrespectful of Buddhist tradition? What does this mean to the rest of us who take Buddhism seriously as a true religion?
Certainly, it is difficult for me to walk down the aisle of these stores or read new magazines and not be irritated or frustrated with what I see. At this time I do not wish to patronize those “Buddhist” sushi restaurants. I also can’t imagine what shoppers who look at these items for the first time think about Buddhism or the Buddha without knowing its real purpose. No one is immune to commercialism but Buddhism is now the victim being mined and we may not be able to do anything about it except continue to pursue our own personal paths while educating those who are succumbing to this developing craze.
We can also take a positive approach and possibly look at it as a blessing in disguise. While we have not been able to successfully propagate Buddhism in America over the past one hundred years, we may now be able to ride on the coattails of Wal-Mart, Target, Costco and the like. You can’t stop what sells. Perhaps we can hope that those who buy Buddhist items for art or décor’s sake may eventually see a deeper value and become interested in Buddhism. Let’s hope so. I’m sure we’ll hear more about this issue so let’s keep our eyes peeled and ears open.
Namo Amida Butsu
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Sensei's October 2006 Message
Minding Our Own Business and Golf
Some people are concerned solely about what those in their immediate circle think and seek only to avoid being caught in an illegal act. Such people are inferior.
Some people are concerned with living what might be called a moral life so others will not point an accusing finger at them. Such people are average.
And then there are those who, always conscious of eternity and striving to live within the light of the Buddha, are prudent in their speech and behavior. What they think or how they act is the same whether they are alone or in a crowd. Such people are superior. Let us try to be like them.
- Teaching of the Buddha
It is late August in beautiful Quebec, Canada, and never mind the name of the city because I can neither pronounce nor spell it, but we’re just on the other side of the river from Ottawa. My wife, Rev. Patti, and her mother and I are enjoying our vacation here and I’ve had time to think about something that occurred over the past five weeks that many of you may also have witnessed with awe and amazement. On the other hand, some of you didn’t care one bit and minded your own business.
Over this brief period Tiger Woods won the British Open, the Buick Open and the PGA tournament -- three consecutive golf tournaments, two of which are golf’s elusive majors. We can’t say that they were easy or predictable wins for Tiger because Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia and many others were expected to challenge him and at that time they still had a chance. It was also amazing that he won the British Open shortly after the death of his beloved father, and his emotion was clearly visible as he cried and revealed his rare human side. But that soon disappeared and we were once again watching him taking command of the golf world by taking apart the competition. Just as he had done in 20 or so other tournaments when he held the lead, he predictably won them all in the end. Among his many feats and records, this is a remarkable accomplishment unmatched by even the great Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer.
Now, golf psychology questions how Tiger wins these tournaments with such formidable dominance while at the same time his competitors fail so miserably when competing against him. Commentators, opponents and fans say that he is the most intimidating competitor in all of sports today. This thought is strange to me because golf is not a contact sport like armwrestling, boxing, football or basketball. You do not physically and directly compete against another athlete, and strength, speed and force are not the decisive factors. Golf is won with the lowest score over the course of four days out of 156 players. Although you may be on the same course, the two closest competitors may not see each other all day because they can be playing different holes. All you have to do is score the lowest round of the tournament, so you’re basically competing only against yourself. This is not all that difficult to figure out. So, how is it that Tiger can intimidate you if you don’t see him at all during the course of the day? He’s not there to stare down at you during your six foot birdie putt, or your backswing on the 245 yard par 3 hole over the water.
Humans are a very unique breed of animal who can create tremendous psychological pressures and problems for themselves. Perhaps we could make golf a contact sport, especially in Canada where it could be played like hockey and we could call it Hockey-Putt. It would be interesting to play on a frozen golf course with two players on skates wielding golf clubs and fighting for the ball while trying to advance it to the green and putting out. They would not be able to go backward and would have to continue on until all 18 holes were played. The time would be cut down to about an hour from the traditional five hours, and the psychological factor would be taken out of it because, in such a fast-moving game, the players would be too intensely preoccupied to think about what they were doing. It would not be like golf as we know it, where players survey the green and stand over the ball for five minutes at a time, over-thinking the situation. We could eliminate some golf terminology such as “yip,” “choke,” “gag,” and “died on the course.” Of course, this would also minimize the amount of time they would have to be out in the freezing elements as well.
Another great example of sport psychology is basketball, in which the best free throw shooters are successful 80% of the time while some great players like Shaq O’Neil make less than 50% of these shots. Mind you, there is no one guarding him in this situation, whereas his hook shots may be as high as 70% when there are three men right on top of him. Go figure. In golf all we have to do is mind our own business and simply hit the same golf shot as we do on the golf range and putt the same putt as we’ve done in the living room while relaxing with glass of wine. Why is it that when we’re playing an individual game like golf we can’t make that shot for 25 cents or million dollars? I’m sure many of us have done it and since we’re not Tiger Woods, this problem is going to occur. I think golfers are badly in need of Golf Buddhism – we should learn to forget about others and think only about what we’re capable of doing, concentrating only on the immediate task of hitting a routine shot while minding our own business. Although I have always said that golf is like religion in that we never get it, we’re forever hooked. You can’t pray to a golf god, you can only play. Fore!
And then there are those who, always conscious of eternity and striving to live within the light of the Buddha, are prudent in their speech and behavior. What they think or how they act is the same whether they are alone or in a crowd. Such people are superior. Let us try to be like them.
Sensei's September 2006 Message
I hope you enjoyed the many activities of the long summer season, danced at Obon festivals, escaped the crowd and somehow found relief from the exceptional heat. September is here once again which marks the beginning of a regular schedule for family, business, school and the temple. We’re already scheduled for many events for the remainder of 2006 and planning new activities for 2007. Reflecting back on the summer, we are thankful and fortunate to be able to go to many beautiful places, enjoy retirement, or for many of us, go back to work and resume our career so we can maintain the security of our lives and family. We are able to enjoy what seems to be an endless abundance filled with overwhelming options in our life. What we have today is certainly an unprecedented gift of life when contrasted to the lives of our predecessors.
As we have received this gift we have also come to learn the art of spending money and time wisely. We have learned to maximize on the luxury of going places, looking for best buys, attending the sports activities of grandchildren and perfecting personal hobbies. The art of giving and sharing is our form of giving thanks for everything we have. In this sense we have reached the plateau of our physical world. The person that we are in this world is what Shinran Shonin describes as a “good person” of self-generated good effort. Despite thinking that we have reached the ultimate reward, there is more to consider – a true gift which is beyond our own efforts, that has made everything we have possible.
Shinran teaches that as long as there is the smallest remnant of thinking about the good done by our own effort, it becomes a form of attachment that is ultimately false and empty. Such attachment leads to thinking that the doer is the ultimate physical and spiritual provider. As we feed our mind in this way with the many rewards of our current world, we continue to reaffirm self-importance and self-centeredness. This is not to say that we should condemn ourselves for our efforts or negate the fruits of our labors or eschew the good life. The true gift of life is to understand this reality of life, that our world is neither constant nor permanent and all things achieved come from the many causes and conditions that are provided by the workings of many people and things from the past and present.
Shinran himself admitted that the most difficult challenge was to give up competitive pride and self-praising ego. The true gift of life is provided to us in the form of truly understanding and accepting the absolute Wisdom and Compassion of Amida Buddha that exposes the ego and embraces all beings at all times and at all places “as is” and naturally. This is the absolute and pure Wisdom and Compassion we can live in without fear and anxiety when we find ourselves without the comforts and security we enjoy today, or when suddenly things take a turn for the worse. To become truly aware of this gift is to live in awareness of Gratitude – Namo Amida Butsu. It is the inspiration for daily existence and for the future. This is expressed in Shinran’s passage:
Without the compassion of Tathagatha
I have neither repentance nor shame
Namo Amida Butsu
A Gift
Though I turn to the Pure Land teachings,
There is no truth within my heart.
Within this deceitful and untrue self,
There is no trace of purity.
The appearance of goodness and diligence
Is a matter of mere external form.
The abundance of greed, anger, and falsehood
Fills this self of deceit and lies.
The deceitful heart, like snake and scorpion,
Cannot perform self-generated good acts;
Without the compassion of Tathagatha
I have neither repentance nor shame.
Within this shameless, unrepenting self
There is no genuine, sincere heart.
But the Name of Amida is a gift
Whose virtues permeate the universe.
- Shinran Shonin
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Sensei's July/August 2006 Message
Kangi-E (Obon)
An ancient legend tells us that during the time of the Buddha, one of the disciples, Moggallana, saw with his superhuman sight the agony of his mother as she suffered in the lowest hell. When this fact was brought to the attention of the Blessed One, his heart was moved to great compassion. Through the grace of his all embracing compassion the woman was saved. Moggallana and the other disciples clapped their hands in joy. The legend says this was the origin of the Obon dance. “Bon”, therefore, being an occasion for rejoicing in the enlightenment offered by the Buddha, is often referred to as the “Gathering of Joy” or “Kangi-E.”
The much anticipated Obon season is here once again and we will be able to dance, eat and share laughter with families and friends we haven’t seen in a while. Many neighborhood people and families will also be able to share in the festivities. It was only in May, at the time of this writing, that I was thinking of the warm July and August weather, visiting my mother-in-law in Toronto, and the Obon festivities. At that time, I was preparing for Memorial Day cemetery services that were still two days away. Still, as I write this, we have not yet observed Father’s Day.
Time goes by so quickly. As soon as our 2005 Obon was over, we started making ten new taiko drums to be used this year by our Taiko Group. I’m sure they are finished by now – I hope so. Also due to the success of last year’s Obon, we decided to expand the bazaar, which means doubling the booths, adding a new central eating area, providing more walking room, and holding the dancing in the street. So, needless to say, the activities at our temple since the last Obon have been nothing short of busy and exciting. We may have invented a new terminology at West LA Buddhist Temple – “multitasking” in Buddhism. Of course, none of this would be possible without everyone’s energy and “hands-on” dedicated help. So this year, I hope all of you will come out to the New West LA Obon Festival and truly share in the summertime joy. Please invite your neighbors, in-laws, co-workers and everyone you can get a hold of for this wonderful event.
There is an old saying: “when things are going well, it is a good time to think on the future.” When things are going well everyone is joyful, full of energy, and also quite accommodating so they are apt to volunteer for new projects and help at next year’s Obon. But, it is really about the joy of sharing in this wonderful opportune moment so why not get everyone involved? July and August is also the best time to reflect on our lives and remember the loved ones who have passed on before us. This is the most important endeavor during Obon because of what the festivities represent in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. It is a time to enjoy and dance for joy for our forthcoming enlightenment, while remembering our loved ones and offering love and gratitude to all life, past, present and future. Through such reflection and appreciation, we practice the most important of human endeavors, that of compassion and giving.
Giving in Buddhism is selfless Dana, which is emphasized at Ohigan and Obon services for the benefit of the living. We give with things, whether physical or mental to others. Physical giving is expressed through giving to the needy, offerings to the temple, etc. Mental giving is exemplified through comforting others, helping to remove fear and anxieties through wisdom and compassion, and most of all by sharing in the Dharma so we can all be enlightened together.
Although Obon service is a memorial service, it is also an opportunity for all of us to remember and learn from the struggles experienced by our loved ones and also the many benefits given to us. If we fail to understand these compassionate benefits, we will not be able to share the same wisdom with others. This chain of continuance has been in motion forever. As long as we are still living in this physical world, we will be challenged by new problems and issues and while everything seems to be joyful at one moment it can be reversed in an instant. Therefore, it is important that we maintain our faith in the ultimate universal truth of Amida Buddha at all times. This is why “when things are going well” we understand the necessity to remain humble and gracious and practice compassion and giving rather than becoming complacent and sitting on our laurels. So, please enjoy these two months and see you again in September.
The Original Vow of the Savior
Our birth and enlightenment has already been completed in timeless time. But because of our self-centered mind we are ignorant of this fact. Our self-centered dualistic mind creates the hard separateness of the self. It prevents our self from merging in the universal time and touching the fundamental unity. It makes the self our fetter by making us think that our self, as self, is real, that it is an end in itself. Thus fearful currents are created round different centers – current of self-interest, of pride of power. This causes us to lay up obstructions and strengthen all the time the hindrance of karma.
Namo Amida Butsu
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Sensei's June 2006 Message
The Bird and the Window (Sunday Dharma School Message)
The biggest troublemaker you’ll probably ever have to deal with,
watches you from the mirror every morning.
This passage is from An Old Farmer’s Advice but I’m sure the Buddha also said something like this to warn that the troublemaker is usually you and me! I would like to tell you a story that is still unfolding right at this moment. I often work behind the Onaijin (altar area) where there is a sink for arranging flowers and making rice for Buppan (rice offering) every week. Next to the work area is a minister’s waiting room for guest ministers. The area is also where I can sit and be quiet and reflect on many things, especially when I need to come up with the Dharma message for the weekly Sunday service.
I recently noticed a clicking noise coming from the back room - the back room that has a large window and gets very sunny. One day, I went to check on the clicking noise and found a bird sitting outside on a window bar and pecking on the window. I also noticed that he does this all day, especially when it is sunny. Why do you suppose he does this? Is he picking at insects? Does he want to come inside? Or, is he crazy?
The window is tinted and has a reflective coating so it reflects the ultraviolet rays. I think when the bird comes near the window he sees himself and mistakes himself for another male bird that is a threat to his territory and he needs to pick a fight. He may also think that the bird is inside the building.
Many birds and animals are territorial and they don’t like having another male around their nesting or mating area and will defend it with their lives. But this bird does not realize that he is picking a fight with himself. Who do you suppose will win? I think the window. It is strong glass and eventually the bird’s beak will wear down or crack before he breaks the glass. So, I watch him do this when I’m in the back room. I also tried to take a photo of him but when I get close to the window, he can actually see a moving image behind the glass so he flies away to a nearby wire and waits. He is more patient than I, and so I have to go back to work. He then comes back and starts the process all over again. But, finally this morning, I was able to take several photos of him. I may have finally won the battle of patience.
Can you imagine being a bird? He doesn’t know what a mirror is and he doesn’t know that he is seeing himself. He only sees another bird that he needs to get rid of. Do you think he will eventually get tired of pecking on the window? I don’t know how much patience this bird has and I don’t know how long he’s been doing this, so who knows what will happen. I hope he will eventually go away or we may have to install another type of window so he won’t hurt himself.
Human beings are like this bird when we are selfish or ignorant. We also can’t see that when we get angry or want something beyond reason, we fight our own selfishness and bother others with our own troubles. When this confrontation occurs we also do not realize that we are fighting the self. This is why “The biggest troublemaker you’ll probably ever have to deal with watches you from the mirror every morning.”
Here’s another passage from An Old Farmer’s Advice that you may want to think about:
Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
Sensei's May 2006 Message
This mind of faith is pure and gentle, always patient and enduring, never arguing, never causing suffering to others but always pondering the Three Treasures: The Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Thus happiness spontaneously rises in their minds, and the light for Enlightenment can be found everywhere.
Recently I received a letter from a Jr. YBA (Young Buddhist Association - high school age) student in his preparation for a seminar and I would like to share my reply to his unique request.
Dear Rev. Usuki.
Currently we are working on putting together a program for our Seminar. I am writing this letter in regards to our theme entitled “Today and Forever.” At our seminar we would like to address and discuss what it is like to be a young Buddhist and how we react to others and their questions about our own beliefs. (I know this is how we got our theme, but we have to respect those who are social Jr.’s too. Unfortunately not everyone is Buddhist that will be at our Seminar…even in our own chapter.)
We would like to touch upon the influence Buddhism will have during our later stages of life. Being Southern District Religious Advisor we would like to hear your comments on these topics. I would like to thank you for your time and wait to hear your response.
What a wonderful letter and request. I was quite moved by this letter and I wanted to respond to him right away but I had to think about his letter for a moment. He said, “We would like to touch upon the influence Buddhism will have during our later stages of life.” Hmmm, I wonder what he means by “later stages of life.” So, I wrote him back and asked him whether he thought “later stages of life” meant when he turns 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70…? It was only my curiosity. He didn’t respond so I wrote my reply anyway and this is what I wrote to him right away.
Dear _____:
Here are my thoughts on your questions of:
What is it like to be a young Buddhist and how we react to others – whether they are Buddhist or not?
How will Buddhism influence us during the later stages of life?
I think your theme, “Now and Forever” is a great approach to life, whether you are young or old.
Buddhism is a religion that caters to people of all ages and also of all races and religions here and now. In a recent National Geographic magazine (December 2005), there was an article titled “Buddha Rising – Out of the Monastery, Into the Living Room.” This article was revealing in many ways. It mentioned that in the U.S. alone, there are an estimated 3 million practicing Buddhists. And according to another study, more than 25 million Americans believed that Buddhism had an important influence on their spirituality and life. This means that many non-Buddhists were touched by Buddhism and it is here to stay.
I think this says to us that the spirit and the teaching of Buddhism have a great effect on others and that it is a universal truth of Wisdom and Compassion. I think this is a great way to start a conversation with others.
If you approach life in this way you can appreciate all your friends and colleagues whether they are Buddhist or not. This is one way of “reacting” to others without discrimination. You will find this theme in the Golden Chain, Kokun and the Three Treasures you recite every Sunday at service.
I also think that you do not need to take a defensive posture when talking to others about Buddhism. Because it is a universal truth that teaches interdependence, oneness of life, impermanence, causes and effect, compassion and other wonderful traits of everyday life, you should be able to “share” this message. As long as you believe in these truths you can converse quite equally and meaningfully with others.
During the different grade years, children are taught different aspects of Buddhist etiquette at the temple – how to act in the temple, Gassho, to recite the Nembutsu and how to get along with everyone. This process continues on to learning about Buddhist stories, life of the Buddha and so on. Students then continue to learn more challenging concepts such as kindness, thoughtfulness, interdependency and accepting religious differences.
As their consciousness in dealing with others grows, they learn the Four Gratitudes of Buddhism and how it affects them – these are kindness to fellow living beings, kindness to family, kindness to your surroundings and again the Three Treasures.
As children grow to into young adults they become aware of the Buddhist way of life through the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Noble Path, the Six Paramitas and the history and teachings of Buddhism. Then at your Jr. YBA age, as you become more deeply engaged with life and your surroundings, more focus is brought to the lessons of our Jodo Shinshu teachings.
Here the aspect of Onembutsu, a life of gratitude and a deeper understanding of “self” become more clear. Onembutsu then becomes a lifelong venture as you live your life as an adult and hopefully, it will help to guide you through adulthood as you learn to appreciate all the challenges that you face, including your job and having your own children and family.
I think the process of Buddhist teaching is very meaningful and its influence will never end but continues to change as your life changes.
Namo Amida Butsu
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Sensei's April 2006 Message
What is the purpose of having the meetings that are held twice every month? It should be nothing other than to attain the entrusting heart for our birth in the land of bliss.
From the past up to the present, monthly meetings have been held everywhere, but the issue of the entrusting heart has not even once been discussed at such meetings. Especially in recent years, whenever meetings are held, people just enjoy a meal with sake and tea and disperse. This is contrary to the primal intent of the Buddha Dharma.
Those without the entrusting heart are by all means expected to raise questions and discuss whether the entrusting heart is lacking or not; it seems unreasonable to disperse without coming to any conclusion. You should carefully reflect on this matter.
This letter by Rennyo Shonin was written 500 years ago and it shows concern for people who have come to observe Honen Shonin and Shinran Shonin’s memorials but many seem to enjoy the company of others rather than discussing their spiritual matters. Isn’t it ironic that even during his time, a period of significant Jodo Shinshu influence and growth, people needed to be reminded to be mindful of Onembutsu and not lose the focus and attention to what is most important?
On Feb. 19th, after the Nirvana Day service, the West L.A. Buddhist Temple held its first Open House and despite the rain and cold many people came to listen to the presentations from different committee members such as Buddhist Education, Buddhist Women’s Association, Buddhist Men, Dharma School, Publication, and many more to get acquainted with the activities of the temple. It was the first formal presentation made by the organizations to the members and new members in one gathering. Even for me, a person who works with almost everyone and every organization on a day to day basis, it was impressive to see so many people working together for the benefit of the organization and Temple. Individually, each organization works hard tirelessly, often short handed, to maintain the events and keep things going. But when we sit together with every organization and see the Temple as a whole, we realize that we are on the right track both religiously and as a sangha.
Two of the new groups formed last year were the Buddhist Education Committee (BEC) and Taiko Group. BEC, of course, is geared toward providing the religious events and activities to support the on-going awareness of Onembutsu and Buddhism through regular seminars, retreats, publications, etc. This committee was formed because the direction of the temple had to be redefined with religious awareness, practice, and goals for the present and the future members. These ideals need to be sustained by the committee so that there is constant inspiration and awareness for everyone, just like Rennyo’s concern for his members and friends. Whether we are aware of our spiritual path or not, many people need to and like to be reminded. This is not to say they are only followers but rather, when things are going well, we tend to lose focus and get sidetracked.
Taiko, on the other hand, provides a social and fun aspect of being at the Temple and is much different from BEC and its religious goals. However, both bring about the cooperation, friendship and oneness that is important to the sangha. So, both play a significant role in the health of our temple and will continue to build the foundation for future growth.
I am happy to have people here at West LA Buddhist temple participating in any of our many activities, and no one needs to feel that they do not do enough of one or the other. Whether it may be religious, social or community related, we hope to provide everything you need to define your path to healthy mind and body. After 500 years, Rennyo Shonin’s message is well taken once again and we will continue to nurture our spiritual and social activities with vigor and mindfulness with your help and participation.
Namo Amida Butsu
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Sensei's March 2006 Message
I believe that the reason you have come here, crossing over more than ten provinces at the risk of your lives, is solely to ascertain the path that leads to birth in the Pure Land. But if you suspect that I know ways other than the Nembutsu to attain birth, or that I am versed in the scriptures connected with them, you are greatly mistaken. If that be the case, there are many eminent scholars in the monasteries of N
