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Temple Blog
October blog
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Friday, October 9, 2009
Boarders
“Shariputra, in the land
of Ultimate Bliss, a pleasant breeze wafts, swaying the rows of trees colored with various jewels
and waving the gauze curtains with little bells, stirring an exquisite melody. This is just as though hundreds
of thousands of musical instruments were being played in unison. For all who hear this melody, their devotion
to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha is spontaneously deepened. Shariputra, in this way the land of Ultimate Bliss is an ideal environment so that whatever one hears will bring
about awakening. Shariputra, why do you suppose this Buddha is called Amitabha? Shariputra,
this Buddha emits immeasurable light, shedding light upon all the worlds of the ten directions without obstruction.”
Borders
are defined as a line that separates one from another, usually referring to a state or country. In the
Amidakyo it is referred to as an obstruction. But in this case it refers to Amida’s light reaching
us despite the borders we create. In a garden it refers to the bricks or hedges and in our homes as fences
and walls. In our everyday lives we live with borders that define where we live and who we are.
There are both visible and invisible borders that exist. We have state lines, international date
lines, and country borders. We have doors, walls and fences that all define borders. Starting
from your home, you have your room that is defined by walls, then you have your house that is defined by fences, then you
have your city defined by city limits which in turn has county, state and country borders. With these borders
we are defined as a resident of 1155 Noche Buena, in Monterey in California in the United States.
There are numerous unseen borders which we all experience. At
our recent national minister meeting we gathered from Canada, Hawaii, and all over the United States in Berkeley. On the first morning we chanted the Shuso
Sango Saho Ongaku Hoyo which will be chanted all over the world in commemoration of the 750th memorial of
Shinran Shonin. The main portion of the chant is the Shoshinge or Hymn of True Faith.
As we chanted together from all parts of the country there was one beautiful sound created. At that
moment all borders of Hawaii, Canada, New York and California
disappeared and became seamless and borderless.
We have created for ourselves countless seen and unseen borders to keep us safe,
to keep us defined, to keep us separated. And yet there are the numerous ways in which life comes at us
and crosses those borders unimpeded. The sound of the wind chime in my garden, the wind cooling me on a
hot night, the light of the sun and moon illuminating my life all cross over the borders I have created and touch me.
In the very same way Amida reaches far beyond and touches my life, illuminating me and revealing to me the truth of
my life.
Although I create all sorts of borders in my life, life still comes to me. I
am able to experience the wind, the sun the sounds of life. I create borders of doubt and ignorance
and yet Amida’s compassion still comes to me revealing my true nature. I am eternally grateful for
the people who have come and gone into my life and have compassionately shown to me my true nature. As
the Buddha explained to his disciple Shariputra, “For all who hear this melody, their devotion to the Buddha, the Dharma,
and the Sangha is spontaneously deepened. Shariputra, in this way the land
of Ultimate Bliss is an ideal environment so that whatever one hears will bring about awakening.
Shariputra, why do you suppose this Buddha is called Amitabha? Shariputra, this Buddha emits immeasurable
light, shedding light upon all the worlds of the ten directions without obstruction.”
Gassho,
Rev. Shinseki
Borders are defined as a line that separates one from another, usually referring
to a state or country. In the Amidakyo it is referred to as an obstruction. But in this
case it refers to Amida’s light reaching us despite the borders we create. In a garden it refers
to the bricks or hedges and in our homes as fences and walls. In our everyday lives we live with borders
that define where we live and who we are. There are both visible and invisible borders that exist.
We have state lines, international date lines, and country borders. We have doors, walls and fences
that all define borders. Starting from your home, you have your room that is defined by walls, then you
have your house that is defined by fences, then you have your city defined by city limits which in turn has county, state
and country borders. With these borders we are defined as a resident of 1155 Noche Buena, in Monterey in California in the United States.
There are numerous unseen borders which we all experience. At our recent national minister
meeting we gathered from Canada, Hawaii, and all over the United States in Berkeley. On the first morning we chanted the Shuso Sango Saho Ongaku Hoyo
which will be chanted all over the world in commemoration of the 750th memorial of Shinran Shonin.
The main portion of the chant is the Shoshinge or Hymn of True Faith. As we chanted together
from all parts of the country there was one beautiful sound created. At that moment all borders of Hawaii, Canada, New
York and California
disappeared and became seamless and borderless.
We have created for ourselves countless seen and unseen borders to keep us safe,
to keep us defined, to keep us separated. And yet there are the numerous ways in which life comes at us
and crosses those borders unimpeded. The sound of the wind chime in my garden, the wind cooling me on a
hot night, the light of the sun and moon illuminating my life all cross over the borders I have created and touch me.
In the very same way Amida reaches far beyond and touches my life, illuminating me and revealing to me the truth of
my life.
Although I create all sorts of borders in my life, life still comes to me. I
am able to experience the wind, the sun the sounds of life. I create borders of doubt and ignorance
and yet Amida’s compassion still comes to me revealing my true nature. I am eternally grateful for
the people who have come and gone into my life and have compassionately shown to me my true nature. As
the Buddha explained to his disciple Shariputra, “For all who hear this melody, their devotion to the Buddha, the Dharma,
and the Sangha is spontaneously deepened. Shariputra, in this way the land
of Ultimate Bliss is an ideal environment so that whatever one hears will bring about awakening.
Shariputra, why do you suppose this Buddha is called Amitabha? Shariputra, this Buddha emits immeasurable
light, shedding light upon all the worlds of the ten directions without obstruction.”
Gassho,
Rev. Shinseki
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January 27, 2009
A new cycle of change has begun.
Each day if we are fortunate enough, we open our eyes and greet another day. This morning I awoke
and lay there thinking about how much has changed in the last 24 hours. Children were born, people
died, decisions were made, new relationship formed and new insights revealed. This day is now
half gone, and already this morning, people’s lives were affected by my decisions and
my actions. When a year goes by, or a month and even a week, it is easier to reflect back upon the
time and the events that occurred, but often times in a 24 hour period it is harder to discern the many events. This
is when an event that is profound, saddening and deep occurs in our lives and we are made to see ourselves and our lives in
a different way. We are made to see the great and many changes that occur in the short span of a few hours,
and we are made to reflect upon the continuing influence of those who have come and gone from our lives. This
has been termed as the infinite and continuous compassion of Amida opening our eyes the truth of
our lives. And one of those truths is that we have the ability to reflect and learn and become better,
stronger, wiser human beings thanks to the many influences past present and future in our lives. “For
those who have lived and died are always in the embrace of Amida Buddha”, a new cycle of change has begun.
For us who are left to mourn the loss, a new cycle of change has begun. Let that new cycle be one
of not worrying about the future and the past, let it be one that is living life true and real. Let a new
cycle be one in which we open our eyes each morning to the wonder of life, and the preciousness of our existence.
Let it be a new cycle in which we live in deep gratitude to all the thoughts words and actions of
whose influence have opened our eyes to this new cycle of life. And let this new cycle of life for us begin
with Namoamidabutsu as the most profound way of expressing our reliance and gratitude to Amida Buddha. Tomorrow
if you are fortunate enough to open your eyes, enjoy and say thank you and participate in life with gratitude and wonder.
Namoamidabutsu, Rev. Shinseki
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