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Tag: jodo shinshu

  • Living the Life of Ingratitude

    Living the Life of Ingratitude Lacking even small love and small compassion, I cannot hope to benefit sentient beings. Were it not for the ship of Amida’s Vow, How could I cross the ocean of painful existence? —Shinran Shōnin, Gutoku’s Hymns of Lament and Reflection, CWS I, page  In today’s Dharma Story Time, the wonderful…

  • Mahalo, Butterfly!

    “Why am I here?” is answered by pausing to reflect on the wonder of life right in front of you in this moment of your unrepeatable life. NamoAmidaButsu!

  • “LOCK HIM UP!”

    A reflection on my personal reactions to the horrific insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and how as Shin Buddhists, we can try to respond to the relentless images of violence and destruction. From a Buddhist perspective, there are no “winners” or “losers”, no “good” or “evil”, no “right” and “wrong”, just us, ordinary human beings…

  • “A Great Torch in the Dark Night of Ignorance”

    Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii Online Dharma Message on November 1, 2020: “A Great Torch in the Dark Night of Ignorance”. Grateful for the opportunity to give an Online Dharma Message today—because it means I woke up not dead! In reflection, everything in my life has led me to this moment, every person I encountered…

  • It’s not about ME

    When a person realizes the mind of non-discrimination,   That attainment is the “state of regarding each being as one’s only child” This is none other than Buddha-Nature; We will awaken to it on reaching the land of peace.      Shinran Shōnin      Hymns of the Pure Land, Verse 97      The…

  • Lessons from the Chalkboard: Active Listening, Truly Hearing

    The Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha way of “preparing the heart-mind to actively listen and truly hear” the Dharma also applies to actively listening to and truly hearing people in daily life. “On this remarkable and unrepeatable occasion, 1. Listen as if what this person is saying is the FIRST TIME, 2. Listen as if what this…

  • Cherry Blossoms

    明日ありと 思う心のあだ桜 世半に嵐の吹かぬものかは The heart set upon tomorrow, how like cherry blossoms blown away at night in a sudden storm

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…