Mother's Day Hanamatsuri Craft Fair
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HIGASHI HONGANJI BUDDHIST TEMPLE NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Los Angeles, CA Permit No. 24616 The WVol. 71 |ay No. 3 April & May 2019 HIGASHI HONGANJI BUDDHIST TEMPLE | LOS ANGELES BETSUIN TEMPLE SCHEDULE hanamatsuri craft fair APRIL sunday, april 28 28 10:00am Sunday Service 10:00am Hanamatsuri Craft Fair 10am - 3pm MAY come out to shop and enjoy! 5 10:00am Shotsuki Service 12 8:30am Mother’s Day Breakfast 10:00am Mother’s Day Family Service 19 10:00am Tanjo-e/Hatsumairi Service 26 10:00am Sunday Service Mother’s Discussion Group Tanjo-e + JUNE Day 2 10:00am Shotsuki Service Hatsumairi 9 10:00am Sunday Service Breakfast & Discussion Group Family Service Service 16 10:00am Father’s Day/ Graduation Family Sunday, May 19, 2019 Sunday, May 12th, 2019 Service & Lunch 10:00am 23 10:00am Sunday Service BREAKFAST | 8:30 - 9:45 am 30 10:00am Sunday Service SERVICE | 10:00 am 1:00pm Lumbini Graduation ThVolume 71 e| Number Way 3 | April & May 2019 HIGASHI HONGANJI BUDDHIST TEMPLE • LOS ANGELES BETSUIN The Birth of My Son and the Teaching of Immeasurable Life Rev. Masashi Fujii There have been many changes in this world.” may be below our income and social in our lives during the two and a half Certainly, as Nāgārjuna said, we status. We suffer when we compare years in Los Angeles for me and my cannot be parents without the birth of what we have or don’t have to others. wife. The biggest change was the birth a child. So, I am really grateful to my Though we think that we are living of our son who was born on October son who gave us the opportunity to be separate and independent lives, in fact, 24th of last year. parents. there are so many people working on On the day my son was born, at In addition, Nāgārjuna’s teaching our behalf. Growing rice and vegetables, around 2:30 in the middle of the night, about the existence of the parent and the building our homes and our cars, all my wife said that she was feeling some child is a good example to understand take place behind the scenes of what kind of pain. I tried to calm down as the Buddha’s teaching of 縁起pratītya- we see. If those people didn’t exist, if much as possible, and made a phone samutpāda, all things are related to each there was no air or water, human beings call to the hospital. I then got in the car other by causes and conditions. could not live. with a bag with changes of clothing The Buddha said that “life” is sup- Therefore, we must be aware that prepared in advance. About 12 hours ported not only by people, but also many each life is precious and equal, in the later, a healthy boy was born at 1:38 pm. other things such as food, air, and water. sense that our “life” cannot exist without For the past 40 weeks, our baby Furthermore, it is said that the presence everything there for us, as the Buddha resided inside of my wife’s body. Seeing of our “life” itself exists due to all of the said. And when this teaching is truly the baby who was crying right then and conditions connected from the past to understood by ourselves, I think that there in front of me lying on my wife’s the present. we will be able to live a life of gratitude stomach, feelings of relief and joy came However, if we are financially inde- without the suffering caused by our to me. And at the same time, when I pendent, we tend to have the illusion that comparing our lives with others. witnessed the moment that one “life” we are living in this world by ourselves, At the beginning of the Shōshinge, was born, tears flowed from my eyes by our own capabilities. If you have a Shinran Shōnin shared his understand- naturally. In my short 32 years of life, it job, some money and place to live, then ing of this world in which myriads of was the moment I realized that “life” is you can live by your own means. You can lives are connected and supported by the most precious thing. buy food, you can go on a trip on your each other by translating the Sanskrit Generally speaking, children are day off. But if you take it for granted, word Amida to Ki-Myō-Mu-Ryō- born from their parents. However, unlike then you don’t even think about words Ju-Nyo-Rai. Mu-Ryō-Ju means “Im- common sense, Nāgārjuna who is one of gratitude for anything you get on a measurable Life.” Since Ki-Myō-Mu- of our tradition’s seven masters said, “If daily basis. On the contrary, it is hard Ryō-Ju-Nyo-Rai is also a translation of a child is born from his parents, there for us to stop comparing ourselves with Namuamidabutsu, the nenbutsu which will be parents before a child is born. others, and without any consciousness, means to live life to the fullest in the But there are no parents without a child we tend to look down on people who world that cannot exist if even one life is missing, and is immeasurable. (Please see ANY DAY, page 4) When you touch such a world of life visit our website at that cannot be measured or enlightened SUBMISSION DEADLINE! by Amida, you have the opportunity to reevaluate yourself, to reconsider that hhbt-la.org Submissions for The Way are due the 10th of each month for the following month’s life that we are living, hurting each other facebook.com/hhbt.la issue. Articles and announcements for by comparing ourselves to others. We our July Issue are due June 10th, 2019. are able to realize that each and every Submissions may be subject to printing person, every living thing is supported @higashihonganjila restrictions and staff approval. Thank by each other and lives as part of the you and we look forward to hearing precious life. It is then that the nenbutsu from you! as an expression of gratitude comes out (Please see BIRTH, page 4) Th e Way E-Mail Page 2 [email protected] Betsuin News Mother’s Day Spring Ohigan DHARMA SCHOOL Breakfast & Family Service Service & Seminar UPDATE Please join us on Sunday, May 12th The Spring Ohigan Service was held th Dharma School will participate in for our annual Mother’s Day Breakfast! on March 24 , with a Dharma Talk by the LABTF Hanamatsuri Art Contest We will be serving breakfast from 8:30am Rev. James L. Fredericks, Ph.D, Emeri- again this year. In April, we will have until 9:45am (about 15 minutes before tus Professor of Theology at Loyola our Hanamatsuri Family service at the service), so come early and bring your Marymount University. Toban 1 served Betsuin where we will have a chance to whole family! The delicious breakfast takikomi gohan (mixed rice) with as- pour sweet tea over the Buddha and cel- will be prepared by ABA and other sorted tsukemono and salad for otoki ebrate Hanamatsuri with our members. non-mothers, so be sure to bring mom lunch. Following otoki, Shinshu Center At the end of the month, we will help at to service early! of America hosted a special public lec- the Hanamatsuri Craft Fair. Please come Following breakfast, we will have ture with guest speaker Dr. Fredericks out and support our youth groups! our Mother’s Day Family Service with a in place of our regular Spring Seminar. Our ministers and lay leaders give special message in honor of our mothers. He spoke on the theme “Practicing with Weakness: Reflections on the Origins in talks to the Dharma School children at every Shotsuki and Family Service. Tanjo-e & Hatsumairi Compassion in Buddhism and Christi- anity.” Thank you to all of our members Please join us on Sundays for Dharma Service who attended our Spring Ohigan events. School lessons! Both new and active members and friends are always wel- On Sunday, May 19th, we will have come! our Tanjo-e and Hatsumairi Service. DID YOU KNOW? Tanjo-e is a special service that celebrates In 1976, our current temple opened. the birth of Shinran Shōnin, the founder That year, people made an offering of WEDDING of our Jodo Shinshu Buddhist tradition. a dollar as they approached the altar to ANNOUNCEMENTS Shinran was born around this time near burn incense. Most of us still do. But Kyoto, Japan in the year 1173. Special that dollar has been eroded by inflation. Takeo & Elisa Miyagishima sermons will be delivered by our min- Now, in 2019, to match the dollar from isters for this occasion. 1976, the offering would need to be $4.42. March 9, 2019 At our Tanjo-e service, we will Everything is more expensive these also observe Hatsumairi, which is held days: a cup of coffee, a movie ticket, a CONGRATULATIONS!! to welcome all new children into our dinner out. This is also true for every- Sangha. The Hatsumairi presentation thing the staff must purchase to keep is traditionally for newborns, but we the temple operating. welcome all children up to six years of Some habits are hard to break, but Our deepest condolences age to participate. If you are interested this one can be easy. When you approach to the family and relatives of … in having your child participate, please to oshoko, remember the cost of your contact the temple office to register.