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March 2013
Dharma Message
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima, Resident Minister
Dharma Message
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima, Resident Minister
"LIVING LIKE A PURE WHITE LOTUS"
It has been eleven years since I came to the BCA and my first assignment at the Seabrook Buddhist
Temple in New Jersey. I served at Seabrook only for one year, but through my experiences there I learned
many important things, all the while nurtured and protected by the loving support and kindness of many
Sangha members.
There is a magnificent Japanese garden behind that temple. I really enjoyed the cherry blossoms and
vari-colored flowers in the springtime, and the brilliant leaves in autumn. The seasonal changes made
everyone there feel happy and peaceful. In the middle of the garden, there is a large pond with beautiful
lotuses rising out of it. It is such a luxurious space. I really liked reading a book and basking in the sun, and
had a good time whenever I could snatch a moment there.
One day, when I was taking my usual walk in the garden, one member told me that there used to be
statues of Buddha and lanterns placed luxuriously around the pond. But one night, some mischievous young
neighbors were bold enough to destroy part of the fence, steal into the garden, and throw all of the
statuary into the pond. What a regrettable and sad happening! From the moment I learned of the
vandalism, I wanted to restore the garden to its former state.
I asked some members to help me recover the items from the pond. Over the next couple of days, ten
members agreed to do so. With the use of a pump, the water was drained from the pond. To my surprise,
the mud at the bottom of the pond was deeper than I had imagined, so we had quite a challenge.
Because our task couldn’t be completed immediately as I had expected, I only felt tired and a deep regret.
Still, after two hard days, we somehow found and removed all the lanterns and statues of Buddha. Most
of these devoted helpers were elderly, so I really appreciated those who handled this big job. This
happened eleven years ago, but when I close my eyes, that beautifully restored Japanese garden and
those bright, smiling faces still rise clearly in my mind.
As I mentioned, when we were searching the pond, I could see the place from which the lotus grew was
even dirtier and deeper than I had imagined. Everyone knows the lotus grows in mud. I have mentioned
this in my Dharma talks many times. Still, when I actually saw the mucky bottom of the pond, I was struck by
the magnificence of the lotus flower to be able to rise from such muck. What an inconceivable virtue!
The lotus flower appears in many Buddhist scriptures. Above all, it is described in the “Sutra of
Contemplation on the Buddha of Infinite Life,” an important work in Shin Buddhism. In this Sutra,
Shakyamuni Buddha says, Know that those who are mindful of the Buddha (recite the Nembutsu) are like a
pure white lotus flower among people; Bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta will become
their good friends. They will sit in the place of enlightenment and be born in the Pure Land of Amida
Buddha, the house of all Buddhas.
Shinran Shonin also praises the Nembutsu follower in his writing, “Shoshin-Ge”: All foolish beings, whether
good or evil, on hearing and entrusting to Amida’s universal Vow, are praised by the Buddha as people of
vast and excellent understanding. Such a person is called a pure white lotus.
As everyone knows, the lotus is the symbol of Buddhism. In many statues or portraits, the Buddha and
Bodhisattva are depicted standing or seated on a dais in the shape of a lotus. There is a phrase in the
Amida Sutra: In the lakes of the Pure Land, each blue, yellow, red, and white lotus flower blooms beautifully
just as it is, and they are most exquisite and purely fragrant.
Do you know why the lotus symbolizes Buddhism? Actually, the lotus cannot grow in a clear stream. It
pushes its buds up out of the stagnant mud. The buds grow, spreading large, green, wheel-like leaves
among which the beautiful flower elegantly blooms. Remarkably, the blossom is not stained with a single
speck of mud. Though rooted in muck, the flower blooms beautifully without being dirty. Such a noble pose
encourages us who are covered with the mud of blind passions to seek the way to enlightenment. That is
why Buddhists apply significance to the lotus and why we have made this precious flower a Buddhist symbol.
Shakyamuni Buddha calls our world, sunk in the mud of blind passions, “the polluted world.” Still, he praises
as a pure white lotus the Nembutsu follower who embraces the Vow of Amida Buddha though living in such
mud.
In his “Notes on Once-calling and Many-calling,” Shinran Shonin says: Foolish beings: as expressed in the
parable of the two rivers of water and fire, we are full of ignorance and blind passion. Our desires are
countless, and anger, wrath, jealousy, and envy are overwhelming, arising without pause; to the very last
moment of life they do not cease, or disappear, or exhaust themselves.
On hearing this, there are some who accept their muddy state and neglect their own life as if to say,
“Shinran says because we are all foolish, there is no sense in whatever we do!” Unfortunately, I have to say
that these people are like lotus flowers specked with mud.
Then there are some who might think, “We must not have a greedy, angry mind. If we don’t rid ourselves
of all our blind passions, the world of enlightenment will never open to us.” I think that they believe a lotus
flower can only bloom in a clear stream.
However, if we were to remove all selfishness, we couldn’t survive even for one day. Nobody can live
unless rooted in the mud. Shinran Shonin never said, “You must give up your self-centered passions!” On the
contrary, he said, “You should accept your mind just as it is because we cannot escape it.” He teaches us a
way to live even with the burden of our blind passions.
There are two aspects of thinking in Buddhism. They are Buddhism of Elimination and Buddhism of
Transformation.
The greedy or angry mind sullies our lives, so in order to attain Buddhahood, we have to give up all evil
passions. This way of thinking is called Buddhism of Elimination.
Buddhism of Transformation is symbolized by the lotus flower in the mud. It is natural for a plant grown in
the mud to emerge muddy but the lotus accepts its circumstances and blooms elegantly. When we closely
observe its beautiful flower, we realize that mud is essential for its existence. It cannot bloom in clear, spring
water. It is an amazing world in which the lotus blooms so beautifully because of the mud. Therefore, the
mud which should be removed becomes the mud which we must not remove. Buddhism of Transformation
encourages us to transform our delusional mind to attain Buddhahood. This concept goes beyond the
Buddhism of Elimination.
This Buddhism which urges transformation, is the Nembutsu teaching which Shinran Shonin devoted his
life to sharing. In the Shoshinge, he is calling to us. “People, in an ocean of beings in an evil age of five
defilements, simply entrust yourselves to the Tathagata’s words of truth.”
Although we live in a world polluted with blind passions, if we sincerely want to make a flower bloom in
this mud, we must respect and embrace the great compassion of Amida Buddha.
Certainly as Nembutsu followers we are just ordinary people who are continually confused by our own
selfish motivations. However, we have a true awareness and deep reflection that we are standing in deep
mud. Therefore, we are neither drowning in the mud nor are we stained by it. Although our thoughts may
be muddied, we awake and rejoice in the fact that the lotus flower—namely, Amida Buddha’s great
compassion—can take root in our minds precisely because of this mud. This is the Buddhism of
Transformation taught by Shinran Shonin.
We shouldn’t be dismissive, saying, “Oh, well, this is the world of defilements.” As a positive action for our
imperfect selves and our polluted world, it is most important as a Nembutsu follower to choose the way of
life which never forgets our innate modesty, and always extends our respect, loving kindness, and gratitude
to others.
Although we live in mud, when we truly entrust ourselves to the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha and truly
rejoice at his compassion, we are just like the pure white lotus which Shakyamuni and Shinran praised. I
sincerely hope each one of us will view ourselves as a pure white lotus and live a fruitful life with the deepest
feeling of gratitude, reciting the Nembutsu.
Last Fall, I learned one of the Seabrook members who helped me to recover the statues in the garden
suddenly collapsed and died while working in the garden. In the eleven short years since I served there, half
of those dear members have passed away. Although I feel real sorrow at their passing, my valuable
experiences in Seabrook remain a treasure in my life. The memories which I shared with each of those who
took care of me as if they were my family, have given me great encouragement in my present missionary
life. So once again, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation for their loving
support and kindness during my service there, and offer my deepest sympathy to them. Namo Amida
Butsu…
In Gassho,
Temple in New Jersey. I served at Seabrook only for one year, but through my experiences there I learned
many important things, all the while nurtured and protected by the loving support and kindness of many
Sangha members.
There is a magnificent Japanese garden behind that temple. I really enjoyed the cherry blossoms and
vari-colored flowers in the springtime, and the brilliant leaves in autumn. The seasonal changes made
everyone there feel happy and peaceful. In the middle of the garden, there is a large pond with beautiful
lotuses rising out of it. It is such a luxurious space. I really liked reading a book and basking in the sun, and
had a good time whenever I could snatch a moment there.
One day, when I was taking my usual walk in the garden, one member told me that there used to be
statues of Buddha and lanterns placed luxuriously around the pond. But one night, some mischievous young
neighbors were bold enough to destroy part of the fence, steal into the garden, and throw all of the
statuary into the pond. What a regrettable and sad happening! From the moment I learned of the
vandalism, I wanted to restore the garden to its former state.
I asked some members to help me recover the items from the pond. Over the next couple of days, ten
members agreed to do so. With the use of a pump, the water was drained from the pond. To my surprise,
the mud at the bottom of the pond was deeper than I had imagined, so we had quite a challenge.
Because our task couldn’t be completed immediately as I had expected, I only felt tired and a deep regret.
Still, after two hard days, we somehow found and removed all the lanterns and statues of Buddha. Most
of these devoted helpers were elderly, so I really appreciated those who handled this big job. This
happened eleven years ago, but when I close my eyes, that beautifully restored Japanese garden and
those bright, smiling faces still rise clearly in my mind.
As I mentioned, when we were searching the pond, I could see the place from which the lotus grew was
even dirtier and deeper than I had imagined. Everyone knows the lotus grows in mud. I have mentioned
this in my Dharma talks many times. Still, when I actually saw the mucky bottom of the pond, I was struck by
the magnificence of the lotus flower to be able to rise from such muck. What an inconceivable virtue!
The lotus flower appears in many Buddhist scriptures. Above all, it is described in the “Sutra of
Contemplation on the Buddha of Infinite Life,” an important work in Shin Buddhism. In this Sutra,
Shakyamuni Buddha says, Know that those who are mindful of the Buddha (recite the Nembutsu) are like a
pure white lotus flower among people; Bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta will become
their good friends. They will sit in the place of enlightenment and be born in the Pure Land of Amida
Buddha, the house of all Buddhas.
Shinran Shonin also praises the Nembutsu follower in his writing, “Shoshin-Ge”: All foolish beings, whether
good or evil, on hearing and entrusting to Amida’s universal Vow, are praised by the Buddha as people of
vast and excellent understanding. Such a person is called a pure white lotus.
As everyone knows, the lotus is the symbol of Buddhism. In many statues or portraits, the Buddha and
Bodhisattva are depicted standing or seated on a dais in the shape of a lotus. There is a phrase in the
Amida Sutra: In the lakes of the Pure Land, each blue, yellow, red, and white lotus flower blooms beautifully
just as it is, and they are most exquisite and purely fragrant.
Do you know why the lotus symbolizes Buddhism? Actually, the lotus cannot grow in a clear stream. It
pushes its buds up out of the stagnant mud. The buds grow, spreading large, green, wheel-like leaves
among which the beautiful flower elegantly blooms. Remarkably, the blossom is not stained with a single
speck of mud. Though rooted in muck, the flower blooms beautifully without being dirty. Such a noble pose
encourages us who are covered with the mud of blind passions to seek the way to enlightenment. That is
why Buddhists apply significance to the lotus and why we have made this precious flower a Buddhist symbol.
Shakyamuni Buddha calls our world, sunk in the mud of blind passions, “the polluted world.” Still, he praises
as a pure white lotus the Nembutsu follower who embraces the Vow of Amida Buddha though living in such
mud.
In his “Notes on Once-calling and Many-calling,” Shinran Shonin says: Foolish beings: as expressed in the
parable of the two rivers of water and fire, we are full of ignorance and blind passion. Our desires are
countless, and anger, wrath, jealousy, and envy are overwhelming, arising without pause; to the very last
moment of life they do not cease, or disappear, or exhaust themselves.
On hearing this, there are some who accept their muddy state and neglect their own life as if to say,
“Shinran says because we are all foolish, there is no sense in whatever we do!” Unfortunately, I have to say
that these people are like lotus flowers specked with mud.
Then there are some who might think, “We must not have a greedy, angry mind. If we don’t rid ourselves
of all our blind passions, the world of enlightenment will never open to us.” I think that they believe a lotus
flower can only bloom in a clear stream.
However, if we were to remove all selfishness, we couldn’t survive even for one day. Nobody can live
unless rooted in the mud. Shinran Shonin never said, “You must give up your self-centered passions!” On the
contrary, he said, “You should accept your mind just as it is because we cannot escape it.” He teaches us a
way to live even with the burden of our blind passions.
There are two aspects of thinking in Buddhism. They are Buddhism of Elimination and Buddhism of
Transformation.
The greedy or angry mind sullies our lives, so in order to attain Buddhahood, we have to give up all evil
passions. This way of thinking is called Buddhism of Elimination.
Buddhism of Transformation is symbolized by the lotus flower in the mud. It is natural for a plant grown in
the mud to emerge muddy but the lotus accepts its circumstances and blooms elegantly. When we closely
observe its beautiful flower, we realize that mud is essential for its existence. It cannot bloom in clear, spring
water. It is an amazing world in which the lotus blooms so beautifully because of the mud. Therefore, the
mud which should be removed becomes the mud which we must not remove. Buddhism of Transformation
encourages us to transform our delusional mind to attain Buddhahood. This concept goes beyond the
Buddhism of Elimination.
This Buddhism which urges transformation, is the Nembutsu teaching which Shinran Shonin devoted his
life to sharing. In the Shoshinge, he is calling to us. “People, in an ocean of beings in an evil age of five
defilements, simply entrust yourselves to the Tathagata’s words of truth.”
Although we live in a world polluted with blind passions, if we sincerely want to make a flower bloom in
this mud, we must respect and embrace the great compassion of Amida Buddha.
Certainly as Nembutsu followers we are just ordinary people who are continually confused by our own
selfish motivations. However, we have a true awareness and deep reflection that we are standing in deep
mud. Therefore, we are neither drowning in the mud nor are we stained by it. Although our thoughts may
be muddied, we awake and rejoice in the fact that the lotus flower—namely, Amida Buddha’s great
compassion—can take root in our minds precisely because of this mud. This is the Buddhism of
Transformation taught by Shinran Shonin.
We shouldn’t be dismissive, saying, “Oh, well, this is the world of defilements.” As a positive action for our
imperfect selves and our polluted world, it is most important as a Nembutsu follower to choose the way of
life which never forgets our innate modesty, and always extends our respect, loving kindness, and gratitude
to others.
Although we live in mud, when we truly entrust ourselves to the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha and truly
rejoice at his compassion, we are just like the pure white lotus which Shakyamuni and Shinran praised. I
sincerely hope each one of us will view ourselves as a pure white lotus and live a fruitful life with the deepest
feeling of gratitude, reciting the Nembutsu.
Last Fall, I learned one of the Seabrook members who helped me to recover the statues in the garden
suddenly collapsed and died while working in the garden. In the eleven short years since I served there, half
of those dear members have passed away. Although I feel real sorrow at their passing, my valuable
experiences in Seabrook remain a treasure in my life. The memories which I shared with each of those who
took care of me as if they were my family, have given me great encouragement in my present missionary
life. So once again, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation for their loving
support and kindness during my service there, and offer my deepest sympathy to them. Namo Amida
Butsu…
In Gassho,
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