Vol. 51, No. 4 April PLUS LUNCHEON. Eternal Peace

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1 Vol. 51, No. 4 April PLUS LUNCHEON Eternal Peace There is no place the Buddha trod that he did not influence. The world is in harmony, and the sun and moon shine brightly. The wind blows and the rain falls when most desirable. No unfortunate events take place. The country prospers and the people are secure. There is no war, virtue is worshipped, charity practiced, and everyone is polite. In the last Bulletin, Mrs. Chiyo Nitta was recognized for having started the 80-Plus Luncheon program that serves a monthly meal to those Temple members who are eighty years of age and older. It was her innovative vision and sustained hard work that have enabled many seniors to enjoy a wonderful yet simple gourmet-style meal for many years. Her menu has become an art form. Today, the luncheon is going stronger than ever and about fifty seniors enjoyed the food last month (February) which was prepared by ten or so volunteers, including Mrs. Nitta. It is with fascination and joy that I am able to witness this great program at our temple and at the same time I am encouraged to see many ladies and men who are much older than eighty years. The eighty-year-olds are called babies, just youngsters in the group. Last month we celebrated the birthdays of four ladies, Mrs. Torako Akutagawa, Mrs. Alice Umeda, Ms. Kiyo Teramaye and Mrs. Dorothy Ikkanda. Mrs. Akutagawa turned 95 this year and she is still going strong, waking up before 6 am and going out for her morning walk and exercising regularly. As I looked around the tables I counted nine or more men and women in their nineties and they are still either driving on their own or car-pooling with others. Each Daimuryojukyo (The Larger Sutra) and every one of them has told me how much they look forward to this event. Just like the old-timers, they are prompt and always ready well before the food is ready to be served. I enjoy our little chit-chat and they are always full of smiles and laughter. In this crowd, I don t know exactly who speaks Japanese or understands English so I end up speaking mostly Japanese when I should be speaking English. I have a strange suspicion that everyone understands English but it is easier for them to speak Japanese. They also attend our regular Sunday services, especially when we have Japanese speakers. They have been coming to the temple for many decades and I feel terrible when I do not deliver my message in Japanese. But they don t seem to mind. Perhaps they have already attained the state of perfection or contentment in their life when they simply appreciate everything they encounter. It is this sense of serenity and naturalness I feel when I am with them. Compared to them I am just a little rat running around trying to find anything in my path, and not enjoying what I found but still looking and chasing things that are still afar. This often reminds me of Takeko Kujo s poem reproduced here: Whether toward a god, a mountain, or to the sun in heaven, there can be no pretension in a heart that bows sincerely. Regardless of the object of reverence, those who can bow in deep emotion with their entire body, are very fortunate. Muyuge, Flower Without Sorrow (continued next page)

2 West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple April 2008 In our temple we have supported each other and enjoyed the many fruits of this temple for about 80 years and we re still trying to fulfill the religious and community needs of our members. We appreciate and need each individual who contributes his or her time and energy for the benefit of all members and I extend my sincere appreciation to all of you for a job well done. Rev. Fumiaki Usuki Photo by Rev. Usuki February Birthday Ladies (l to r): Alice Umeda, Kiyo Teramaye, Torako Akutagawa, and Dorothy Ikkanda. In order to decisively encounter the Buddha s true intentions (his Causal Vow), we must have a seeking heart. Each of us must approach the gate of the teachings ourselves, and enter in ourselves. But how do we approach the gate in order for it to open up for us? There are religions that require you to pray before the gate opens. There are others that require you to fast and perform ascetic rituals before you can enter in. Some religions require sitting in meditation, and yet others require you to repent before you can enter into the gate. How did Shinran Shonin approach the gate? His approach was to use his ears. He entered into the gate of the teaching through hearing. In Japanese, the character to hear is written with the character for ear placed inside the character for gate, thus perfectly symbolizing for us Jodoshinshuists the way to approach the gate of the teachings. Hearing is both the beginning and the end of Jodoshinshu. A follower of Jodoshinshu always SHINSHU CORNER How to Approach the Gate of the Teachings 2 listens diligently, whether at the temple or at home, whether the subject is religious in nature or not, for it is not what is said that is important as what is heard. A wise man can learn even from a fool. The Japanese term used to refer to the way a Jodoshinshuist hears a sermon, is monpo, written with the character for hearing and law or dharma. A Jodoshinshuist who does not hear is a Jodoshinshuist in name only. Although not a Buddhist, Confucius passed a stage where he paid obedience to my ears (mimishitagau). At forty, I was ignorant, he said. At fifty I understood Heaven s will. And when he was sixty, Confucius paid obedience to his ears, before attaining perfection at seventy. This illustrates the humble attitude Confucius had before realizing his goal, and illustrates how important it is to hear. Just what is it that we listen for, and how do we hear it? (The Jodoshinshu Book, The Nembutsu Press)

3 West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple April 2008 Jeff Wilson One time Shoma, an illiterate myokonin who did manual labor for a living, was staying at a Jodo Shinshu temple. The priest had been reading one of the Pure Land Sutras and had a thought, which he expressed out loud, What is the meaning of the phrase Amida s compassion embraces all beings, forsaking none? Shoma jumped up, flung his arms wide, and began speaking in a loud voice. The priest thought Shoma had gone crazy and went running away. Shoma raced after him, close behind. They ran back and forth in the worship hall, the priest s robes flapping like a giant black crow trying to raise itself into the air. Finally the priest ducked down a corridor and hid himself in a closet. Shoma came pounding down the hallway and stopped outside the closet. Priest, I am here! he shouted. Then he threw the closet door open and stood there with his arms outstretched. In a booming voice he said, This is the meaning of the phrase, embracing all beings, forsaking none! The priest laughed and said joyfully, Now I understand. That which never lets me go, despite all my desperate attempts to escape or deny it that is the meaning of embracing all beings and forsaking none. I always loved this story I can just picture the terrified priest running wide-eyed away from the hulking Shoma who chases after him determined to viscerally show how Amida never, ever stops working to bring all beings to awakening. This active nature is a hallmark of Amida in the Shin school of Buddhism. For instance, Shin statues of Amida typically are standing, not sitting in quiet meditation, as if they are ready to spring into action. Furthermore, they lean ever so slightly forward toward the viewer indicating that Amida actually comes to rescue suffering beings by working in their lives rather than waiting passively in the Pure Land for beings that are able to qualify to come to him. In Jodo Shinshu, everyone qualifies for the Pure Land by virtue of being unawakened the only ticket you need for admittance is to not be a Buddha and therefore to be a proper object of infinite, never-ending compassion. 3 There is a Buddha statue in Kyoto that I have always felt best expresses this ideal. It is housed in Eikando, a famous Jodo Shu temple. Eikando is a beautiful temple with graceful stairways and halls. If you climb high enough into the grounds you find a chapel dedicated to Amida. The statue inside is rather unique. Amida is standing and looking backwards over his left shoulder rather than directly facing the viewer. This is the Amida-Who-Looks-Back. To me it wonderfully sums up the intentions of the Pure Land school. For people who aren t able to understand the abstruse doctrines of the Sutras (or, in previous times, weren t able to read at all) this statue has been provided to directly show everyone what Amida s compassion is like. Amida is proceeding toward the Pure Land, but his mind is solely on the beings who need further help to be liberated. He looks back continually, checking to see that we are keeping up and ready to go back again and again to the suffering world until everyone, with no exceptions, is released from pain and awakened to deepest reality. This is a concrete representation of the Sutra teaching that Amida embraces everyone, forsaking none, no matter who they are or what they are like, no matter if they are Buddhist or not, regardless of their good acts or evil deeds. As long as space endures and even after if need be, Amida works tirelessly to help others, no strings attached. And though we may not be able to fully follow this example ourselves, it provides a role model for how we should act toward our fellow beings, with non-discriminating love and compassion. Amida-Who-Looks-Back Statue at Eikando Temple

4 West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple April 2008 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE Vance Nishimoto Hanamatsuri and Hatsumairi Service will be held on April 6 at 9:30 am. Hanamatsuri celebrates the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha. Hatsumairi is a ceremony for presenting a child, born during the past year, to the Buddha and Sangha. So if you know anyone who would like to participate, please have them attend this service. Please notify the Temple Office ahead of time. Eshinni and Kakushinni Memorial Service will be held on April 13 at 9:30 am. This service is held in honor of two very prominent women in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, Shinran Shonin s wife, Eshinni, and daughter, Kakushinni. For April 20, we ve invited the San Fernando Valley Buddhist Temple Sangha to attend our service at 10:00 am. Following service, we will be serving lunch for all those who attend. This is a busy month for the West LA Youth Club as they will be hosting their annual basketball tournament on April Please be aware that our Social Hall will be busy over that weekend. I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. You can call me at (818) , or me at In gassho, wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net Vance Nishimoto, WLABT President SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR ADDED STORAGE Anyone who has seen the inside of our storage building would agree that it is crammed full of stuff. It is hard to get things in and out without having to move a lot of other things around first. And it makes the workshop area inside the building difficult to use. This led to taking a large number of the older folding tables outside and stacking them against the brick wall on the south side of the parking lot. This stack was covered with tarps intended to keep the weather out, forming an unsightly pile. Water seeped in anyway, damaging the tables. Then someone got the idea of buying a shipping container to use as additional storage. One generous donor paid the entire cost of buying a container, modifying it for our needs, and delivering it. See the photo below. The modifications consisted of installing a rollup door on the side, installing vents, and painting it to match the new paint scheme of our buildings. The intention is to store items in the container that are not used often. Much of the stuff we use for Obon falls in this category. The Temple expresses its gratitude to the anonymous donor who made this improvement possible. Photo by Rev. Usuki 4

5 West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple April September 2008, Saturday 9:30am 11 October 2008, Saturday 1:00pm Fall Ohigan Seminar Tri-Temple Seminar West Los Angeles BT Gardena Buddhist Church Venice Buddhist Temple BUDDHIST EDUCATION COMMITTEE By Rip Rense In a way, the Buddhist Education Committee at West L.A. Buddhist Temple is practically new. There was a BEC years ago, said Haru Matsumune, last year s BEC co-chair. They put on two seminars per year, one in Japanese and one in English. Other than that, I don t know much about that incarnation. I don t know if it died away or what. Two events revived the West L.A. BEC: a 2005 general directive to all temples from Buddhist Churches of America Socho Koshin Ogui, encouraging Buddhist education, and the arrival of Rev. Usuki in November, I know Rev. Usuki really believes education is one of the most important aspects of what can go on in a temple, said Haru. The timing (of these events) was kind of a fresh start for the BEC. And more freshness is wanted: If people have new ideas for events, or any suggestions at all, for guest speakers or whatever, they are more than welcome, said committee member Rick Stambul. The BEC currently organizes the fall and spring Ohigan seminars, featuring guest senseis from other temples, the annual open house, and the tritemple seminar with Gardena and Venice - every third year, with the next coming this Oct. 11. The open houses, while introducing newcomers to the temple and its various organizations, have also been useful to longtime members. I think that in the beginning we didn t know what we intended for the open house, said Haru. Some of us envisioned hordes of people coming, and of course that doesn t happen and probably is not realistic. Every year, there have been a few new faces, and afterwards, we have new people helping as a direct result of open house, so I think it has a positive effect. The Thursday afternoon Buddhist Study Group (begun at Rev. Usuki s behest) is not connected with the BEC, but is an important part of Buddhist education at the temple. There has been a steady growth in attendance, with about fifteen regulars. Said Rev. Usuki: I do think that the main criteria for our future success is Buddhist education. We already have many cultural activities and people can do that blindfolded so if we don't attract a new group of members with Buddhist education, we will not be able to fill the gap (caused by the members we will lose through old age in a few years). Buddhist education will have a more positive long term effect, so we should continue to develop programs and offer seminars. The BEC is: Lillian Narumi, Haru Matsumune, Diane Ohkawahira, Rick Stambul, Betty Takahashi, Annie Chuck, Rip Rense. 5

6 West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple April 2008 SNAPSHOTS AT VENICE WLA JOINT SERVICE On Sunday, February 24, the Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple Sangha, led by its resident minister Rev. John Iwohara (left), came to WLA for a joint service. This was the first joint service between these two temples. Venice brought a large group, making this event a successful first joint service. WLA will be reciprocating with a visit to Venice on November 16 (tentative). Lunch was served in the Social Hall after service. The lunch was organized by Diane Ohkawahira with the help of Dharma School parents and BWA ladies. Thanks to them for a tasty, filling lunch. (Photos by Mas Sasaki) 6

7 West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple April 2008 WELCOME NEW MEMBER Ms Gwen Toma INTRODUCING MALCOLM CROSS Malcolm Cross can often be seen with his wife Emillie Cross at our services. Malcolm is from England and Emillie is from the Seattle area and had ties with Seattle Buddhist Church. As our teachings would say, it is wondrous how infinite causes and conditions of the past brought them to WLA. This fortunate event was the cause of another fortunate event for our Temple. At one service, Malcolm overheard discussion about the serious need for more organists and immediately volunteered his services. We learned he is a musician playing in a band, and also teaches music. Although he was not familiar with music played in our Temple, with the help of Kimi Ishii he is quickly getting the hang of it. He has already played the organ for two of our services. He is shown here playing for the Venice-WLA joint service (see page 6). BULLETIN GOES HIGH TECH Starting with this issue, the Bulletin will be delivered by to those who have addresses. There are many benefits of doing this, both for the recipient and the Temple. The major benefits to recipients are: You view the Bulletin in color. Color photos will appear much clearer than the black-and-white photos you see in the paper Bulletins we have been sending you. You receive the Bulletin earlier. Paper Bulletins take up to three weeks to be delivered. Sometimes longer. For this reason, we take paper Bulletins to the Post Office three weeks before the first of the month. For example, this April issue went to the Post Office on March 10. But recipients will receive it around March 10. The benefits to the Temple are: Reducing use of paper and ink Reducing labor of printing, folding, labeling (addresses), and mailing the Bulletin Reducing cost of postage We will undoubtedly have start-up problems and ask for your patience. If you encounter any, please let us know at the Bulletin address: wlabtnews@verizon.net 2009 SOUTHERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE Co-hosts: Venice and West LA Please support this temple endeavor. To prepare, experience the 2008 SD Conference hosted by San Fernando Valley Hongwanji BT. We take this opportunity to recognize our other organists who currently play for our services. They are Kimi Ishii, Atsie Murayama, and Brian Oyama. The Temple is deeply grateful to them for their long continuing service. These three and now Malcolm will take turns playing at services during the year. Third Friday of each month. Come support your Temple. Fri April 18 7:30 pm 7

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9 West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple April 2008 APRIL SHOTSUKI HOYO, 10 a.m., April 5, 2008 Araki, Walter Baba, Hiroichi Dohi, Misao Dote, Yasuo Fuchiwaki, Momoyo Fujimura, Rev. Bunyu Fujita, George Fukumoto, Tomiko Hada, Betty Hara, Ben Hara, Kameichi Hirano, James Hisaoka, Waye Ikemiya, Kitaye Iwasaki, Dorothy Kafka, Robert Sr. Kakuta, Tora Kishi, Zenichi Kitajima, George Kotake, Alan Kotake, Sumio Kubota, Kanji Kurosaki, Kamezo Kuwamoto, Chie Maeda, Toyoshige Masuda, Shizuko Mataga, Asa Matsui, Taro Matsumi, Tai Matsumiya, Dean Mayetani, Gary Mayetani, John Miyata, Tatsuye Morita, Kintaro Mukai, Akira Mukai, Isao Mukai, Itsuo Mukai, Mitsuye Nakagawa, Tadashi Nakamura, Emiko Nakamura, Kenzo Nakasako, George Nakawatase, Hidemi Nakawatase, Moyo Nishida, Hirokichi Nishimoto, Hideo Nishimoto, Yahichi Ohigashi, Sensuke Onami, Saichi Pierce, Robert Sakoda, Carl Sera, Mikio Sera, Tokiye Shintaku, Hisaye Shirai, Yanokichi Suzuki, Tatsuo Takahashi, George Takeda, Kumazo Takeda, Tsutomu Takemoto, Kinuko Tanaka, Fusa Tanigawa, Hasu Tashima, Yachiyo Terada, Chiyo Terada, Fujio Tomita, Carol Toya, Aki Toyama, Shigemi Uchida, Harry Yamaguchi, Chiye Yamaguchi, Peter Yasui, Miyeko Yugawa, Harry CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF: KATHERINE KIMIYE YAGURA November 30, 1918 February 18, 2008 TOSHIO IWASAKI April 9, 1928 February 20, 2008 DAN NAKASHIMA July 3, 1956 February 24, 2008 Namo Amida Butsu, Namo Amida Butsu, Namo Amida Butsu 9

10 West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple April 2008 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday pm Study Class (E) am Shotsuki Hoyo 7:30 pm Taiko 6 9:30 am Hanamatsuri and Hatsumairi Svc 11 am-12:30 pm Yakisoba fundraiser 12 noon BWA mtg 7 7:30 pm Temple Board mtg 8 10:30 am SD Ministers mtg at Betsuin 9 7:30 pm B-Men mtg 10 1 pm Study Class (E) 7:30 pm Taiko :30 am Eshinni-ko and Kakushinni-ko Memorial Service Rev. K. Terada (J) Rev. F. Usuki (E) pm Study Class (E) 7:30 pm Taiko 18 7:30 pm Bingo am Service SFVHBT visits WLA Lunch after service pm Study Class (E) :30 pm Asoka mtg 7:30 pm Taiko 27 9:30 am Service/ Study Class (E) noon 80 Plus Lunch Bulletin folding toban: Asoka Fujinkai Office hours: 10 am - 4 pm Phone: westlabt@verizon.net Website: 11

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12 WEST LOS ANGELES BUDDHIST TEMPLE 2003 Corinth Avenue Los Angeles, CA Return Service Requested Non-Profit Org. U. S. Postage PAID Los Angeles, CA Permit No APRIL 2008 SPECIAL SERVICES (See April calendar page for schedules of regular services) Sunday, Apr 6, 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Apr 13, 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Apr 20, 10:00 a.m. Hanamatsuri & Hatsumairi Service 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. YBA Yakisoba fundraiser Eshinni-ko & Kakushinni-ko Memorial Service Guest Speaker (J): Rev. Koju Terada San Fernando Valley Buddhist Temple visits WLA Buddhist Temple Lunch after Service