You may remember the
Buddhist statues destroyed by the fundamentalist
Taliban army in 2001. Many around the world were
horrified that these ancient monuments were attacked.
And while that event was not long ago, the incident is
part of a long history that has seen these two faiths
clash for centuries.

In an effort to bring peace
to these two communities, the Manitoba Buddhist Temple
invited members of the Muslim community to an
interfaith service on Sunday, November 27, 2011.
Hammad Ahmad represented the Winnipeg Ahmadiyya Muslim
community. He spoke on how the Buddha was not any
different from other prophets of God, that have
appeared throughout the world. And that the fundamental
beliefs of Buddhism are at one with the rest of the
other world faiths.
It is hoped the service
will initiate a healing movement between the two faiths
of Islam and Buddhism and help to promote a mutual
understanding and respect between the followers of the
faiths.
LEARN MORE ABOUT AHMADIYYA MUSLIMS
JAMA'AT...
Our weekend with Jeff
Wilson was a resounding success! Whenever our temple
has a special guest like Jeff Wilson I am always amazed
at the work that goes behind the scenes.
The planning for Jeff’s visit began over one year ago.
Finally, he had an open weekend in June of 2011. We had
to worry about promotion and advertisement. Luckily,
the late, Dr. Leslie Kawamura promised to have the
Living Dharma Centre in Toronto help our temple with
Jeff’s travel and accommodations. Our temple Board had
to meet to iron out the details of the visit such as
the fundraiser lunch, the cleaning of the temple and
temple grounds, transportation, clean-up after the
event and meals for our guest. Then there was the
matter of how to plan the service for Sunday as well as
the format for the Saturday evening lecture. Posters
were designed and distributed and notices in the
Winnipeg Free Press were
arranged. Sections of our wonderful website were
devoted to Jeff’s arrival. These were some of the
activities required for Jeff’s visit. Many people,
who prefer to remain unnamed, worked diligently
behind the scenes to prepare for this important
visit.
Then Saturday and Sunday
arrived. We were privileged to hear two remarkable
presentations. They were remarkable because our guest
Jeff Wilson was a top-notch scholar who was able to
relate the basics of our wonderful Nembutsu teaching in
clear down-to-earth language. To be able to do well in
both worlds - the academic and the world of the average
temple member - is a genuine gift. It is nice to know
that our tradition has academic respectability. It is
touching to know that we who live outside the walls of
a university can understand and live this important
teaching of the Nembutsu.
On Sunday, June 12, Jeff talked about three hallmarks
of Shinran’s teachings: Relax, Trust and Thank. I could
never do justice to his talk. It was the kind of
presentation that requires being-there, with Jeff
himself present. So to paraphrase:
Relax, because our Nembutsu teaching
gives us permission to be ourselves just as we are in
the flow of our natural lives. Amida’s Vow to bring
spiritual fulfillment to all beings is just for us.
Flowing beneath the events of our daily lives is a warm
nurturing presence—even in the most difficult of times.
Trust is not only found in the Vows of
Amida but also in the Sangha, our community. Finding
true words worthy of trust, a community of trust and
people to trust is a deep need for all of us. When we
cannot have them, life seems a joyless affair, scary
even. We find these things in the Buddha, Dharma Sangha
and in the Nembutsu.
Thank, gratitude is also found when we
become aware of all the causes and conditions that
support us.
It is really a great privilege to arrive at a place in
our journey of life where we can relax, find something
worthy of trust and give expression to our gratitude.
Please read his book, "Buddhism of the
Heart" for further explanations. I am sure
everyone there would have their own story about
Jeff’s visit. Please reflect on his words and feel
free to share your experiences with each other.
I am always proud of our community. Our ability to work
in a relaxed friendly manner with trust and gratitude
is an amazing feature of our experience together.
Remember how we close our chanting? “Together we all
share the truth of this Dharma, which gives rise to
Bodhi mind (bodaishin) and birth in true serene joy.”
How true, how true.
In deepest gratitude.
Sensei Ulrich
READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT JEFF WILSON IN
THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS...

What about today?
What about female clergy in the institution?
"My own experience has been very positive. Perhaps when
you start from the understanding that the Primal Vow is
meant for all people without discrimination, and that
it works in your life regardless of distinctions that
include such dichotomies as good and evil or priest and
lay practitioner, then how could the question of gender
possibly be a consideration? This should be empowering
to anyone. As a consequence, when social stumbling
blocks occur— and sometimes they do—it’s easier to
realize that the institution is made up of human
beings, and human beings are imperfect. That’s why an
individual like Shinran or me or you cannot hope to
realize the mind of nirvana through our self-power
alone."
BROWSE TRICYCLE MAGAZINE
ONLINE...
SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE TRICYCLE
MAGAZINE COVER SHOOT...
Discover how Shin Buddhism
may have become the religion “best adapted to life in
North America.”
Learn how your life can be full of grace, despite blind
ambitions and foolish passions, by just entrusting
ourselves to the compassion that exists in our
interdependent universe.
Saturday, June 11th, 7:00pm at the Manitoba Buddhist
Temple, 39 Tecumseh Street.
Admission is free. Donations accepted.
Jeff Wilson is an Assistant Professor of Religious
Studies and East Asian Studies at Renison University
College at the University of Waterloo. He is also the
founder of the “Buddhism in the West” program unit at
the American Academy of Religion and author of numerous
books and articles on the development of Buddhism in
North America. His most recent books include: Mourning
the Unborn Dead: A Buddhist Ritual Comes to America
(Oxford University Press 2009) and Buddhism of the
Heart: Reflections on Shin Buddhism and Inner
Togetherness (Wisdom Publications 2009). His next book,
with University of North Carolina Press, will examine
Buddhism in the American South.
Yasuko Akiyama is a Japanese woman
living in London. She was haunted and moved by the
recent disasters in Japan, and decided to undertake a
fundraiser for the people who were hurt and displaced
by the tsunami, quake, and nuclear disaster.
She along with several others around the world,
including Manitoba's Sensei Ulrich, translated Miyazawa
Kenji's beautiful poem "Unbeaten By Rain" into English.
She then produced a beautiful poster with a lovely
typographic treatment of the poem. She's selling the
poster as a fundraiser for £20, with all net proceeds
go to Ashinaga, a 40-year-old Tokyo
nonprofit that provides "education-focused financial
and emotional support to children who have a
parent/guardian with a serious disability, or who
have lost one or both parents/guardians due to
illness, accident, disaster, or suicide."
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
POSTER...
Dr. Kawamura receiving
the Order of the University of Calgary in June
2010
Danny Fisher has posted
interviews with two men who knew Rev. Leslie Kawamura
very well. The article was written for "Buddhadharma:
The Practitioner’s Quarterly Online" and features John
Harding, Associate Professor of Religious Studies
at the University of Lethbridge, and a co-editor
of "Wild Geese: Buddhism in Canada"
and Charles Prebish, the recently-retired Charles
Redd Chair in Religious Studies at Utah State
University, and author of "Luminous Passage: The
Practice and Study of Buddhism in America".
The highlight of my time in Calgary was our daily lunches. Usually, around noon, Leslie and I would meet in his office, often with other faculty members and students included, and just brainstorm about all things Buddhist. Nothing was ever pre-planned. We just spontaneously discussed whatever came up on any specific day. It didn’t matter whether it was Vinaya or Vimalakirti, monasticism or meditation, the discussions were lively and free-spirited. --CHARLES PREBISH
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT BUDDHADHARMA...Rev. Leslie Kawamura’s influence goes beyond his role with the Raymond temple and includes important innovations at the Honpa Buddhist Temple of Lethbridge from the end of the 1960s to the mid-1970s when he took an academic position. This history deserves more attention as does the more recent period in which Leslie served Jodo Shinshu in Canada as the Director of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada – Living Dharma Centre. --JOHN HARDING

Actor, Ken Watanabe has
recited the poem as a tribute to the people of Japan.
But thats not all. He has also created a web site that
hopes to heal Japan and bring a smile back to the
people. He calls it Kizuna311. Kizuna means “bonds” or
“ties” and 311 is for March 11th, the date of the
earthquake and tsunami.
To overcome this painful catastrophe, we must find a way to unite and find our Kizuna among people. We decided to create a video library showing the power and benefits from voluntary work efforts. We wish to deliver the message of hope to the victims and kindle a light in each one's heart.
We understand that each medium has its role. We would like to show a different point of view from what the mass media reports everyday. Our hope is that our message will show the uplifting efforts we Japanese are making to come together and help one another rebuild our lives after the earthquake and tsunami. We believe that this message inspires the power of Kizuna among the victims of these tragedies, and demonstrates our Kizuna to the world.