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November 2012
Dharma Message
By Rev. Akira Hata, Emeritus
Dharma Message
By Rev. Akira Hata, Emeritus
91 and Fading
My years are finally catching up with me, and I am sort of an invalid at the age of 91. Much of my days
now are spent in bed. Surprising, even to me. My wife used to say, “You might fool people some of the time
but you can’t fool Mother Nature.”
This past July, I had big things planned. I bought airline tickets to go to Oakland and stay at my sister
Marrie Yamashita’s place in El Cerrito. I would attend Rev. and Mrs. LaVerne Sasaki’s Golden Wedding
Anniversary party and also on the Fourth, attend the Hata family gathering in Cupertino. I knew Rev. Sasaki
in Japan as LaVerne. He, the Unno brothers, Ty and Tets, and I all went to the top university in Japan, Tokyo
Daigaku, which everyone calls Todai.
On Monday morning, June 25, I didn’t feel too good after eating apple pie with a lot of green, green
apples so I got up to go to the toilet. Never made it. Nature called earlier. Bang, bang, bang—it seemed I
lost control and Nature had taken over. I passed out and when I came to, I wondered where I was.
It was about 5:30 a.m. and dawn was breaking. I was lying in the bathtub, looking up at the ceiling. I
wondered how I got there. Must have fallen in. I couldn’t move. How odd. So I started calling: “Help! Chris, I’
m hurt. I can’t move. I’m in the bathroom. Help!”
My two arms were real bloody. I called for about thirty minutes and finally, Chris and Tissa came. They were
shocked. They cleaned up, gave me a bath, put clothes on me and Tissa drove me to Kaiser Emergency.
I was there three days undergoing all kinds of tests. My granddaughter Lauren came Tuesday and
Wednesday. When I was discharged, she drove me home. At home, I looked into the mirror. I was a mess. No
one had cleaned me up. I also didn’t have my upper two front teeth.
Since then, I have had a lot of tests done. I have been mostly confined to bed. I get up, read the
newspaper and watch TV. Also, I have been grounded by Kaiser doctors: I can’t drive anymore. Recently I
donated my car to our temple. I called my insurance company and got a partial refund.
I didn’t realize what a big part a car plays in our lives. Without it, it’s like you’re dead. Can’t hardly do
anything. Now, to get to places, I have to depend on someone else for rides. The burden has fallen on Tissa
and Lauren. You might not know Lauren, but she just became the President of the temple’s Junior Young
Buddhist Association. She just turned 16 and her parents bought her a new Toyota. Tissa is my only child and
is known as Dr. Hata, and Mrs. T. Uchiyama. John and Tsune Hashiguchi also have been most helpful in
getting me to temple and to Kaiser Hospital where I get my treatment and shots.
Sunday services at the temple are also an important part of my life. Not only does it fill a spiritual need, but
provides a social atmosphere that is needed by humans.
Shinran Shonin said to his disciples, On do bo, on do gyo, which translates as, “We are fellow travelers along
the way.” He did not say, “I am your teacher. You are my disciples. You must give me respect.” No. He said,
“We are all children of Amida Buddha. With the Nembutsu on our lips, Amida Buddha is sure to hear it and
will transport us to the Pure Land. The Nembutsu is of prime importance.”
In Gassho,
now are spent in bed. Surprising, even to me. My wife used to say, “You might fool people some of the time
but you can’t fool Mother Nature.”
This past July, I had big things planned. I bought airline tickets to go to Oakland and stay at my sister
Marrie Yamashita’s place in El Cerrito. I would attend Rev. and Mrs. LaVerne Sasaki’s Golden Wedding
Anniversary party and also on the Fourth, attend the Hata family gathering in Cupertino. I knew Rev. Sasaki
in Japan as LaVerne. He, the Unno brothers, Ty and Tets, and I all went to the top university in Japan, Tokyo
Daigaku, which everyone calls Todai.
On Monday morning, June 25, I didn’t feel too good after eating apple pie with a lot of green, green
apples so I got up to go to the toilet. Never made it. Nature called earlier. Bang, bang, bang—it seemed I
lost control and Nature had taken over. I passed out and when I came to, I wondered where I was.
It was about 5:30 a.m. and dawn was breaking. I was lying in the bathtub, looking up at the ceiling. I
wondered how I got there. Must have fallen in. I couldn’t move. How odd. So I started calling: “Help! Chris, I’
m hurt. I can’t move. I’m in the bathroom. Help!”
My two arms were real bloody. I called for about thirty minutes and finally, Chris and Tissa came. They were
shocked. They cleaned up, gave me a bath, put clothes on me and Tissa drove me to Kaiser Emergency.
I was there three days undergoing all kinds of tests. My granddaughter Lauren came Tuesday and
Wednesday. When I was discharged, she drove me home. At home, I looked into the mirror. I was a mess. No
one had cleaned me up. I also didn’t have my upper two front teeth.
Since then, I have had a lot of tests done. I have been mostly confined to bed. I get up, read the
newspaper and watch TV. Also, I have been grounded by Kaiser doctors: I can’t drive anymore. Recently I
donated my car to our temple. I called my insurance company and got a partial refund.
I didn’t realize what a big part a car plays in our lives. Without it, it’s like you’re dead. Can’t hardly do
anything. Now, to get to places, I have to depend on someone else for rides. The burden has fallen on Tissa
and Lauren. You might not know Lauren, but she just became the President of the temple’s Junior Young
Buddhist Association. She just turned 16 and her parents bought her a new Toyota. Tissa is my only child and
is known as Dr. Hata, and Mrs. T. Uchiyama. John and Tsune Hashiguchi also have been most helpful in
getting me to temple and to Kaiser Hospital where I get my treatment and shots.
Sunday services at the temple are also an important part of my life. Not only does it fill a spiritual need, but
provides a social atmosphere that is needed by humans.
Shinran Shonin said to his disciples, On do bo, on do gyo, which translates as, “We are fellow travelers along
the way.” He did not say, “I am your teacher. You are my disciples. You must give me respect.” No. He said,
“We are all children of Amida Buddha. With the Nembutsu on our lips, Amida Buddha is sure to hear it and
will transport us to the Pure Land. The Nembutsu is of prime importance.”
In Gassho,
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