HikaritheLight BUDDHIST Q & A. July & August 2013

Transcription

1 HikaritheLight July & August 2013 MONSHU S MESSAGE delivered following the annual commemoration of the Establishment of Jodo Shinshu April 15, 2013 On this occasion, I would like to announce that on June 5, 2014, I will be retiring from the positions of jushoku, head resident minister of the Hongwanji temple and monshu of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha Buddhist organization. It has been 36 years since I assumed those posts in April My predecessor, Shonyo Shonin, made his decision to retire at the conclusion of the combined observance of the 800th Anniversary of Shinran Shonin s Birth and 750th Anniversary of the Establishment of Jodo Shinshu. The 750th Memorial for Shinran Shonin was duly completed last year and I was fortunate to be able to officiate as the doshi, chanting leader, for many times, including the final session. Further, organizational restructuring of the Hongwanji temple and Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha institution has also been completed in accordance with the changes in society. A decade from now, the 850th Anniversary of Shinran Shonin s Birth will be observed. I feel that this is an opportune time to take a new step forward. Shimmon, who will succeed me to become the next monshu, has been engaged in various temple matters at Tsukiji Hongwanji as the fuku-jushoku, vice-resident minister, while also visiting various affiliated temples in the Tokyo metropolitan area as well as many other regions to deepen his understanding of the current situation of our organization. I have confidence in him that he will become a new leader with fresh ideas and sufficient knowledge. Here at Hongwanji, it is common that preparations for a certain event are begun more than a year beforehand. In following this custom and in order to make the transition as smooth as possible, I have taken this opportunity today to make this announcement. Needless to say, even after retiring from the post of monshu, I will still remain as a Jodo Shinshu minister, and I will definitely continue my efforts to contribute towards the propagation of Jodo Shinshu and the prosperity of our organization. SHIMMON S MESSAGE delivered following the annual commemoration of the Establishment of Jodo Shinshu April 15, 2013 As you heard just now, I will carry on the Jodo Shinshu tradition from June The teaching of Jodo Shinshu has been transmitted for 790 years since Shinran Shonin completed his literary work, Kyōgyōshinshō (The True Teaching, Practice and Realization of the Pure Land Way). The truth expounded in it teaches us to become aware of our own self-centeredness and to revere and cherish every life regardless of self and other. I believe that this teaching is invaluable and most appropriate in regard to the chaotic state of contemporary society. In sincere consideration of the illustrious history of this Jodo Shinshu tradition, I will endeavor to the utmost to transmit it to future generations. BUDDHIST Q & A What is Monto Shikisho ( 門徒式章 )? Monto literally means a follower of the gate (of Jodo Shinshu teaching). Shikisho means a ceremonial symbol. Sometimes it is simply called Shikisho. During Sunday Service, some dharma friends wear it over their shoulders. Every Monto is encouraged to wear it. It is a sign of humble respect of the teaching and a self-awareness of being one of the Jodo Shinshu followers. Those preparing the shrine (naijin) for services are asked to wear a shikisho as they enter or ascend to the shrine area to place vases of flowers, fruits and sweets before the obutsudan, and to light candles. The shikisho should be available in a conspicuous place. (Y. I.) Buddhist Temple of Southern Alberta (BTSA) Montoshikisho issued for the World Buddhist Women s Conference in Vancouver in 1990 Pattern for the upcoming 2015 WBWC. REV. YASUO IZUMI yasuo123@shaw.ca St S Lethbridge, AB T1J 3Z

2 CUSHION The other day, two elderly Caucasian women came to our temple. They asked me if I would show them the Buddhist shrine and talk to them about Buddhism. I invited them into our Hondo. I asked them to sit on chairs. Then, I showed them the shrine and briefly explained the teachings of the Buddha. When they were about to leave, one of the ladies said, You know what, Reverend, one thing I was very impressed by in this place? I was impressed by the cushion that is placed on each chair. It is so cute. After they left, I thought for a moment about the cushion. An elderly member told me the other day, These days I really appreciate the cushion on which I am sitting during the service in the Hondo. I lost all my flesh and am now all skin and bones. At my age, I really appreciate the cushion. Whether we are old or not, however, we have been sitting on the cushion in the Hondo as if it were a matter of course. We take it for granted. The cushion is something like the nembutsu teaching in terms of appreciation. As we get older we become more appreciative of it. The nembutsu teaching taught by Shinran Shonin is the teaching of Tariki, the working of the Buddha beyond our small self. That is to say, the attainment of enlightenment is due to Buddha s Vow Power. When we start to appreciate Tariki we are able to abandon our self-power efforts for enlightenment. But we need time to understand and appreciate the nembutsu teaching. We need time to grow spiritually. When we are young and strong and full of dreams and expectations, we tend to think that we can live by ourselves without any other s help. We tend to think that we can do and accomplish whatever we want as long as we work hard, as long as we practice hard. Perhaps, it might be true. Then, we apply this kind of notion to Buddhism, the teaching of enlightenment. We think that we can attain enlightenment by our efforts, by our practices. We even think that Tariki teaching is the teaching for weak people or even lazy people. Of course, this kind of understanding is a serious mistake. Shinran Shonin understood that the true intent of Sakyamuni s appearance on this earth was to introduce the boundless compassion of the Buddha called Amida, embracing and sustaining us all in any time and in any place without discrimination. Furthermore, Shinran Shonin said that people of arrogance have a difficult time appreciating the teaching of Tariki. I really think that we need time to appreciate the teaching of Tariki. During a long process of listening and deep hearing we are spiritually nurtured, matured and aware of human limitation and imperfection; we become aware of human life which does not always go as we want. Buddha s compassion expressed in the Vow and Calling, Namo Amida Butsu, has quietly and warmly sunk in and nurtures our mind and heart, sustaining our life all the time. So, I say, the teaching of Tariki is something like the cushion: getting older, we appreciate more that on which we have been comfortably sitting for a long time. In Gassho, Yasuo Izumi, Minister Buddhist Temple of Southern Alberta 公共 本願寺では 開かれた宗門 から今 は 公共思想 ということについて 語り合われているようです 公 は 囲みの壁を破って 公平に物事を見 行動していく ということであり 共 は相手を敬うこと ということでし ょう 囲みの壁を破る とは自己中心 の世界を限りなく否定し 開放してい くということではないでしょうか そ こから相手を敬い 共に行動する世 界が現れてくると思います 人間の自 己中心性を見つめていくことが 公 共ということに繋がっていくのでしょ う 公共思想 は 他を利用し 自分 が得することばかり考えている現代 人への警鐘といえます そういえば 公金を私的に使った数人の国会議員 のことが 新聞 テレビで盛んに報道 されています 地位 名誉をもらって も まだ足らず 財欲に目がくらんで いるのです 私たちのお寺のお内陣は 我執 我 欲をはなれた 真実 の世界を表す 鏡 です 真に開かれた 公共 の場 ということができます その世界を日 常生活の中に仰ぎ 自らが照らされ ていくような生活が 今 私たちに求 められているのではないでしょうか 合掌 ( 泉 ) ABC at BTSA in November Dr. Jeff Wilson, who completed his tokudo training and received his certification in May, 2012, is the speaker at this year s Alberta Buddhist Conference on Nov. 2. Dr. Wilson, who is an associate professor of religious studies and East Asian studies at the Renison University College, University of Waterloo, Ontario, last spoke at our temple in October, He helps out at the Toronto temple when he can. Following Calgary temple s format, this year s ABC will be a one-day event with Wilson sensei speaking and discussing Buddhism. Plans for the event are still being developed and will be announced when they are completed. Please save the date to hear Wilson sensei who is a dynamic speaker. 2

3 BTSA NOTES Our premier July event, of course, is the annual Obon whose bon odori has become a regular city feature at the centrallylocated Galt Gardens. Organization of this year s event has been in the works for months. Details are in a related story in this issue on the odori, the temple Obon service and sensei s cemetery visitations for the area. A call will be going out to members for their assistance once again to set up for the odori. Please give us a hand at 1 p.m. and stick around to help clean up after the event. Unsettled June weather greeted early birds at the temple s annual picnic at the Elks Community Kitchen in Indian Battle Park on June 16, as they patiently waited for a tardy gatekeeper with the key to the compound. Eventually, an outdoor Sunday service was held and about 85 persons basked under sunny skies, enjoyed the delicious potluck and KFChicken lunch, followed by kids activities and bingo. Once again, our thanks to Terry Horii who donated bottled water and two beautiful baskets of goodies, one for adults and the other for children, which were used as blackout prizes. Sophie Man won the children s prize so quickly that Roland Ikuta who was calling the numbers was moved to exclaim she would have walked away with $10,000 if she had done it at a bingo palace. Her dad, Tak, won the adult prize but graciously declined it because of his daughter s success. The eventual winner of the adult blackout was Sway Nishimura. Congratulations to all the winners. (A footnote to the picnic was the deluge later in the week that closed down Indian Battle Park to all visitors. While we re grateful we were able to complete our picnic without incident, we feel deeply for all our Albertan neighbors to the north who suffered so grievously during the recent flooding and send our best wishes to them for a rapid recovery. ) During June, the temple s kitchen ducts were cleaned as required by provincial fire regulations, and a speaker s night at the temple hosted a talk on the Bhutanese community in Lethbridge (please see a short item on this elsewhere in the Hikari). At its June meeting, the board approved A&K Landscaping s quote of $2,500 to spruce up portions of the temple grounds which had been neglected since the temple dedication in Included is the removal of a dead tree in the southwest corner of the lot and its replacement with a rock-garden arrangement, the addition of a rock in the northwest corner, pruning of other shrubs and bushes, and restoration of the river design in the front. The board also: voted to purchase six more receivers for the FM audio system in the hondo to bring to 12 the number of receivers to enhance hearing for members; agreed to explore an audio/visual system more unified and userfriendly; decided to replace the six automatic water taps in the main washrooms with single-lever faucet taps for a quoted price of $1,550 plus GST. Several automatic taps had malfunctioned and the repairs were costly. asked that Dr. John Harding of the University of Lethbridge be informed that Prof. Jeff Wilson has been invited as this year s ABC speaker, should the University also wish to make use of Dr. Wilson s visit. (Please see a related story about the ABC elsewhere.) Finally, a reminder that the board and the Hikari take a month off in August. The board meeting after July 10, is scheduled for Sept. 11. The next Hikari will be the September issue. Please keep in mind, too, the board has set the second Sunday of September as the shotsuki (monthly memorial) date since the first, so close to Labour Day, remains part of a long weekend holiday for many. Happy summer to all. Akira Ichikawa CHAIR SCHEDULE July. August. September 2013 July 07 Chair: Sway Nishimura Audio: Brenda Ikuta July 14 Chair: Sylvia Oishi Audio: Akira Ichikawa July 21 OBON & JUL/AUG 2:30 PM Chair: Roland Ikuta Audio: Brenda Ikuta July 28 Chair: Deanna Jones Audio: Tak Okamura Aug 04 Chair: Pat Sassa Audio: John Dubbelboer Aug 11 Chair: John Dubbelboer Audio: Sway Nishimura Aug 18 Chair: Katie Ainscough Audio: Akira Ichikawa Aug 25 Chair: Joyce Shigehiro Audio: Brenda Ikuta Sept 01 Chair: Jack Nagai Audio: Tak Okamura Sept 08 SHOTSUKI* Chair: Robert Takaguchi Audio: John Dubbelboer Sept 15 OHIGAN Chair: Katie Nakagawa Audio: Sway Nishimura Sept 22 (Sensei in Anaheim, CA) Chair: Deanna Jones Audio: Akira Ichikawa Sept 29 Chair: Sheila Oishi Audio: Brenda Ikuta *Please note September shotsuki is on the second Sunday MC designates: if you are unable to chair on your assigned date or have made other arrangements on your own, please inform Sway Nishimura. Thank you. HikaritheLight

4 2013 Membership Form Full Membership Student Membership* ($100 for each member) Last Name: First Names(s): Last Name: First Names(s): Home Address: City, Province, Postal Code: Telephone No.: Cellphone No.: Check to receive The Hikari newsletter by only. Please send this form and your remittance to: Buddhist Temple of Southern Alberta Treasurer th Street South Lethbridge, AB, T1J 3Z5 Notes *Student membership is limited to persons 18 years or older who are currently registered in a recognized educational institution. It is free of charge with a valid student ID card. Student Members are not entitled to vote at general meetings or to hold office in the BTSA and this category of membership does not include membership in the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada. LET S EXPAND THE CIRCLE OF THE DHARMA! Memberships to June 25, 2013: 208 Shotsuki Hoyo Donations June 2013 Ganesh Gurung Jim & Atsuko Hagihara Shinako (Sheila) Higa Molly H. Ito Tom & Lily Kaga Sadae Kanegawa Eileen Kunimoto Yutaka & Chiyomi Matsuno Mark & Shelly Murakami Shig & Katie Nakagawa Tsutomu Stony Nakano May Nishikawa Mac & Reyko Nishiyama Dana Oikawa Tak & Jan Okamura Noreen Okubo Jiro & May Sasaki Ken & Nancy Setoguchi Tom Shimozawa Noris & Sachiko Taguchi Tom & Tsuyako Tajiri Reiko Takeyasu Donations received in July and August will be acknowledged in the September Hikari. 4 Masaye Tanaka Brenda & Lester Tanner Shizuo & Dorothy Tomita Fujio & Yoshiko Tsukishima Keiko Kay Tsukishima Aiko Yoshihara Total $900 Other Donations June 2013 Sunao & Kaye Ayukawa Choju Kai Rumiko Ibuki Lily Y Kamachi Allan & Lillian Leavens Mac & Reyko Nishiyama Lilly Oishi Etsuko & Herb Osaki Total $470 We try to be as thorough as possible but occasionally make errors. Please inform us if your name has been omitted from or misspelled in the donation lists. Anyone wishing his/her name not be acknowledged in print, please let us know so it won t be published. Thank you. REGULAR EVENTS Southern Alberta Buddhist Choir meets July 7 at 12pm in preparation for the Obon Service. Contact: Katie Nakagawa or katienak@shaw.ca Tonari Gumi will resume September 3. Taiko Class both Youth and Adult will resume in the fall. Contact: David Tanaka at or david@eyesquared.com The Lethbridge Karaoke Club will resume in the fall. PROGRAMS Gentle Yoga for seniors and Aiki Breathing will resume in the fall. Contact lorita.ichikawa@gmail.com or Women s Federation World Convention Craft Group will meet again in the fall. Contact: Totsy Nishimura or swayn@telusplanet.net Dharma Study will resume in September ANNOUNCEMENTS Bon Odori Practice continues Mondays at 6:30 through July 15. Participants are asked to arrive early to dress. The temple will be open at 6 pm for this purpose. PLEASE NOTE: Flower vases are no longer being accepted. The Dharma class thanks all those who contributed to the project. We have received a total of $ for the recycled vases and we thank the florist for accepting these. Since our Temple has decided to temporarily cease to send floral arrangements to members who have been in the hospital for seven days or longer, it is understandable that the florist is not getting our business and cannot accept our used vases. - Jan Okamura

5 BUDDHIST TEMPLE OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA JAPANESE SUMMER DANCE FESTIVAL TRADITIONAL JAPANESE DRESS MUSIC & DANCING TAIKO DRUMMING KIDS ACTIVITIES SNO-CONES DHARMA DOGS CRAFTS OBON Practice, Dance, Cemetery Visitations The high summer season is the traditional setting for obon on the Buddhist calendar, and preparations have been in the works for several months. This year s dance festival is on July 20, beginning at 6 p.m., at the Galt Gardens. Dancers have been practicing since early June and there s still time to get a couple of sessions in on the remaining Mondays, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Practices are held through the Monday of the week of the dance, so come and learn the steps. This event, translated as a gathering of joy, commemorates and honors ancestors whose influence continues to guide their living descendants. Plan on joining the fun at the city park and getting in on the dances. Displays and other activities also are part of the festivities, along with dharma dogs and sno-cones. The next day Sunday--Izumi sensei presides at the obon graveyard service at Mountain View Cemetery. The obon service begins at the Buddhist Temple of Southern Alberta at 2:30 p.m., with special guest speaker Harry G. Bridge sensei of the Oakland (CA) Buddhist Temple. A supper will follow that service. Rev. Harry G. Bridge Those observing the first obon, following a death in the family since the last obon, will be acknowledged with their hatsubon service. Area cemetery visitations also are scheduled throughout the month: July 7 11 am Brooks Cemetery visitation (ohakamairi and Obon Service at Heritage Inn) July am Magrath Cemetery visitation 11 am Temple Hill Cemetery visitation July 21 1 pm Mountain View Cemetery visitation; 2:30 pm BTSA Obon Service at the temple July 28 1 pm Taber Cemetery visitation & Obon gathering TOBAN UPDATE The delegates of The World Federation of Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha Buddhist Women s Association Representative Meeting met in Calgary June 1st weekend. In preparation for the WBW Convention in 2015, tours were held at the Telus Convention Center, Glenbow Museum as well as a bus tour of Banff and Lake Louise. Contact lorita.ichikawa@gmail.com or Toban Schedule July Toban 3 October Toban 2 August Toban 4 November Toban 3 Sept Toban 1 December Toban 4 Thanks to Toban 2 for the variety of goodies and tea over the month and for overseeing the Annual Picnic fare. HikaritheLight

6 2013 BTSA PICNIC June 16 6 Speaker Series The evening of June 6th, the Temple hosted a well-attended event with speakers on the topic of the "Bhutanese Community in Lethbridge". Sarah Amies from Lethbridge Family Services, Immigrant Services, and Abi Adhikari, a member of the Bhutanese community, shared information regarding the circumstances that forced approximately 100,000 Bhutanese into refugee camps in neighboring Nepal, some living there for nearly 20 years, before they could be resettled around the world in countries including Canada. From 2007 to the present, Canada has committed to taking 6,500 of these refugees, and cities including Lethbridge have established resettlement programs for them. It has become one of Lethbridge's fastest growing ethnic communities with more than 500 in 2012 and hundreds more anticipated to arrive in the coming years. The speakers shared information regarding the Bhutanese culture, the living conditions in the refugee camps, and their resettlement experience in Lethbridge. Also in attendance at the event was Birka Gurung, a Bhutanese Buddhist monk. Bhutan is a Buddhist country however most of the newcomers to Lethbridge are Hindu, who express close ties with Buddhism. We appreciated the opportunity to welcome them to our Temple.

7 THE BUDDHIST TEMPLE OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA children & youth dharma classes Dharma school receives JSBTC grant The JSBTC board on June 20 notified the BTSA Dharma School that the school s proposal for a grant to purchase more than $1,300 of equipment toward furthering Jodo Shinshu education was approved. The proposal requested a 55 to 60-inch high definition televsion (HDTV) for $1,200, and an Apple TV for $109 to enhance the delivery of Buddhist education through multimedia tools. The JSBTC board unanimously approved the application with the provision that projects realized with the tools be shared with other JSBTC temples and the larger Buddhist community. The original request made by Brenda Ikuta who is involved in the Dharma school outlined ways in which these items might be used to engage children in socially-helpful fashion, e.g., allowing them to feel they are a part of a project although they may not be able to attend regularly, comfortably mixing with children of different ages, and providing an outlet for creativity and independence. The new tools also will help in introducing the larger congregation at the temple to access Dharma class activities and to learn from the children through their perspectives of Buddhist ideas. Apple TV is a digital media receiver that will permit students and others to use an HDTV to view photos, play music and watch video originating from limited Internet services or a local network, to quote from the Wikipedia entry on the item. The JSBTC board expressed its appreciation to Brenda for the proposal which it described as a wonderful initiative in support of BTSA s Dharma school. JULY & AUGUST There will be no formal classes during the summer months but the Dharma room will be available to parents and kids during Sunday service and tea. The Dharma class committee will meet to discuss projects for the fall. A tentative date is the last Sunday in August (25th). This will be confirmed closer to the date and an notification will be sent to the Dharma class list. Celine reads a book to the group about mindfulness, the theme for June classes. HikaritheLight

8 15 th WORLD BUDDHIST WOMEN S CONVENTION MONTO SHIKISHO FUNDRAISER We are pleased to announce that a commemorative Monto Shikisho has been created for the 2015 World Buddhist Women s Convention to be hosted in Calgary, AB on May 30-31, As a way to promote and fundraise prior to the Convention, we would like to provide the opportunity for the Canadian Sangha to be able to order this beautifully designed, custom Monto Shikisho - a brocade neck piece worn at services by Jodo Shinshu Buddhists. This Monto Shikisho is $50 each, including taxes, and will be available while quantities last. They are expected to be distributed in the Fall of BTSA MONTO SHIKISHO ORDER FORM PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR ORDER WITH CHEQUE FOR $50 PAYABLE TO BTSA AND WRITE MONTO SHIKISHO ON YOUR CHEQUE Name: Telephone Number: ( ) Address: City Postal Code: Quantity: Total payment enclosed: BTSA will submit orders to JSBTCWF Contact for BTSA is Deanna Jones (403) deanna.jones08@gmail.com

9 Schedule 光 July & August 2013 Monthly Shotsuki Memorial Service 祥月法要 (service in English) Please bring Homyo (Buddhist Name) of your loved one. 法名をご持参ください *July and August Monthly Memorial Service will be held on July 21 (Sun) Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday JULY: TOBAN 3 (Obon service and cemetery visitation in Brooks) (Cemetery visitations in Magrath & Temple Hill) 1pm Mountain View Cemetery Visitation 2:30pm Obon Service (Obon gathering and cemetery visitation in Taber) 6:30pm Bon Odori Dance practice JULY :30pm Bon Odori Dance practice 6:30pm Bon Odori Dance practice 7pm BTSA Board Meeting pm Bon Odori Galt Gardens Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday AUGUST: TOBAN 4 AUG HikaritheLight