If the purpose of Buddhist practice is to let the ego fall away and realize liberation from attachment to “me” and “mine,” then I am hard-pressed to think of a better ground for this practice than Obon dancing. Obon dancing is not a show; it is a Buddhist tradition through which the Dharma transforms our lives quite outside our own efforts.
In the midst of this world where there is so much conflict, Obon dancing is a powerful way to bring harmony into our lives. I recall an Obon dance I took part in during my early years as a minister. As the dancing was about to begin, our dance instructors dressed in beautiful summer yukata gathered in a small circle at the center of the church parking lot. A crowd quickly gathered around them. About half of the crowd was made up of experienced Obon dancers who had come to join the dancing. However, it was many of the attendees’ first encounter with Obon dancing, and not knowing what to expect, they jostled their way toward the center in anticipation of a performance by those beautifully dressed dancers.
Those who had come to dance were interspersed throughout the crowd, some close to the center near the instructors, some on the outer edges, and many in between. There was a beautiful moment when the music started. The assembled dancers took their cue from the instructors at the center and began the dance, forming concentric rings of motion rotating around a common axis at the center of the instructors. Those who thought they had come as spectators suddenly found themselves right in the middle of the dancing. Some stood startled for a moment before making a panicked dash for the outer edge of the parking lot where they could stand on the sidelines and watch the dance. However, a few of those who unexpectedly found themselves in the middle of the dance were delighted by the dancers all around them. Noticing that the movements of the dance were simple and repetitive, they opted to joined the dance rather than flee to the sidelines. In joining the dance, they were able to taste the liberating joy of Obon dancing for themselves.
When life takes an unexpected turn and things don’t go according to our plans or our wishes, how do we respond? My natural tendency when things don’t go my way is to get agitated and cling to my expectations and desires. I sometimes plow forward, thinking that if I just jostle and hustle a little more, I will get what I want. Then, when I suddenly realize that the situation is not what I expected, my instinct is to flee as quickly as possible from my discomfort. And yet, the Buddha teaches that lasting peace cannot be found in chasing after pleasure and running from discomfort.
For me, Obon dancing is a precious opportunity to taste the lasting peace that settles in our minds when we let go of our chasing and running, and allow ourselves to be carried on the ship of the Buddha’s compassionate vow, inspired by those who have gone forth to the Other Shore, guided and supported by our fellow travelers in the life of the Nembutsu.
Namo Amida Butsu