2011 January
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima, Resident Minister
DISCOVERING LIFE’S TRUE NATURE
Happy New Year!
Thank you very much for all that you have done for us in the past year. Mika and I really
appreciate all the Sangha members for your friendship and continued support. We
humbly hope to avail ourselves to your kindness again in the coming year.
When I look back over the last year, it was quite a busy but fruitful year for me. Especially
nothing was really more painful and sorrowful than the loss of our Dharma friends who
had worked so hard for a long time to maintain our temple. But with each death came a
precious opportunity to learn deeply about life through sharing the sadness of loss with
their bereaved family members.
We often say in Japan that life is a series of encounters and separations, and because
our lives are fleeting, it is most important to live each day with the spirit of “treasuring
every meeting, for it will never occur again,” so that we can make a meaningful
connection with the mind of each person. Therefore this past year was a really precious
year during which I was able to realize again this important lesson about the encounter
with and separation from the Dharma Friends. Now I make a fresh resolve to treasure
each and every exchange with our Sangha members without any regrets in this limited
life.
Although last year the funerals of our Dharma friends have given me many opportunities
to contemplate the nature of life, as you know, our existence is not just a question for
religion or philosophy. Science, sometimes at odds with religious belief, has been trying
to use research and analysis to find the true nature of life. The latest scientific research
indicates that the essence of life is genes. Furthermore, scientific theory is that genes
lead a self-centered existence because they seek only to replicate themselves to
increase their number. In other words, all creatures lead a self-centered existence so
that they and their descendants will survive.
Several years ago, I saw a TV program on the Animal Planet about the ecology of the
emperor penguins which live in the severe environs of the South Pole. Although it was
really cute to see the round, chubby penguins toddle along on the ground, when in the
ocean, they can swim around swiftly and freely. The emperor penguin has a natural
enemy, the leopard seal. These hungry seals hide behind the ice, waiting for penguins to
dive into the water. Because emperor penguins have seen the seals attack their fellow
penguins, they hesitate to enter the water. But they too must eat, so usually one bird in
the flock has the courage to dive into the ocean and suddenly hundreds of penguins
rush into the ocean all together as if chasing after it.
There was one shocking scene where one penguin used its short leg to kick from behind
another penguin which then ran about in confusion at the edge of the ice, afraid to jump
into the water, trying to make sure there were no seals in sight. Eventually the panicked
penguin fell into the water, followed instantly by many others. I know that it in the wild,
the law of the jungle prevails, but I felt really sad to see such heartlessness in sacrificing
a fellow creature.
Then, how about us humans? There are some who say that we differ from other living
beings in our precious ability to reason. Certainly, unlike the emperor penguin whose
struggles for existence are based purely on instinct, humans are capable of sacrificing
self for others. Therefore, it is generally accepted that because of our ability to reason,
humans are superior to all other creatures.
But is the power to reason really so wonderful? For example, there are cases in which
parents will sacrifice their own lives in order to save their child. But the parents’ wish to
save their child is really their wish to save themselves. The unconditional love “I want to
save” is the ultimate ideal, but the real intention “I want to be saved” is the reality. This is
a rather complicated concept, but if we are unable to save our child, we feel regret not
because we failed to save our child. We are sad because we couldn’t realize our wish.
To realize our wish means that we are saved. So without realizing it, our wish to save our
child is more important than actually saving the child! Therefore we can truthfully say
that parental love that sacrifices self in order to save a child is an example of a selfish
mind because the wish that they want to be saved always comes before their wish to
save their child.
When we examine even our “selfless” actions carefully, isn’t “reason” just a convenient
word for human behavior and nothing else but an excuse? The more we hold in esteem
our ability to reason, the more we are blinded to our true self-centered nature.
There is a wonderful poem called “A Big Catch,” written by the poet of children’s songs,
Misuzu Kaneko, which I would like to share with you.
In the morning glow,
There was a big catch,
A big catch of large sardines!
On the shore people are making merry,
But in the ocean sardines must be mourning
For the tens of thousands of their fellows.
Although we tend to take life for granted, we should realize each day that our lives
depend upon the sacrifice of many other precious lives. When we read this short poem,
we are aware of the loving look of Misuzu Kaneko who sees all living beings in her daily
life as equal. Her work regards the life of a single sardine as equal to that of all beings.
Through her loving look, we are able to see our true selves, filled with self-centeredness,
wrong views, and arrogance. Reason is nothing but a conceited calculation which we
egotistical humans have made. Therefore, the conclusion that only humans lead a
superior existence doesn’t make sense. Then it becomes doubtful whether such selfish
beings are really embraced with the primal vow of Amida Buddha.
There is a famous phrase of Shinran Shonin in the Tannisho that says, “If a good person
attains birth in the Pure Land, how much more so the evil [flawed] person.” This means
that there is no distinction between a fool and a sage standing before Amida Buddha.
Above all, Shinran says that the reason Amida Buddha established the vow was because
he wanted to try to save the foolish beings who cannot live without their self
centeredness. Namely, since we are burdened with the weight of karmic evil, the great
wish which cannot help but save is directed at each one of us. That’s the very heart of
Amida Buddha’s primal vow.
The superior point of the primal vow is to save all living beings equally without
exception. And when we are illumined by the great compassion of the primal vow which
sees the value and dignity of all life, irrespective of young or old, good or evil, and
superior or inferior, we are able to see clearly our true selves, filled with blind passions.
When we are embraced with the light of wisdom—or as Shinran Shonin says, “When I
ponder on the compassionate vow of Amida, established through five kalpas of
profound thought, it was for myself, Shinran alone”—we realize that the purpose of the
primal vow is precisely for each one of us. Then the Nembutsu, “Namo Amida Butsu,”
comes naturally from our lips as our deepest feeling of gratitude for the depth of his
compassion.
While hailing in the New Year, let us try to get rid ourselves of our conceited thinking and
realize instead the value and dignity of all living beings without exception. I sincerely
hope that each of you will be able to see clearly the true nature of all the lives which
are held in such a loving embrace by the primal vow of Amida Buddha.
In Gassho,
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima, Resident Minister
DISCOVERING LIFE’S TRUE NATURE
Happy New Year!
Thank you very much for all that you have done for us in the past year. Mika and I really
appreciate all the Sangha members for your friendship and continued support. We
humbly hope to avail ourselves to your kindness again in the coming year.
When I look back over the last year, it was quite a busy but fruitful year for me. Especially
nothing was really more painful and sorrowful than the loss of our Dharma friends who
had worked so hard for a long time to maintain our temple. But with each death came a
precious opportunity to learn deeply about life through sharing the sadness of loss with
their bereaved family members.
We often say in Japan that life is a series of encounters and separations, and because
our lives are fleeting, it is most important to live each day with the spirit of “treasuring
every meeting, for it will never occur again,” so that we can make a meaningful
connection with the mind of each person. Therefore this past year was a really precious
year during which I was able to realize again this important lesson about the encounter
with and separation from the Dharma Friends. Now I make a fresh resolve to treasure
each and every exchange with our Sangha members without any regrets in this limited
life.
Although last year the funerals of our Dharma friends have given me many opportunities
to contemplate the nature of life, as you know, our existence is not just a question for
religion or philosophy. Science, sometimes at odds with religious belief, has been trying
to use research and analysis to find the true nature of life. The latest scientific research
indicates that the essence of life is genes. Furthermore, scientific theory is that genes
lead a self-centered existence because they seek only to replicate themselves to
increase their number. In other words, all creatures lead a self-centered existence so
that they and their descendants will survive.
Several years ago, I saw a TV program on the Animal Planet about the ecology of the
emperor penguins which live in the severe environs of the South Pole. Although it was
really cute to see the round, chubby penguins toddle along on the ground, when in the
ocean, they can swim around swiftly and freely. The emperor penguin has a natural
enemy, the leopard seal. These hungry seals hide behind the ice, waiting for penguins to
dive into the water. Because emperor penguins have seen the seals attack their fellow
penguins, they hesitate to enter the water. But they too must eat, so usually one bird in
the flock has the courage to dive into the ocean and suddenly hundreds of penguins
rush into the ocean all together as if chasing after it.
There was one shocking scene where one penguin used its short leg to kick from behind
another penguin which then ran about in confusion at the edge of the ice, afraid to jump
into the water, trying to make sure there were no seals in sight. Eventually the panicked
penguin fell into the water, followed instantly by many others. I know that it in the wild,
the law of the jungle prevails, but I felt really sad to see such heartlessness in sacrificing
a fellow creature.
Then, how about us humans? There are some who say that we differ from other living
beings in our precious ability to reason. Certainly, unlike the emperor penguin whose
struggles for existence are based purely on instinct, humans are capable of sacrificing
self for others. Therefore, it is generally accepted that because of our ability to reason,
humans are superior to all other creatures.
But is the power to reason really so wonderful? For example, there are cases in which
parents will sacrifice their own lives in order to save their child. But the parents’ wish to
save their child is really their wish to save themselves. The unconditional love “I want to
save” is the ultimate ideal, but the real intention “I want to be saved” is the reality. This is
a rather complicated concept, but if we are unable to save our child, we feel regret not
because we failed to save our child. We are sad because we couldn’t realize our wish.
To realize our wish means that we are saved. So without realizing it, our wish to save our
child is more important than actually saving the child! Therefore we can truthfully say
that parental love that sacrifices self in order to save a child is an example of a selfish
mind because the wish that they want to be saved always comes before their wish to
save their child.
When we examine even our “selfless” actions carefully, isn’t “reason” just a convenient
word for human behavior and nothing else but an excuse? The more we hold in esteem
our ability to reason, the more we are blinded to our true self-centered nature.
There is a wonderful poem called “A Big Catch,” written by the poet of children’s songs,
Misuzu Kaneko, which I would like to share with you.
In the morning glow,
There was a big catch,
A big catch of large sardines!
On the shore people are making merry,
But in the ocean sardines must be mourning
For the tens of thousands of their fellows.
Although we tend to take life for granted, we should realize each day that our lives
depend upon the sacrifice of many other precious lives. When we read this short poem,
we are aware of the loving look of Misuzu Kaneko who sees all living beings in her daily
life as equal. Her work regards the life of a single sardine as equal to that of all beings.
Through her loving look, we are able to see our true selves, filled with self-centeredness,
wrong views, and arrogance. Reason is nothing but a conceited calculation which we
egotistical humans have made. Therefore, the conclusion that only humans lead a
superior existence doesn’t make sense. Then it becomes doubtful whether such selfish
beings are really embraced with the primal vow of Amida Buddha.
There is a famous phrase of Shinran Shonin in the Tannisho that says, “If a good person
attains birth in the Pure Land, how much more so the evil [flawed] person.” This means
that there is no distinction between a fool and a sage standing before Amida Buddha.
Above all, Shinran says that the reason Amida Buddha established the vow was because
he wanted to try to save the foolish beings who cannot live without their self
centeredness. Namely, since we are burdened with the weight of karmic evil, the great
wish which cannot help but save is directed at each one of us. That’s the very heart of
Amida Buddha’s primal vow.
The superior point of the primal vow is to save all living beings equally without
exception. And when we are illumined by the great compassion of the primal vow which
sees the value and dignity of all life, irrespective of young or old, good or evil, and
superior or inferior, we are able to see clearly our true selves, filled with blind passions.
When we are embraced with the light of wisdom—or as Shinran Shonin says, “When I
ponder on the compassionate vow of Amida, established through five kalpas of
profound thought, it was for myself, Shinran alone”—we realize that the purpose of the
primal vow is precisely for each one of us. Then the Nembutsu, “Namo Amida Butsu,”
comes naturally from our lips as our deepest feeling of gratitude for the depth of his
compassion.
While hailing in the New Year, let us try to get rid ourselves of our conceited thinking and
realize instead the value and dignity of all living beings without exception. I sincerely
hope that each of you will be able to see clearly the true nature of all the lives which
are held in such a loving embrace by the primal vow of Amida Buddha.
In Gassho,
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