Truth Beyond Differences
Hello everyone, I hope you had a good summer break. Welcome back to OCBC!
Obon Festival and Dance in Japanology Sensation:
This year’s Obon festival turned out to be a great success. I heard that over 1,200 people came, enjoyed our foods, and danced on both days. New song “Lanter Song – Bonbu Stories” was well received and we all loved and enjoyed the live performance. Thank you all for your support to make it happen. I tried all Obon menu and they were all delicious! Did you notice that there were many young people dancing in yukata? It seems to me that the young generation called Generation Z between the mid-1990’s and 2010’s are experiencing the traditional Obon festival and retro fashion. Partially the Japanese studies; Nihongaku日本学, sometimes known as Japanology has been getting popular, and many are interested in the Japanese culture and tradition.
Good things are Timeless:
Professor Hara, who was my teacher in the Kyoto Women’s University, told us on the graduation day, “Good things are timeless.” He was a famous researcher on William Wordsworth. I can still visualize him saying this sending words. Honestly, I could not understand the meaning at the age of 22, but after years went by, I now understood what he meant was that authenticity is timeless, another word “truth is timeless.”
I have recently read the article about Kimono reform. Your family may have kimono left by your grandmothers and mothers. Actually, some families donated many kimono items and people bought them at the Obon festival. Some are still colorful and beautiful. One of the visitors talked to me by pointing out an obi (sash) and planned to reform it to a table center. Kimono can be reformed to an Aloha shirt (see the photo). I think it is a great idea to reform your family kimono and appreciate the authenticity.
How about a new style of shaved ice? It is rainbow colors that is perfect to all beyond differences. We can say that the rainbow shaved ice was invented through cultural transformation based on traditional red bean shaved ice.
Buddhism Constantly Evolves:
As similar to the transformation of authentic kimono and traditional azuki shaved ice, Buddhism has constantly evolved in order to deliver the meaning of “truth” of Dharma, and still now developing. After the demise of Shakyamuni Buddha, the teaching of Buddha: Buddhism transmitted in many countries worldwide differs in certain details and aspects. It has sprouted into several lineages and ways of practice. Among them are three most prominent lineages known are Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Their existences are sometimes viewed as the religious rift, but when looking deeply at their core concept, we will find that each Buddhist lineage, no matter what practice or principles it emphasizes, is aiming towards the same destination, that is Nibbana or Nirvana, or the spiritual liberation from all sufferings. Various Buddhist lineages including the Jodoshinshu, Japanese Zen, Chinese Buddhism, Vietnamese Buddhism, and Theravada were introduced to America over 100 years ago by the immigrants and diasporas, which made Buddhism one of the products imported to the west from the east.
Albert Einstein told, “If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism.” Einstein appeared to have occasionally made passing references to the Buddha in conversation. It makes me think what is the connection between Buddhism and science. It is “truth” – Both Buddhism and science explains and reveals the truth of the universe, however we keep in mind that scientific truth may change as the time goes by, but the Dharma presents universal truth. Daisetsu T. Suzuki proudly stated that the Buddhist teaching is one of superior exports products of Japan to overseas, because the Dharma represents universal truth.
Culmination of Mahayana Buddhism:
Founder Shinran says in one of his letters to his followers, “In the Pure Land teaching there are true and the provisional. The true is the selected Primal Vow. The provisional teaches the good of meditative and non-meditative practices. The selected Primal Vow is the true essence of the Pure Land way; good practices, whether meditative or non-meditative, are provisional ways. The true essence of the Pure Land way is the culmination of Mahayana Buddhism; the provisional gateways of expedience include the other Mahayana and Hinayana teachings, accommodated and real.” [CWS I, p.524, retranslated by the author]
Shinran believed that the Amida’s teaching is the culmination among Mahayana sutra texts, which perfectly accommodated with ordinary people like us living in the life of samsara. Because of being a bonbu 凡夫, we always struggle in everyday life while pursuing the path of spiritual liberation. We definitely need to hear the Dharma, a shout of truth that has us see the true self and makes the Buddhist practice real in our life. Amida’s Dharma carried the truth stays timeless beyond any differences of time, people, place, language and culture. If we miss the opportunity to hear the Dharma here and now, when and where can we hear it. Now is the time for awakening to the truth – authentic teaching.
Namo Amida Butsu
Rev. Dr. Mutsumi Wondra
