Three Poisons Archives - San Mateo Buddhist Temple

Shōshinge: Hymn of True Shinjin and the Nembutsu (Session 10)

Posted on June 9, 2021March 12, 2022

This session will delve into the meaning expressed the following metaphor of the sun that shines through clouds and mists, and how the Buddha’s wisdom illuminates our lives even in times of difficulty and confusion.

The light of compassion that grasps us illumines and protects us always;
The darkness of our ignorance is already broken through;
Still the clouds and mists of greed and desire, anger and hatred,
Cover as always the sky of true and real shinjin.

But though light of the sun is veiled by clouds and mists,
Beneath the clouds and mists there is brightness, not dark.
When one realizes shinjin, seeing and revering and attaining great joy,
One immediately leaps crosswise, closing off the five evil courses.

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Blowing Out the Flame of Selfish Desire

Posted on February 19, 2021February 25, 2021

February 21

The word “nirvana” means “to blow out,” as in “when a flame is blown out by the wind.” This week’s Dharma talk will focus on the Third Noble Truth taught by the Buddha, that the peace of nirvana is attained by extinguishing the blind passions of selfish desire, hatred and delusion.

Schedule
8:30 a.m. Shoshinge Sofu Chanting
9:00 a.m. Taiso Morning Exercise
9:30 a.m. Dharma Service
10:30 a.m. 日本語法要 Japanese Language Service

To join us for this online Dharma Service, CLICK HERE to sign up for “Live Broadcast of Services”.

Incense Offering

Posted on August 29, 2020May 12, 2022

Buddhist School	Number of times	Way of offering
Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha (Nishi Hongwanji)	1 time	Place a pinch of incense directly on the charcoal without raising it to the forehead.
Shinshu Otani-ha (Higashi Honganji)	2 times	Place a pinch of incense directly on the charcoal without raising it to the forehead.
Soto Shu	2 times	First time: raise a pinch of incense to the forehead before placing it on the charcoal. Second time: Place a pinch of incense directly on the charcoal without raising it to the forehead.
Jodo Shu	1 to 3 times	No set guidelines.
Tendai Shu	1 or 3 times	No set guidelines.
Shingon Shu	3 times	Raise a pinch of incense to the forehead each time before placing it on the charcoal.
Rinzai Shu	1 time	Raise a pinch of incense to the forehead before placing it on the charcoal.
Nichiren Shu	1 or 3 times	No set guidelines.
Nichiren Shoshu	3 times	Raise a pinch of incense to the forehead each time before placing it on the charcoals.

Information translated from http://www.sanretsu.jp/shoukou/kaisuu.html

Why only one pinch of incense in Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha?

We offer incense as an expression of gratitude to the great oneness that is Amida Buddha.

Olympic Victory

Posted on March 1, 2018August 22, 2020

Growing up in Minnesota, my favorite sport was alpine skiing. As a teenager, I competed in slalom racing on my high school ski team and the great sports hero of my youth was Olympic slalom champion Alberto Tomba. Our team practiced at a local ski hill that somehow managed to rise out of the flat surrounding farmland, gradually increasing in elevation over the years thanks to innumerable dump truck loads of dirt. I never came close to winning a race, but I enjoyed practices because the course of gates was set differently each time, transforming the otherwise unremarkable little hill into a challenging and exciting place to ski.