The summer season is going to end soon. So many summertime activities like the start of the beach-going
season, Independence Day, fireworks, the temple’s Obon festival, and my daughter’s birthday made my mind
cheerful.
I really love the summer season. It is my greatest pleasure to spend time on the beach listening to
music and reading books with my family under the brilliant rays of the sun. The summer climate in San Diego is
usually quite mild, making it an easy place to live. Its clear-blue sky and sea and beautiful white sandy beach
make my mind heal.
About 10 years ago, I served as a minister in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Before going there, I imagined Brazil as a
land of everlasting summer; but when I began living there, I was very surprised to experience four beautiful
seasons throughout the year. Moreover, I was prepared for midsummer in Brazil to be a Scorching Hell. But in
comparison to summers in Japan, Brazil’s humidity is low, so I still remember that I felt a little deflated because it
was an easier place to live than I had expected.
Scorching Hell might be a better description for summertime in Central California where I lived until my
assignment to San Diego. When the temperature in Central California exceeds 100 degrees, it is as hot as an
oven. The heat reflected off the asphalt makes it even hotter.
When I first arrived at the Visalia Buddhist Church, some memb ers asked me to not store the candles for
the service in the temple, but in the minister’s residence which is air conditioned. They told me that if the candles
are kept in the Hondo during summer, they will melt even indoors. Although I was half in doubt at first, when I
experienced my first summer in Central California, I really understood what they meant. Even for me, who really
enjoys the summer season, it was very hard to bear such terrible heat. If there are any o f you who have never
experienced summertime in Central California, I encourage you to visit there once. You need to be good and
ready because it is really hot.
Speaking of candles, do you know that the candle has deep significance in Buddhism from old times?
Candles are an indispensable part of Oshogon, the decorations for the Buddhist Onaijin, or inner altar.
Do you know why we light candles before the statue of Amida Buddha? I think most people light candles for
their family altar without giving much thought to why they are doing it, but t here is a deep reason for the lighting
of candles. Originally, the purpose of Oshogon was to decorate the Buddha statues and Buddhist altar
beautifully. But in Shin Buddhism, Oshogon is not merely for beautification.
Oshogon enhances Amida Buddha’s mind of wisdom and compassion which is directed toward us.
Although we light the candle, it is very important for us to be aware that the candle gives off light because of
Amida Buddha’s work.
It is said in the teaching of Shin Buddhism that a candle’s flame has two meanings. One is the “light” which
shines beautifully on the candle. The gentle light which brightens the circumference illumining the darkness
represents Amida Buddha’s wisdom. Our minds are always shadowed by the darkness of delusion created by
deep-rooted blind passions such as greed, anger, ignorance, and so on. But just as candlelight pierces the
darkness, so the light of wisdom emitting from Amida Buddha shines into every nook of our delusional mind in
order to lead us to the way of the truth.
The other meaning of candlelight is “heat” which is created by the light. It represents the mind of Amida
Buddha’s compassion. Just like heat melts ice, the warmth of Amida’s great compassion gently thaws our cold
mind which is filled with arrogance and selfishness.
Furthermore, Amida’s compassion, which continues ceaselessly to work on each one of us, will be
transmitted to our minds from the flame which embraces us entirely with a gentle light. Once we become aware of
its significance, the candlelight which expresses the virtues of Buddha becomes brighter than ever. So each one
of the altar ornaments has a wonderful and precious meaning.
I often compare candlelight to life. No matter how brightly the candle burns, if the wind blows, the flame can
quickly flicker out. And even a new candle doesn’t necessarily continue to burn longer than an old one due to
causes and conditions. I believe that we can see the essence of our lives in the metaphor of the candle.
There is a very interesting story told of Ikkyu Zenji, a famous Zen priest in Japan. One day, a Sangha
member visited Ikkyu and asked him to write happy words on some scrolls the member had brought. Ikkyu
accepted the task willingly, took the writing brush and without hesitation wrote on the scroll in one breath. In a
steady hand, he had written, “Parents die, children die, and grandchildren die.”
When the member read this, he frowned and asked Ikkyu to write on other scroll. Ikkyu then reversed the
order of the words he had written before: “Grandchild dies, child dies, and parents die.” What he wrote were far
from happy words. The member got angry with Ikkyu because not only had he written unhappy words the first
time, but they were even worse the second time h e wrote, so he gave Ikkyu a fierce look.
Ikkyu then scolded him, “Hey, don’t you know what the happiest thing in this world is? It is when parents die
first, their children become parents and die next, and the grandchildren become parents and then die. In other
words, it is happiest for us to go in the order we were born, as old people. If your sweet grandchildren were to
pass away before you, what would you do? No matter how much you might wish to take their place, you cannot.
Nothing is more painful or sad than the loss of our child. But dying in the order we were born does not always
happen in this world. So for us to end life in this order—parents first, children next, and grandchildren last—this is
the happiest case. Can you understand this?”
When we first see the words, “Parents die, children die, and grandchildren die,” we automatically read them
as unhappy words. However, when we try to think deeply about them, we truly realize how grateful we should be
for our lives to end in20a natural progression in a world in which not everything happens in natural order. Ikkyu
Zenji’s powerful words express the true nature of impermanence.
While comparing the candle’s flame to our fleeting life, I sincerely hope that each of us will feel gratitude,
rejoicing in our present life and accepting firmly the nature of impermanence. Let us live each day of our
precious lives as brightly as possible without any regrets. In Gassho,
season, Independence Day, fireworks, the temple’s Obon festival, and my daughter’s birthday made my mind
cheerful.
I really love the summer season. It is my greatest pleasure to spend time on the beach listening to
music and reading books with my family under the brilliant rays of the sun. The summer climate in San Diego is
usually quite mild, making it an easy place to live. Its clear-blue sky and sea and beautiful white sandy beach
make my mind heal.
About 10 years ago, I served as a minister in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Before going there, I imagined Brazil as a
land of everlasting summer; but when I began living there, I was very surprised to experience four beautiful
seasons throughout the year. Moreover, I was prepared for midsummer in Brazil to be a Scorching Hell. But in
comparison to summers in Japan, Brazil’s humidity is low, so I still remember that I felt a little deflated because it
was an easier place to live than I had expected.
Scorching Hell might be a better description for summertime in Central California where I lived until my
assignment to San Diego. When the temperature in Central California exceeds 100 degrees, it is as hot as an
oven. The heat reflected off the asphalt makes it even hotter.
When I first arrived at the Visalia Buddhist Church, some memb ers asked me to not store the candles for
the service in the temple, but in the minister’s residence which is air conditioned. They told me that if the candles
are kept in the Hondo during summer, they will melt even indoors. Although I was half in doubt at first, when I
experienced my first summer in Central California, I really understood what they meant. Even for me, who really
enjoys the summer season, it was very hard to bear such terrible heat. If there are any o f you who have never
experienced summertime in Central California, I encourage you to visit there once. You need to be good and
ready because it is really hot.
Speaking of candles, do you know that the candle has deep significance in Buddhism from old times?
Candles are an indispensable part of Oshogon, the decorations for the Buddhist Onaijin, or inner altar.
Do you know why we light candles before the statue of Amida Buddha? I think most people light candles for
their family altar without giving much thought to why they are doing it, but t here is a deep reason for the lighting
of candles. Originally, the purpose of Oshogon was to decorate the Buddha statues and Buddhist altar
beautifully. But in Shin Buddhism, Oshogon is not merely for beautification.
Oshogon enhances Amida Buddha’s mind of wisdom and compassion which is directed toward us.
Although we light the candle, it is very important for us to be aware that the candle gives off light because of
Amida Buddha’s work.
It is said in the teaching of Shin Buddhism that a candle’s flame has two meanings. One is the “light” which
shines beautifully on the candle. The gentle light which brightens the circumference illumining the darkness
represents Amida Buddha’s wisdom. Our minds are always shadowed by the darkness of delusion created by
deep-rooted blind passions such as greed, anger, ignorance, and so on. But just as candlelight pierces the
darkness, so the light of wisdom emitting from Amida Buddha shines into every nook of our delusional mind in
order to lead us to the way of the truth.
The other meaning of candlelight is “heat” which is created by the light. It represents the mind of Amida
Buddha’s compassion. Just like heat melts ice, the warmth of Amida’s great compassion gently thaws our cold
mind which is filled with arrogance and selfishness.
Furthermore, Amida’s compassion, which continues ceaselessly to work on each one of us, will be
transmitted to our minds from the flame which embraces us entirely with a gentle light. Once we become aware of
its significance, the candlelight which expresses the virtues of Buddha becomes brighter than ever. So each one
of the altar ornaments has a wonderful and precious meaning.
I often compare candlelight to life. No matter how brightly the candle burns, if the wind blows, the flame can
quickly flicker out. And even a new candle doesn’t necessarily continue to burn longer than an old one due to
causes and conditions. I believe that we can see the essence of our lives in the metaphor of the candle.
There is a very interesting story told of Ikkyu Zenji, a famous Zen priest in Japan. One day, a Sangha
member visited Ikkyu and asked him to write happy words on some scrolls the member had brought. Ikkyu
accepted the task willingly, took the writing brush and without hesitation wrote on the scroll in one breath. In a
steady hand, he had written, “Parents die, children die, and grandchildren die.”
When the member read this, he frowned and asked Ikkyu to write on other scroll. Ikkyu then reversed the
order of the words he had written before: “Grandchild dies, child dies, and parents die.” What he wrote were far
from happy words. The member got angry with Ikkyu because not only had he written unhappy words the first
time, but they were even worse the second time h e wrote, so he gave Ikkyu a fierce look.
Ikkyu then scolded him, “Hey, don’t you know what the happiest thing in this world is? It is when parents die
first, their children become parents and die next, and the grandchildren become parents and then die. In other
words, it is happiest for us to go in the order we were born, as old people. If your sweet grandchildren were to
pass away before you, what would you do? No matter how much you might wish to take their place, you cannot.
Nothing is more painful or sad than the loss of our child. But dying in the order we were born does not always
happen in this world. So for us to end life in this order—parents first, children next, and grandchildren last—this is
the happiest case. Can you understand this?”
When we first see the words, “Parents die, children die, and grandchildren die,” we automatically read them
as unhappy words. However, when we try to think deeply about them, we truly realize how grateful we should be
for our lives to end in20a natural progression in a world in which not everything happens in natural order. Ikkyu
Zenji’s powerful words express the true nature of impermanence.
While comparing the candle’s flame to our fleeting life, I sincerely hope that each of us will feel gratitude,
rejoicing in our present life and accepting firmly the nature of impermanence. Let us live each day of our
precious lives as brightly as possible without any regrets. In Gassho,
2009 SEP.
LEARNING FROM CANDLELIGHT
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima,
LEARNING FROM CANDLELIGHT
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima,
| Dharma Message |
