Each year during our Obon and Hatsubon Service, I am reminded of the power of the Buddhadharma to provide guidance and support for us as we navigate our feelings of grief. As school for my sons usually begins a few days after our San Mateo Buddhist Temple Obon Observance, I have come to associate our Obon with the end of summer. Opening the freezer at the temple to put away the Obon service manju for an occasion when we can all enjoy them together, I noticed three large bags of frozen hamburgers. I was suddenly reminded of the delicious hamburgers grilled at the temple picnic and all the experiences that we did not get to have this summer: bazaar—which marks the start of summer in my mind, the annual BWA service at the Japanese Cemetery in Colma, followed by brunch with BWA members at Denny’s in South San Francisco, a family trip to Japan, our summer Terakoya day camp, spam musubi at Obon Odori practices, and chanting together with a Hondo full of attendees at our Obon and Hatsubon service.
Continue reading “When we meet, we will smile”Rev. Todd Tsuchiya
立ち上がっていく力
毎年、盂蘭盆会と初盆法要の時期を迎えるたびに、別れの悲しさの中にも安らぎを与えてくれるお念仏の力に気づかされます。毎年、サンマテオ仏教会のお盆の行事が終わると、もうその次の週に私の息子達の学校が始まるので、私にとってお盆が終わると夏が終わったという気持ちになります。異例の今年の夏は、初盆法要の後片付けをしながら、新型コロナウイルスが終わったらお供えのおまんじゅうをいつか皆で食べるために取っておこうと思い、久しぶりに仏教会の冷凍庫を開いてみると、大量のハンバーガーパティが入っていて、毎年の仏教会の夏のピックニックの時に食べるハンバーガーの美味しさを思い出して、今年の夏に出来なかった仏教会の行事が次々と思い浮かんできました。私にとって夏の始まりであるバザー、仏教婦人会が七月に行うコルマ日本人共同墓地のお墓参り、そのお墓参りの後のサウスサンフランシスコのデニーズレストランでの婦人会の方たちとのブランチ、四年ぶりに企画していた家族との日本旅行、仏教会のサマー寺子屋、盆踊りの練習の時に食べるスパムむすび、仏教会の本堂が満堂になる盂蘭盆、そして、初盆の参拝者の方々と一緒に唱えるお経の響きの全ては、残念ながら今年の夏は経験することが出来ませんでした。
Continue reading “立ち上がっていく力”Dharma Flowing in Minneapolis during Challenging Times
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
7:00 p.m. (Pacific Time)
Rev. Todd Tsuchiya and Rev. Chiemi Onikura Bly will join us via Zoom from Minneapolis to share insights and experiences from their interfaith and community activities in Minnesota in the wake of George Floyd’s killing.
Twin Cities Buddhist Association Sangha
Rev. Todd Tsuchiya
Rev. Tsuchiya is a Minister’s Assistant at TCBA and ordained in the Jodo Shinshu Nishi Hongwanji tradition in Kyoto, Japan and part of the Buddhist Churches of America. He was born and raised in Minnesota and is a retired dentist. Rev. Tsuchiya is familiar to the SMBT Sangha from his past presentation on the History and Activities of the Twin Cities Buddhist Association Sangha.
Rev. Chiemi Onikura Bly
Raised in a Jodo Shinshu temple family in Fukuoka Japan, Rev. Onikura Bly graduated from a Jodo Shinshu high school and college. She moved to the United States in 2000. Chiemi has lived in Minnesota for 20 years. She teaches Japanese Language Arts and Social Studies to high school students at the Minneapolis Japanese School. Chiemi is ordained in the Jodo Shinshu Nishi Hongwanji tradition in 2016. She is an Assistant Minister of the Buddhist Church of America, and serves at the Twin Cities Buddhist Association.
Check out this Buddhist Hamilton Parody written by Rev. Tsuchiya and performed by Koichi Mizushima
To join us for this online Dharma Session, CLICK HERE and sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars”.