the Padma BERKELEY BUDDHIST TEMPLE Our Vision A Community Where Our Spiritual Life And True Self Can Be Realized

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1 the Padma November 2018 BERKELEY BUDDHIST TEMPLE Web Edition Our Vision A Community Where Our Spiritual Life And True Self Can Be Realized Our Mission To Live A Life Of Joy In The Nembutsu And Share The Dharma With Others

2 November 2018 t h e P a d m a BERKELEY BUDDHIST TEMPLE SUN MON For temple matters, please contact the temple office. phone: (510) web: berkeleysangha.org info@berkeleysangha.org facebook: facebook.com/berkeleybuddhisttemple 2121 CHANNING WAY, BERKELEY, CA Web Edition TUE WED THU FRI SAT BBT Book Club 8:30 am Chanting Service 9:30 am Shotsuki Hoyo Svc Berkeley JACL Mtg Gagaku Practice 6:30pm 10am 11 8:30 am Chanting Service 9:30 am Ho-on-ko Service Officiant Anan Hatanaka Guest Speaker Sensei Brian Nagata 18 8:30 am Chanting Service 9:30 am Dharma Family Svc Padma articles due Temple Bd Mtg 7:30pm Padma Newsletter Transgender Day of Remembrance 6pm :30 am Chanting Service 9:30 am Dharma Family Svc Gagaku Practice 6:30pm 30

3 On the cover Buddhist Global Relief Walk to Feed the Hungry Inside November Calendar... 2 Future Dates to Remember... 3 Do You Have Devil s Horns, Rev. Kuwahara... 4 President s Message... 5 Shotsuki Hoyo... 6 Right Speech and Political, Diane Ames... 7 Commemorative Services... 8 Allegiance... 8 Ho-On-Ko... 9 Dharma School...10 Rainbow Buddhist Panel...11 Walk to Feed the Hungry...12 Tri Temple Dharmanar...13 Pledge...14 Toban...14 Bazaar Annual Gift...15 Board Minutes...17 NCRR: The Grassroots th International Taiko Fest..21 FUTURE DATES TO REMEMBER November 1: BBT Book Club November 4: DFS & Shotsuki Hoyo November 11: DFS; Ho-on-ko service Officiant: Rev. Anan Hatanaka Guest Speaker: Sensei Brian Nagata November 20: Transgender Day of Remembrance service December 2: DFS & Shotsuki Hoyo December 9: Bodhi Day service December 16: Temple Clean-up December 31: Joya-e (Year End) service Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchases to Berkeley Buddhist Temple whenever you shop on Amazon Smile. Padma Staff: Rev. Kuwahara, Gene & Vicki Chin, Pauline Fong, Lucy Hamai, Jon Kawamoto, Emi Matsunaga, Yuki Otake, Scott Takeda, Edythe Vassall

4 Do you have devil s horns on your head? I am writing this message on October 15. On Saturday, October 20, we will have a Halloween party at the Berkeley Buddhist Temple. I deeply appreciate the great efforts of Dharma School teachers and parents who work so hard to organize this party. As a lazy father, I usually don t wear a costume but enjoy watching my boys and other people in costumes. But I will get something and disguise myself this year. You see a picture of an old man with a gentle face. You also see horns on his head. He is not disguising himself for a Halloween party, but this is the true reality of himself that I found with the teaching of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. The name of this old man is Saichi Asahara, a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist lived in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. He deeply listened to the teaching and really appreciated the guidance. The guidance that he found in the teaching of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism was not to merely become a good person as many other religions teach, but to truly know who we are or how we are living our everyday life. We carry greed, anger and stupidity, which are called Three Poisons in Buddhism. Many of us also have strong ego, attachment, prejudice and so forth. Because of them, it is not easy to see myself as it is or things around us as they are. Since we live our everyday life under the influence of them, we suffer ourselves or trouble others. In the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist tradition, we take refuge in Amida Buddha, who is often described with the word Light. This is because Amida Buddha s Light allows us to see ourselves and things around us more clearly or correctly. Because of his deep appreciation of the teaching, Saichi became famous. One day, a painter made a portrait of Saichi. After this painter finished the portrait, Saich asked him, Can you please add horns to my head? It s not me without horns. Based on this episode, the statue in the picture was built in his hometown. What he found in the Light of Amida Buddha was not a pious and good Buddhist. As he listened to the teaching, he realized the abyss of his nature. He realized he was living a life like a demon or devil, driven by his own greed, anger and stupidity. When I humbly and honestly reflect upon my everyday life, I don t disagree with him. The Light of Amida Buddha, however, does not just show the reality of our lives and depress us, but it also provides us with the guidance for the betterment. As a patient first acknowledges the cause of disease and then works on treatment with his/her doctor, we first need to truly and humbly realize how we live our everyday life with Buddha s diagnosis. With such realization, we can seriously take an effective treatment under the guidance of Buddha. This is how Jodo Shinshu Buddhism practically changes our lives. I know it is easy to find those horns on the head of your spouse, siblings, friends and especially those whom you don t like or hate. But it is important in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism to find them on our heads. In gassho (with palms together), Rev. Kiyonobu Kuwahara

5 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE During the month of October, the temple held its annual Eitaikyo service. The Eitaikyo memorial service is a special time in which we remember and honor all of our loved ones who passed away before us and the many ways in which they have helped shape our lives. During the Eitaikyo service, the temple also held a special ceremony (Keiro Kai) to express our gratitude to all of our senior members for their countless contributions to the temple and to the community. During the Keiro Kai portion of Sunday s service we had the honor of recognizing 20 of the temple s most respected senior members (unfortunately not all of our honorees were able to attend the service). As the names of the honorees were announced, my heart filled with a deep sense of appreciation towards each and every one of them. In my mind, I was trying to picture the countless sacrifices each of these individuals must have endured to make our temple what it is today. I can only hope that each of our senior members realize that their selfless actions of the past and present help make it possible for future generations, like our Dharma School students, to have a safe space to gather and experience the Dharma. I thought that it was fitting for our Dharma School students to present the gifts to our honorees. It gave the students, and all of us, the opportunity to formally recognize and thank our senior members for paving the way to what we currently enjoy today: our temple and the Dharma. The combined Eitaikyo/Keiro Kai service provided me, and perhaps you as well, with the muchneeded opportunity to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of life and realize how truly interconnected we are. I am always eternally grateful to all of our current members for all of their contributions to the temple, but often times get so stuck in the day to day activities of running the temple that I carelessly take forget to acknowledge the numerous contributions made by past generations. Without them, we would not be where we are today. As one of the many leaders of this temple, we all have the difficult task of ensuring the future success of the organization, but at the same time ensuring that we honor and maintain the original intent/purpose set forth by our founding pioneers and elder members. As we move forward as an organization, year by year, things at the temple will definitely change. We are trying to increase our presence in the community and embrace the use of technology to attract and engage individuals beyond the four walls of our temple. In my mind, we have an obligation to try our hardest to make our temple and our resources at hand more accessible to others. Doing so allows more individuals the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the hard work set forth by our elders. I am truly grateful for your past and present contributions to the temple. My hope is to do everything that we can to keep the dreams and aspirations of our founding members alive at the temple for many generations to come. Gassho, Bradley

6 COMBINED DHARMA FAMILY SERVICE & SHOTSUKI MEMORIAL SERVICE November 4, :30 am The following persons will be remembered during the Shōtsuki Memorial Service for November. Yoshiko Adachi Heidi A. Boley Isamu Doi Denise Tami Fong Nancy Louie Fujikawa Shizuko Fukada Chie Fukunaga Sumie Gluck Ayako Hino Chiyo Hirose Eddie K. Hitomi Rae Imamura Haruko Inadomi Isao Ishikawa George Ishino Sunae Ishino Mary Iyama Seiichi Kami Sumiko Kawaguchi Shizuko Kawakami Hatsuye Konishi Fusayo Kono Fujino Kosakura Ayako Kurakazu Tetsuo Kurihara Nicole Lavigne Waiko Lindquist Haruno Marutani Sumie Matsubara Rebecca J. Mayeno Masakazu Miyamoto Misuko Miyamoto Sadie H. Mizusaki George Morishige Hayao Nakagawa Shigeru Oki Shizuko Oki Harry K. Okino Uhachi Okubo Mary H. Ota Tadahiro S. Sameshima Joseph Sasaki Kunikazu Sasaki Joe Shimada Yasue Shimada Kayo Shinoda Kiyoaki Shinoda Shunji Shinoda Kazuyoshi Sumisaki Wayne T. Sumisaki Kazue Takahashi Toshie Takahashi Yoshikazu Takahashi Ben Takao Chizuko Mae Tanaka Yukiye Terazawa Frank Masaru Tokirio Chio Tominaga Mitsuo M. Tominaga Aileen A. Tsukada Kizo Umawatari Fumiye Uyeshima Milton S.Wakayama Ben T.Wakaye Nellie Wralstad Tosao Yamada Miyeko Yoshimura Nobuo Yoshimura Note: If there are any additions, corrections or deletions to the above list, please notify the Berkeley Buddhist Temple at

7 Right Speech and Political Arguments: Can They Co exist? By Diane Ames If you were ever on a college debating team, you were taught detailed rules about how to conduct civil, logical discourse. You also must have quickly noticed that those rules have little or nothing to do with how arguments, especially political arguments, are conducted in the real world. A few examples: Argument by decibels: If you raise your voice enough, your opponent will be either be intimidated into silence or be unable to be heard, which means you win, in your own eyes at least. Caveat: This tactic is best avoided if you re in a bar full of drunks. Argument by sheer emotion: A sufficiently dramatic display of rage, shock, grief, or all three at what the opponent is saying generally shuts him or her up, especially if the opponent is a relative. It has also been known to persuade politicians to reconsider their positions or, more often, flee the room. But again, this move is not advisable in a bar. The move for summary dismissal: After Uncle Joe has been bellowing out his rather extreme political views all during Thanksgiving dinner, you express disagreement. The family takes you aside and choruses, Why must you argue with Uncle Joe? Do you want to spoil Thanksgiving? Argument by non sequitur: In the middle of an argument about the midterm elections, you declare in a firm voice, Well, my grandmother used to say to me, A stitch in time saves nine! Do you have any answer to that? Since your opponent probably doesn t, you will walk away victorious. Argument by facts: Worth a try but rarely effectual, as your opponent will probably either not believe or put an entirely different interpretation on any facts you adduce. So how are we to conduct the political dialogue that is vital for a democracy? Perhaps we need to remember the Buddha s advice about right speech: remember who you re talking to and whether there s a constructive reason for your speech. So if a political discussion with Uncle Joe will only generate hot air, maybe it s best foregone (unless Uncle Joe is uttering hate speech; in that case, check the exits and set an example by standing up for human brotherhood in, let s hope, a brave and civilized manner). If you are trying to communicate with someone with different but not fanatical political beliefs, you are advised to listen respectfully and try to Find Common Ground. For instance, don t mention climate change; say, I m sorry that the rising ocean floods your house at every high tide. What do you think should be done about the situation? This has been known to lead to a constructive discussion of whether the community should build a seawall or move inland, even if the homeowner is an oil rig worker who bristles at the words man made climate change. Try to understand that he needs his wages, especially now that he can t sell his house. Compassion and patience are essential here.

8 HO-ON-KO SERVICE November 11, :30 am Officiant Rev. Anan Hatanaka Hongwanji Office Guest Speaker Sensei Brian Nagata English Editor of the Wheel of Dharma Member Buddhist Church of Oakland Coffee social following service Allegiance The Berkeley Buddhist Temple goes to the theater -- and the Sangha members have a great time! Approximately 35 Sangha members, family, friends and supporters went to the Sunday matinee on Oct. 7 of "Allegiance - A New Musical" at the Contra Costa Civic Theatre in El Cerrito. And the reaction has been quick and universal: "Allegiance" was a moving, emotional event -- much more than a show -- based on the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. The show was stunning, brilliant, breathtaking. This was no ordinary production. This was an excellent professional show from beginning to end -- with flawless acting, singing and dancing. The live music was a treat, too. At times, it seemed like the real thing -- not a show -- because the acting was that great. And it was a treat to meet with some of the cast members after the show -- who were clearly moved by the comments. Vinh Nguyen, the actor who played the young male lead of Sam Kimura, said the Sunday's audience was great. If you haven't gotten your "Allegiance" fix, the "Allegiance" movie will be screened for a single night -- at 7: 30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11 at the Bay Street. Here's the link: Tickets to see the movie are priced at $15 each and can be purchased now!

9 Tel: (510) Web: berkeleysangha.org Berkeley Buddhist Temple 2121 Channing Way Berkeley, CA Dear Members and Friends of the Temple, October 15, 2018 The Fall season is upon us and we hope you are enjoying the brisk weather and changing leaves. On November 11, 2018 the Berkeley Buddhist Temple will be observing HO-ON- KO (Feast of Thanksgiving and Gratitude) commemorating the attainment of Nirvana by Shinran Shonin who handed down to us the teachings of the Buddha. For this year s service we are fortunate to have Rev. Anan Hatanaka from the Hongwanji Office as officiant and, as guest speaker, Sensei Brian Nagata, English Editor of the Wheel of Dharma and member of the Buddhist Temple of Oakland. We hope you will attend the HO-ON-KO family service on November 11, 2018 at 9:30 AM. A coffee social will follow the service. The Temple would appreciate your special donation for HO-ON-KO. An envelope is attached for your convenience. In gassho, Berkeley Buddhist Temple

10 Dharma School by Stacy Uyeda Sunday, Nov. 4: Regular Dharma School classes Sunday, Nov. 11: Regular Dharma School classes Sunday, Nov. 18: Regular Dharma School classes Sunday, Nov. 25: School-wide Bodhi Day rehearsal Fall activities

11 Rainbow Buddhist Panel I am grateful to have participated in Berkeley Buddhist Temple s first Rainbow Buddhist Panel on September 16th, featuring LGBT Buddhists from Jodo Shinshu and Soto Zen traditions, and moderated by my fellow minister s assistant, CJ Dunford. The panel was organized by Dunford, who invited IBS classmates to speak on how our LGBT identities intersect with our understanding of our respective Buddhist traditions. For all of us, the Dharma helped and continues to help us better understand ourselves due to the radical acceptance and healing affirmation that BBT info booth at Oakland Pride, Sep 9 Thank you to volunteers David and Emily Ushijima, Bradley Menda, CJ Dunford, Tara Umemoto and Akiko Rogers. counters the harms perpetuated by the cultures we live in. It can take the form of a space that is non-judgmental and a community that works towards eliminating false dichotomies of normal vs abnormal that can lead to discrimination and hate. It can take the form of Amida Buddha s nondiscriminating Vow that seeks to bring all beings to attain birth in the Pure Land, just as we all are. That understanding affirms our existence as accepted as we are in the face of prevailing cultures that are anti- LGBT and tell us that we are abnormal or wrong or deserving of the hate we receive. It can take the form of Buddhist precepts that do not place moral judgment on our choice of partners as sexual misconduct but reaffirms that there is no inherent misconduct in having a partner of the same gender because misconduct refers to using sex to cause harm to another. Again, a counter to a social narrative that at times proclaims same-gender relationships as sinful or morally wrong. At other times the Dharma helps us put things into perspective, that we all have our faults, our delusions, our ignorance, and while it doesn t ease the harm caused by the ignorance in others, our teachings can help us be kinder and find ways to speak up to address the ignorance so that others might not be harmed the way we have been, to ease the suffering of others. Through experiencing the Dharma in our various ways, we experience compassion and wisdom, we can see ourselves and accept ourselves for who we are. In turn, we can share that with others, bringing us closer together. Narratives are a powerful way of connecting with each other and breaking down the walls we put up to establish ourselves as different and separate from each other, to see others as beings like ourselves and that we are not separate but deeply interconnected. It filled me with great joy and gratitude at hearing from many in our sangha who appreciated the panel and how it brought to light issues they hadn t considered before and so they are more eager to learn even more to help make Berkeley Buddhist Temple even more of an inclusive space for all people. Our next LGBT event will be early next year and focus on family reconciliation, the stories of parents and LGBT children and young adults. In gassho, Akiko Rogers

12 Walk to Feed the Hungry On Saturday, October 6th, Berkeley Buddhist Temple members volunteered for the Walk to Feed the Hungry, to support Buddhist Global Relief s many outreach programs that work towards providing food stability as well as education and empowerment for girls, women, and those who suffer from hunger here in the United States and across the world. BBT was the midway point for the 2+ mile walk between Dharma College and Empty Gate Zen Center, and as such, we hosted around 60 walkers from various Buddhist groups including: BCSF, San Mateo Buddhist Temple, City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, Spirit Rock, and others. During their stop at BBT, there were talks from Corina, the coordinator for this year s Bay Area Walk, a representative from one the projects that receives Buddhist Global Relief s financial support in Haiti, and a representative from the Alameda County Food Bank. As part of Walk to Feed the Hungry s mission, 10% of the over $9,000 raised from this year s walk goes to a local organization, and this year it is Alameda County Food Bank. Fall Ohigan A packed crowd of Sangha members attended the Berkeley Buddhist Temple's Fall Ohigan service Sunday, September 23. They welcomed the return of Rev. Kiyonobu Kuwahara -- who spent the previous two Sundays in Southern California! After the service, everyone -- Sangha members, friends, supporters and visitors -- enjoyed a delicious potluck prepared by the Sangha members. ACFB provides food to one in fivepeople throughout the county who face food insecurity, two-thirds of which are children and seniors. Through the donation, ACFB will be able to turn every dollar donated into $7 worth of food. It was great to be able to hear about how much work is able to be done through the fundraising efforts of Buddhist Global Relief to try to end world hunger and ease the suffering of so many, both globally and locally. Minister s assistant CJ Dunford also led the group in chanting the Sambujo and afterwards BBT volunteers provided refreshments and light snacks to fuel the walkers on the second half of their journey. Many of the extra snacks were also taken by the walkers to give to the hungry they met along the way.

13 Fall 2018 East Bay Tri-Temple Dharmanar The Three Poisons in the World & in Myself Featuring Rev. Dennis Fujimoto, Rev. Harry Bridge, and Rev. Kiyonobu Kuwahara Saturday, September 22 Berkeley Buddhist Temple Address: 2121 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA Tel: Saturday, October 20 Buddhist Temple of Alameda Address: 2325 Pacific Avenue, Alameda, CA Tel: Saturday, November 17 Buddhist Church of Oakland Address: 825 Jackson Street, Oakland, CA Tel: All sessions from 2:00-4:00 PM For more information

14 2018 Membership Pledges Sept/Oct The temple would like to gratefully acknowledge the following members for their generous contributions: Jenna Flamenco, Akio & Chiyoko Fujinaga, Jim Furuichi, Al & Susan Gabriel, Tomoko Hamamoto, Ritsuko Ide, Dean Ito-Taylor & Lori Suzuki, Albert Kutchins & Mari Mayeda, Ryan Matsuda, Art Mayeno, Takashi & Millie Nikaidoh, Landon Yamaoka, Marrie Yamashita, Dennis & Kathleen Yee Thank you all for your generosity and continuing support! Some pledges sent in during this time may not have been processed by the Padma deadline and will be published in subsequent issues. If you have any questions, please contact Mimi Kagehiro. Welcome to our newest members! We re so fortunate to have these two young men join our sangha. Ryan Matsuda grew up in Maui at his home temple the Wailuku Hongwanji Mission. You may have met him at temple or the A s game outing or recently at the CCCT s performance of Allegiance. He s jumped right into temple activities and we are so happy to have him join us. Landon Yamaoka is a product of the Palo Alto Buddhist Church and Dharma School!! He is now living here in Berkeley and studying at IBS to become a minister and is very active in many aspects of the JSC. You may have seen him at our temple or bazaar helping out as he often does. Please introduce yourselves to Ryan and Landon if you have a chance! TOBAN Coordinators Lena Yin & Pat Takeda NOVEMBER TOBAN Chairperson Vicki Chin Cochairs Gary Oda Irene Wells Toban Gene & Vicki Chin Alfred & Arline Chinn Suzanne Furuya Albert & Mari Mayeda Kutchins Annette Lys* Amiko Mayeno Art Mayeno* Judy Nakaso Gary Oda Mae Takeda* Yosh & Julia Tokiwa* (WA) Dennis & Alberta Tsuchida (NY) Russell & Irene Wells DECEMBER TOBAN Chairperson Pat Takeda Cochairs Carol Akiyama Christina Iwasaki Toban Bob & Carol Akiyama Dorothy Ariyoshi* Georgia Daikai* Craig & Linda Griffin Aiko Kurokawa Amy Kuwada* David & Christina Iwasaki Lyon James Nakabayashi* Dennis Sakurai Harold & June Sano* Pat Takeda Sandra Takeda Scott Takeda Opal Wakayama* Marrie Yamashita* * Denotes disabled and/or elderly Toban duties optional

15 BBT Bazaar Annual Gift Committee (BAGC) This year, in an effort to support the community at large, the Berkeley Buddhist Temple donated a portion of the proceeds from the Satsuki Bazaar to a non-profit organization. The 2018 recipient for the BBT Bazaar Annual Gift was Easy Does It (EDI), located in Berkeley, California. EDI provides attendant care, accessible transportation to citizens living in Berkeley, wheelchair repair, and assistive device repair for seniors and people with disabilities. Founded in 1994 by a group of people with disabilities and advocates for people with disabilities, the primary goal was to create an emergency backup system for times when people were left without attendant support. A safety net helps provide local citizens with a level of confidence and security that will dramatically improve their quality of life. EDI employs over 30 highly trained attendants, drivers, technicians, and dispatchers. In 1998, the citizens of Berkeley passed Measure E, a ballot initiative which established a provision for services to assist people with disabilities. The Bazaaar Annual Gift Committee (BAGC) was formed to help designate each year s recipient. We would very much appreciate hearing from you regarding a deserving non-profit organization. To qualify, the non-profits should preferably serve the Berkeley area. Please help us by submitting the name of a potential recipient that you feel deserves consideration. Fill out the form below and return to Yukiko Otake, 2121 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA or to info@berkeleysangha.org Deadline for submissions is December 2, 2018 Please note that all nominations are subject to approval by the Berkeley Buddhist Temple Board of Directors. Thank you for your assistance. BAG Committee: Mimi Kagehiro, Pat H-N, Wayne Sugihara, Jr. YBA, and Yukiko Otake ************************************************************************************ PAST RECIPIENTS 2018 Easy Does It 2017 Bay Area Rescue Mission 2016 Maya s Music Therapy Fund 2015 Asian American Donor Program 2014 Women s Daytime Drop In Center (WDDC) 2013 Friend s of Disabled Children, Inc Alzheimer s Services of The East Bay 2011 Berkeley Food and Housing 2010 J-Sei 2009 Niroga Institute, George Mark Children s House 2008 Asian Neighorhood Design, East Bay Asian Youth Center 2007 North Berkeley Nikkei Senior Center, YEAH (Youth Emergency Assistance Hostel) 2006 Jodo Shinshu Center 2005 Sakura Kai, WestCoast Children s Center 2004 Japanese American Services of the East Bay (JASEB), Crisis Support Services of Alameda 2003 Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach, Buddhist Peace Fellowship (Prison Chaplainry) 2002 The Women s Refuge, Asian Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS) 2001 Spanish Citizen s Foundation, Orth County Women s Center

16 Guidelines for Bazaar Annual Gift (BAG) 1) Gift recipient must be a non-profit organization. 2) Preferably, the gift recipient will serve the Berkeley area. 3) Temple members and Jr. YBA will be asked to submit names of potential recipients. 4) Committee members will review all potential recipients and select recipients based on merit. 5) BAG Committee will recommend the recipients and the amount of the donations, but recommendations will be subject to temple board approval. We would like to know the following information: 1) Name of the non-profit organization: 2) What they do/whom they serve: 3) Organization address: 4) Organization phone number or address: 5) Why you would like to see them receive our donation: 6) Your name Phone number

17 BERKELEY BUDDHIST TEMPLE Board of Directors Meeting September 11, 2018 Attendance: Rev. Kuwahara, Bradley Menda, Judy Fujimoto, Patty Fujiwara, Lucy Hamai, Ron Hiraga, Emiko Katsumoto, Kiyoshi Katsumoto, Judy Kono, Emi Nakao, Takashi Nikaidoh, Art Nishimoto, Gary Oda, Karen Sugiyama, Tara Umemoto, Edythe Vassall, Lena Yin. Proxies: Takashi Nikaidoh for Millie Nikaidoh. Bradley Menda called the meeting to order at 7:35 PM with opening Gassho led by Rev. Kuwahara. ONLINE VOTES (since last meeting): None PREVIOUS MONTH S MEETING MINUTES: The minutes for the August meeting were reviewed. A typo was noted and corrected. The corrected minutes were approved. MSC J. Kono / L. Hamai MINISTER'S REPORT: Rev. Kuwahara presented his report for the period from August 15, 2018 September 11, Services, Meetings & Other Activities 8/18 Mr. Hayato Okimoto Private Funeral Service (BBT, officiated by Rev. C. Shibata) 8/20 24 Paper presentation at 19th European Shin Buddhist Conference (Southampton, UK) 8/22 Visiting Chomon House (Southampton, UK) 8/26 Visiting Three Wheels (London, UK) 8/29 Mr. Hayato Okimoto 49th Day Memorial Service (Okimoto s House) 9/1 Kiyoshi & Emiko Katsumoto s 50th Anniversary Party (Berkley County Club) 9/5 Book Club (BBT) 9/6 Kyoshi Training Workshop (JSC) 9/7 11 Coordinating Tomoshie Shadowgraph at LA Betsuin (LA Betsuin) Memorial Announcements 9/19 Mrs. Ai Hamamoto s 53rd Memorial Service (Hamamoto s House) 9/19 Mr. Kiyoaki Hamamoto s 7th Memorial Service (Hamamoto s House) 9/29 Mrs. Hazel Nakabayashi 1st Memorial Service (BBT) Upcoming Events & Activities 9/12 Tomoshie Shadowgraph at San Mateo Buddhist Temple 9/14 College Welcome Dinner (BBT) 9/15 Speaker for Los Angeles Betsuin Fall Ohigan Seminar (LA Betsuin) 9/16 Speaker for Los Angeles Betsuin Fall Ohigan Service (LA Betsuin) 9/22 East Bay Tri Temple Dharmanar at Berkeley Buddhist Temple. Support for this event will be requested from the July and August Toban groups. 9/25 27 Minister s Continuing Education Fall Session (JSC) 10/2 Book Club (BBT) 10/4 6 Speaker for Minister s Assistant Program Fall Session (Ekoji, Virginia) Item for Consideration None TREASURER'S REPORT: Takashi Nikaidoh presented the Treasurer s income/expense report for the period from 1/1/2018 8/31/2018 and the itemized categories report for August He reported that the rest of the bazaar proceeds were moved to the operating account, and that the net proceeds were larger than budgeted. Both YTD income and expenses compare favorably to budget numbers. Takashi also reported that upon further analysis, it was not beneficial to change our copier service plan. CORRESPONDENCE: Bradley Menda reported the following correspondence received: New Dana program flyers and accompanying letter from the JDC. AFFILIATED ORGANIZATION REPORTS: J SEI: A report of upcoming events was received. Friday, September 14 Japanese Movie Night third movie Miyamoto Musashi series 5:00pm potluck; 6:00pm (movie); after film discussion. RSVP by calling (510) July 16 September 14 Transformation of Artists Paintings by Wen Hsien Wu Sculptures by BBT member Michael Yoji Nagamoto Gallery hours: M,F 3 5pm; Tu,W,Th 2 5pm At the J Sei Family Day, Takashi was given informational brochures to share with the Sangha, and was advised of the upcoming exhibit, Contested History. DHARMA SCHOOL: Judy Kono reported that the new Dharma School year had started and that the team building exercise to plan new booths for the bazaar was quite successful. She thanked Rev. Kuwahara for providing a welcome video. Emi Nakao suggested that the first service of the Dharma School year should have a greater focus on the kids. JR. YBA: Takashi reported that three members attended the volleyball mixer in Fresno. He also reported that Jr. YBA members sold over 130 servings of shave ice at the J Sei Family Festival on September 9 th. Leftover shave ice supplies will be made available for temple use. They will also give an orei to J Sei.

18 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS: RELIGIOUS COMMITTEE: Edythe submitted the temple schedule for the remainder of 2018 and for the first quarter of She also reported a change in her address. There were some updates to the chairperson schedule. Patty Fujiwara will chair the 9/23 service. A high school student will fill the 9/30 slot, and Bradley Menda will chair on 10/7. On Saturday, 10/6, the BBT will be one of the hosts of the Buddhist Global Relief Walk to Feed the Hungry. A group of approximately 60 walkers will stop at the Temple between 2:00 3:00 PM for a short talk by Rev. Kuwahara and some light refreshments. Emiko Katsumoto, Edythe Vassall and Judy Kono offered their help. Lucy Hamai suggested that the Spring 2019 Ohigan service be moved from March 24 th to March 17 th. The 17 th is the customary day for this service. This change would remove any premises conflict with the TechnoBuddha conference scheduled for the 3/23 24 weekend. Rev. Kuwahara will take this under consideration. PLEDGE/MEMBERSHIP: No report submitted. BUILDING AND GARDEN MAINTENANCE: The following maintenance activities were discussed: Kiyoshi Katsumoto submitted the invoice for the work recently completed by Milrand Builders. The cost exceeded the budgeted amount due to extensive dry rot found in both the vertical post and the beam it supported. A motion was made, seconded and approved to pay the additional amount. MSC K. Katsumoto / E. Nakao Milrand Builders also inspected the tar and gravel roof and recommended that it be repaired in the near future. Kiyoshi Katsumoto submitted the estimate from Milrand Builders for widening the door to the Fulton St. property basement. This estimate also includes pouring a new concrete apron between the parking area and the basement entrance. A motion was made, seconded and approved to accept this estimate. MSC K. Katsumoto / L. Hamai Kiyoshi also reported that Mehdi (Milrand Builders) fixed the lights above the onaijin. The transformer was bad. He suggested that if and when the lights fail again, they should be replaced by LED track lights. Emiko Katsumoto reported that there was a large black spot of one of the newly cleaned pew cushions. Emiko also reported that they will be meeting with Dennis Makishima about the cherry tree in the courtyard. Gary Oda reported that he will have the garden maintenance crew trim the wisteria by the back door of the social hall. APARTMENTS: Ron Hiraga submitted the apartment report for September Both properties are fully rented. COMMUNITY OUTREACH: Tara Umemoto gave her monthly report. September: September 9th (Sunday): Oakland PRIDE o We had a table with information and flyers about our upcoming events. Tara reported that many people picked up flyers and people stopped to talk. o Thank you everyone who came to help out! September 14th (Friday): College Welcome Dinner people are expected. o Time: 6:00 PM o Schedule: Dharma message/service, ice breaker, dinner, jeopardy o Publicity: NSU, Buddhist Community at Berkeley, JACL, Bay district presidents, CYBA, IBS o Thank you for signing up to volunteer and bring baked goods! September 16th (Sunday): LGBTQ panel in lieu of Adult dharma talk o What: Discussion about LGBTQ+ experience and how that intersects with Buddhism and other identities. Asking for a Pacific Center Resource table after panel. Will give gifts/orei for panelists/lay speakers. o Publicity: NSU, Buddhist Community at Berkeley, JACL, Bay district presidents, CYBA, IBS October: October 6th (Saturday): Walk to Feed the Hungry with Buddhist Global Relief o Need: Volunteers to help day of, people to bring snacks/refreshments o What: Rev. Kuwahara will speak about temple. CJ will coordinate a group to walk. o Possibly see if they can make a stop at the JSC. October TBD: Senior Bingo o Time: 12:00 PM o Schedule: Bingo and lunch o Publicity: Padma and announcements at the temple o Need: volunteers, food and bingo prizes November: November 20th (Tuesday): Transgender Day of Remembrance Service This service was held previously at the IBS dorm. The temple hondo will offer a larger venue. It was agreed that this event could be added to the temple calendar. CJ will be asked whether refreshments should be provided. o Time: 6:00 PM o What: Service and a speaker organized by CJ. o Publicity: NSU, Buddhist Community at Berkeley, JACL, Bay district presidents, CYBA, IBS December: Movie night / Game night Professional Clothing drive for California Youth Connections In the works: Rainbow Dharma Meet up

19 Caregiver Support Group Sunday afternoon college service they join for tea time and then there is a second service after tea time OTHER COMMITTEES: Membership Committee This committee will meet at 11:30 on Sunday, October 28 th. Student Financial Aid This committee meeting is TBD. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 2018 Temple Picnic Last month Bradley Menda reported that Lena Yin was willing to coordinate this event. June 9 th was suggested for an end of school year picnic as it is the last day of Dharma School. It was also recommended that the talks by the graduating senior be given on Parents Day. Gary Oda will try to reserve a spot at Crown Beach in Alameda. NEW BUSINESS A. Temple Office Volunteer Schedule The volunteer schedule had already been worked out. B. Additional Items a. Kiyoshi requested assistance with using FileMaker to produce the monthly Shotsuki letters. He is assuming this responsibility from Denise Lapidus. Karen Sugiyama and Rev. Kuwahara will help. This may be integrated into the responsibilities of the membership committee. b. Emiko Katsumoto asked about the Bazaar Strategic Planning meeting scheduled for 9/30. Bradley will poll the bazaar chairs for their thoughts on their succession plans and what s working and what could be changed or improved. c. Judy Kono advised the Board of some upcoming events at the JSC. 9/29 Supporting LGBTQ Youth & Families Seminar 10/26 10/27: Adult Buddhist Association (ABA) Leaders Workshop presented by the Every Day Buddhism Committee The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM with closing Gassho led by Rev. Kuwahara. Respectfully submitted, Karen Sugiyama, Recording Secretary * * * * * * * * * * * (Please contact a Board member if further clarification of these minutes is required.) **************************************************************** The following is a list of special service years. If you have a departed relative who has passed away in any of the listed years, and would like to make arrangements for a memorial service, please contact Rev. Kuwahara at (510) **************************************************************** 2018 MEMORIAL SERVICE SCHEDULE YEAR SERVICE st Year rd Year th Year th Year th Year th Year rd Year th Year th Year

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21 50TH ANNIVERSARY INTERNATIONAL TAIKO FESTIVAL Saturday, November 10, 2018, 7pm Sunday, November 11, 2018, 3pm San Mateo Performing Arts Center 600 N Delaware Street San Mateo, CA Featuring Grandmaster Seiichi Tanaka and the San Francisco Taiko Dojo Special Guests from Japan Wako Daiko, Taiyo Onoda (KODO) Special Guests Burlington Taiko, Fubuki Daiko, Fushu Daiko, Kaoru Watanabe, Kenny Endo, Masato Baba, Matsuriza, Sacramento Taiko Dan, Shogo Yamada & Yamasho Kai, Shoji Kameda Sponsored by Nippon Taiko Foundation, NBC Bay Area, Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten Co., Ltd., Don & Hisae Dickey, Asano Taiko U.S, and Bay Area Taiko Arts To purchase tickets and for more info: sftaiko.com/tickets/itf50

22 Services And Information Services Our regular Sunday program begins with a Family Service at 9:30am. A Dharma talk is available after the Family Service while Dharma School classes are convened for students. Special Services January 1 February Shusho-e Nehan-e New Year's Day Service Nirvana Day March Ohigan Spring Equinox April Hanamatsuri Flower Festival May Gotan-e Birthday of Shinran July Kangi-e Obon September Ohigan Autumn Equinox November Hoonko Shinran Shonin Memorial December Jodo-e Bodhi Day December 31 Joya-e Year End Service A Shotsuki Hoyo (Monthly Memorial) Service is held the first Sunday of each month. Berkeley Buddhist Temple Visitor Information Please feel free to ask any of our greeters for information. We are here to assist you with whatever level of participation you may be seeking. Whether you are here to satisfy a slight interest or to make a more personal connection, we wish you well and hope that you will be visiting us again soon. Membership Information Membership is open to all who view our Temple religious home and seek the Buddha-Dharma. as their To join, complete a membership form, have your name entered on the membership roll and support the Temple through a pledge and participation. To inquire about becoming a member, please speak with our Membership Chair or Minister. Dharma School Our Dharma School (Sunday School) has classes from preschool through high school. Our teachers are happy to discuss the appropriate level of spiritual enrichment for your child. Monthly Discussions In our discussions, we strive to experience the Buddha- Dharma with our entire selves with our bodies (quiet sitting and other forms of meditation), voices (chanting and other liturgy) and minds (study and discussion). Our sessions focus on ways in which Buddhist teaching and practice can impact our everyday lives. Each session will take up a different topic and so you are welcome to attend any or all sessions. All interested persons are welcome to attend. Berkeley Buddhist Temple 2121 Channing Way Berkeley, CA Office Hours Monday Friday 10 :00am 1:00pm info@berkeleysangha.org berkeleysangha.org facebook.com/berkeleybuddhisttemple