Organizations |
Dharma August 2007Selected articles from the August 2007 issue of the SJ Buddhist Church Newsletter, The Dharma...
My Karma is MeK. Ken FujimotoThough the summers are milder here, people still seem to get drained physically and mentally during hot spells. If we do not take the proper steps to cope with the heat, we can cause ourselves greater problems because of our fatigue. To ignore the heat and not take the proper steps to combat its effects only increases the problem. This brings to mind the Buddhist concept of shin-shin, the body and heart-mind (kokoro) referring to the physical and non-physical aspects of a human being. A person is not just the physical. Nor is a person only the thoughts, feelings and emotions. A person is incomplete without both. Both aspects of a human being are a result of the karmic causes and conditions that each individual has. What they are, what they think and what they feel is due to the effects encountered in the past and in the present. We cannot be who we are free from our karma. Unfortunately, too many people seem to deny their karma and fail to acknowledge and accept it. All of us go through life being referred to as being someone's son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter, brother or sister, father or mother, friend or co-worker. There are stages in our lives where we want to rebel against this and cry out that we are individuals, but we can find true happiness only upon accepting this reality of our being. We only cause ourselves to suffer if we fight this. The truth of the matter is that we are unique and individual, but it is our karma, our relationships with others that make us so. We can find our unique individuality only when we accept the interdependence in our lives. No one else has our set of karmic conditions. Even a twin would be different because they do not have the same siblings that we would have. This does not mean that we blame others for our faults and shortcomings. This is part of our karma, a part of who we are, but it is only part and we continue to be created with every thought, action and word. When we do something and it does not go as planned, we should not look to blame our karma, but accept it as a new addition to it and learn and grow from it. It is not a pre-ordained fate. The better we know and accept our karma, our faults and shortcomings, as well as our strengths, the better we wil be able to take the necessary steps to prevent those faults from leading us to failure. Again, our karma has its physical and non-physical aspects. We look the way we do because of our karma. Whether we are tall or short, thin or fat, healthy or frail, it is due to our karma. Our intellgence, emotional strength and stability are all due to our karma as well. Just as it serves no purpose to complain about our height, it does no good to complain about the other aspects. The difference is that with some of these, we can take action to compensate and we start doing so once we accept our karma. We can take care of our health by exercising and watching our diet. We can study harder than others to compensate for what we lack in intelligence. We need to create the right set of karmc causes and conditions to fill the gaps in what we have. To do so requires that we accept what we have first. The sooner we do so, the sooner we wil be able to start. This holds true for our quest for the life in the Nembutsu. The sooner we accept our kara, the sooner we will be able to hear the call of the Nembutsu as being for me. It is not calling out to our parents or children, but it needs to be heard as a call "for me." Of course, it is calling out to our parents, children and everyone else as well, but it is on an individual basis and we each need to hear it as being for me. Once it is heard and accepted, it may manifest itself by reaching out to others. This, too, will be due to our karma. We need to accept and take responsibility for our kara, past and curent actions to hear the call. Once the call is heard, we wil be able to see that the ability to see and accept our karma was also due to the call of the Nembutsu, another aspect of our karma working on our lives. Let us all strive to hear the call of the Nembutsu and
come to be able to accept our karma, to accept who and what
we are. We need to do so whether it is extremely hot, cold
or comfortable because it wil enable us to live our lives
more fully. If we do not do it now, there is no guarantee that
we wil ever be able to do it. Campaign BCAG. SakamotoThe BCA Campaign 21st Century has raised nearly $12 million dollars. We are well on our way to reaching our $30 milion dollar goal. But in order to reach that goal we need everyone to participate. We are asking everyone to give $1500. We know that some will give less and some can give more. If each of us gives what we can we will be able to reach the $30 milion dollars. At our Obon Festival we open our Hondo and conducted an introduction to Buddhism session with questions and answers. During the discussion, I was asked what was my ministerial training like and how did it differ from training today. I replied I received my BA from the University of Hawaii. My degree was from the college of Liberal Studies with an emphasis on Buddhist Studies. After graduation I went to Kyoto, for ordination and returned eight months later to serve the Honolulu Betsuin. Although, I received the support and help of many people, when I returned I had only the most basic skills of a minister. There were other ministers studying in Japan when I was there. Rinban Fujimoto along with Reverends Kobata, Okamoto, Oshita, Ishihara and the late Rev. Dennis Yoshikawa were all there. As graduates of The Institute of Buddhist Studies they were in classes and studying hard. I suppose on the job training is one way of receiving an education but a better way would be to provide a consistent, structured program. Today, the Institute of Buddhist Studies, along with the Center for Buddhist Education, continues to expand and develop its programs to provide a solid education for our ministers. Our ministers are better prepared and have the resources and skills to serve our sangha. The BCA Campaign provides the funds that makes this happen. Often we think of the BCA, if at all, as someone else; a 'they' that exists out there. But the BCA is every temple. As individuals we can accomplish a lot. Our Obon is a great example of this. There were over 900 dancers who came and enjoyed the evening. Thousands more came and spend an evening together. With people working together there is much that can be accomplished. But Jodo Shinshu in America is a bigger voice. And the accomplishments of individuals when combined can be heard clearly in the communities we serve. We may never see the results of our efforts as long as we think Jodo Shinshu is my temple. However, if we see ourselves as Shakyamuni saw the world, as one composed of relationships, we cannot help but appreciate the changes that continually shape Jodo Shinshu in America. The Buddhist Churches of America is just an idea. But an idea worth supporting. By the time you receive this newsletter, the Jr. Choir Japan trip may be over. You can still join the choir through words and pictures by following this "hosting a blog" link. A Gift to Future GenerationsAl HironagaAs I write this month's article, we have just completed deconstrction work for our 2007 Obon festival. This year, we sold out all food booth products, increased revenue from the game booths and had a record 914 Odori dancers on Saturday night. I want to thank all of you who came out and helped before, during and after this annual fundraiser. I would especially like to thank Jim McClure who has headed the Obon Committee for eight consecutive years and has already started preparing for 2008. By all accounts, the Obon was a very successful event, helping to raise much needed funds for our temple's capital improvements fund. But more than just a fundraiser, the Obon festival brings the Sangha together to share our Jodo Shinshu Buddhist traditions with each other and the general public. As I walked around the different booths, I saw many people whom I haven't seen for many months and even years, and I also noticed many people happily working together in their booths. Yes, it was hard work, but it was also fun doing it with friends and family - and that's part of what I believe Buddhism is all about - sharing our lives with others. Speaking of sharing, you should have already received or will soon receive a letter from Bishop Koshin Ogui and BCA President Gordon Bermant on the Campaign BCA - The 21st Century. This ongoing campaign lays the groundwork for the future of the Buddhist Churches of America. Who is the BCA? The BCA is OUR national organization, which includes all Jodo Shinshu temples in the contiguous states. Each member temple has representative(s) to the BCA National Council, which is the governing body that makes policies and initiates programs at the national level. In essence, we are the BCA, and the BCA is all of us. The campaign is for all of us. It is not just about a building; it is about implementing the BCA's master plan, which consists of the following elements: 1) Create a thriving Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Ministry; 2) Establish the Jodo Shinshu Center; 3) Strengthen Jodo Shinshu as a major religious tradition in America; and 4) Increased self-reliance. Our goal is to create the capability for the propagation of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist teachings through religious education and training of ministers, lay members and the general public. The campaign has received several milion dollars of monetary support from both the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha in Kyoto, Japan and from Ryukoku University in Japan. Unfortunately, some unanticipated expenses
incurred during construction of the building, the slow
progress of the campaign and the need to make payments on
existing loans taken out for the construction of the Center
for Buddhist Education (AKA Jodo Shinshu Center) has
focused attention on the building, but the building is only
part of the overall plan. We need to raise funds to retire the
loans and move ahead with our plans. As stated in the
Bishop and President's letter, the average contribution
needed is $1500.00. When spread over 5 years, that amounts
to less than $1 per day. I also know that not everyone can
afford that amount, so give what you can - I would just like
to see 100 percent paricipation by our Betsuin membership.
I know many of you have already contributed to the
campaign, and I thank all of you who have already
contributed. As I have said before, we can consider this as
a gift to make Jodo Shinshu Buddhism available to our
future generations. Thank you. |