June 16, 2020

“It is wrong to think that misfortunes come from the east or from the west; they originate within one’s own mind.  Therefore, it is foolish to guard against misfortunes from the external world and leave the inner mind uncontrolled.”

                                                                        Teachings of the Buddha

The Buddha consistently over and over advised his followers to behave wisely and virtuously and most importantly to embrace the Truth.  When he spoke of the Truth he was speaking of the truths of life.  Life is impermanent, life is inter-connected and life consists of a series of causes and conditions.  These are undisputable truths in our life. The word “Buddha” means one who has awakened to the Truth.  Nothing in this world is permanent and lasting and subject to change.  To resist change is to resist life itself.  Each and every human being, nature and inanimate objects are connected.  Everything that we say do and think affects others, now and into the future.  Every event and experience we encounter has a cause, nothing arises of itself. 

When the Buddha encouraged us to embrace these truths, he was showing us that we sometimes do not see the world as it truly is.   We see the world the way we want it to be, or expect it to be.  This is what the Buddha termed the blind foolish self.  We make judgements and decisions based on what we think is right without considering the causes and conditions. 

The Buddha was encouraging us to look within our hearts and minds and ask ourselves if we are using wisdom and compassion in our deliberations.  This can be difficult and make us not want to move or make decisions.  The Buddha did not say it is easy, it is difficult to see things clearly without the ego clouding our vision.  It takes practice, it takes diligence and discipline. It requires each of us to look deep within ourselves as we move through this world. 

We find ourselves in trying times. There is unrest, there is uncertainty and anxiety for all of us.  It is said that the Buddha possessed the “Wisdom of Non-Discrimination.” This is expressed as Great Compassion that embraces ALL beings. The Buddha does not reject anyone based on age, gender, class, race, or any other basis. Although it is difficult for us as unenlightened beings to manifest this Wisdom, this impartiality is an ideal in our tradition. Although it is difficult for us as foolish beings to manifest the all-embracing Great Compassion, this kindness and caring is our model to strive for. The Buddha was not saying that we should not fight for change or point to injustices, but to ask ourselves if we are operating with a clear and unselfish mind.

Each moment, and experience is an opportunity for us to reflect upon our thoughts, words and actions. As do so, we will ask ourselves where the judgements, prejudices, anger and misunderstanding come from.  We will find, as the Buddha said many thousands of years ago, “They originate from one’s own mind”.  Each time we reflect upon ourselves we begin to grow and understand the Great Compassion of the Buddha.

It is my wish that all of you are well and staying healthy both in mind and heart.

With my hands together in Gassho,

Rev. Hosei Shinseki

What Can I Do?

In the past few weeks I have seen on the news horrible and atrocious stories of racism, death and destruction here in the United States.  I shake my head and wonder out loud, “What is wrong with people?”  “What is happening to us as a nation?” 

I ponder over and over in my head, “What can I do?”  It continues to cause me stress and a deep sadness as I watch fellow beings treating each other with such disrespect and meanness.  I can raise my voice and yell out in protest, I can march and raise my fist and say “No More!”

But, if you are like me, I wonder if the Buddha Dharma has the answer to the question “What can I do?”  Shinran said, “My mind is firmly established in the Buddha Land of the deepest universal aspiration. My heart is embraced in the inconceivable Dharma Ocean.”  When we can abandon the self-centered mind and heart and see the working of Amida Buddha all thoughts of good and bad right and wrong are indiscriminate. 

Namoamidabutsu

"Hypochondriacs"

Our present situation has made some of us hypochondriacs or neurotics.  Each time I sneeze, cough, feel tired or uneasy I wonder is it the virus? It is silly to worry and we should spend our time better.  The world of truth for us means things just as they are.  If we get sick, we get sick, if we survive this pandemic we will survive.  Either way it is a life experience that teaches us about the self. 

It is not a good use of our time to worry, but it is human nature to worry.  This is especially true in the current situation we find ourselves in.  We worry about our jobs, our health our relationships, our finances.  We worry because we expect the world to operate in a way in which it will not cause us suffering or anxiety.

This is what the Buddha called dukkha, a world of suffering caused by our inability to see the world as it truly is.  Our dilemma is not new; it is just magnified by the pandemic changing our world.  Shinran called it the saha world or the mundane world we live in. 

In those moments of anxiety and worry, just say namoamidabutsu and we are embraced in the infinite wisdom and compassion of Amida Buddha, just as we are.

Namoamidabutsu,

Rev. Jay Shinseki

"Scam Artists and Hoarders"

In Buddhist mythology there are ten realms of existence which represent our human psychological states and potential states of being.  Of particular interest for us and relevant to us are the lower six realms of existence.  The lower six realms are: Jigoku or hell; Gaki or hungry ghosts; Chikusho or the animal realm; Ashura or the fighting spirits; Ningen or the human real; and Tenjin or the heavenly realm. 

In our present situation we find people taking advantage of others creating scams to bilk money from the unsuspecting.  We ourselves might be stockpiling toilet paper, paper towels, face masks or hand wipes.  This also is to the detriment of others.  This is the world of the gaki or the hungry ghosts.  The gaki have an insatiable thirst to have what others have to think only of their own benefit, forgetting others. How often have we found ourselves existing in that realm?

This blog isn’t condemning but acknowledging this part of ourselves that is greedy and only thinking of self. “We create our own demons”[1]

Fortunate for us, Amida established the most excellent vow that accepts us despite our foibles. How grateful I am.  

Namoamidabutsu,

Rev. Hosei Shinseki

[1] Iron Man 3

"Sound of Music"

We find ourselves in a time and place where what is most important in the world is becoming clearer and clearer.  It may be a result of us becoming more and more aware of the frailty of life.  We come to realize what is truly important in life.  Family, friends, art & music, laughter and sharing.

We see daily people thanking each other for their work and their contributions to the world.   We see people practicing the simple art of sewing masks for others, sharing food where needed and singing songs together while still apart.  It is these things that make us truly human.  We do these things to share with other people that we care about and with other people in need.  We have come to reevaluate what is most important in our lives.

Music, art and culture are an essential part of our lives.  We are paying closer attention to them now and less attention to the selfish needs of our own. At least I hope so.  Take time today to listen to a song and its message.

“The debt of gratitude I owe to Amida’s great Compassion, I will proclaim until my life disintegrates into dust.  The debt of gratitude I owe my Dharma teachers, I will express until my bodily form is finally shattered.”                                                             Ondokusan

Namoamidabutsu

Rev. Hosei Shinseki

"Farewell"

Spoiler alert:  This blog is about the movie “Farewell” starring Aquafina.   She plays the part of a granddaughter who finds out her grandmother in China is dying.   The family gathers for a wedding, but doesn’t tell the grandmother that she is dying.  Billi played by Aquafina wants to tell her and can’t understand why they don’t tell her.  

Her uncle says to her, you have grown up in America, “you think one’s life belongs to oneself. But that is the difference between East and West. In the East, a person’s life is part of a whole, family and society, you want to tell Nai Nai (grandmother) the truth, because you’re afraid to take responsibility for her.  Because it’s too big of a burden.  If you tell her then you don’t have to feel guilty.  We are not telling Nai Nai because it’s our duty to carry this emotional burden for her.”

I like the character of Billi, because she is a young girl caught between two cultures.   She is beginning to understand the truth of life and death.  Her love for her grandmother and saving her the pain of truth conflicts with her sense of what is true and real.  He uncle shares with her a truth that we are all part of a whole, but at the same time makes the assumption that his mother cannot handle the truth of impermanence.

It is true that we are all connected, we are a part of a family, a society.  However, denying the truth of death is denying life itself.  If we teach each other that life and death are like two sides of a coin, each complimenting the other, when we are confronted with death we will be more accepting. Our struggle like Billi in the film, is accepting that truth.  The Dharma taught to us by the Buddha, teaches us that our suffering begins with a failure to see life as it truly is.

Namoamidabutsu

Rev. Shinseki

“Half Asleep or Half Awake?”

As we move into the second month of being sheltered in place, we find ourselves getting into a daily routine.  I am usually in bed by 10:00 am and start to stir around 6:00 am.   Sunrise is usually around 6:20 am.  Even though I try to keep my eyes closed the light of morning comes into the room and I can “see” the light through my eyelids.  No matter how I try the morning sun wins and I wake up.

I am reminded of Shinran’s words in his Kyogyoshinsho (Teaching, Practice, Faith & Attainment). “The unhindered light is the sun of wisdom dispersing the darkness of our ignorance”

Even my stubborn resistance to the light of wisdom and my refusal to open my eyes to the truth, the light of Amida’s compassion is unhindered and forces me awake.  Even when I pull the covers over my head to escape the truth/reality that is Amida, the light has already snapped me out of my sleeping state.  The truth has grasped me despite my efforts to stay asleep.

Our encounter with Amida Buddha and the Primal Vow arises like the morning sun jostling us from the doldrums of sleep, awakening us to the reality of life.

Gassho,

Rev. Hosei Shinseki

Namoamidabutsu

"MEINICHI 命日"

As each year goes by and we get older and older, we know more and more family and friends who have died.  Sometimes it seems harder and harder to keep track of the meinichi or death day of people I have known. 

Today happens to be the meinichi for my father John Masashi Shinseki who died in 1996.  We have a tradition in our home to conduct a service for those family members on the day of their meinichi.   For us it is important to remember those in our past, especially our family members.

Why is this important?  It is important to me because no one exists in a vacuum.   Not one of us exists as a result of our own doing, but we exist because of a myriad of causes and conditions. All of us are made up of the many people who have made our lives possible. 

Genetically we have received the looks and physical characteristics of our birth parents.  However, we are much more than that.  We have developed ideas, thought patterns, attitudes from all the people whom we have encountered.  Who we are is a complex mixture of physical, psychological and social influences.  

By remembering our family members on their meinichi we are reminded of their profound influence on our lives.  A reminder of our connection to many others.  And a reminder to live each day in gratitude. Namoamidabutsu.

Gassho,

Rev. Hosei  Shinseki