Rev. Henry's Message Archives - San Mateo Buddhist Temple

Impressions from the Pilgrimmage Tour

Posted on June 1, 2023June 2, 2023

Last month I had the opportunity to travel with Rev. Takashi Miyaji of the Southern Alameda County Buddhist Temple and several members of the San Mateo Buddhist Temple on the Bay District Pilgrimmage Tour to attend the 17^th World Buddhist Women’s Convention, held in conjunction with the Joint Service Celebrating the 850^th Anniversary of Shinran Shonin’s Birth and the 800^th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Jodo Shinshu Teaching, followed by an excursion to sacred sites related to hidden Nembutsu practice in the Kagoshima region. A pilgrimmage tour differs from ordinary tourism, in that the sites we visit are connected to the transmission of the Buddha’s teachings and the Nembutsu, and therefore provide us with a precious opportunity to reflect on the causes and conditions that have supported our lives up to this moment and guide us to clarify the direction of our lives moving forward.

We arrived in Japan at Haneda Airport in Tokyo and spent the first two nights of our trip at a hotel located near the Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple, where Rev. Miyaji and I joined a morning service at the Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple. Tsukiji Hongwanji is located in central Tokyo, surrounded by tall office buildings. The morning service begins at 7:00 a.m. and some of the attendees joined the service on their way to work.

Later that day, the Tsukiji Hongwanji staff gave our Bay District group a guided tour of the temple grounds. We were impressed by the unique temple architecture, which incorporates elements of classical Indian Buddhist temple design and early twentieth-century Western architecture. Our Bay District members enjoyed hearing Ondokusan played on the beautiful pipe organ that resides in the main temple hall. Tsukiji Hongwanji also offers a community columbarium that provides an affordable and meaningful option for people living in the urban area to remember by loved ones supported by the Buddhist community. I was inspired by the efforts that are being made at Tsukiji Hongwanji to apply the teachings established by Shinran Shonin 800 years ago to our lives in this modern world.

From Tokyo we travelled to Kyoto, where Shinran Shonin spent many years of his life, to visit the sites of important events of his life. Attending the 6:00 a.m. morning services at Hongwanji, the Joint Celebration Service on May 10, and the World Buddhist Women’s Convention were highlights of our trip. Gathering with Nembutsu followers from all over the world to reflect upon Shinran Shonin’s steadfast dedication to sharing the Nembutsu teaching renewed the profound gratitude we feel to Amida Buddha for the compassionate vow that ensures our the path to liberation.

During our time in Kyoto, we had the opportunity to visit the Shorenin Temple where Shinran Shonin was ordained as a Buddhist priest at the age of nine, the Enryakuji Temple complex on Mount Hiei where he pursed rigorous monastic practices for 20 years, and the Otani Mausoleum, where Shinran Shonin’s youngest daughter Kakushinni established the memorial site to remember him and his teachings following his birth in the Pure Land. We also had the opportunity to see a special exhibit at Kyoto National Museum of treasures related to Shinran Shonin’s life, including sacred teachings written in Shinran Shonin’s own hand. Encountering the life of Shinran Shonin through these concrete experiences of the world he lived in deepened our personal appreciation for the Nembutsu teaching.

For the final leg of our journey, we travelled to Kyushu to visit sites related to the hidden Nembutsu practice that continued for a period of about 300 years from the 16^th to 19^th centuries, when the Shimazu clan that ruled the Kagoshima region brutally suppressed the Jodo Shinshu teaching. During that period of severe persecution, followers of the Nembutsu teaching continued their practice underground, often gathering in caves by the cover of night to hold services taking refuge in Amida Buddha and reciting the Nembutsu.

During our stay in Kagoshima, we visited the Tateyama Kakuregama, a historic site of hidden Nembutsu practice, along with the Kagoshima Betsuin, where one of the local Jodo Shinshu Buddhist priests shared the history of hidden Nembutsu in Kagoshima and invited us to view the namidaishi (“stone of tears”), an artifact of the period of Nembutsu persecution that is now displayed at the Kagoshima Betsuin in order to educate visitors about the fearless commitment to the Nembutsu teaching shown by the Jodo Shinshu Buddhists of Kagoshima.

Hearing the history of the hidden Nembutsu in Kagoshima shed new light on the extraordinary dedication and sacrifice made by those who have come before so that the Nembutsu teaching of Shinran Shonin could be passed down for us to receive today. Reflecting on all the efforts that have made it possible for us to receive the precious legacy of the Nembutsu, we feel a renewed commitment to pass the Nembutsu teaching down to the next generation.

Namo Amida Butsu

The Nembutsu Heard by Shinran Shonin

Posted on May 1, 2023May 1, 2023

We hope to see you at the San Mateo Buddhist Temple on May 21, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. for our Gotan-e Service celebrating the 850^th birthday of Shinran Shonin, the Buddhist teacher who we look to as the founder of our Jodo Shinshu tradition. This year also marks the 800^th anniversary of the founding of the Jodo Shinshu teaching.

Shinran was born in Hino near Kyoto on May 21, 1173 during a time of great social turmoil in Japan when warlords battled for control of the country, severe famines caused widespread starvation, and epidemic disease took many lives. As a young boy, Shinran surely encountered a great deal of suffering and sadness in the world around him. At the age of nine, he became a Buddhist monk and sought refuge in the Dharma. He arrived just before sunset on the day he was to be ordained at Shorenin Temple. As night was beginning to fall, Jien, the head priest who would perform the ordination, told him to return the next day for the ceremony. At that time, the young Shinran is said to have recited the following poem:

“For him who counts on tomorrow,
Like the fragile cherry blossom,
Tonight, unexpected winds may blow.”

Sakyamuni Tathagata is Truly Our Loving and Compassionate Parent

Posted on April 1, 2023March 22, 2023

In this month of April, we observe our Hanamatsuri Service celebrating the birth of Sakyamuni Buddha. The many Buddhist traditions of the world celebrate the Buddha’s Birthday. The Theravada Buddhist observance of Vesak includes the celebration of Sakyamuni Buddha’s birthday and was recognized by the United Nations as an occasion for the world to honor the Buddha’s wisdom and seek the guidance of his teachings.

A multitude of Buddhist lineages span the world, each with special observances honoring the founders and great teachers of their tradition. All those diverse linages revere Sakyamuni Buddha as the great teacher who appeared in this world. In that sense, all those who journey through life on the path of the Buddha are our brothers, sisters, and siblings in the Dharma. In the following section from his Hymns on the Samadhi of All Buddhas’ Presence, Shandao describes the Buddha as the compassionate parent of all those who seek the path to awakening:

All my friends who aspire for birth in the Pure Land must carefully reflect upon their own lives. Sakyamuni Tathagata is truly our loving and compassionate parent. He uses various skillful means to guide us to awaken the unexcelled heart of entrusting. Moreover, there is not just one gate into his skillful teachings. This so that they may benefit unenlightened beings like us with our upside-down views. Those who live by the teachings may pass through any of the gates he taught to encounter the Buddha and attain birth in the Pure Land.

If you see or hear that there is someone doing good, immediately join them and offer your assistance. If you see or hear that there is someone living by the teachings, offer your praise. If you hear someone teaching how to practice the Buddha’s teachings, immediately take up the practice and follow their guidance. If you hear that someone has awakened, immediately rejoice in their awakening.

(Free translation by H. Adams)　

Skillful means refers to the various ways in which the Buddha’s teachings are tailored to the needs of his audience. Parents with multiple children, will find that each child has unique interests and abilities, as well as different needs. As such, their way of parenting each of their children may differ depending on the circumstances. Some children need more guidance than others. Nevertheless, parents ultimately have the same wish for all their children to lead healthy and happy lives. Sakyamuni Buddha showed the compassionate concern for all people that a loving parent shows their child. Because of his deeply held wish that all people would realize lasting peace and bliss, he encourages us to entrust ourselves to Amida Buddha and say the Nembutsu.

Just as parents wish for their children to live together in harmony, the Buddha wishes for all of those who live by his teachings to refrain from arguments, and support and respect one another. If you see someone working hard on a worthy project, do not hesitate to step forward and lend a hand.

If you encounter someone who is admirably living by the Buddha’s teachings, praise their virtues and let others know about it. In this world, we have a tendency to delight in gossiping about others’ misdeeds, but consider how the world might be different if we dedicated our attention to celebrating those who live well. If you hear someone teaching how to apply the Buddha’s teachings in daily life, take a moment to consider your own life with the question, “Is this the way I ought to be living?” Living with this kind of self-awareness, you will find that your path forward in life will become clearer.

If we go through life with a self-centered perspective, skeptical or envious thoughts may arise when we hear about another person realizing a great benefit that we have yet to attain. In contrast, if we enjoy a settled mind of entrusting in the Buddha, we will come to see all people as our brothers, sisters, and siblings and awaken a sincere wish for their peace and happiness. With this vast heart of entrusting, we rejoice together with the Buddha when we hear of one who has realized the great benefit of awakening.

Namo Amida Butsu

Ice Melts Into Water, Obstructions Melt Into Virtues

Posted on March 1, 2023March 2, 2023

As temperatures warm and we prepare to welcome the arrival of Spring with our Ohigan Service on March 19, I am reminded of the following verse from Shinran Shonin’s Hymns of the Pure Land Masters:

Obstructions of karmic evil turn into virtues;
It is like the relation of ice and water:
The more the ice, the more the water;
The more the obstructions, the more the virtues.

(From Shinran Shonin’s Hymns of the Pure Land Masters, Hymn 40)

In the verse above, Shinran Shonin describes how, just as the warm spring temperatures melt ice into water, the warm light of the Buddha’s wisdom melts the hard obstructions in our minds into the flowing virtues of awakening. Greed turns into Generosity. Indulgence turns into Self-control. Anger turns into Patience. Laziness turns into Dedication. Distraction turns into Concentration. Delusion turns into Wisdom

Growing up in Minnesota, the springtimes of my childhood were filled with joy and wonder, as I experienced the warm sunlight melting away ice and snow, making way for blades of green grass to sprout up on the lawn. During the long winter, the cold of the snow and ice had turned the grass brown. The water of the melted snow and the warmth of the sun brought new life to the grass.

Announcements – February 5, 2023

Posted on February 5, 2023February 5, 2023

The Buddha’s Final Meal

Posted on February 1, 2023February 3, 2023

In the time of the Buddha, there was a blacksmith named Cunda. Blacksmiths had low social status, but Cunda was hard-working and intelligent, and so he prospered and owned a beautiful mango grove. On one occasion, the Buddha visited Cunda’s village and chose to stay in his mango grove. At that time in India, the sons of wealthy and important families, like the Buddha’s Sakya clan, would not normally interact with common workers like blacksmiths, so Cunda was delighted that the Buddha would honor him by staying in his grove.

Cunda delighted in the Dharma taught by the Buddha and invited the Buddha and his Sangha to partake in a special meal at his home. The Buddha indicated his acceptance of the invitation by remaining silent, so Cunda proceeded to prepare a scrumptious feast, including a variety of foods with good textures, well-cooked soft foods, and a dish made with a special kind of mushroom.

When the mushroom dish was served, the Buddha immediately claimed it for himself and instructed Cunda to serve the remaining dishes to the other monks. After eating his fill of the mushroom dish, he told Cunda to bury what remained of it in the ground, saying, “This food can only be eaten by one who has mastered the Dharma and attained awakening.”

Ho’onko: the Annual Memorial Service for Shinran Shonin

Posted on January 1, 2023February 7, 2023

In the Jodo Shinshu School of Buddhism, it is customary to hold an annual Ho’onko 報恩講 (Pronounced HOE-OWN-KOH) Memorial Service in remembrance of Shinran Shonin (1173-1263), the Japanese Buddhist priest who we look to as the founder of our tradition. The tradition of annual Ho’onko services was initiated by Shinran’s great-grandson Kakunyo during the 33rd Year Memorial Service for Shinran. At the Nishi Hongwanji Temple in Kyoto, Japan, the Hoonko observance is held each year from January 9^th to 16^th, culminating in an all-night Dharma marathon of talks by ministers from all over Japan. This year, we will observe Ho’onko at the San Mateo Buddhist Temple on Sunday, January 22. In temples of the Jodo Shinshu tradition, Ho’onko is considered to be the most important Buddhist service of the year.

If we conducted a survey of our Sangha members asking everyone which of our annual Buddhist services is most important, we wouldn’t be surprised to hear many responses along the lines of Hanamatsuri (Sakyamuni Buddha’s Birthday) or Obon (the grateful remembrance of departed loved ones that we hold every summer). Of all the Buddhist services we observe throughout the year, why is Shinran’s Memorial Service traditionally given the most emphasis?

The Medicine of Amida Buddha

Posted on December 1, 2022January 5, 2023

In our family we have three children from preschool to middle school in age, so as the cold and flu season arrives, it seems that someone in our house is always coming down with a fever or starting to cough. Sakyamuni Buddha taught that birth, illness, aging, and death are four inescapable kinds of suffering in this life, so there is no choice but to accept the reality that getting sick is part of being alive. That said, when we get sick, we naturally seek medicines to alleviate our symptoms and speed our recovery. There are also medicines we may take before we get sick to avoid the most severe illness. When choosing medicines to take it is best to follow the advice of a good doctor.

The Buddha is often described as a good doctor because, just as a good doctor carefully investigates an illness before providing an appropriate prescription, the Buddha arrived at a deep understanding of the troubles of human life before providing suitable teachings for all people.

Thankfully This Life Continues

Posted on November 1, 2022November 3, 2022

When I was in my twenties, I found satisfaction in getting things done quickly, so I could move onto my next task. Now that I am in my forties, I find that I appreciate more the activities that I am able to continue over time. For example, I took up cycling as a hobby in my late twenties while I was living in Miyazaki, on the island of Kyushu in southern Japan. Most weekday mornings, I would wake up early so I could spend an hour or so cycling along the coast before work. On those days my goal was to quickly cycle out to my destination, quickly return home, quickly eat breakfast, quickly shower, and quickly commute to get to work on time. I was trying to get as much done as possible in a short time, so my attention was naturally focused on my efforts to complete each task as quickly as possible. In that busy frame of mind, my thoughts turned to what I could accomplish through my own efforts.

When I first I became a parent with small children at home, I found fewer opportunities to go out cycling for fun. However, these past few years as my children get bigger, we are now able to go for bike rides as a family. Also, now that I am supervising the Buddhist Church of San Francisco, I often use a combination of bicycle and commuter trains to make my way back and forth to San Francisco for services. On days when I have some time after service, I’ve taken to biking home from San Francisco to San Mateo. The first time I managed to bike home from San Francisco, I was grateful that I was able to continue pedaling until I finally arrived at our house. I find that at this point in my life, I enjoy being able to continue riding at a comfortable, steady pace, more than racing to arrive at my destination.

The San Mateo Buddhist Temple is Open!

Posted on October 1, 2022October 14, 2022

A new Dharma School Year has begun and the temple is open! Seeing Sangha members of all ages gathering in the Hondo for services gives me a deep sense of gratitude for our temple. The temple is a precious place where people who delight in the Nembutsu can come together to share in one another’s happiness in times of joy and comfort one another in times of sadness.

Those who arrive at the temple before service begins can offer incense and quietly reflect upon the past week as they enjoy the calming aroma of the incense and gaze upon the beauty of the Buddha shrine while they wait for the sound of the bell to begin service. At the end of service, Sangha members greet one another and enjoy catching up while making their way down the center aisle to offer incense.