You are never alone...

If all you do is think about yourself, then even if you are in a room of people you will still be alone. If you are always thinking of others, then even if you are by yourself you are never alone. (E.Y.)

Megumi, December 2008

As I See It
By Alan Kita, Chairman of the Board

We just had our general meeting in November. We received a letter from the Bishop’s
Office, so we know we won’t be without a head minister for very long.
Our guest speaker for Obon Service, Rev. Shinji Okada, had his retirement luncheon
November 15, 2008. We had a few of our members attend – I had a conflict of schedule
with ---

“Fun Food Friendship 2” – the Adult Buddhist Association event at Orange County
Buddhist Church. I picked up our Laughter Yoga leader, Antoin Rodriguez at the
Anaheim Station (he came from San Diego County). When I was getting near Anaheim, I
noticed all of the sudden that the sky was dark brown instead of the bright blue that it was in Gardena. By the time I got to the train station, the sky was dark and thick with smoke
and ash.

Some of the guests had difficulties getting to OCBC for the event, but we did have a good time getting into laughter. Antoin said that laughing was good to help clear our minds. It is like saying Nembutsu.

After the dinner of handmade tortillas and tacos, we got into dancing, with the help of Ms. Gerri Simmons, we started with some instruction on basic line dancing. The laughing and the line dancing really broke the ice for those who were able to venture out of the firestorm to attend.
* * * * *
In February the BCA National Council will meet at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, hosted by
Southern District and Orange County Buddhist Church. For that event, the ABA will be
hosting “Odorimasho” a dance for all at the hotel, February 28, 2008. The cost is $30 and the proceeds will help the Campaign 21. Meeting rates are available to anyone for that one night. It’s a good idea since the National Council Eitaikyo service the next morning is open to all Southern District members. (This will be in place of services at our temple – look for bus details later.)

The following year, the BCA National Council Meeting will be held in conjunction with
the BCA 750th Memorial Service for Shinran Shonin. That event will be hosted by
Central District and San Jose Betsuin. I hope people will attend that event, too.
And … that is not enough, every 50 years is the memorial service at Hongwanji in Kyoto.

The last time it was held in 1961, incidentally the year I was born. So I plan to be there in 2011, and I hope you will join me too. There will be groups going, so I hope we can organize a group from our temple – so start putting money aside.
* * * * *
We received a thank you note from the Miura family for our contributions to the funeral service. We also received a thank you note from Hanford Buddhist Church for our hospitality when they came to attend the services.
* * * * *
I attended the Dharma School teachers installation luncheon which was postponed
because of the funeral service. Also, the Jr. YBA installation dinner and recently, the installation luncheon for Hui Aikane. Each one was enjoyable to attend.
* * * * *
Each organization are thinking of ways to expand their membership. This is good news. It is important to spread the Nembutsu. We have a responsibility for others to hear the Dharma.

I am taking a class entitled, “Urban Conservation Biology.” We are studying the
importance of native wildlife and environment areas of southern California. It really
makes you think of the cycles of life and the impermanence of nature. Wildfires are also part of the southern California environment and is very important to the environment. On the other hand, we, as humans, must learn how to live with our environment. The Gardena Willows, Madrona Marsh, the Harbor wetlands and the dunes along Torrance and Redondo beaches are remnants of a vast ecosystem that existed before humans got here and it is important that we care for what is left, so that we can coexist together.
* * * * *
The budget that was past is very tight. I can see that the new minister could plan a good Buddhist Education program from it, and we are able to make improvements to our
facility. We do need members to give their dana and not only stay as members, but help
us by getting more people to join. If there are types of education programs you like to see for adults, please let me know.
Thank you.
Gassho

From Megumi, November 2008

As of today, the BCA is still considering our request for a new head minister. It will probably be a long process. Of course, in the meantime, we will have to make do.

So what do we have to do to prepare ourselves in the coming months?

We have around 750 members, the majority of which are in their 70s and 80s. That’s a lot of Dharma talks. In absence of a head minister, we will have to take it upon ourselves to make sure that we have what we need. So if a member needs some comfort, all we have is each other, so please take it upon yourself to visit someone who we have not seen at temple. Check in with them and see if they are all right.

Read. There are lot of books written about the Dharma and about Jodo Shinshu. You can find them at Hongwanji Place in Little Tokyo, or order them from the BCA Bookstore. Maybe, just maybe, we can form book clubs so we can read them together and ask each other questions.

Come to temple. Sundays, it’s a gathering place. Or donuts. Once a week, we can have a donut. Its all about nembutsu.

Remember to bow before entering the Hondo, and even bow before entering the grounds – we do that at Hongwanji in Kyoto, we bow before entering the gates! Remember to step in with your left, exit with your right. When you pass in front of the center of the Hondo, remember to bow.

And think how lucky you are that you can do all that. Sometimes, I sit before the o-naijin and remember all the different ministers that have come before us, the guest speakers, the special services. The funerals, the weddings…all these things that have been witnessed. It’s amazing.

As an adult coming back to Gardena, it has been quite an experience. Now as the chairman of the board, I wanted to make sure that we take a leap into the future. At that time Rev. Mayeda gave the English-language sermons, and Rev. Miura had just started (with a ponytail!) And in my first year of my term, both are gone within a year of each other! It doesn’t seem fair, does it? I miss them both.

But we practice perseverance and we would be moving on. Those were great moments, and we will have more moments.

We all know what we have to do, and that is to practice what we have learned – “to think pure and beautiful thoughts, to do pure and beautiful deeds and to say pure and beautiful words.” Sure sometimes, we forget and maybe our thoughts aren’t as pure and beautiful, nor we do things that are pure and beautiful, and sometimes we may not say pure and beautiful words, but we are just One Sangha, and the Dharma lives.

So in this interim, while we figure out where we will be… please take care of each other.

In Gassho,

The New Normal

I still don't have any news, but there a few things we can do as a temple to prepare ourselves for the future.

While we wait for an answer, we do need to talk and ask ourselves what we like about ourselves, what we don't like about ourselves and what we see about ourselves in the future. No, not individually but as a Sangha as a whole.

This is a good time for us to do this. So if you are thinking, let me know.

Remember Me ...

Remember me with smiles and laughter, for that is how I will remember you all. If you can only remember me with tears, then don't remember me at all.
Laura I. Wilder

Those who have been born first ....

I have collected true words to aid others in their practice for attaining birth, in order that the process be made continuous, without end and without interruption, by which those who have been born first guide those who come later, and those who are born later join those who were born before. This is so that the boundless ocean of birth-and-death be exhausted.

-- Shinran Shonin, Kyogyoshinsho

A Thousand Winds

Sung in Japanese "Sen no Kaze" by Masafumi Akikawa on the 2007 edition of Kohaku Utagassen to music written by Mitsuru Arai.

A Thousand Winds
by Mary Elizabeth Frye (1905-2004)

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.

I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.

I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I did not die

Recently, the beloved mother of my very good friend, Michi, passed away.
To help soothe her greiving heart, I sent her the above poem.
This lovely, inspirational poem has an interesting history. So many variations of the poem can be found, and so many different claims of authorship have been made, and still being made. But it is said that the best evidence indicates that it was written by a Baltimore, U.S.A. housewife, Mary Elizabeth Frye, in 1932, to console a German Jewish friend, Margaret Schwarzkopf, who was unable to visit her dying mother in Germany due to anti-semitic feelings in Germany at that time. She told Mary Frye that she lamented the fact that she was not able to "stand by her mother's grave and shed a tear." These words inspired Mary Frye to write the verse to comfort her friend
The many variations and disputed origins of this poem occured mainly because it was never formally published nor copywrited.
For many years the poem's origin was generally unknown, being variously attributed to native American Indians (especially Navajo), traditional folklore and other particular claimant writers. It has appeared, and continues to appear in slightly different versions and different titles.
The complete story of the research made on the origin of this beautiful poem, can be found on Business Balls.
Originally, This poem did not have a title and the first line, "Do not Stand at My Grave and Weep" became the first title by which the poem was known. The poem can be found with different titles, but I like "A Thousand Winds" best.

Marie

Thank you

To all who participated, helped out and/or attended the service for Rev. Miura, thank you all. It was wonderful to see so many people and cards of well-wishes for the family.

To the ministers who were part of the service, a big thank you as a number of them also came from out of town.

It was terrific to see so many people help out...we had a long list of things to do, and we were able to get it all done.

Thank you again.

Impermanence and Interdependence.

One precept in Buddhism that death is part of life. If you are born, you will die. Or, if you weren't going to die, then you would never be born.

The impermanence of life. Rev. Miura, our minister for almost 13 years, passed into Pure Land last week and today his body was returned to ashes.

As a Sangha it has been one long and hard week. Despite of it, many people came together and helped pull together a service and otoki. Although we, ourselves, were our own guests, we also had guests from out of town, many from the towns of the temples that Rev. Miura previously served.
People because they wanted to helped with many different things, from hospitality for the guest mininsters and bishop, otoki for everyone afterwards, setting up the offsite video and audio, setting up the extra chairs, moving flowers, registering the flowers and keeping track of the koden.

It was an amazing interdependent act of compassion and heart.

Many BCA ministers also participated in this service, there many connections to Rev. Miura.

After the service, people were talking and visiting with each other, staying as long as they could before their bus left for Central Cal or to catch their flight back home.

There were many people that helped, and eventually I will be able to let Mrs. Miura know who they were so she could show her appreciation.

Today on the other hand was a very private occasion. The seventh day memorial service was conducted at Fukui Mortuary, then a crematory service at the crematorium at Evergreen Cemetary.

One push of the button, one last act.

“When I deeply contemplate the transient nature of human life, I realize that, from beginning to end, life is impermanent like an illusion. We have not yet heard of anyone who lived ten thousand years. How fleeting is a lifetime!

Who in this world today can maintain a human form for even a hundred years? There is no knowing whether I will die first or others, whether death will occur today or tomorrow. We depart one after another more quickly than the dewdrops on the roots or the tips of the blades of grasses. So it is said. Hence, we may have radiant faces in the morning, but by evening we may turn into white ashes. Once the winds of impermanence have blown, our eyes are instantly closed and our breath stops forever. Then, our radiant face changes its color, and the attractive countenance like peach and plum blossoms is lost. Family and relatives will gather and grieve, but all to no avail? Since there is nothing else that can be done, they carry the deceased out to the fields, and then what is left after the body has been cremated and has turned into the midnight smoke is just white ashes. Words fail to describe the sadness of it all.

Thus the ephemeral nature of human existence is such that death comes to young and old alike without discrimination. So we should all quickly take to heart the matter of the greatest importance of the afterlife, entrust ourselves deeply to Amida Buddha, and recite the nembutsu. Humbly and respectfully.” (translated by Hisao Inagaki et al)

From the Letters of Rennyo Shonin, the 8th Monshu of Hongwanji.

Gassho

"A Place In The Sun"

One Sunday this past year, Rev. Miura had both Japanese- and English-speaking Sangha together. So to our surprise, he pulled out a harmonica and played along to the following Steve Wonder song. He was very good at the harmonica (he said it was because he was into folk songs early in his life). He got many of us to sing along. He incorporated the song to his Dharma Talk about "movin' on" and the impermanence of life.

"A Place In The Sun"
by Stevie Wonder

Like a long lonely stream
I keep runnin' towards a dream
Movin' on, movin' on
Like a branch on a tree
I keep reachin' to be free
Movin' on, movin' on

'Cause there's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
And before my life is done
Got to find me a place in the sun

Like an old dusty road
I get weary from the load
Movin' on, movin' on
Like this tired troubled earth
I've been rollin' since my birth
Movin' on, movin' on

There's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
And before my life is done
Got to find me a place in the sun

You know when times are bad
And you're feeling sad
I want you to always remember

Yes, there's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone...

In Gassho...

September 8, 2008 at 3:00 pm

The funeral service for Rev. Kyogyo Miura will take place at 3:00 pm at Gardena Buddhist Church. Parking is limited.

Koden can be received at Gardena Buddhist Church, 1517 W. 166th Street, Gardena CA 90247.

Rev. Kyogyo Miura, Minister, Gardena Buddhist Church, d. Aug. 31, 2008

Rev. Miura passed away this morning in Torrance, CA. Out of respect for the family, please refrain from contacting them. Please contact the church office for moring information. The funeral services have not been arranged yet by the family. It will be sponsored by the Buddhist Churches of America.

Thank you Rev. Nakano of Gardena Buddhist Church and to Rev. Harada, chairman, Southern District Ministers Association.

To Mrs. Miura and their son, Wiliam, and his family, our sympathies to you.

Namu Amida Butsu
Namu Amida Butsu
Namu Amida Butsu

Kyogyoshinsho

Kyogyoshinsho is work by Shinran Shonin that lays out what Jodo Shinsho is. There were deviances in the Kanto region and he responded with this work.

The English translation by Hisao Inagaki can be found online, with the notes and captions.

http://www12.canvas.ne.jp/horai/kgss-a.htm

Regular Services Resume Sept 07, 2008.

Regular services and Dharma School will start the "new" year Sept. 07, 2008 at 9:30am.

Role of a Temple President

In the current issue of The Wheel of Dharma, in his president's message, Billy Saeki, BCA President, writes about the role of the BCA President.

It is straightforward, but the last paragraph, he sums up his role as:
"To be the BCA President is an honor. The roles of the BCA President are communicator (strive for transparency), change agent (push for positivbe changes), and supporter or cheerleader for the Office of the Bishop (Ogui Socho)."

My role as temple president is similar, except that in my case, it is not the Office of the Bishop but the Head Minister.

The transparency, we are working on. Partly this blog and my monthly newsie in the Megumi is a step in transparency.

At the request of members of the Sangha, we are working on several initiatives for some positive changes. These days, the Temple is badly needed for a place where the Sangha can come together and work on positive things, i.e., the Nembutsu. And we will be working on strengthening that aspect in the coming years.

In Gassho

The Nation's Largest Obon Dancing

(photo credit: Chris Yasaki)

Not to be uncharacteristically boastful, but I think we put on the largest Obon Dancing in the nation.

And really it goes to all the temple members and volunteers that we could put on the "Block Party."

I have not personally been to these other Obon Dancing, but I've heard comparisons to maybe Seattle Betsuin or San Jose Betsuin.

Unfortunately the picture above was not taken on Saturday when there were 50% more people, but it gives you an idea of our dance lines from one of the block to the other.

Our neighbors are appreciated for letting us close off the street. I know a few of them make it a party themselves, and pull out chairs to watch and enjoy the festivities.

In Gassho

oops. This is the stupid thing I did.

oops....I slipped on a palette while in the process of pushing off another palette into the refrigerated trailer we were using for the Obon Carnival. My left leg found the opening and slid through.

Slid all the way through since that palette was on a forklift and off the ground. What stopped me was my thigh...we'll it was only one leg, I wasn't about to go all the way through.

All I could remember afterward was that I was still holding on to the palette that I was trying to push on, so I finally let that go. Then I fell on my butt. It was keeping me balance for whatever reason.

Wood palettes are heavy, so I'm not sure how I managed to hold on to that palette and suspend it in midair.

Kyle helped me off...it took awhile to unwedge myself. I was scraped up but not badly (I thought). Everyone else said it looked bad, its looks red (part of that was sunburn), I could get an infection...did I break anything.

I was more embarrassed than anything...so I walked it off.

Later, I dance Obon dancing but before the half was over, I quit since my leg was hurting...this time it really swelled up. So I thought I better go home, the first time in 12 years that I've left the Obon carnival early.

I rested and iced most of the night...only to wake up at 2am to unlock the temple and social hall for sushi making. But I stayed out the activities, icing my leg, staying off of it most of the rest of day. I snuck in a little nap during Obon Dancing after my little welcome speech by hiding out in the Hondo.

At what was the end of the dance, I could hear Johnny N. let somebody in and saying that there is no one in here...I guess in the darkness I couldn't be seen. So I woke up to be around cleanup and then went home to sleep somemore.

I did go see my doctor on Tuesday. He didn't think anything was broken or fractured, nor signs of infection...but he brought up even more frightening possibilities, like, the artery could be compromised by the swelling of the muscle and cut off circulation, or that a blood clot could be formed and then that is not good.

Ok we ruled out the arterial stuff since the swelling has gone done since Saturday. We did an ultrasound to make sure the veins were flowing as usually and they were. So the result is just one big bruise and a little gimpy.

Just keep it elevated and iced.
(Originally published in Living in So Cali, August 5, 2008)

In Gassho

Thank you for coming to our Obon Dancing and Carnival

Wow. It was a tremendous showing of support in attending our Obon Dance and Carnival. The dancers were estimated to be nearly 1200 dancers on Saturday night and nearly 900 on Sunday.

It takes a lot of volunteers to put together this "block party." At one point, I think there were about 4,000 people and probably served by 200 members and volunteers in multiple roles.

In Gassho

It's Obon Time!

Finally, the weekend we have been waiting for. Obon Festival is this weekend. The Obon Dancing starts at 6 pm on both days.

In Gassho

July 6 and July 13, 2008

It seems like I took a little vacation from the affairs of our temple the last two weeks. Because Kirstin was to attend the one-week Youth Advocacy Committee Retreat, in Sacramento, I saw an opportunity to attend services at San Francisco Buddhist Temple on July 6 and this past Sunday I was at the Obon and Hatsubon Services at Sacramento Betsuin.

Saving the visit to the Stupa for another day, we were able to talk briefly with the San Francisco sangha after the service during their “Sunday social.” It is a small congregation, so someone brought a few pies and baked goods, and with coffee and ocha it ended up being a nice visit in their Social Hall. I was able to reunite with my roommate from my Hongwanji trip last November, before he and the others went into their choir practice for the following week’s Obon service. Even Rev. Abiko sat down with us to talk about the temple, and even wrote a little note for Kirstin to take back to Dharma School.

While we enjoyed the refreshments, volunteers were collating their newsletter to send out.

We came back to Sacramento July 13 to pick up Kirstin. We participated in the Obon Dancing the night before in their parking lot. It was covered with canvas and they also strung lights and coverented them with lanterns which made it very festive. We did about 20 different dances, following the teachers in the center – only a few, i.e., Obon no Uta, Honen no Uta, Tokyo Obon Odori, were familiar. The parking lot was filled with dancers and onlookers – not as big as ours.

The next morning we attended their Obon/Hatsubon service. With about 1,300 members, there were a lot of names to call out. We noticed that some of the people got up more than once to do o-shoko when a name to remembrance was called out. Their oshoko representatives were in reverse to what we are accustomed to, the church president was first, followed by the fujinkai president, ABA president, etc. Much like us, they have to make to with what they got…so when the videographer called in sick, the assistant minister, Rev. Kaz, got the honors to fill in for taping. Rinban Bob is aided by a few minister’s assistants, who also served as instructors for the YAC Retreat that Kirstin had attended during the week.

Socho Ogui was the guest speaker. The reason Rev. Kaz did the videotaping was that they were going to put this Dharma talk on the website. In fact, all of the Dharma talks, including the guest speakers, are video-recorded and archived at their website, www.buddhistchurch.com.

In a later service, Socho Ogui also presided over the presentation of the Homyo to each of the YAC participants, which was one of the reasons we decided to return to Sacramento for the pickup.

In Gasssho,

Buddhist Military Sangha

A Buddhist military sangha of our armed oforces are being formed by Captain Rev. Jeannette Shin, a naval chaplain and Jodo Shunshu miinster. I met Capt. Rev. Shin through Rev. Nakano at a National Council Meeting. Rev. Shin is wonderful. Since she is now on active duty, she had to resign her ministerialship at Florin Buddhist Church.

If you like more information, check out her blog
http://buddhistmilitarysangha.blogspot.com/
and you may learn something about yourself.

Obon Dance Practice starts tonight!

Tonight is the first of 13 practices for Obon Dance. The Southern District coordinates and learn most of the same dances, with a few variances or favorites at each temple. When you travel the rounds for Obon this summer, you will be familiar with most of the Obon dances.

We start our practices early to give our Sangha an opportunity to dance at the other temples starting with this weekend, schedules are available at any Southern District temple. Otherwise, people come to practice for the social aspect and for the exercise, oftentimes we get as many as 300 to 400 for practice.

Between 7 and 9 pm, every Tuesday and Thursday, until we start preparing our parking lot for our Obon carnival itself.

Gassho,

The History of Hongwanji

The Hongwanji was not founded by the founder of Jodo Shinshu, Shinran. Shinran was commemorated at the family shrine after death, which later became the Hongwanji. So the history of Hongwanji starts after Shinran.

Jodo Shinshu had devoted and popular followers. So much that it was considered a threat to the other Buddhist denominations, and even the samurai goverment thought so too. There was a time in its early history, that the Hongwanji had to be dismantled and taken to another location.

It finally found itself on a small hill and the junction of two rivers in the sleepy little town of Osaka, which originally meant "little hill." Its influence grew that the town grew around it. Oda Nobunaga, the great general wanted that land for his own, but was defeated by one of his generals, a peasant name Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who in the end, could not become Shogun because of his humble beginnings.

He persuaded Hongwanji to move back to Kyoto to sizable land that he will donate just south of the Capital. And in is place in Osaka he built Osaka Castle. This wasn't done peacefully, but the Gomonshu relinquished and agreed to the move. So the Hongwanji moved for its final time to its present site in Kyoto.

(A side note: the Gomonshu's oldest son, against his father's command, continued the fight, and later he was not given the title of Gomonshu. Shortly after, when Tokugawa Ieyasu gained control of Japan and became Shogun, did this son because Gomonshu of Higashi Hongwanji.)


Because Hideyoshi was a believer in Jodo Shinshu, he gave to the Hongwanji many possessions that he had controled. Within the Hongwanji compound today is the Floating Cloud Pavilion. Since the Ashikaga shoguns previously build pavilions of their own, Gold and Silver, Hideyoshi built for hiimself a "teahouse." The design of the Floating Cloud Pavilion have both Chinese and traditional Japanese elements in it. Hideyoshi, himself, was a follower of Tea and was a student of Sen no Rikyu, the founder of Senke schools of Tea. See earlier post on "Rikyu." There is also a tea house and a bell tower within the garden.

The Hongwanji also has many other treasures, which combined are National Treasures of Japan. The Hongwanji has several Noh stages, and the famous Karamon Gate of Kirin. It has the Imperial crest on it as it was used by Imperial messengers. The Kirin on the gate was also the inspiration for the Kirin brand of beer

The Hongwanji was instrumental in continuing the traditions of two cultural arts of Japan, Noh and Chanoyu.

Gassho,

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Day Two of no power for the Hondo.

Despite the lack of power to run lights, the organ and the air conditioning (the temps were in the 90s), we went ahead with our services. Today, we honored the high school graduates of our Dharma School and awarded the GBC Scholarships.

We ran extension cords from the Social Hall to run the PA system and some lights on the naijin. We still do not light candles, a tradition that goes back to 1980s when the Hondo burned down (but it was due to an arsonist, not burning candles). Still the glow of the naijin is quite impressive. The brass items in the naijin are polished once a year, half at a time, so we have two "O-Migaki" days. That and the gold used reflect the light.

In place of the messages from our ministers, we honored the high school graduates, of which we had six. We also gave out three scholarships.

When the Dharma School studens were dismissed, we had a combined English and Japanese session and practice for the first time - Walking Nembutsu. Most Buddhists practice this as a way to Enlightenment, which is not a practice of Jodo Shinshu-ists. Jodo Shinshu-ists use Walking Nembutsu as a way to remind us of the Nembutsu, which is the primary way of enlightenment.

The adults walked around the Hondo in a circle, chanting the sutra, Ju Ni Rai, in measured steps. Starting with the left foot, take three steps and stop. It took a full circle to complete. When you pass the center of the Naijin (at either side of the circle), you turn to bow to Amida Buddha.

It was a little difficult to manage the service book and a fan and to see, since the Hondo was darkened, it was a great experience and people went home with a new look at Nembutsu.

The kids who were also affected by the power outage in the classroom buildings, were cooling off in the Social Hall watching "My Neighbor Totoro." Sunday Social, hosted this week by the Sangha Teens, was also held in the Social Hall.

The day was a reminder that Nembutsu is alive, and that it goes on no matter what crisis could occur. Could it be that it was only 25 years ago that the Hondo was reopened after being rebuilt from the ground up after the devastating fires that destroyed the preceeding Hondo? Although it was simply a day without electricity, we could have been reminded that despite that loss, we could still hold services.

Next week, the Dharma School is holding its Recycle Day - Part II and collecting aluminum cans and plastic bottles. This day was a reminder that we rely so much on electricity, yet the Nembutsu does not. It does not need the electricity, Amida Buddha does not need air condition. What a wonderful thing that we have learned that we could rely on!

Gassho,

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Japanese Language School Graduation

Hours before the graduation of the Japanese Language School students were to take place, an accident took place in front of the Hondo which took out the telephone pole and cut the power to the Hondo. The person and her vehicle were ok. This brought out the fire department, the Gardena Police (to close off the streets), and Southern California Edison.

After making the area safe as possible, which included cutting the power to the minister's residence, the Edison folks made the preparation to repair the pole.

In the meantime, we decided to proceed with the graduation service in the Hondo. The Social Hall was operating as usual, but it was being used for a private party to take place at the same time.

So we ran extension cords from the Social Hall to operate the portable PA system. We passed out the fans that we use for Bon Dancing, and we were set to go.

The reflection of available light is actually very beautiful.

Southern District Conference, June 7, 2008

At the Sportsman Lodge in Studio City, the annual Southern District Conference, "Now in the Present Moment," took place yesterday.

About 400 participate, which also combines District meetings for the Buddhist Women's Assocations and the Dharma School Teachers League.

The keynote speaker in English was Rev. Kuyo Kubose of the Buddhist Temple of Chicago. His father too was the minister at the same temple and also was at the Higashi Hongwanji in Los Angeles.

Rev. Kubose believes in the ease of gassho and that it could be done anywhere and anytime. Why not do in the bathroom each morning to start off your day right? Or everytime you shake someone's hand. Some people get self-conscisous about doing nembutsu in public, so why not wring your hands as a form of nembutsu. You may be thinking, "namo amida butsu," but you may be saying out loud, "awright, its time to eat."

Also, if you see football players make a cross with the hands after scoring a touchdown? Why not do the shape of the dharma wheel instead? (a circle with two xs inside.)

In the afternoon, there was a panel of interesting speaker talking about their moments when their lives changed.

The first woman is an 8-year survivor from a brain tumor that was removed successfully. Although she must return for tests every three months, she has a positive attitude about the whole thing.

The second woman lost her husband when he as 31 and a year after giving birth to twin boys, who are now full-grown. She did not expect to raise the boys herself, but she had to overcome that and now participates in many temple activity.

The third speaker survived the World Trade Center September 11, 2001. He was on the 55th floor, and he may not have been the good student in Sunday School classes, he did his best to get out of the building in time and the ordeal days later to return to his family in Los Angeles.

In each, the person did not plan for this critical point to take place. However, they have learned to live the moment each day of their lives. You don't need a critical point to take place to start living in the now.

In recapping the conference, even when you say you are living in the NOW, that moment had already past. You use everything you have learned to live in the NOW, but you don't have to dwell on the past or dwell on the future.

Today, I was listening to a report on an Olympic athlete who will probably be going on to the Beijing Olympics this year. She had stopped training as a weightlifter to raise a family. One of her children is autistic, and she almost could not cope with it. She is of the Mormon tradition and went to her Bishop to say that she had chosen to take of her son. The Bishop, instead, told her that she is the right person to do it, otherwise, she would not have had this child.

She takes the approach in returning to competitive weightlifting. As she competes, it is that moment that counts. It is now what is important.

Every Sunday, we see kids leave the temple to go to their basketball and baseball games. If they remember that it is NOW that is important, I think they have learned a valuable Buddhist lesson.

Namu Amida Buddha

750th Memorial Anniversary Contribution

Shinran passed away almost 750 years ago. It is a Buddhist tradition to conduct memorial services every 50 years.

The Hongwanji will be commemorating this event between April 2011 and January 2012. All BCA members are encouraged to travel to Japan in 2011. Members from the overseas Hongwanji districts, including the BCA, can partipate in special services at the Hongwanji in May 2011. These special services will coincide with the 14th World Federation of Buddhist Women's Associations Convention scheduled for May 16-17.

I'm interesting in taking a couple of groups to Japan for these services. Hold for more details later.

In addition, the BCA, districs and temples are encouraged to hold servies and other activities inlcuding district-wide family conferences in 2010 and 2011. The national 750th Memorial Service will be held in February 2010.

To join in the worldwide celebration, the BCA National Council at its annual meeting in Portland this yeasr approved a $400,000 gift to the Hongwanji. This comes to $25 per person, however, each person is asked to give generously through your temple.

Donatoin envelopes are available at each temple. Please make your contribution.

(from a recent letter sent by the BCA.)

Hongwanji Trip - The Grounds

Nishi Hongwanji complex is large. Although it is probably less than half of the original size. Just outside the current walls is a temple neighborhood of shopkeepers and other service providers to the visitors to the Hongwanji. At one time Higashi Hongwanji and Nishi Hongwanji bordered each other.

When you enter at the gate, remember to bow towards the Amida-do.

Eventually, the shops and temples around the Hongwanji were given the land. Even the lamposts in the area have a distinctive look.

Rikyu

I saw the film, "Rikyu," last Friday night at the Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple.

The film, directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara, himself an ikebana teacher and a devotee of Urasenke, was produced in 1989 (Japanese) and is about the late stages in the life of Sen Rikyu, the founder of the Omotesenke and Urasenke schools of tea. It starts at the end of Oda Nobunaga during the Sengoku Period of Japan and continues with his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Momoyama period). Sen Rikyu was a tea master to both, and spent most of his life avoiding the political life. But in the end, after political manipulations, Rikyu had to divulge his opnions of an upcoming attack on China and opposed Hideyoshi, which had tragic results.

Rentaru Mikuni portrayed Rikyu with the aesthetic passion and simplicity. He was awarded the Japanese equivalent of the Oscars that year.

Teshigahara does a great job in interpreting the story, of course, the importance of Sen is evident in the film. In the end, Rikyu walks to his death dressed in white in a dreamy-like sequence that is very powerful. In contrast to the near end of Hideyoshi, who becomes absorbed with power, playing "ball" with a globe with his son, almost deranged.

Rikyu preached minfulness. His teachings in tea were mindful of the process and the aesthetics of tea.

It is important to note, too, that this is the same period in which Hongwanji was built in Kyoto on land donated by Hideyoshi because he wanted the land in Osaka, on which Hongwanji had stood, for a fortress. This move was also partly a factor later during the Tokugawa period in which Hongwanji was split into two.

The current site of Osaka Castle was one of the last site of the Hongwanji prior to its move to Kyoto. In addition to the strength of the mass the Hongwanji was able to collect in people, this site was formidable in Osaka. The son of the monshu differed and he remained in Osaka to continue his fight. Because of this, he was not selected as the heir to the Monshu, but later plays figuratively in the formation of Higashi Hongwanji as the battle for succesion within the Hongwanji was played out during the Tokugawa shogunate.

One of the teahouses of Hideyoshi remains on the grounds of Hongwanji, the Floating Cloud Pavilion, which also appears briefly in this film.

FUN DAY, June 1, 2008

Today is the 2nd Annual Family Fun Day for all generations, with fun games that could be played by all. The theme was "Concrete Picnic" and was well coordinated by Nadine K., Dharma School Teachers, and Donna T., Gardena ABA.

A group of volunteers from different orgniazations helped put up the canopies, tables and chairs for the event. We pulled out a new PA speaker, and another one for music.

After a brief service, we started with some warmup exercise by our own Rev. Miura, and soon started our first game, which was passing water, cup by cup, person to person from one bucket to another.

The other games included a beach ball toss, dressing a teddy bear relay, dressing a person as a "princess (prince)," passing a plastic egg by spoon to spoon and after lunch there were more games - a water balloon toss and bingo.

Each "event" was coordinated by a different group.

Lunch was provided for all. It remined many of the church picnics from way back. I don't know, but maybe we will have a church picnic again someday. We're getting to be very portable.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Memorial Day Service at Chapel at Green Hills Cemetary in San Pedro, CA.

This is conducted by a multi-denominational South Bay group of Buddhist temples, similar to the Los Angeles Buddhist Coordinating Council, and is comprised of Gardena Buddhist Church, Higashi Hongwanji, Koyasan Harbor City, Long Beach Buddhist Church, Jodo-shu, Nichiren-shu, and Zenshuji Soto Mission. I may have missed one.

Rev. Naomi Nakano of Bardena Buddhist Church spoke in English of it being a day to memorialize the casualties of American wars, past and present, and for appreciation of the Japanese Americans for their tenacity during internment during World War II. She opened with words of Lao Tse a sage in China from the 6th Century BC:

If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.

If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.

If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbours.

If there is to be peace between neighbours,
There must be peace in the home.

If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.

Reb. Shummyo Kojima of Zenshuji Soto Mission spoke in Japanese about his discovery of U.S. Memorial Day Observance when he first came to the U.S. - it really is about the remembrance of war casualties and about the origins of gassho, putting one hand's together.

Gassho and itakimasu before a dinner is getting rarer, even in Japan. However, when Rev. Kojima did some research, he discovered no reason why putting one hands together in Japanese text. He did discover in Inida the use of gassho while reciting the word, "namaste," which is the equivalent of "hello."

He told an amusing story of sitting down at dinner in India, and the traditional way of eating was without utencils and with the fingers on the right hand. He then discovered that the left hand is used to clean oneself, and is considered the "soiled" hand. So one hand is the outward, external self (use the same hand to eat and shake hands), and the other other hand is the inner, self-preserving...but to welcome each other, it takes both hands together to represent the whole of oneself. Thus how the tradition began.

Gassho
"Namaste"

Facebook

If you are registered with Facebook, Gardena Buddhist Church is also a group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=16332556812

Also, if you are interested in an Adult Buddhist Association group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14622502411

Gotan-E

We had a special service to celebrate Gotan-E, which commemorates the birthday of our founder, Shinran 845 years ago (May 21, 1163). Traditionally, the sutra Shoshinge is chanted because that is the sutra written by Shinran.


This coming Sunday we will have services the nearby cemetaries - starting with Pacific Crest in Redondo Beach, CA at 9:00 am and the chapel at Green Hills in San Pedro at 11:00 am.

May 11, 2008 - Mother's Day

The Adult Buddhist Association provides breakfast to the Sangha every Mother's Day. They get to the temple early (starting at 6pm), and roll out the tables, canopies, chairs and griddles to serve pancakes outside. In the meantime, inside the kitchen, sausages and eggs are being cooked, and apples and strawberries are washed and sliced.

The idea on Mother's Day started with Dan Shikuma years ago. He approached the then-YABA (Young Adult Buddhist Association) to serve breakfast on Mother's Day since the Jr. Young Buddhist Association had been serving hot dogs on Father's Day for years, without reciprocating on Mother's Day.

Then when the YABA dissolved itself to become the new ABA, the ABA members continued this Dana tradition. Dan Shikuma died a few years ago after fighting ALS, and in his memory the ABA members make pancakes and serve it free.

Ross and Elaine have been chairing this for awhile and they have made much improvements. We have bought two commercial griddles just for this purpose which are also being used for beef teriyaki during carnival time.

The ABA practices "dana" the buddhist idea of giving. The Sangha, in turn, gets together and share a meal, which is also known in Japanese as "o-toki."

Mother's Day

Services on Mother's Day start at 10:00 am instead of 9:30 am. This is to accommodate the ABA's pancake breakfast that will be served to the Sangha starting at 8:00 am. To get ready, the ABA members start setting up at 6:00 am! The breakfast is served outdoors at the Fuji patio. Its sausages and eggs with the pancakes. Plus fruit, including strawberries from Ventura County! There is no Dharma School as there is a combined English and Japanese service and a special art fair with projects from each Dharma School class.

May 3, 2008 - Fujimatsuri

Fujimatsuri was fun this year. We had a crowd early for plants and sushi, and continued throughout the day but it was so much as it was overwhelming. We sold out on sushi, udon and even hot dogs this year.

We also moved our performers from indoors to outdoors this year. We had a ukulele group, a keiki hula group, a Japanese dance group, our own Isami Taiko and the North Torrance Jazz Ensemble and North Torrance Stings-n-Things.

It took us awhile to wire up the stage for electricity.

Thanks to all who lend a hand in helping put it on for the community.

April 27, 2008

Cause and Effect was the theme for today's sermon Rev. N. We are so used to superstitions that we forget that cause and effect is what actually happens.

March 30, 2008

I was in church on Sunday, but I don't remember anything other than meeting a visitor from Hawaii - sorry! I think I lost the message of the day. It was probably because we came back home late the night before - we ate in Chinatown after watching the Dodgers-Red Sox game at the Los Angeles Coliseum with 115,300 of us in a Guiness-certified world record for attendance at a major league baseball game. The peristyle in the eastern side of the Coliseum was used for seating - the normal Sun Deck bleachers used for USC football games was missing, so the folks in the the far right field were seating on concrete or standing/sitting in the grassy area.

I was in what would be left field had this been at a regular ball park. This exhibition game was to commemorate the 50 years that the Brooklyn Dodgers have in Los Angeles. The first four years was played in the Coliseum while Dodgers Stadium was being built. Then the Coliseum floor space is bigger than it is now, but still not big enough for left field - so a high fence was erected. The Dodgers went to the World Series and then the attendance was highest for a major league game. The track and field stadium for both Los Angeles Olylmpics had its track taken out and replaced with seating while the field was lowered...so the length of the third base line was only 250 feet.

In fact the Dodgers did not play a left fielder - they had five in the infield instead. But they still lost the game.

50 years is also a common period for observance of memorials in Jodo Shinshu traditions. It is almost 50 years since a memorial for Shinran was held, so it is coming back again in a few years. The Hongwanji in Kyoto hopes that many of us will make a pilgrimage to Kyoto to attend the services and the BCA will be holding a national observance and memorial in 2010. This will be the 750th. Fifty years later, who knows what this world would be like and what the BCA will be like in 2061 when the next memorial services will be conducted.

Why We Do Not Celebrate Easter - March 23, 2008

Easter is a celebration, of course, of the significant event in Christianity. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is God’s promise of the future of Christians. For the first thousand years of Christianity, this “holiday” was most celebrated.

Of course, Buddhists do not celebrate this event. This is what Rev. Nakano said this morning.

On the other hand, the term, “Easter,” is not from the Bible, it comes from a celebration, or festival that predates Christianity as the religion spread from its origins in the Middle East. Easter is a rite of Spting. People before Christianity celebrated this passage of time and it was an older version of “Easter” which was adopted by the Christian faith as their own.

As a rite of passage of time into Spring, some of the Easter traditions came from the festival, i.e., eggs and Easter hunt, etc. As Rev. Nakano also noted today, there are differences in interpretation, that she gave several examples of it.

Since the ancient peoples kept track of time by observing the astronomical phenomenon, the ancient Easter was probably celebrated during the Spring Equinox. The Christian Easter is calendared on a more complicated astronomical formula to recreate the annual observance of the “heavens” that are associated to the original event. Which is why the date of Easter differs from year to year.

An aside, the Jewish observance of Passover is also marked astronomically with the emphasis on the lunar cycle.

Another aside, one of the calendars that was observed had a miscalculation and observances of such holidays as we know today such as Christmas begain to fall in different season, so this was corrected with the calendar in use today. Calendars are so arbitrary.

Anyways, the Spring Equinox when the length of the day is equal to the length of the night is an astronomical measure of time based on the rotation of the earth around the Sun.

As Rev. Miura noted, Buddhist do celebrate this rite of passage of time with O-Higan which Rev. Nakano talked about last Sunday during the Higan observance at our temple.

Since the day and night are equal, it is a representation of good and evil as Buddhist believe. Rev. Kodani at Senshin Buddhist Church mentioned that evil must exist to prove good. So in an equilibrium…

Actually, in that case, we do celebrate Easter….

(corrections and comments are accepted...)

Hongwanji Trip - Nishiyama Betsuin

Nishiyama Betsuin is the training facility for priests of Nishi Hongwanji, located to the west of the Hongwanji.

The Hondo is a National Treasure - it preceded the current structures at Nishi Hongwanji, so this temple is much older. In fact, parts of the temple even precedes the structure, as it was customary to reuse parts of the previous structure in the new building. The Hongwanji, during the civil wars in Japan, had to move from different sites in the Kansai area until Toyotomi Hideyoshi gave part of his land to create what is now Nishi Hongwanji.

As a training facility, the hondo was considered too precious for use, so the Hongwanji built a modern facility next door to the hondo.

Today it is used year-round as a training facility. American ministers also obtain their certification by attending sessions here.

Rennyo Shonin is also buried in a mound behind the Betsuin.

Hongwanji Trip - Otani Hombyo

Nishi Hongwanji's Otani Hombyo is in the Higashiyama District in eastern Kyoto. Not far from Kiyomizu Temple. This, of course, is the Otani Mausoleum where Shinran Shonin is venerated. It is location of the Columbarium. Shinran's daughter Kakushin-in created the mausoleum, which later became of the Hongwanji. It also has been moved around in its history. Now, there are two, as Higashi Hongwanji has its own mausoleum not too far from here.

There is a memorial to Kakushin-in, in appreciation of her duty to her father.

Although the columbarium is open to anyone, the BCA has its own niche to keep in perpetual memorial the names of the deceased in the United States. Each District also has its own, and even individual temples own their own niches. Gardena Buddhist Church does have its own.

Hongwanji Trip - Ryukoku University

Ryukoku University is a Jodo Shinshu university and is affiliated with Nishi Hongwanji. It is considered to be Japan's oldest university, found in 1639. In comparison, Harvard University in Boston was founded in 1636. Originally, Ryukoku is the school to train priests for the Hongwanji. It became a secular school in 1876.

The president of Ryukoku University does not have to be affiliated a priest, but generally is a member of the Hongwanji. The chair of the department of religion has to be affiliated with the Hongwanji.

We visited two of the campuses. Omiya which is within the Hongwanji Complex and Fukasaka, which is the main campus.

http://www.ryukoku.ac.jp/english/index.html

The university is small and has seven faculties. Its central theme is Science, Humanities and Religion. It is known as one of the top school for engineering science in Japan.

We met the public information person in the religious hall - a simple and sparse hall with a contemporary naijin, consisting of the myoji as written by Shinran. It has has morning services every morning, but in this secular world very few students attend regularly each morning.

It is a beautiful campus with many brick buildings.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

What does St. Patrick has to do with Jodo Shinshu? Nothing. But cheers to green beer.

Today we held our services for O-Higan. Higan services are done twice a year, once at spring equinox and the other at the vernal equinox.

From http://mothra.rerf.or.jp/ENG/Hiroshima/Festivals/35.html

"The Higan observance comes from a Buddhist belief that when the night and day are equally divided, Buddha appears on earth for a week to save stray souls and lead them to Nirvana. Having been so long followed by.the people, this Buddhist service has also created many customs that make it a big social event."

"Higan, meaning the other shore comes from the Buddhist idea that there is a river marking the division of this earthly world and the future world of salvation. The river is full of illusions, passion, pain and sorrow. Only when one crosses the river, fighting strong currents of temptation, to the other shore, does one gain enlightenment."

In Jodo Shinshu, of course, we don't believe that Buddha will appear on earth, but Higan is a reminder of the river of illusions, passion, pain and sorrow.

Nirvana Day

Its been awhile since I posted. I'm still doing some research on the sites and places I visited in Kyoto back in November... I want to make sure my posts are accurate.

Last week, it was our service for "Nirvana Day." It is the day that Sakyamuni Buddha died. It is a major event, but not the significant day for our religion. That day, of course, is what we call "Bodhi Day," the Day of Enlightenment, and that we celebrate with a service in December.

It is possible to confuse the two events. But as Buddhists, we do not need proof of the Enlightenment on Sakyamuni's passing. His teachings after gaining Enlightenment (or Awareness) shows us how.

Next week is the National Council Meeting for the BCA. It should be an important meeting for the future of our religion in the U.S.