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Zen Garden Meditation
Sit quietly, breathe mindfully, contemplate the Zen garden Expand your vision to perceive the entire image Ignore the toes in the lower righthand corner Smile Share your smile with everyone you meet today
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Enlightenment
enlightenment is a journey not a destination
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Shinran’s Awakening: Imperfect Self is Perfect
Shinran, the founder of Jodo Shinshu in 12th century Japan, discovered True and Real Life when he was 29 years old, after extremely rigorous monastic religious practice for 20 years only to discover his ego-selfishness was too tough to break. Shinran despairs but is guided to his great teacher Hōnen, and then he heard the…
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Unhappiness
Unhappiness is getting everything you want 欲しいもの 全て獲得 不幸な人
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SHINJIN IS A VERB, NOT A NOUN: Arigatai, Mottainai, Namo Amida Butsu
Today, I would like to talk about … the “F” word. No, not that “F” word! I would like to talk about “Faith” — which is one of the ways the expression “Shinjin” is translated into English. “Shinjin” is the key doctrinal tenant of Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, the core of Shinran’s thinking, and often described…
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Nembutsu ga deru ka ne?
All Buddhists seek Enlightenment—awakening to the Truth, seeing Life as-it-is, not as-we-want-it-to-be. Unnecessary suffering in life is caused by the gap between reality—Life as-it-is—and perception—the self-centered delusion that Life should be as-we-want-it-to-be. When Life doesn’t unfold the way we want it to, we get angry, blame others for our disappointment, or whine about it on…
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Everything I Needed to Know about Buddhism, I Learned in Dharma School
I just love the song, “Buddha Loves You”…it’s supposed to be a children’s song but it makes Buddhism so easy to understand for anyone! Fly, fly, little bird, Buddha loves you little bird, Tweet, Tweet, Tweet-tweet-tweet-tweet tweet! Run, run, little pup, Buddha loves you little pup, Bow-wow, wow-wow-wow-wow wow! Don’t cry pussy cat, Buddha loves…
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ASPIRATION FOR THE NEW YEAR
I will try to be grateful for this moment, aspiring to see the world as-it-is, not as-I-want-it-to-be, so that I may alleviate suffering for all beings. I will try to be wise so that I can see both sides of conflict wth clarity, and not insist that I alone am right. I will try to…
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The Truth of Impermanence is Found in ‘Ohana
The Truth of Impermanence is Found in ‘Ohana The Teachings of Buddha awaken us to the Truth that all things are not permanent, that constant change is the natural way of things, that all conditioned things shall eventually cease to exist. Our self-centered desire for things to remain the way they are is the cause…
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Mahalo, Grandpa Suyekichi Nakawatase!
Mahalo to my maternal grandfather Suyekichi Nakawatase, who left this world and was born in the Pure Land this day 70 years ago. I never knew Grandpa Nakawatase but his influence on my life is undeniable and I am grateful for his hard work, sacrifice, and passion to ensure the Nakawatase family got off to…

