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