Happy New Year 2016 from Orai Sensei

Orai Sensei’s Message January 2016

Soon the year 2015 will be closing and on Dec 31 we get together for New Year’s Eve service and striking the bell so-called Joya no Kane. I would like to ask you a question; For whom does this bell ring?

Welcoming the New Year 2016 soon, I wish you all very HAPPY AND PEACEFUL one throughout the year. And I would like to ask your continuous support, so that I can successfully complete my obligations before saying good-by possibly some time in summer.

I know I am going to miss many things here in Salinas as we have been here full four years now; sunshine, blue sky, cool wind in the afternoon, weekly golf outing, plenty of fruits and vegetables, flowers, high fives and smiles of DS children, bell tower, Hondo, and gym as well as warm and generous hearts of the members and friends.

All I want now is to see someone step up to ring the bell which is the symbolic treasure of this temple; new resident minister, new president, new members, deepening the Nembutsu teaching by the present members, so that this temple will be existing as a center of spiritual peace for a long time in the future.

You can ring the bell and also listen to the sound, the true wish of your loved ones as well as Amida Buddha.

Na-man-da-bu, Orai Fujikawa

２０１５年も終わりに近く、やがて大晦日、除夜の鐘を撞く時がまいりました。この鐘は一体誰のために鳴るのでしょうか？

皆さまには２０１６年の新年が旧年のごとく、幸せで穏やかな年でありますよう念じます。まだ次の駐在開教使は決まっていませんが、多分夏ころには私も駐在を終えて皆さんとお別れすることになりましょう。２０１２年１月から丸４年に亘り大変お世話になり、大きなご恩を賜りました。「サリナス離れがたく候」という気持ちですがこれも仕方のないことです。

私の願いは、はやく後継者が決まる事、次期会長がきまること、もっと会員が増え子供や孫たちがお寺参りをしてくれること、そして念仏の教えが弘まり、永くこの仏教会が、サリナスの人々の心の故郷として維持発展してゆく事です。

除夜の鐘を撞き、その音をよく聞き、衆生の願いを、また親様の願いを頂きましょう。　合掌。釈　往来

シルバー川柳（つづき）

新築で　ないと五輪は　ダメですか/チョンマゲの　頃と変らぬ　袖の下/ロボットが　読経している　ヘンな夢/法名は　立派だなあ　と阿弥陀様/　にこやかに　別れたけれど　誰だっけ/歌合戦　歌をきかせて　下さいな

Orai Sensei’s Message December 2015

Second paragraph of Shoshinge;

HOZO BOSATSU INNIJI  ZAISE JIZAI OUBUSSHO 

TOKEN SHOBUTSU JOUDO IN  KOKUDO NINDEN SHI ZENMAKU

Bodhisattva Dharmakara, in his causal stage,

Under the guidance of Lokesvararaja Buddha, 

Searched into the origins of the Buddhas’ pure lands,

And the qualities of those lands and their men and devas;

Once upon a time Bodhisattva by the name of Dharmakara met and got very much inspired by Lokesvararaja Buddha who showed him all kinds of Buddha lands and their qualities. Important message you can learn from this passage is Dharmakara is YOURSELF. In the course of human life you meet many people or things and among them something inspires or motivates you to do what you really want to do or contribute for the society.

In the case of Dharmakara, he had one thing in his mind, that is, how to get rid of pains and sufferings in this world. Therefore there was a great encounter between Dharmakara and Lokesvararaja which eventually comes about the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha.

Welcoming December, the last month of the year, I hope you are all well and preparing for the festive season with your family, relatives and friends. As my son and his family plan to come to Vancouver in the yearend, we look forward to having a rare family reunion. Big problem in our family is far away to each other; Toronto, Vancouver, Canada and Salinas.CA. However, I know we cannot live together in this modern age and it is good to have communication constantly through technology. And occasional reunion is very meaningful and exciting.

Wishing you all to have a wonderful time of reunion in this coming festive season and have a Happy New Year.  In Gassho, Orai Fujikawa

法蔵菩薩因位時　在世自在王仏処　覩見諸仏浄土因　国土人天之善悪

人生の苦悩を何とか解決したいと考えていた法蔵という名前の菩薩さまが、世自在王仏に出会い、その仏様の案内で、もろもろの仏たちの国々やそこに住む人々の善いところ、欠点などを観察することが出来、大きな感動をいたしました。

この法蔵と世自在王との出会いにより、人生の苦悩の解決と言う大仕事が完成することになるわけですが、よく考えて見ますと、法蔵というのは、貴方自身のことであり、あなたが人生の旅において、どのような疑問をもっていたか、また誰と何処で出会うかにより、貴方自身の人生が大きな発展をすることになります。そういうことを教えられる一節であります。

さていよいよ年末の師走、十二月を迎えますが皆さまには、ご健勝にて年末年始の準備にお忙しいことでしょう。年末には私たちの息子がトロントからバンクーバーへやってくると言いますので、久しぶりに家族全部が揃いそうです。昔は親子三代が同じ場所に一緒に住む時代でしたが、現代はなかなかそうは行きません。それでも電話，コンピューターのおかげでしょっちゅう連絡ができます、またたまには再会も出来ますことは有難い事です。

どうぞお元気に新春をお迎え下さい。合掌。釈往来

シルバー川柳（つづき）

どうやって　禁煙するか　一服し/　年老いて　モトが取れない　食べ放題/　愛犬の　同情した目に　いやされる/　「あなた来てー」　唯一の出番　虫退治/　出張を　伝えてよろこぶ　妻こども/　これもダメ　あれもダメダメ　高血圧

Orai Sensei’s Message November 2014

Time is really flying. 2014 calendar is getting thin as we welcome November and soon we have to prepare for the end of the year.

October 11-12 weekend, eight of us had an opportunity to attend 43rd FBWA Conference in Irvine CA. As it was a little far for me to drive, six of us decided to use Amtrak for the first time. It took nine hours from Salinas to L.A., but comfortable and relaxing. Kenzo Yonemitsu kindly picked us up and drove us to the hotel in Irvine late night.

Over 600 delegates participated and enjoyed six speakers both in Japanese and English, as well as meeting new and old friends which is very good part of the conference. For example, I met a lady who was a classmate with my cousin in Hiroshima and my wife met Mrs. Kyutoku’s sister. I also met many retired ministers including Okada Sensei who used to serve for many years in Canada.

At one of the lectures we learned the four periods in human life in India, which is commonly considered to be an ideal model: Learning Period, Family Period, Seeking Period, and Period of Tranquility. First period is learning the basics in school; Second is working/marriage and nurturing family in the society; Third is the time of seeking spiritual path and Fourth is the peaceful living of retirement.

Although this doesn’t fit for everyone, I believe there is something for us to think about as this idea has been handed down for thousands of years. Which period are you in now?

In Gassho, Na-man-da-bu, Orai Fujikawa 

２０１５年もあと二ヶ月となりました。１１月はあまり大きな行事はなく、比較的静かな月です。親鸞聖人の正信偈の最初の部分を味わって見ましょう。

帰命無量寿如来　きみょうむりょうじゅにょらい　南無不可思議光　なもふかしぎこう　で始まるこのお経は報恩講をはじめ多くの法要で読まれるお経です。これは親鸞様が南無阿弥陀仏の意味をくだいて翻訳されたものです。もともとナモアミダブツはインドの言葉で釈尊の話し言葉です。仏法がインドから中国へ紹介されて、中国の仏教僧が翻訳を試みましたが、結局はその音に近い漢字を使いました。それは丁度アメリカを亜米利加と書くようなものですね。

親鸞様にとってナモアミダブツとは「光と命きわみなき、アミダ仏を仰がなん」つまり限りない光と命、智慧と慈悲の仏様に帰依いたしますという意味です。

私たち人間の命はせいぜい百年くらい、寂しい命を嘆くとき、法蔵菩薩が必ずそれを救いとってお浄土まで迎えてくださるという誓願を起こして、それを成就し、アミダ仏と成って下さいました。その働きがナモアミダブツという名号となって私へ届いて下さるのです。

これこそ感謝のナンマンダブツであります。合掌。釈　往来

シルバー川柳（つづき）

母の日に　みんな集まり　母多忙/　皮下脂肪　資源に出来れば　ノーベル賞/　沸きました　妻よりやさしい　風呂の声/　増えてゆく　暗証番号　減る記憶/　ああ定年　これから妻が　わが上司/　充電器　あったらいいな　人間用

Orai Sensei’s October 2015 Message

For the October message I would like to share Fall Higan message for those who couldn’t attend the September service.

Welcoming the Fall Season and the beginning the new school year, I am sure young people in elementary, middle, high school and college are very much excited in meeting new friends and teachers.

Human life is often compared to a journey with a series of encounters with people and other things. The first people you meet are father and mother, then brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts with cousins. You meet neighbors and friends. As you go to school, you meet classmates and teachers.

When you start working, you meet your boss and co-workers. Then through marriage, you meet your spouse and their family and extended relatives and your life network is enlarged. Most likely your life is enriched by those encounters. Coming to the temple, you meet Shakyamuni Buddha, Shinran Shonin, Rennyo Shonin and other Nembutsu followers. Through books, you are able to meet historical people such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and so on. You are also able to meet fictional heroes such as Superman, Spiderman, and Ninja Turtle.

And then here is the most important person you must encounter: YOURSELF. According to the Buddha, Awakened One, you must know yourself. You must discover your true self.

How do you come to know yourself? Just as you can see yourself in the mirror, you can discover yourself when you study Buddha Dharma and meet Amida Buddha.

Let us continue to learn from Buddha Dharma.

Gassho, Namandabu,
Orai Fujikawa 

一体どなたが名づけられたのか知りませんが、サリナス仏教会の寺報は白道です。この名前の由来は中国の浄土教の和尚、善導大師が説かれた『二河白道』です。

ある旅人が夕暮れの道を西方に向かっていました。気がつくと後ろから恐ろしい野獣と悪漢が追いかけてきます。急いで逃げるのですが道は行き止まり。眼前に大きな二河、右手に荒れ狂う水の河、左に炎の河。

三定死といって、前にも行けない、後ろに下がることも出来ない、じっとしても居れない絶体絶命の状態です。はるか後方より、「決心して前に進め」、西の向こう岸からは、「真っ直ぐに来たれ、われ汝を護らん」と呼ぶ声。よく見ると二河の真ん中に細い白い道があります。

いよいよこの旅人は決心して、水と火の中間の白道を歩き向こう岸へ辿りつくというたとえ話です。

野獣と悪漢は苦しみの多い人生を示し、二河は限りない欲の河、怒りの河、呼び声は釈迦如来とアミダ如来、また私たちの今はお浄土へ往かれた先祖先輩たち、そして白道はお念仏、ナモアミダブツであります。実に善導さまは賢明な和尚であった事がうなずかれます。

先哲がこの物語から次のような和歌を歌いました。

火と水の　その中道を往けよ人　来たれと呼ばん　声を力に

合掌。なんまんだぶ。釈往来

Illustration by Rev. Orai Fujikawa