2010 SEPTEMBER
WISHING FOR A WORLD WITHOUT
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
WISHING FOR A WORLD WITHOUT
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Dharma Message
| By Rev. Yushi Mukojima, Resident Minister |
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima, Resident Minister
Last month, a group organized by a local Japanese American gathered peacefully at the
Friendship Bell on Shelter Island to express its wish for the abolishment of nuclear weapons. We
met on both August 6 and 9, the dates when atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki 65 years ago.
At this ceremony, we heard from the deputy of mayor of San Diego and the mayor of Coronado
who gave encouraging messages for the realization of a world without nuclear weapons.
Declarations of peace sent by the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were also introduced. Then,
survivors of the bombings rang the bonsho (giant bell)—a gift of San Diego’s sister city,
Yokohama—at 9:15 a.m. and again at 11:02 a.m, commemorating the dropping of the bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. All in attendance had one minute of silent meditation as the bell solemnly
tolled.
Afterwards, we each wrote a personal message for world peace on paper lanterns after which
the major of Coronado and the rest of us floated the candle-lit lanterns in the Coronado municipal
pool.
I hope that all those who participated in these special events earnestly wished for a world
without nuclear weapons for future generations and the realization of true peace while gazing in the
darkness at the lights on the water.
In addition, some concerned people met at our temple on August 5 to offer a silent meditation,
pledging the abolishment of nuclear weapons for those who died at 4:15 p.m., Hiroshima time, when
the atomic bomb struck the city.
Several weeks prior to this Peace Gathering at the Friendship Bell, I was asked by the
spokesperson for the group to write a congratulatory message for the San Diego ceremony, I was
happy to share my thoughts about the elimination of nuclear weapons. So this month, I would like to
share my message with you.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. In contemplating these momentous events and looking back on history, humankind has
always wished for peace, but not a day passes without war somewhere in the world. 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 act against their religious
beliefs not to kill and who must fight in the frontlines in the name of one cause or another.
We must constantly remind ourselves that our comfortable lives today are due to the
ultimate sacrifice of many who died in past wars and to those dying today on our behalf. In their
memory and with deep feelings of gratitude to them, we should try for the realization of true world
peace.
It is true that most of our current generation hardly knows the true terror of war and too often
takes the gift of life lightly. In commemorating those who have died cruelly in conflicts, we must
make a fresh determination to do our best to reject the awful misery of war through this ceremony.
Fortunately, we were born in this world as human beings. It is said in Buddhism, “It is hard
to be born into human life.” A long time ago, Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, scooped
up a handful of sand from the banks of the Ganges River and said to his disciple, “All around us are
countless grains of sand. But only these grains in my palm represent those to be born into this world
as humans.”
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 others’ existence, loving
others, and helping each other is the true way of human life. It is very important to realize what a
precious gift it is to share our lives with others on this earth.
However, as I mentioned, humanity has waged war continuously for as long as there have
been people. War is an outgrowth of our greed and fear. Greed and fear also finds justification for
war. And furthermore, now we face a growing crisis as the very earth we inhabit is threatened by
the nuclear weapons which we have created.
When reading a book once, I was struck by the following words: “If the earth is compared to
a living thing, humanity is like a cancer cell.” These are shocking words, but in reality, people not
only kill others out of self-interest but also destroy the environment and drive the earth to ruin for the
same reason. I was forced to agree that humanity is like a cancer for the earth and all its living
things. At that moment, I felt deep shame.
In Buddhism, there is a teaching to repay favors. In the great blessing of nature in this world,
our lives depend upon the sacrifice of many others. We must repay this precious favor all through
our lives. I believe the way to best repay these favors is to acknowledge others’ existence and
through respect and support of others.
All living things are precious in this world but only people have the ability to be considerate of
others. We alone have a wonderful mind capable of empathy. We have beautiful minds that share
our sadness, happiness, and joy with one another. Moreover, we have precious minds capable of
self-reflection.
It is human nature to make the same mistakes over and over. Therefore it is important for
us to accept our faults and be mindful of how we correct and how we atone for them. It needs
courage and patience. Although one person alone may seem weak, coming together to support one
another helps to make up for our shortcomings.
As for the abolishment of nuclear weapons, preserving world peace and maintaining the
integrity of the earth, we alone have an urgent responsibility for all other creatures.
Even under the label “humanity,” we have separate personalities, values and culture, and are
therefore different from one another. Because of gender, nationality, skin color and abilities, we
each are different. However, it is undeniable each life is linked to many other lives, and ultimately, to
all other lives. Therefore we should never forget this truth: “The way we destroy others is the same
way we destroy ourselves. The way of letting others live is the exactly the same way we ourselves
live.”
Buddhism is a teaching of wisdom which shows us to try to respect others and understand
one another so that we realize that a way of life where all people in the world live harmoniously it is
truly possible.
In conclusion, I would like to show my profound respect for President Obama who made an
appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons in Prague recently, and express my deep gratitude for
those who strive for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of world peace. At the same
time, I would like to offer my deepest sympathy to the victims of the atomic bomb and to all who
have died in the world’s many conflicts.
In Gassho,
Last month, a group organized by a local Japanese American gathered peacefully at the
Friendship Bell on Shelter Island to express its wish for the abolishment of nuclear weapons. We
met on both August 6 and 9, the dates when atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki 65 years ago.
At this ceremony, we heard from the deputy of mayor of San Diego and the mayor of Coronado
who gave encouraging messages for the realization of a world without nuclear weapons.
Declarations of peace sent by the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were also introduced. Then,
survivors of the bombings rang the bonsho (giant bell)—a gift of San Diego’s sister city,
Yokohama—at 9:15 a.m. and again at 11:02 a.m, commemorating the dropping of the bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. All in attendance had one minute of silent meditation as the bell solemnly
tolled.
Afterwards, we each wrote a personal message for world peace on paper lanterns after which
the major of Coronado and the rest of us floated the candle-lit lanterns in the Coronado municipal
pool.
I hope that all those who participated in these special events earnestly wished for a world
without nuclear weapons for future generations and the realization of true peace while gazing in the
darkness at the lights on the water.
In addition, some concerned people met at our temple on August 5 to offer a silent meditation,
pledging the abolishment of nuclear weapons for those who died at 4:15 p.m., Hiroshima time, when
the atomic bomb struck the city.
Several weeks prior to this Peace Gathering at the Friendship Bell, I was asked by the
spokesperson for the group to write a congratulatory message for the San Diego ceremony, I was
happy to share my thoughts about the elimination of nuclear weapons. So this month, I would like to
share my message with you.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. In contemplating these momentous events and looking back on history, humankind has
always wished for peace, but not a day passes without war somewhere in the world. 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 act against their religious
beliefs not to kill and who must fight in the frontlines in the name of one cause or another.
We must constantly remind ourselves that our comfortable lives today are due to the
ultimate sacrifice of many who died in past wars and to those dying today on our behalf. In their
memory and with deep feelings of gratitude to them, we should try for the realization of true world
peace.
It is true that most of our current generation hardly knows the true terror of war and too often
takes the gift of life lightly. In commemorating those who have died cruelly in conflicts, we must
make a fresh determination to do our best to reject the awful misery of war through this ceremony.
Fortunately, we were born in this world as human beings. It is said in Buddhism, “It is hard
to be born into human life.” A long time ago, Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, scooped
up a handful of sand from the banks of the Ganges River and said to his disciple, “All around us are
countless grains of sand. But only these grains in my palm represent those to be born into this world
as humans.”
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 others’ existence, loving
others, and helping each other is the true way of human life. It is very important to realize what a
precious gift it is to share our lives with others on this earth.
However, as I mentioned, humanity has waged war continuously for as long as there have
been people. War is an outgrowth of our greed and fear. Greed and fear also finds justification for
war. And furthermore, now we face a growing crisis as the very earth we inhabit is threatened by
the nuclear weapons which we have created.
When reading a book once, I was struck by the following words: “If the earth is compared to
a living thing, humanity is like a cancer cell.” These are shocking words, but in reality, people not
only kill others out of self-interest but also destroy the environment and drive the earth to ruin for the
same reason. I was forced to agree that humanity is like a cancer for the earth and all its living
things. At that moment, I felt deep shame.
In Buddhism, there is a teaching to repay favors. In the great blessing of nature in this world,
our lives depend upon the sacrifice of many others. We must repay this precious favor all through
our lives. I believe the way to best repay these favors is to acknowledge others’ existence and
through respect and support of others.
All living things are precious in this world but only people have the ability to be considerate of
others. We alone have a wonderful mind capable of empathy. We have beautiful minds that share
our sadness, happiness, and joy with one another. Moreover, we have precious minds capable of
self-reflection.
It is human nature to make the same mistakes over and over. Therefore it is important for
us to accept our faults and be mindful of how we correct and how we atone for them. It needs
courage and patience. Although one person alone may seem weak, coming together to support one
another helps to make up for our shortcomings.
As for the abolishment of nuclear weapons, preserving world peace and maintaining the
integrity of the earth, we alone have an urgent responsibility for all other creatures.
Even under the label “humanity,” we have separate personalities, values and culture, and are
therefore different from one another. Because of gender, nationality, skin color and abilities, we
each are different. However, it is undeniable each life is linked to many other lives, and ultimately, to
all other lives. Therefore we should never forget this truth: “The way we destroy others is the same
way we destroy ourselves. The way of letting others live is the exactly the same way we ourselves
live.”
Buddhism is a teaching of wisdom which shows us to try to respect others and understand
one another so that we realize that a way of life where all people in the world live harmoniously it is
truly possible.
In conclusion, I would like to show my profound respect for President Obama who made an
appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons in Prague recently, and express my deep gratitude for
those who strive for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of world peace. At the same
time, I would like to offer my deepest sympathy to the victims of the atomic bomb and to all who
have died in the world’s many conflicts.
In Gassho,