The ECHO Volume 56 Number 2 Volume 56 Number 2
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February 2017 The ECHO Volume 56 Number 2 Volume 56 Number 2 MOUNTAIN VIEW BUDDHIST TEMPLE February Highlights Our Big Win We have Senior Activities at it. And, I sincerely hope that 2/5 Sun Shotsuki Hoyo Service our Temple every Thursday morn- someone will hit a jackpot during 11:00 am ing. About 30 people come each the next Reno trip and make a Japanese Language week to do line dancing or crafts, generous donation to our Temple! Service play cards or hanafuda (a Japanese America has three big cities card game), or sing Japanese songs full of casinos: Las Vegas, Reno and 2/6 Mon, 7:00 pm together. Everyone has a very Atlantic City. The U.S. has been Tannisho Study Class fruitful time in their own way. the casino capital of the world. 2/8 Wed, 7:30 pm Early in my assignment here, I Vegas especially not only has gam- Temple Board Meeting joined the line dancing group. I bling, but lots of wonderful enter- really enjoy stepping to the music tainment. This is why it attracts 2/11 Sat, 5:00 pm together and am grateful to have a tourists from all over the world YBA Spaghetti Dinner & way to overcome my physical inac- and is full of life all the time. Bingo By Rev. Yushi Mukojima tivity. In contrast, gambling in Japan 2/12 Sun, 10:00 am The Seniors who come to the me, “Sensei, I couldn’t win even consists of pachinko and four types Nirvana Day & Pet Temple are very active and enjoy though I said the Nembutsu!” He Memorial Service their life full of smiles in harmony. was just making a joke, but the Guest Speaker: Although they always enjoy activi- Nembutsu is definitely not a magic Rev. Michael Endo ties of all kinds, one of their favor- spell, so be mindful why you utter 2/26 Sun, 10:00 am ites is a casino trip. Twice a year, a Scout Sunday Service large group usually goes on the chartered bus trip to Reno over- night. Everyone I’ve talked to about the trip has said they have a really good time regardless of their (Continued on page 4) wins or losses. One person told Highlights In This Issue Rev Mukojima’s Msg 1, 4, 6 Hatsumari 5 YBA 7 Seniors 7 Dharma School 9 Mountain View Buddhist Temple 575 N. Shoreline Blvd Mountain View, CA 94043 (650) 964-9426 www.mvbuddhisttemple.org Page 2 The ECHO Te m p l e Buddhist Buddhist Mountain View Mountain View february 2017 february 2017 Mountain View Buddhist Temple 575 N. Shoreline Blvd Mountain View, CA 94043 (650) 964-9426 www.mvbuddhisttemple.org Page 3 Volume 56 Number 2 Religious Planning — February 2017 February 5, 2017, Sunday, 10:00 am — Shotsuki Hoyo 11:00 am: Japanese Language Service February 6, 2017, Monday, 7:00 - 8:30 pm — Monthly Study Class Rev. Mukojima has a monthly study class on the first Monday of each month that started in January and runs through June based on the Tannisho, written by Yuien who was Shinran's disciple. February 12, 2017, Sunday — 10:00 am — Nirvana Day & Pet Memorial Service Nirvana Day: Observe the passing of the historical Sakyamuni Buddha into Nirvana Guest Speaker: Rev. Michael Endo February 19, 2017, Sunday, 10:00 am — Sunday Service February 26, 2017, Sunday, 10:00 am — Scout Sunday Service Shotsuki Hoyo Service O-asaji (Morning Chanting) - 8:30 am Study Class - 7:00 pm Adult Discussion - 11:00 am Dharma School - 11:00 am BCA National Council Golf Tournament Ministers, Delegates & Friends When: ........................... Tuesday, February 28, 2017 @ 10 am Course: ......................... Sunnyvale Golf Course Entry Deadline: ........... February 1, 2017 Fee: ................................ $80 includes green fee cart, dinner & prizes For more information, contact Min Uyehara (408-749-1038 or [email protected] Komochi for Sale Buy 1, Get 1 FREE 2 for the price of 1 $4 for 2 1-lb pkgs $2 each Contact the Temple Office M-F, 10 am – 2 pm Mountain View Buddhist Temple 575 N. Shoreline Blvd Mountain View, CA 94043 (650) 964-9426 www.mvbuddhisttemple.org Page 4 The ECHO Our Big Win (Continued from page 1) However, we often forget a have already received a tremen- simple important truth. In con- dous win even more astounding of competitive racing: horse, bicy- templating the possibility of such a than the lottery jackpot. cle, speedboat and motorcycle, all huge win in our lives, we should I hope that you now fully allowed by Japanese law. Other realize how much more grateful understand and appreciate what types of gambling like card games than anything else we should be to the “Threefold Refuge” says. and roulette are prohibited. Japan be born on Planet Earth. “Rare is it to receive life in human also has the Jumbo Lottery in the An American astronomer has form, yet now we have received it. summer and at the end of year. said, “The number of stars that Rare is it to hear the Buddha The first prize of the year-end have the conditions of Earth Dharma, yet now we have heard Jumbo Lottery in 2016 was $7 where living things can exist is it.” We have had an innumerable million and I think that many Japa- only one out of one trillion stars.” causes and conditions that allowed nese people bought a lot of tickets We can’t quite grasp the chances us to be born in this world as hu- “Threefold Refuge” with dreams of winning. of one in one trillion when there are mans, and furthermore we have says, The lottery is also really 20 billion stars in the vast expanse encountered the Nembutsu teach- popular here in the States. I read of the Earth’s great galaxy. ing. that Americans spend about $4 “Rare is it to receive Moreover, life on Earth came But, because we are always trillion on the lottery each year, life in human form, yet into existence 3,500,000,000 confused by self-centered thinking, the biggest amount in the world. [three billion, five hundred million] it is extremely difficult for us to now we have received Both the Powerball and Mega Mil- years ago. The precious life that gratefully celebrate this truth. We lions seem to be especially popular it. Rare is it to hear was born in the sea and gradually continue to live complaining when the Buddha Dharma, evolved into human beings hap- things don’t turn out as we desire pened over the course of eons. or getting mad when others dis- yet now we have agree with us. However, in saying Our lives here on Earth are the Nembutsu, we will become heard it.” precious because humans have fully aware of our own foolishness overcome many challenges and we * * * and at the same time, we will be although the probability of winning still have avoided extinction after reminded of how important it is to But, because we are is one in 100 million! The winnings 3,500,000,000 [three and a half cherish one another and to live can reach astronomical numbers, billion] years. So quite clearly, always confused by our precious lives to the fullest so I feel that I am unlikely to win. there is nothing as precious as life. each day. self-centered thinking, To my surprise, the biggest first To go a bid deeper, we have two it is extremely difficult prize amount broke the old record parents but, when we trace our Of course, it is not a bad for us to gratefully in January 2016 and it was about family line to the tenth generation, thing that we dream of a casino or $1,500 million! Three lucky peo- there are one thousand ancestors; lottery win. That is human nature. celebrate this truth. ple split the first prize. Even after to the twentieth generation, two If you should ever beat the odds it was divided into three equal million; to the thirtieth generation, and hit a big jackpot, please con- amounts and taxes deducted, a two billion; and to the fortieth sider making a generous donation single person won about $300 generation, there are over four to our Temple. But more than million! It is quite the American trillion ancestors. We have an this, let us be ever grateful to and Dream. I confess that I am also immeasurable number of ances- rejoice in our present lives and to hoping to live this American tors who have inherited our lives the precious Nembutsu teaching, Dream someday! to this day. If even one person which has been given us by im- was missing in our family line, we measurable causes and conditions. Have you ever won big in the would not be able to exist here lottery or at a casino? The odds and now. It is an astronomical against winning the jackpot are number that extends well beyond In Gassho, incredibly high, so if we were to the probability of winning the win, how grateful we would feel. Power Ball. As you can see, we Mountain View Buddhist Temple 575 N. Shoreline Blvd Mountain View, CA 94043 (650) 964-9426 www.mvbuddhisttemple.org Page 5 Volume 56 Number 2 Hatsumairi Infant Presentation — Sunday, April 9, 2017 ATTENTION NEW PARENTS April 9, 2017 at 10:00 am. below and mail it to the Temple by Friday, March 31, The Mountain View Buddhist The ceremony introduces your 2017. Temple would like to invite you child to the Sangha and welcomes and your child to the annual him/her to the Dharma.