Monthly Bulletin of Berkeley Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple Volume 13, Issue 11 November DYING LAST WORDS By Rev.

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1 BOMBU BOMBU Monthly Bulletin of Berkeley Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple Volume 13, Issue 11 November 2018 DYING LAST WORDS By Rev. Ryoko Osa Often when people are dying in the movies, they say to family members, I love you... Thank you for everything... Please take care yourselves. However according to medical professionals, it s rare to be able to say such last words to family and friends at life s end. More typically when death comes, our minds drift back and forth between dream and reality. We recall old memories. We lose our sense of time so much, we are unable to discern the present date and time. For most patients in the days just before death, their clouded consciousness renders them unable to speak about meaningful things. You may be lucky enough to leave words of appreciation to family and friends before dying, but in reality, it probably won t happen that way. Which is why we should express our appreciation and love in daily life. We should live each day as if, Today is the last day of my life. I ve seen many temple members where I ve worked in Berkeley, Los Angeles and Hawaii, express appreciation and love to others naturally on an everyday basis. I admire their kind words and smiles, making me want to be like them. They express their love, maybe because of their personalities, or maybe because they understand the essence of Buddha s teaching or some other religious faith. Not just Buddhism, all world religions teach the importance of love and appreciation. For me, it s hard to express love and appreciation to others, even though my mind understands their importance. I think a big reason is because I grew up in an Asian culture. We tend not to express our emotions, especially feelings of love. Our life will end someday. Before we die, I think we should tell loved ones, Thank you for everything... I wish you great happiness. However, it s hard especially for people who grew up in Japan and similar cultures, which I don t judge to be particularly good or bad. I just think it s a cultural difference. Perhaps long ago in Japan, Nembutsu followers expressed their feelings with the words, NAMU AMIDA BUTSU. They aren t our words; they are words of the Buddha. An individual s mind, opinion or emotion is quite small, compared to the greatness of NAMU AMIDA BUTSU, which Bombu (böm bü) means foolish being, filled with passions, emotions and shortcomings. To be bombu is to be human. According to priest Shinran, we are all bombu. encapsulates the whole of human life and history. My life is but a single wave in a life s vast ocean. With this feeling, I think people of Nembutsu fold into the ocean, becoming One with the Great LIFE, expressed by the Buddha name, NAMU AMIDA BUTSU. I think it s human nature in trying to express our feelings, we chose words that may be selfserving, vain, or even false. By contrast, NAMU AMIDA BUTSU is pure and boundless. This is why the wish of generations of Nembutsu followers was to hand down the words, NAMU AMIDA BUTSU, rather than their personal thoughts, teachings or words. This truth is so much greater than our own thoughts and desires. Rather than think just about transmitting our DNA and bloodline to future generations, or conveying our personal desires to our children, the greater more meaningful wish would be to transmit the Nembutsu teachings to our children and the next generation. In this way, our Jodo Shinshu funeral services and memorials are ways to carry on this important teaching. May our lives transcend our own individual (Continued on page 4) 1

2 Date Day Time Event 4 Sunday Daylight Savings ends 11 Saturday 8:30 a.m. WBA meeting Family service/dharma school 10:00 a.m. Shotsuki/Family service and Dharma school 15 Thursday 1:00 p.m. Omigaki altar ornament polishing 17 Saturday 9:00 a.m. Hoonko lunch food preparation 5 p.m. Concord Howakai memorial service/potluck 18 Sunday 10:00 a.m. HO-ONKO SERVICE 20 Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Temple Board/ABA meeting 22 Thursday Thanksgiving Day 25 Sunday 10:00 a.m. No service December 2018 CALENDAR OF EVENTS November Sunday 10:00 a.m. Bodhi Day service/shotsuki/last Dharma school For the latest calendar updates, please check out our website at bombu.org UPCOMING EVENTS NOVEMBER TOBAN (group #2) Toyoko Araki, Jane Fujii, Anna Hightower, Hiroko Higuchi, Shirley Imai, Tazuko Jitosho, Yukari McCarthy, Karen Morioka, Christine Sullivan, Sachiye Toyofuku SHOTSUKI MEMORIAL SERVICE We will hold the Shotsuki monthly memorial service on Nov. 11 at 10 a.m. The following families will observe memorials for loved ones this month: Goto, Hiwano,Takata, Morita, Nakano, Nagatoshi, Higuchi, Tominaga, Umemoto,Yanaba and Yamashita.. HO-ONKO SERVICE (SHINRAN SHONIN ANNUAL MEMORIAL) Literally the most important service in our Jodo Shinshu tradition is Ho-onko, the annual memorial service for Shinran Shonin, upon whose life and writings Jodo Shinshu is based. In Japan at the main Higashi Honganji temple, thousands of people will attend Ho-onko services. Here in Berkeley on Nov. 17, we will have a guest speaker our former resident minister Rev. Ken Yamada who is now a staff of Shinshu Center of America. A luncheon follows the service. Please try to attend this important observance.. CONCORD HOWAKAI FAMILY GET-TOGETHER As part of our monthly gathering in Concord, we will have a family get-together and potluck on November 17, Saturday at the Japanese American Religious and Cultural Center, 3165 Treat Blvd. Concord. The evening will begin with service at 5 p.m., which will include a general memorial for Howakai families. A potluck dinner begins at 6 p.m. Howakai members are encouraged to bring spouses, children, (Continued on page 3) 2

3 (Continued from page 2) grandchildren and friends. This gathering is a chance to enjoy an evening together, strengthen our ties to one another, and listen to the Buddha Dharma. All are invited. For information, call Rev. Ryoko. TEMPLE BOARD ELECTIONS Ballots will soon be sent out to elect our temple s board of directors for The board oversees the general management and administration of the temple. If you are interested in serving on the temple board, please contact the temple office. HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Although not officially a Buddhist observance, the Thanksgiving holiday reflects the Buddha Dharma, the Buddhist teachings. We gather together with family and friends to give thanks for the food that we eat and for the people around us, for without such support, we could not live. The words Namu Amida Butsu express 2018 Temple Picnic this interdependence and sense of gratitude. That s why before eating, it s nice to put our hands together and say the Nembutsu. And don t forget to say itadakimasu (I respectfully receive life of this foods. And I gratefully receive this food.) There will be no service on November 25 because of Thanksgiving weekend. PLEDGE REMINDER Only two months left to make your 2018 pledge donation. The upkeep, repair and maintenance of our temple, as well as various programs and activities depend on the support and generosity of our members. Unlike other organizations, we don t require membership dues, however we rely on voluntary pledge donations from our members. If you haven t yet made your pledge for this year and would like to do so, simply send a check in the amount of your choosing, marked 2018 pledge to the temple, payable to Berkeley Higashi Honganji. To everyone who already pledged, we thank you very much. KITCHEN SERVING TRAYS We seem to be missing a number of serving trays from the kitchen, which we need for our activities, meals, mochitsuki and bazaars. If you know where they are, borrowed one, or can donate some, please contact the temple office. GO GREEN AND SAVE THE POSTAGE There are subscription for this. If you have address, and accept paperless subscription. Please let Rev.Osa know. ryoko.osa@gmail. com COME AND JOIN Mah-Jong First and third Wednesday 12:30pm to 4:00pm Tai-Chi Class Every Wednesday 11:30 am Every Thursday 8:30 am 3

4 (Continued from page 1) history, and may our minds and feelings fold into the great ocean of LIFE and ONENESS. Rev. Daiei Kaneko, an important Jodo Shinshu teacher of our denomination ( ) wrote: The petals may fall, yet the flower remains. Their form is gone, yet our loved ones live on, The sparkle of Eternity shines its light on the future from the depths of the present. The light of Eternity is coming from beyond life and death, constantly shining upon our lives. It is only when we do Nembutsu that we feel the eternal light presencing itself within. We cannot see the light itself. However,when the sun rises, shining on all things on earth, because it is illuminated, we can see those things. Likewise, we cannot see eternal light: the big LIFE itself. When we feel the eternal light, we find that our individual life itself is also illuminated by the eternal light and see we are living the big LIFE Temple Picnic ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS BIG THANK YOU S TO THE FOLLOWING NEWSLETTER MAILING Christopher and Chris Pong, Connor, Cara and Steven Chin, Artie Yamashita, Joey Deschenes, Anna Hightower, Rinako Osa Thank you everyone for your donations, time, energy and support. Because of you, our temple exists for us and for future generations. Help us by calling or ing the temple if names are inadvertently omitted from acknowledgements or donations. Domo arigato gozaimashita! Credits: This is a publication of the Berkeley Higashi Honganji. Please contact Rev. Ken Yamada at 1524 Oregon Street, Berkeley, CA ken_yamada@rocketmail.com. Newsletter design by Kevin & Christine Sullivan 4

5 Got Mochi? Eating mochi rice cakes is a Japanese New Year s tradition. On Dec. 9, the Berkeley Ohtani basketball teams, Berkeley Higashi Honganji Adult Buddhist Association and Jr. YBA, will make mochi the old-fashioned way: by steaming sweet rice, kneading and pounding it, then shaping it by hand. To order this freshly made mochi, please use the form below and mail it by November 30 to the address below. You may also order online at Berkeley Higashi Honganji Temple 1524 Oregon St. Berkeley, CA Please make your checks payable to Berkeley Ohtani ABA. Info: Note: Everyone is responsible for picking up orders from the temple s social hall on December 9, Sunday, from noon to 3 p.m. Senior citizens unable to drive may request delivery locally. Mochi Essentials: Komochi small individual size mochi cakes; Okasane: a large mochi stacked atop a medium-size mochi. These are typically placed on Buddhist altars, along with a tangerine, as a traditional offering at New Year s time (also called Kagami mochi, because they are shaped like old-fashioned Japanese mirrors); Noshimochi: a sheet of mochi cut into squares for family size servings. 恒例の大谷壮年会 バスケットボール チームの合同基金募集 もちつき が 12 月 9 日 ( 日 ) に行われます こもち は 1ポンドにつき4ドル おかさね も1セットにつき4ドルです のしもち は一枚につき20ドルです 下記の申し込み用紙に注文を記入し 代金を同封して 11 月 30 日までにお寺 (1524 Oregon St., Berkeley, CA 94703) まで返送してください チェックの支払先は BERKELEY OHTANI ABA としてください また シニア シチズンで配達を希望される方は その旨 申し込み用紙に記入してください その他の方には配達また冷蔵庫に保存しかねますので もちつき の当日午後 3 時ごろまでに 必ずお寺まで取りに来てください ******* cut 切り取り線 cut ********* NAME ( 名前 ) ADRESS( 住所 ) TELEPHONE NUMBER( 電話番号 ) KOMOCHI ( こもち ):$4.00/lb lb...$ KASANE ( かさね ):$4.00/set set(s) $ NOSHIMOCHI( のしもち ):$20.00/sheet(5lb) sheet(s)....$ TOTAL( 合計 ) $ 5

6 バークレー東本願寺会報 2018 年 11 月号 4 日 ( 日 ) 午前 10 時日曜礼拝 11 日 ( 日 ) 午前 8 時半婦人会会議 午前 10 時 祥月法要 15 日 ( 木 ) 午後 1 時 おみがき 17 日 ( 土 ) 午後 5 時 コンコード法話会追弔法要 法要後 家族の集い 18 日 ( 日 ) 午前 10 時 報恩講 20 日 ( 火 ) 午後 7 時半 仏教会定例理事会 22 日 ( 木 ) 感謝祭休日 25 日 ( 日 ) お休み 12 月 2 日 午前 10 時 成道会法要 11 月当番 : トヨコアラキ ジェーン藤井 アナハイタワー ヒロコヒグチ シャーリー今井 地頭所多鶴子 ゆかりマッカーシー カレン盛岡 クリスティーンサリバン 豊福さちえ ( 敬称略 ) 祥月法要 :11 月 11 日 ( 日 ) 午前 10 時より 祥月法要が勤められます 今月の施主は ゴトウ 肥和野 森田 中野 永利 樋口 富永 ウメモト 高田 柳場 山下の諸家です お誘い合わせお参り下さい 報恩講 : 来る11 月 18 日 ( 日 ) 午前 10 時より 報恩講 が厳修されます 浄土真宗の年中のお勤めとして 今日まで最も大切に受け継がれてきている法要が 報恩講 です 宗祖親鸞聖人のご命日を偲び お念仏のみ教えが私たちの生活の力となっていることを感謝し 聖人の恩徳に報いる法要です 皆様でお参りしましょう 御講師は山田ケン先生です コンコード法話会追弔法要 : 毎月一回 コンコードの Japanese American Religious & Cultural Centerにて法話会がおこなわれています 11 月はコンコード地方の先達を偲び 報恩謝徳をあらわすため追弔法要がお勤めされます 今月は 17 日 ( 土 ) 午後 5 時より法要が勤められ 午後 6 時より ポットラック デイナーで 家族の集いが行われます この日には是非 お子さん お孫さんを誘ってお参り下さい 詳しくは長良子開教使までご連絡下さい 6

7 遺す言葉 長良子テレビドラマや映画では 今まさに死に面している人が家族に最後の言葉を残すシーンがよくあります 特に日本の映画やドラマに多いように思います 瀕死の人間が一人一人を枕元に呼び 妹たちをよろしくな や お母さんの言うことをよく聞くんだよ など声を絞り出して話します そしてちょうど全員に伝え終わった後 首がガクッと下がりお医者さんが ご臨終です と伝えると家族みんなが悲痛な顔で涙を流します しかしある臨床医に寄れば 死はある瞬間に突然訪れるのではなく グラデーションのようにゆっくりと夢と現実の間を行きつ戻りつする中に訪れるのだそうです この状態は 終末期せん妄状態 と呼ばれ 言葉も意識もはっきりとせず 遠い過去の思い出が甦ったり 日にちと時刻の感覚もなくなるので 死ぬ直前はまるで時間が止まったようになります そして死を迎える 3 日以内に 患者の多くは意識がなくなり 意味のある会話がしにくくなるそうです とはいうもののこの医師は ある父親が亡くなる直前に家族に最後の言葉を残したという話を看護婦から報告されました ありがとう 先に逝ってしまってごめん 後のことをよろしく という言葉を聞くことができた家族の顔を見ると その父親は家族に 非常に大きな癒しと充足感を残したのだと確信をしました この医師は 亡くなる直前に家族や友人を集めて最後の言葉を伝えるということは現実にはほぼ奇跡に近いと言います 元気なうちに 自分の本当の思いを言葉にして伝えなければ 伝えられないうちに亡くなってしまうのです その為には 普段から死を意識すること そして感謝の思い 謝罪の思いを相手に素直に伝えることが 後悔しない生き方であり 死に方かと思います しかし これは出来る人と出来ない人がいることでしょう もともと素直な性格の方もおられます また 宗教生活によって素直な生き方が出来るようになった方もおられると思います 私は感謝の気持ちをなかなか素直に家族に伝えることが出来ません だからこそ仏様の教えを聞くという生活が私には必要で聞いたことを実行しよう思っております しかし実行するのは簡単ではないと感じることも多くあります 特に一般的に日本では 言わぬが花 沈黙は美徳 という考え方があるので 言わなくても察してくれるだろうという態度が 何世代にも渡って家庭で受け継がれているのかもしれません 自分がこの世からいなくなる時 伝えたいことは色々あるでしょう 仏の教えを聞いたことによって 死から逃げずに自分に正直になって 自分の言葉として表現する方もいれば 表現は 7

8 しないけれどそんなことも気にされず飄々とされている方もいるように感じます そういう方は もしかすると自分の言葉に頼らず 仏様のお名前である 南無阿弥陀仏 に 感謝や慚愧のすべての思いを収めたのかもしれません 私たちの先祖はだからこそ子孫にお念仏の教えを聞いてくれよと強く願われたのでしょう 以下のような言葉があります 花びらは散っても花は散らない 形は滅びても人は死なぬ 永遠は現在の深みにありて未来にかがやき 常住は生死の彼岸にありて生死を照らす光となる その永遠の光を感ずるものはただ念仏である 金子大栄著 ( 大谷派僧侶 ) 歎異抄領解 私たちが持っているこの肉体と精神はいつか滅び 私たちの数十年の寿命は終わりを迎えます しかし亡くなったら終わりではなく 大事な者たちに ありがとう 先に逝ってしまってごめんなさい 後のことをよろしくと伝えねばなりません 自らの死を通して未来を生きる全ての者に 永遠の光を送るのです 葬儀という儀式は死者のこういう思いや 永遠の光 仏様の教えを伝える舞台装置でもあるのです 私たちのいのちは 次の世代へとつながっていきます それは自分に子どもがいるかいないには関係がありません 私たちはいのちをある期間いただき また生まれてくる別のいのちへバトンを渡すのです 一人の人間の一生は儚いかもしれませんが 大きな意味のいのちは永遠です 私たちは光を直視できないように 大きないのちそのものはこの目では見ることができません しかし 太陽が昇って太陽の光に照らされことによってそこにあるものが見ることが可能となるように 永遠の光を感じることによって私たちの個々の人生も照らされ 光の中にある自己の姿を見ることができるのです 私たちが死を迎えた時 遺す人々に後悔や悲痛な嘆きをもたらさないよう 普段から感謝の思いを伝え お念仏の教えを自ら聞きまた伝える暮らしを送っていきたいものです 8

9 RECENT EVENT MEMORIES J -SEI FAMILY FESTIVAL WBA s Asian Chicken Salad was hugely popular at the J-SEI Family Festival in El Cerrito on September 9, A big thank you to our fearless leader Anna Hightower and the chicken salad team: Jane Fujii, Lesli Jo Sawada, Eiko Iwata, Kim Chew, Lorraine Yoshikawa, Connie Morita, Karen Morioka, Janice Adachi, Dorise Ouye, Wendy Adachi and Naomi Yamada. A very interconnected group of women! D HARMA SCHOOL FIELD TRIP On October 7th, after family service and lunch at Famous Dave s, the Dharma School went on a field trip to visit the USS Hornet in Alameda. The visit included an exhibit of the 422nd regiment and NASA Apollo moon excursions. From the flight deck, the Blue Angels could be seen during the fleet week air show. Dharma School Field Trip 9

10 Words of the Month 今月のことば When we say Namu Amida Butsu, The countless Buddhas throughout the ten quarters, Surrounding us a hundredfold, a thousandfold, Rejoice in and protect us. Hymn wrote by Shinran Shōnin 南無阿弥陀仏をとなふれば十方無量の諸佛は百重千重囲繞してよろこびまもりたまうなり 親鸞聖人浄土和讃 Berkeley Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple 1524 Oregon Street Berkeley, CA U.S.A. Address Correction Requested