A Happy New Year in Gratitude

A Happy New Year in Gratitude

-Light of Dharma 50 Years-

Rimban Hoshu Y. Matsubayashi, Ed.D.

            May the year of 2010 be a prosperous, healthy, and happy year for all.  My wife and I wish to extend our heartfelt appreciation to you for your kind support and friendship extended to us during the past year. 

Under the guiding light of Dharma, 50 years have been passed since I became a minister of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii on September 1, 1959.  Over the last 50 years, I have served as a minister of the Hawaii Hongwanji Kyodan, the Buddhist Churches of America, the Buddhist Churches of Canada, and again the Buddhist Churches of America, and I will be retiring from the ministry on July 31, 2010.

The propagation of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism on the mainland of the United States officially began with the arrival of the Hongwanji dispatched ministers, Rev. Dr. Shue Sonoda and Rev. Kakuryo Nishijima in San Francisco on September 1, 1899.  This year marks the 111^th anniversary of the Buddhist Churches of America.  Let us all pay our utmost respect and admiration to the dedicate Nembutsu followers who worked diligently to maintain and to develop the teaching of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.

Miyoko Kaneta, a retired school teacher who was raised in Central California, recorded “A Song of Praise for Issei Pioneers” from her memory.  The first verse describes the Issei fathers who were determined to establish their lives in the wild and deserted land.  The second and third verses run as follows:

From the wrinkles on her forehead,

To the palms of her hands,

Holding me in her left arm,

A hoe in her right hand,

Ah--, the unforgettable figure of our mothers.

We live this day, grateful to our parents,

Deep emotions now move me to tears,

For we would not be here but for them,

And today, we stand firmly,

Here, on this land.

Over the course of my 50 years as a minister, I have learned and witnessed the dedicated lives of the Issei pioneers and the dedicated Nembutsu followers.  In order to awake to the Infinite Light of Amida Buddha, we have to listen to the Buddha-Dharma.  Rennyo Shonin instructed us on how to listen to the Buddha-Dharma in his writing Rennyo Shonin Goichidai Kikigaki (The Words of Rennyo Shonin), No. 155, “Even though we do not have spare time, we should listen to the Buddha-Dharma.  It is wrong to think that we listen to the Buddha-Dharma only when we have spare time.  The Buddha-Dharma teaches us that we never know for sure if we have tomorrow.”  There is no guarantee that there will be a tomorrow for every one of us.  We should listen to the Buddha-Dharma, so that we will awaken to the Compassionate Heart of Amida Buddha.  Rennyo Shonin encouraged us to listen to the Buddha-Dharma with our special determination.

When I was a resident minister at the Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church, a certain member of the church went back to Japan to see his 84 year old mother in the hospital.  When he met his mother at the hospital, she asked her son, who was a very busy businessman running multiple companies, “Are you attending church?”  He answered, “I am very busy, so I cannot attend the church as I wish to.”  His mother said, “Please attend church first.  Then you say, ‘I am busy.’”

When I heard this, I immediately recalled Rennyo Shonin’s words, “Listen to the Buddha-Dharma even though you do not have spare time.”  Her wonderful message was essentially same as Rennyo Shonin’s.  The word “busy” in Japanese illustrates to lose a heart.  If we fail to see the heart of the Buddha, the heart of mother, and the heart of people, we are not able to see the truth of our lives nor able to become the true Nembutsu followers.

Under the guiding light of the Dharma for 50 years, I was able to carry on my ministry with the support and friendship of countless Nembutsu followers in the Hawaii Hongwanji Kyodan, the Buddhist Churches of Canada, and the Buddhist Churches of America.  How grateful I am!  As we celebrate the new year of 2010, the year of my retirement as your Rimban, my wife and I wish to extend our sincere greetings to you all in gratitude.  Namo Amida Butsu 

The Nembutsu in My Life

The Nembutsu in My Life

Rimban Hoshu Y. Matsubayashi, Ed.D.

            The Nembutsu is the fundamental teaching of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, and the true meaning of the Nembutsu was expounded for us by Shinran Shonin (1173 – 1263), the founder of Jodo Shinshu.  The summary of Jodo Shinshu is expressed as “Shinjin Sho-in (Entrusting heart is the true cause of birth into the Pure Land), and Shomyo Ho-on (The recitation of the Nembutsu is one’s gratitude to Amida Buddha.)”

            Do we, the followers of Jodo Shinshu, understand the true meaning of the Nembutsu as expounded by Shinran, and carry on the Nembutsu in our lives?

            The original meaning of the Nembutsu is the “Thought of Buddha (Buddhanusmriti).”  In the history of Buddhism, the Nembutsu has been practiced in various ways, and through the many years of doctrinal developments by seven masters, Shinran established the Nembutsu teaching of Jodo Shinshu.

            In the book The Way of Nirvana, Dr. Ryosetsu Fujiwara, former professor of the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, describes such various forms of the Nembutsu as follows: “…in the history of Buddhist practices there appeared many special forms of the Nembutsu.  The Goe Nembutsu (Fivefold Rhythmical Nembutsu Pecitation), for example, was introduced to Japan by Ennin (794-864) of the Tendai School from China.  This Nembutsu later developed into Fudan Nembutsu (Incessant Recitation of the Nembutsu) and Inzei Nembutsu (Chanting of the Nembutsu with a prolonged voice).  As ritual practices of the Nembutsu, there appeared Yuzu Nembutsu (Nembutsu of inter-penetrating in all beings), Kan Nembutsu (One month practice during winter nights, striking gongs and chanting Nembutsu), Uta Nembutsu (Chanting of Nembutsu in tones), Odori Nembutsu (Chanting of Nembutsu combined with the striking of gongs and drums, singing of psalms and dancing) etc.  The last one was initiated by Kuya (903-972) and made more popular by Ippen (1239-1289).”

            Since there are various kinds of Nembutsu, we must understand the true meaning of Nembutsu in Jodo Shinshu teaching.  One important question about our Nembutsu is whether we use the Nembutsu in as a type of prayer.

            In the early twentieth century, a drama of Shukke to Sono Deshi (The Priest and His Disciples), written by Hyakuzo Kurata (1891-1943), was a best seller.  It describes the love and passion between Yuien, a disciple of Shinran, and Kaede, a prostitute.  They both try to live truly and sincerely to their human natures and seek guidance from Shinran.

            The drama was translated into English by Glenn W. Shaw in 1922.  Unfortunately, Shaw translated the Nembutsu, Namu Amida Butsu, as “Save us, oh Amida Buddha!”  One Shinshu Buddhist objected to this rendering of the Nembutsu, since the Nembutsu is not a prayer.  However, Shaw did not change the rendering of the Nembutsu in his 1955 edition and stated in his preface the following:

            “He (a Shinshu Buddhist) wanted a positive and affirmative rendering, something like ‘Hail, oh Amida Buddha!’ or ‘Amida Buddha Amen!’  He was right enough for himself and many like him, but for a frightened old lady whose house is burning down, for instance, the commonly used less philosophical sense would doubtless be more nearly correct.”  In other words, Shaw insisted that the recitation of the Nembutsu under adverse circumstances cannot be considered an expression of gratitude or positive.

            I remember when my father passed away I cried bitterly in front of his dead body.  I recited the Nembutsu, Namo Amida Butsu.  Even though I lamented loudly, the truth of reality or Dharma never changed.  The teachings of the Buddha-Dharma such as “the created thing will be destroyed” and “once we are born, the death will come sooner or later” became reality.  No human being, upon appearing on this earth, can escape from this truth of the Buddha-Dharma.

            Amida Buddha is constantly extending his wisdom and compassion to all of us who are living in such reality.  To be awakened to the function (primal vow) of Amida Buddha, who has such great wisdom and compassion, means to live with the Nembutsu, Namo Amida Butsu.  As a result of awakening of the Nembutsu, we are able to realize the infinite life of Amida Buddha becomes one with my life.

            Such peaceful realization of oneness with the infinite life of the Buddha is expressed beautifully by Lady Takeko Kujo (1887-1928) in her poem of Seiya:

            More numerous than the sands of the Ganges River

                        are the Buddhas.

            When I hear that they watch over us night and day,

my heart is filled with peace.                                       Namo Amida Butsu     

LIGHT OF WISDOM (PRAJNA) & COMPASSION (KARUNA)

LIGHT OF WISDOM (PRAJNA) & COMPASSION (KARUNA)

Rimban Hoshu Y. Matsubayashi, Ed.D.

            The Preamble of the By-Laws of the Buddhist Churches of America states that “each member shall honor the Three Treasures: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; and follow faithfully the teaching of Shinran Shonin according to Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha.”  Thus, the heart to honor the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha must be the fundamental attitude of all ministers and laypeople of the Buddhist Churches of America.

            Prince Shotoku (574-624), who is considered to be the founder of Japanese Buddhism, and, even today, is respected highly by the Japanese, set down the first Seventeen Article Constitution in Japan in order to govern the country in the early seventh century.  The Second Article of the Constitution, like the Preamble of the By-Laws of BCA, declares that they will “Sincerely honor the Three Treasures.  The Three Treasures are Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha…”

            Buddha means an enlightened one who has the wisdom (prajna) to see the truth of the world.  Buddha also means wisdom itself, which works as compassion (karuna).  The wisdom and compassion of the Buddha is the guiding light of all people of the BCA.

            Dharma is the teachings of Buddha.  It also means the laws and principles of things in the universe.  Shakyamuni Buddha once said about Dharma that “Although I expounded Dharma, Dharma has been existing eternally regardless of my birth or not.”  Shakyamuni Buddha moved Dharma into action for the first time in our human history.  A history of the Buddhist Churches of America will be guided by the eternal Dharma.

            Sangha means a harmonious gathering of Buddhists who are living with the Buddha of the Infinite Light (wisdom) and the Infinite Life (compassion).

            My late uncle, who was a movie director at the Toho Movie Company in Japan, once described the importance of lights in his movie studio that “when all the studio lights are turned off, the single faint light attached to the ceiling of the stage remains on.  That light shows us the way out.  We refer to that ceiling light as the eternal night (joya) light.  That eternal night light remains on even when studio lights that consume hundreds of kilowatts of power are on.  During my 30 years as a movie director, I have always been moved by this eternal night light that remains on after all the studio lights are turned off.  We were always able to come out safely from the dark studio guided by the eternal night light.”

            Although the Buddha’s light of wisdom and compassion is constantly shining upon us, we often fail to realize such Buddha’s light.  Shinran Shonin described our human nature in his Koso Wasan (The Hymns of The Masters) as follows:

            Although my eyes, blinded by passions,

            Do not see the light, which embraces me,

            The Great Compassion never tires,

            Always casting light upon me.

            The eternal night (joya) light on the ceiling of the studio stage is like the compassionate light that is constantly shining on us but which we fail to appreciate because of our passions.  Let us all recite a passage of The Shoshin-ge that “I take refuge in the Buddha of the Inconceivable Light! (Namo Fukashigi-ko)”  Gassho