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Rimban George Matsubayashi | Reverend Usuki | Reverend Briones BY RIMBAN GEORGE MATSUBAYASHI Construction of our "Hall of Immeasurable Light and Life" And Wisteria Chapel Progressing Smoothly As Following the groundbreaking ceremony on April 25th, construction of our “Hall of Immeasurable Light and
Life” (Muryo Koju-do) and Wisteria Chapel to be located to next to our present structure, began on the following day, the 26th. Three months have now passed since construction began. Beginning with a firm foundation, provisions for water and drainage, and electricity were made. They are now buried under the mounds of concrete poured today and no longer visible to the eye. Three days from now, on August 2nd, supports placed 16 feet apart will begin to be constructed on this foundation. Walls will be constructed between these support and then the ridgepole raised. Finally, tiles will be placed in position to create the roof. After finishing touches on the inside and outside, our carefully-planned new structure will be completed. * * * * * Our new addition was started as part of our projected celebration of the Hundredth Anniversary of the Founding of our Los Angeles Betsuin Buddhist Temple. The sole reason for constructing it is to assure a place where our precious Nembutsu teaching can be transmitted to later generations. While gratefully watching the construction at first hand, I could not help sensing even more keenly how blessed I am. Everything is going in accordance with the plans (vow) of the architect. All I do is watch it being implemented. Similarly, because I am always in the embrace of Amida Buddha’s Great Vow to cause my birth in the Pure Land, all I need do is leave it solely up to him. On the other hand, while watching the construction day by day, I am filled with anticipation about its completion during June of next year. How eagerly I await the tiles of the roof soaring over downtown Los Angels! But it then occurred to me that in my anticipation of the future, that perhaps I am neglecting something now… That was when I sensed the weight of my obligation to what has sustained me until today – the great desire that was carefully planned and implemented by Amida Buddha as Hozo Bosatsu which we refer to as his Primal Vow. The weight of that obligation suddenly felt as heavy as the concrete foundation upon which our future structure will rest… * * * * * During the year 1899, the Twenty-First Monshu, Spiritual Leader of our Honganji organization, Myonyo Shonin, opened the way for spreading the precious Nembutsu teaching outside Japan with the following poem:
Since then, we have been cultivated by succeeding Monshu of our Hongwanji, their Ourakata-sama and our pioneers of both ministers and lay leaders and now there are sixty-one Jodo-Shinshu temples in the United States. Who knows about all the sacrifices made by our fellow followers of the Nembutsu to construct those temples? When I consider the difficulties that had to be overcome before our present temples were built, I can only place my hands together in gassho tears pour down my cheeks. Speaking specifically about our Los Angeles Betsuin Buddhist Temple, ninety-nine years have now passed since it was established in 1905. We experienced many difficulties during those years. Not only did we survive the Great Depression of the 1930’s; we endured the evacuation of all person of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast during World War II and the scramble to regain our means of livelihood in the port-war era. Those difficulties were overcome only because we had the Nembutsu to sustain us. Our Los Angeles Betsuin Buddhist Temple provided spiritual comfort not only to those living the vicinity of Little Tokyo where we are located, but all over Southern California. During 1931 our temple was the very first in the United States to be raised to the status of Betsuin, which means we have a special and direct relationship with our mother temple in Kyoto, Japan. According to records from the year 1934, our temple then had a membership of over 1,500. Our annual budget was $14,000 (this was, of course, in the very depths of the depression). Ministers from our temple were regularly sent to areas 150 and more miles away to spread the Nembutsu teaching. That’s how the Nembutsu sangha was created in Southern California. Many Nembutsu groups started by our L. A. Betsuin Buddhist Temple became independent Buddhist associations. During 1907, the Guadalupe group became independent. Buddhist groups continued to be organized before World War II: during 1912, Santa Barbara; 1915, San Luis Obispo; 1916, Brawly, El Centro and San Diego; 1928, Oxnard; and 1933, Arizona. During 1931, Gardena became an independent Buddhist temple. After the War, groups directly under the Los Angeles Betsuin Buddhist Temple became independent temples: the West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple during 1950, Senshin Buddhist Temple during 1951, Pasadena Buddhist Temple during 1958, Orange County Buddhist Temple during 1965. Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple during 1976, Vista Hongwanji Buddhist Temple during 1981 and San Fernando Hongwanji Buddhist Temple during 1983. All of these temples were formerly groups organized by our Los Angeles Betsuin Buddhist Temple that became independent. The fact that they have flowered so beautifully to become oases of the Nembutsu is indeed a matter to rejoice over. I wrote that our membership during 1930’s was 1,500. At present, our membership is just over 850 because many groups that were formerly associated with our Betsuin became independent temples. According to the annual report for the year 2003 published by our BCA headquarters, there are fifteen temples in the Southern District, of which our Betsuin is the center, which a combined membership of 4,701. At any rate, this is a great increase in numbers from number during the 1930’s. This can only be because of the great desire on the part of the Buddha and our predecessors to enlighten us. That desire transcends everything in this world and cannot even begin to be expressed in words. * * * * * One-hundred-and-four years have now passed since the seeds of the Nembutsu were planted in the United States. During all that time we have been cultivated by Amida Buddha’s Great Compassion that is without bounds. Although completely unworthy of it, during August 26th (Friday), 27th (Saturday) and the 28th (Sunday) of next year we are honored to welcome the present Monshu, Spiritual Leader of our Hongwanji, His eminence Koshin Otani and Ourakata-sama, Lady Noriko Otani to our Centennial Celebration. We will also celebrate completion of our “Hall of Immeasurable Light and Life” and our Wisteria Chapel then. This is a very rare and wonderful opportunity to have direct contact with the Spiritual Leader of our Hongwanji, and to deepen our appreciation of the Dharma. Please plan to attend. * * * * * Fall is the season for our Higan Service. A traditional poem regarding this is: I believe that by the time of our Ohigan Seminar and Services are held, the supports to our addition will be constructed and the walls at least partially in place. The time when the tiles on the roof of the addition to our temple will shine under the great sky of Los Angeles is not distant. All this is solely due to the efforts of you members of our temple. I cannot thank you enough. Arigato gozaimasu… Nomo Amida Butsu |
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Back to: Top | Rimban George Matsubayashi | Reverend Usuki | Reverend Briones
"Benefiting Others" You many not go to great lengths to aid others, but if you truly It is almost impossible to find some semblance of true peace and harmony in this world today. As we watch and participate in the presidential election, we realize that the problems of our society are not only confined to our own country, but also extend to every corner of the world. And what we do as Americans today certainly has an effect on every person living hundreds or thousand of miles away – and they may be just minding their own business, not even realizing that their life has become better or worse because of choices made here. In our selfish society, we may be oblivious to the fact that our ideals, aspirations, and decisions affect so many others, yet even if we make efforts to consider universal responsibility, it is a difficult task if we don’t have an insight into the nature of our own true selves. Because our universe has become so small and so fragile, how do we find social, moral and spiritual values that will make sense both for ourselves and others for another one hundred and even one thousand years from now? If you are Buddhist or follow the Buddhist ideal, then you may be the one who can make a difference. Our world is in a constant state of flux and danger, a result of people pursuing their own agendas, and more often than not, blindly harming others along the way. The anxiety, frustration and pain of our human world is caused by our own greed, anger, and ignorance, or bonno, “blind passions”. Because we are inextricably attached to our individual ambitions and desires, we end up hurting not only ourselves, but also those around us. The Buddha taught us the principle of suffering, its cause, and its remedy, with the Four Noble Truths. If this constant suffering did not exist in our world, then there would be no need for the Buddha’s teachings. Unfortunately, absence of such suffering is almost impossible in this existence, so we must rely on the Buddha’s constant guidance, wisdom and compassion. Yet, although we follow the Buddhist path, our life is not consistently smooth. When things are going well we are joyful and experience the wonderful hope of universal love and compassion. We have a true sense of peace and appreciation that seems to permeate everywhere. But just as beautiful snow melts in our hands, benevolent feelings fade away as confusion inevitably erupts, along with irritation and upset as our grasping minds overcome us once again – and once again we cannot see things clearly. However, this is the body and the life that defines each of us. In every moment, we ourselves contribute to the causes and conditions that determine what happens to us now and in the future. We have no choice but to learn to accept both the pleasant and the unpleasant. Though we may believe that having a peaceful and agreeable life is a goal, we cannot ignore the reality of unfortunate, unpredictable, and messy situations that are bound to crop up. Both desirable and undesirable conditions are opportunities for learning, experience and growth. To clearly see life as it is with all the good, pleasant, wonderful, unfortunate and ugly happenings – and to see our true selves, both kind and selfish, wholesome and unwholesome, benevolent and malevolent – is to awaken to the Truth of Life of Amida Buddha. With this clarity of insight into ourselves, we can learn to communicate with all people from all walks of life and all places, and perhaps catch a glimpse of that precious universal compassion that embraces all beings. It is not the world and others that must change to make things better for us. Rather, it is the responsibility of each individual to see everything, including the self, as it truly is, before the world can change for the better. |
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Back to: Top | Rimban George Matsubayashi | Reverend Usuki | Reverend Briones
About three years ago I received an E-mail from a good friend, informing me to boycott Tommy Hilfiger products. Attached to his E-mail was a news release saying that designer Tommy Hilfiger announced on the Oprah Winfrey Show that he doesn’t want blacks or Asians to buy his cloths. Upon hearing this Oprah asked him to leave the set. Of course when I read this I was outraged. How could such popular and trendy designer, whose main customers were ethnically diverse, say such a thing? My first reaction was to forward this message to as many of my friends as possible. However, as I thought about it more, I wondered why would he say this on national TV? So, I did a web search on the Oprah Winfrey Show. It wasn’t too long before I came a cross an article that discredited the claim made by my friend’s E-mail. Oprah wrote that there was no truth to the Tommy Hilfiger. E-mail and she had no idea where or how such a rumor originated. I immediately forwarded the article to my friend and self-righteously told him you can’t always believe what you read. How many times have we read in the newspaper, e-mail or magazine, or seen on TV, or hear from our friends about something and taken it at face value? Most of the time we don’t question or doubt, otherwise we’d become very “cynical”. However, questioning or doubting is not a bad thing, especially when we are searching for an answer. This includes our spiritual growth. It is a common assumption within the Christian Western culture, that faith deepens as we are taught more about what to believe. In Buddhism, I think just the opposite happens. Faith, or better put as our understanding grows only as we question what we are told. As we learn from our experience we see if the teachings really make a difference in our lives. The Buddha himself insisted, “Don’t believe anything just because I have said it, don’t believe anything just because an elder or someone you respect has said it. Put it into practice. See for yourself if it is true”. In chapter 9 of the Tannisho, Yuien tells Shinran, “Although I say the Nembutsu, the feeling of dancing with joy is faint within me, and I have no thought of wanting to go to the Pure Land quickly.” Instead of scolding Yuien, Shinran says “I too, have had this question!” He then tells Yuien why questions and doubts arise and that they are natural to our human condition. Shinran clearly understood that the goal of all religions is to be free from doubt and questions. But in our finite, limited and passionate lives, how can we attain such an ideal? This is our human nature. As I stated at the beginning, the ideal of most religions is freedom from doubt and questions, but for Shinran, he clearly understood that because of our finite, limited and passionate lives we could never attain this ideal. Shinran taught it is for this very reason that Amida makes the foolish person the object of his salvation. Namu Amida Butsu |
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Back to: Top | Rimban George Matsubayashi | Reverend Usuki | Reverend Briones Copyright © 2003 by Nishi Hongwanji L.A.
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