CONTEMPLATING SEPTEMBER 11

by Rev. Yushi Mukojima, Resident Minister

We all remember September 11 of five years ago when terrorists attacked the Twin Towers in New York City. It was one of the most terrible, world-shaking events experienced in recent years. It was a hellish sight to witness the towers perish in front of our eyes. Many lives were lost. This act of terrorism was unforgivable under any circumstance. Everyone burned with indescribable anger.

The 9-11 Memorial Service, sponsored by the Interreligious Council of San Diego (IRC), was held in Balboa Park last month on September 11. This year’s IRC theme is “Humanity,” and the IRC’s religious representatives appealed for world peace under the theme. I attended this service as the Buddhist representative [the Temple is a founding member of the IRC] and gave my message for the realization of world peace. This month, I would like to share my 9-11 message with you:

When I look back on history, humankind has always wished for peace, yet not a day passes without war. There are many people who have lost their precious lives and there are countless people who have lost their parents and children and are grieved by war.

We can hardly imagine the heartrending cries of soldiers who break their religious beliefs not to kill and have to fight in the frontlines in the name of one cause or another. We must remind ourselves once again that our comfortable lives today are due to the ultimate sacrifice of many who died in past wars...and who are dying today on our behalf. In their memory, we should try for the realization of true peace. It is true that the current generation hardly knows the true terror of war and that we tend to take life for granted. In honor of those who died in conflicts, I would like to make a fresh determination at the 9-11 memorial service that we do our best to reject the misery of war.

This year’s IRC theme is “Humanity.” Fortunately, we were born to this world as human beings. We are fortunate because, as it is said in Buddhism, it is hard to be born into human life. A long time ago in India, Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, scooped up a handful of sand on the Ganges River and said to his disciple, “All around is immeasurable sand. However, it is only these grains of sands in my palm that reflect those to be born into this world as human beings.”

“Rare is it to receive life in human form; yet, now we have received it.” When we realize this truth clearly, we must try to carry out our lives with gratitude. Accepting one other’s existence, loving others, and helping each other are the true way of life as a human. It is very important to realize how precious it is to share our lives with others on this earth.

However, what do we humans do? As I mentioned, humankind has engaged in armed conflict for a long time. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that the history of humans is the history of war. War is an outgrowth of our greed and sense of fear. We have perpetuated conflict that justifies oneself, and takes others’ lives. Moreover, we face a crisis as humans threaten the very existence of the earth with nuclear weapons which we have created. How terrible we are.

Something I read in a book a couple of months ago surprised me very much. A scholar said if we think of the earth as a living thing, then humankind is its cancer. These are very severe words, but in reality, humans not only take others’ lives out of self-interest but also push the earth itself to ruin. How do you react being told that humans are a cancer for the earth and all living things? I feel very sad and ashamed.

In Buddhism, there is a teaching to repay favors. We have received the life in human form in this world and have been living our lives with the great blessing of nature. We are able to live only because of the sacrifice of many others’ lives. We must repay this precious favor at the risk of our lives. I believe that the true way to repay favors is to accept others’ existence, respect others, and support each other.

All living things in this world are precious but only humans have the capacity to be considerate of others. Empathy allows us to put ourselves in another’s place. We have beautiful minds that share sadness, happiness, and joy with one other. Moreover, we have precious minds that can reflect upon ourselves.

We make mistakes repeatedly in life. However, it is very important how we accept our faults, how we correct them, and how we atone for them. It requires courage and patience. Although one person alone is weak, I believe that we must unite to support our individual weaknesses and help to make up for our lacks.

Even if we collectively call ourselves human, we have individual personalities and our own sense of value and culture which make us different from each other. There are differences of sex, nationality, skin color, abilities, and so on. We are all different. However, each life is linked to many other lives. We should never forget this truth. Buddhism teaches us to try to always respect others and understand each other so that we realize a world where we are able to live with all people happily is possible.

Finally, I would like to offer my deepest sympathy to the victims of September 11 and their families, and to all who have suffered in the world’s many conflicts and natural disasters. Gassho.