The Woman's Spirit Connection is a
support group that includes women of all
faiths and ethnic derivations. The evening of
meditation was a success because the women were
well prepared by their years together. Rev.
Ulrich claims that it was one of the best
Loving-Kindness sessions that he has
ever experienced. And while there were some
participants who were new to this kind of
practice, the positive relationships in this
spiritual group readily included these 'beginners'
in the activities.
Many of
the participants have since reported to have
continued these meditations on their own as an
important component of their own private practice. It
turns out it was an important two hours for
everybody.
VISIT THE WOMAN SPIRIT CONNECTION
IN KANSAS...
LEARN MORE ABOUT
LOVING-KINDNESS...
I owe it to my family to become a better person. I owe it to those closest to me to become a better man. I have a lot of work to do, and I intend to dedicate myself to doing it. Part of following this path for me is Buddhism, which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don't realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a creation of things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught.
WATCH MORE TALKS FROM REV. OSHITA
AT THE BUDDHIST CHURCH OF SACRAMENTO
WEBSITE...
STAY TUNED FOR MORE VIDEOS AT THE
LIVING DHARMA CENTRE YOUTUBE SITE...
Socho Koshin Ogui,
Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America
Living in San Francisco,
Socho Koshin Ogui is the writer
of the popular column “Nyozegamon,” which appears in
the Hokubei community newspaper and
website.
The English translation for "Nyozegamon" is "I have
heard it in this way". This refers to the passing
down of stories from generation to generation.
Recent column topics include "Finding Happiness in
the Midst of Misfortune" and "Why Does She Say She
Has Nothing When She Has Plenty?".
Upon his appointment as Bishop of the the Buddhist Churches of America,
Ogui was asked what his goals were as Bishop. Ogui
said that his personal goal is to convey the
wonderful nature of Buddhist tradition in the U.S.
Further adding, "To do this, we must convey the
traditions in a manner that is convincing to
Americans."
Nyozegamon is a wonderful way of communicating these
ideas.
READ BISHOP OGUI'S
COLUMNS...
Members stroll in early
to Dharma Family Service, which takes place on
Sundays in the hondo.
The gong-like sound of a bell called a Kansho reverberates throughout the hondo. The conversations in the room begin to trail off. After a few more strikes and silent pauses, the bell is hit rapidly. The chatter fades to a silence and the only sound left in the room is the lingering ring.The bell stops.Three ministers, all men, are dressed in long black robes. Around their necks, they each have a kesa, tightly folded cloth made from the robes that Buddhist monks traditionally wear. They sit in chairs on the sides of the altar and begin to chant. Their voices together create a drone that engulfs the room.
Courtesy Ekoji Buddhist
Temple Dharma School in Fairfax County,
Virginia
Caught in the middle are
soldiers. Many soldiers are religious. In fact, right
now, there are 1,900 Buddhists serving in the U.S.
(Army Times).
A great blog that helps sort this out for many is the
Buddhist Military Sangha. It is
an unofficial online resource for Buddhists in the
United States Armed Forces. One of the frequent
contributors to the site is a Jodo Shinshu
Buddhist Priest named Jeanette Shin. Shin was
ordained at the Nishi Hongwanji, in Kyoto, Japan,
in 2003. She was endorsed to become a military
chaplain by the Buddhist Churches of America and
served in the US Marine Corps from 1988-1992. She
is a minister of the Buddhist Church of Florin, near
Sacramento, CA.
How does she justify her role in the military?
Yes, there have always been armies and police, and there has to be some provision for defence. Even were we living in a world of wise rulers, protection is necessary. The Buddha speaks of this, as does Dogen. Aggression exists within each of us. But our wars today day wars are hardly the work of wise rulers (Neither were most wars in the past.). Whatever the issues may be, however just, the killing is fed by arms dealers and vast corporations who profit from the various technologies of killing. And by politicians driven by self-interest in raw form. And even by ourselves in a willingness to preserve privilege over groups and people elsewhere in the world.Having said all that, I would add that military personnel and families I have met often embody the highest principles of honour, duty, and self-sacrifice. They try to live according to what I might call “practice,” for the sake of their country and people. It is essential to hold this in mind.
I can’t help wondering, maybe naively, what would come of a policy that replaces retribution with generosity, that uses even a portion of the trillions we spend on war and destruction at home (prisons) and abroad for education, health, housing, and food? I would sign up in a New York minute as a chaplain to that kind of army.
Over at Barbara's Buddhism Blog, she
recently posted a wonderful photo on her website
describing the Japanese Buddhist practise of
Takuhatsu. She correctly described it as a
practise performed by monks. But in this case, as
"Jeff" pointed out in her comments, these were not
monks, but members of the New York Buddhist Church. He
was able to identify them by the wisteria crest on
their kesa (ribbon around the neck).
We can further tell you that the man leading the
group is Jodo Shinshu minister, Rev. T. Kenjitsu
Nakagaki of the New York Buddhist Church.
Traditionally, Buddhist
monks would walk through their communities pausing
for donations of food or money. Today, Takuhatsu is
more commonly used as a meditative practice.

All Photos by Spencer
Platt/Getty Images
In the case of these
photos, Rev. Nakagaki was experimenting with the
practise in North America. He was also taking
donations for his temple. In 2008, a member of the
New York Buddhist Temple wrote about the experience:
We went by subway to “Strawberry Fields” of John Lennon and Yoko Ono fame in Central Park, where we began the traditional meditation walk. “Ho ho ho ho, ho ho ho.” Stop. Ring the bells and gong simultaneously. Start again. “Ho” means “the Dharma” (the Teaching of the Buddha) -- not Santa Claus. This continued all the way to and around Columbus Circle and Midtown Manhattan. We walk to bring the Dharma to the city. --Dimitri Bakhroushin, New York Buddhist Church
In Asia, laypeople generally relate to Buddhism devotionally. But in America, when laypeople engage in these traditions they most often want to relate to them solely as a yogic path, beyond devotion. The problem is that they have all of the problems that lay Buddhists have always had. Trying to force yourself into the yogic path while living with all of the distractions, complications, and follies of the lay life may not always work so well. In order to ease some of the strain on this artificial image of what a Buddhist life might be, it could be very helpful to bring in the Shin emphasis and recognition of our blind passions and our natural limitations as laypeople.
In some approaches to Buddhism, you try to get rid of emotional attachments, but not in Shin. We want to treasure the blind passions, the defilements, because they are the fertilizer for realization. It’s hard to make the passions disappear, but they can be deepened into wisdom and compassion. Some people use the word “transform,” but I don’t like it myself. The passions don’t become something else; they become more pungent. Pungent dharma. That’s Shin Buddhism.
In Buddhism, people who are transformed become selfless and dedicated to serving others. This is what many people felt when they watched the broadcast of Obama giving his somber, determined victory speech in Chicago on election night.
It may seem incredible that a person with such a humble beginning as Obama could have made it this far. Yet, when looking through the lens of Buddhism, it should not come as a surprise. This is a mindful and humble candidate with a deep understanding of dhamma running a thoughtful and honourable campaign, encouraging people to be selfless and join forces to create good karma for the purpose of lifting others out of suffering.
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE FROM THE
BANGKOK POST...
GREAT PHOTOS AT THE CHICAGO
TRIBUNE...
Takei,and Altman
exchanged vows at a Buddhist ceremony presided over
by Rev. William Briones, Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist
Temple.
But, it also brings into
light, the subject of gay marriage from a Buddhist
perspective. Jodo Shinshu Ministers have been
performing same-sex marriages for thirty years. Rev.
William Briones is the first Mexican-American Jodo
Shinshu Minister in America. He is also the person
who officiated the marriage of Takei and Altman. He
writes in November's BCA newsletter that
Amida's Primal Vow does not discriminate.
"Within our teachings of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, there are no doctrinal grounds that exist the prohibits neutral-gender marriage. Within the compassionate light of the Amida Buddha, all beings are equally embraced."
Dear President-elect
Obama,
Congratulations on your election as the President of
the United States of America.
I am encouraged that the American people have chosen
a President who reflects America's diversity and her
fundamental ideal that any person can rise up to the
highest office in the land. This is a proud
moment for America and one that will be celebrated by
many peoples around the world.
The American Presidential elections are always a
great source of encouragement to people throughout
the world who believe in democracy, freedom and
equality of opportunities.
May I also commend the determination and moral
courage that you have demonstrated throughout the
long campaign, as well as the kind heart and steady
hand that you often showed when challenged. I
recall our own telephone conversation this spring and
these same essential qualities came through in your
concern for the situation in Tibet.
As the President of the United States, you will
certainly have great and difficult tasks before you,
but also many opportunities to create change in the
lives of those millions who continue to struggle for
basic human needs. You must also remember and
work for these people, wherever they may be.
With my prayers and good wishes,
Yours sincerely,
THE DALAI LAMA
COURTESY
FREETIBET.ORG...
"Think of your head
shooting like a fountain, watering the flowers and
grass around you."
Jodo Shinshu, among Buddhist sects, is among the most family-friendly. It emphasizes gratitude and humility, and is geared toward working-class people given its roots as a lay-Buddhist organization from 12-13th century Japan. So, we take her to the Sunday School there, and she plays on the slide, eats snacks and occasionally makes crafts. The themes are not overtly Buddhist, but just being in a wholesome Buddhist environment works wonders. She learns to be thankful for the food she receives, she learns to speak kindly to others, and to be nice to other children. That’s the real secret of raising Buddhist children. -Level 8 Buddhist
WATCH SENSEI NAKAGAKI'S TALK...
READ MORE ABOUT SENSEI NAKAGAKI AND
THE NEW YORK BUDDHIST TEMPLE IN THE NEW YORK
TIMES...
"It is clear, therefore, that Buddhist economics must be very different from the economics of modern materialism, since the Buddhist sees the essence of civilisation not in a multiplication of wants but in the purification of human character. Character, at the same time, is formed primarily by a man's work. And work, properly conducted in conditions of human dignity and freedom, blesses those who do it and equally their products."
Here is Fritz Schumacher
speaking to a group in 1977. He was asked if
"Buddhist Economics" could work in the west.
Following the events of
September 11, 2001, the E. F. Schumacher Society
received requests from around the world to reprint
"Buddhist Economics," Fritz Schumacher's classic
essay widely understood as a call for an economics
of peace. In the essay, Schumacher imagines a
multitude of vibrant, self-sufficient villages
which, from their secure sense of community and
place, work together in peace and cooperation.
In December of 2001 Mrs. Vreni Schumacher, who holds
the copyright to her late husband's works, kindly
extended permission to make the essay available
electronically.
READ "BUDDHIST ECONOMICS" FROM E.F.
SCHUMACHER'S "SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL"...
courtesy
robotpirateninja.com
Barack Obama has made it
clearly known that he is a Christian. But many
Buddhists believe that he may have studied some of
the Buddha's teaching. It looks like we were not the
only people looking for a connection on the internet:
Every once and a while I Google 'Obama and Buddhist' just to see if he is a secret Buddhist. So far nothing has come up. What I did note is that there were a number of Buddhists blogs, organizations, and individuals who see Buddhism in Obama's approach to listening, problem solving, patience, tolerance, and so on. -The Original Black Buddha
So the connection grows,
whether it's real or not. Even Obama's own website
has a "Buddhists for Obama" group. At
last count, 438 people have become members.
And that leads us to the "Buddhists for Obama" fridge
magnets.
But our favorite comes
from Lama Surya Das, who made a guest appearance this
month on the Stephen Colbert Show on
CTV/Comedy Central. Colbert introduced him on a
very funny segment called "Obama's Church Search".
Colbert asked Surya Das why Obama should become a
Buddhist now that he’s left the church he grew up
with. The Lama gave twelve reasons why Obama
should become a Buddhist on his blog:
12. Buddhists have more fun.
11. It’d be great to have a president for once who
practiced right speech, right actions, right
intentions and right livelihood, as Buddha taught.
10. I’d call him Head Lama Obama.
9. All the best people are. My religion is the best
and the only way, just like yours.
8. Buddha has for 2500 years taught change and
inclusivity.
7. Buddhist meditation and mindfulness training is
good for both physical and mental health.
6. Buddha was the world’s first ecological leader and
protector of animals as well as human beings. (Obama
could rename 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue “The Green
House”)
5. Nonviolence and altruism is the Buddhist way. War
might be outlawed.
4. Buddhist practices of mindful anger management and
nonviolent conflict resolution could make him an
enlightened leader, like Aung San Su Kyii of Burma
and the Dalai Lama of Tibet. (Pres. Medvedev of
Russia does yoga.)
3. I am a Buddha, and so can you.
2. It would help the energy crisis.
AND FINALLY, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, my father’s favorite
answer to all of life’s big questions:
1. BECAUSE…
It is the humble form of morau, the verb for “receive.” This implies that we are receiving something from a superior. At a ceremony, when you receive a certificate or something, then you hold it up to your head. This demonstrates in a physical, bodily way that you are “receiving it from above.” An example of this in Buddhism can be seen when we open sutra books: we lift the book to about chest level, then raise it up to our heads, before opening it. This is because the sutras are the sacred words of the Buddha, and by holding them above our heads we symbolically and physically receive them from something or someone greater than us. When we say “itadakimasu” before a meal, we are acknowledging in a similar way, but this time with our speech, that we are “receiving something from above.
READ MORE IN THE NENJU-REV. HARRY'S
DHARMA BLOG...
LISTEN TO THE DHARMA REALM WITH
REV. HARRY...
Ryu Cope of West-Central
Illinois, is the Bad Buddha. His 54 podcasts and
counting, give you his unique take on Buddhism in a
contemporary context. Cope admits that he is not a
scholar or expert in Buddhism, but his recordings are
entertaining and informative.
I think that, while Ryu is probably a bit brash and simplistic for someone out there looking for thick, heavy philosophic discussions, he is a fresh, very palatable speaker and keeps his audience well-entertained during his show while dishing up a good tutorial on the thought school and giving you something to think about at the end of the day. If you’re even a little bit curious about Buddhism, I’d highly recommend his show, even for an overview of the philosophy. The Bad Buddhist is fun, amusing, and if you’re not careful, you might even learn something or find a new way of viewing the world. I know I have. -PhilosYphia
Canada's current Bishop,
Socho Fujikawa writes, "He will be remembered as the
Bishop who had helped the 1990 World Buddhist Women’s
Convention in Vancouver."
After serving the BCC for seven years, Rev. Murakami
served the Australian Jodo Shinshu community. He
would eventually retire as the minister of the Honpa
Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, but continued to be the
resident minister of the Pearl City Hongwanji
Mission.
His funeral was held on June 6, 2008 at the Honpa
Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin. It was officiated by Bishop
Thomas R. Okano and sponsored by both the Honpa
Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii and the Pearl City
Hongwanji Mission.
Rev. Murakami leaves behind his wife, Yoko, two
daughters, Mari and Rumi and two grandchildren. If
you would like to make a donation, the Murakami
family has requested that it should be made directly
to the Pacific Buddhist Academy.
------------------------
Alfred Bloom is an emeritus
professor of religion at the University of
Hawaii.
So what's his secret?
Meditation. This is an excerpt from an article from
the UK Times web site:
READ MORE IN THE TIMES...Woods does not talk much about the fact that he meditates, something he learnt from Kultida, his mother, who is a Buddhist. “In the Buddhist religion you have to work for it yourself, internally, in order to achieve anything in life and set up the next life,” he said. “It is all about what you do, and you get out of life what you put into it. So you are going to have to work your butt off in every aspect of your life. That is one of the things that people see in what I do on the course.”
Like the Buddha, Barack Obama learned in his early adult years as a community organizer that poverty is the root of much suffering in the world. He saw how poverty seeps into people's lives like a poison that drives people into a life of crime and overall suffering. He understands that to bring people out of poverty is to improve society as a whole. He is known as a uniter, he is quite gifted at being able to bring about compromises that work for all sides involved.
READ MORE FROM THE BUDDHIST
BLOG...
FYI, even Barack Obama's sister, Maya, considers her
outlook on life as "Buddhist".
READ THE NEW YORK TIMES
INTERVIEW...
Hindus Thrive as Buddhists Struggle
to Pass on the Faith
by Andrea Useem, Religion News Service
There is good news, 44 percent of Americans say they're no longer tied to the religious or secular upbringing of their childhood. They've changed religions or denominations, adopted a faith for the first time or abandoned any affiliation altogether which could lead to more people looking into Buddhism as a choice for religious beliefs.For Buddhists, the data show "convert Buddhist communities face a significant challenge in engaging their children and keeping them in the tradition," said Thomas Tweed, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Many Buddhist converts "didn't really attempt to bring their children into Buddhism," added Robert Seager, a religious studies professor at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. "They said, `I don't want to lay my trip on my kids."
Over furious objections
from China and in the presence of President Bush,
Congress on Wednesday bestowed its highest civilian
honor on the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader
of Tibetan Buddhists whom Beijing considers a
troublesome voice of separatism.
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE FROM THE
NEW YORK TIMES...
The New York Buddhist
Temple is led by Sensei Nakagaki. He has been called
upon to lead the lead the Buddhist and interfaith
community during the memorials of 9-11.
Sensei Nakagaki and
Socho Ogui at the 9-11 ceremony, 2002
Every year, since 9-11,
the New York Buddhist Temple has Memorial Floating
Lanterns Ceremony. It is an ancient Japanese custom
of floating lighted lanterns in waterways. It
symbolizes respect for the lives of people who have
gone before us (Obon). It is a quiet and serene
ceremony that provides a place to reaffirm our
commitment to building a peaceful future and to pay
respect to the lost lives at the World Trade Center.
9-11 Memorial Floating
Lanterns Ceremony in New York
READ MORE about Sensei Nakagaki in this article by the New York Times Magazine.
Socho Ogui became
minister of the Cleveland Buddhist Temple in 1977 and
of the Midwest Buddhist Temple in Chicago in 1992. In
2004, he was appointed Socho (Bishop) of the Buddhist
Churches of America and has been instrumental in the
ongoing revitalization and outreach efforts of that
organization. THe is the author of "Zen Shin Talks",
and now lives in San Francisco.
For an interesting article on Socho Ogui's view on
Jodo Shinshu and meditation, read this recent article from tricycle
Magazine.
Looking for answers? Do
you have 15 minutes? Then, go to TED. TED stands for Technology,
Entertainment, Design. It started out (in 1984) as
a conference bringing together people from those
three worlds. The annual conference now brings
together the world's most fascinating thinkers and
doers, who are challenged to give the talk of
their lives. This site makes the best talks and
performances from TED available to the public, for
free.
Here's a sample from Tenzin Bob Thurman who became a
Tibetan monk at age 24. He's a professor of
Indo-Tibetan Buddhist studies at Columbia University,
and co-founder of Tibet House U.S., a nonprofit
dedicated to the preservation and promotion of
Tibetan civilization. In this talk, he says that in
our hyperlinked world, we can know anything, anytime.
And this mass enlightenment is our first step toward
becoming Buddha. When we can know everything, we can
see how everything is interconnected -- and we can
begin to feel compassion for every living being.
And by the way, he is Uma's dad.
The Online BCA Bookstore is
virtual, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It's
a great online store to purchase books on Jodo
Shinshu and other Buddhist merchandise. The prices
are in US but there is little difference now
between our Loonie and the American dollar. So
another good reason to shop.
They will be adding extra
features as new items are introduced, so they request
you come back regularly.
You can online order from
their web site or contact: sales@bcabookstore.com or
phone (510) 809-1435, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. PT.
By the way, in the bottom left corner of the web site
there is an odd reminder for a Buddhist store.....
Are You Ready?
Just 203 days 'til Christmas!
Video from the
Associated Press
Monks are bald, so they
couldn’t rip their hair out. But were they angry? Did
they curse?
READ THE ARTICLE AND WATCH THE
VIDEO...
INCENSE drifts through this small school overlooking a white Buddhist temple in Nuuanu. Students and faculty bow their heads before and after class, and misbehaving children must do yoga and meditation as an alternative to suspension. Four years after opening, the Pacific Buddhist Academy, the only Shin Buddhist high school in the country, will graduate its first class Friday. Fourteen seniors will get their diplomas and chant in a ceremony at the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin temple, just steps away from a college preparatory school that taught them as much about math and science as it did about respect, gratitude and peace.
As the sensei said in temple, your practice should be whatever floats your boat, but I'm talking about the kind of yogi who spends 400$ on a new meditation cushion or yoga mat and another 1,500 dollars on their yoga clothes.
The sensei seemed real, honest, intelligent and content. It did not bother him that the folding chairs were only 1/5th full. I got the sense that he might actually have some inner peace.