Season of Giving, Season of Thanks
Now that we’ve set our clocks back to standard time, we live in darkness for a little longer each day. The sun shines less intensely and our own natural rhythms seem to slow just as the holiday season is upon …
Category: Ministers Message
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Awakening Attitude
I enjoy perusing the newsletters of other temples to get new ideas for activities, and I look forward to reading the dharma messages written by various ministers. It’s deeply inspiring, though, to come across wisdom shared by other members of …
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Beginner’s Mind
I recently had the privilege of accompanying fifteen BCA youth to Japan for the biennial Young Buddhist International Cultural Study Exchange (YBICSE) program. First stop: Kyoto, where we stayed at the sprawling campus of Nishi Hongwanji, our head temple. On …
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Too Many Distractions
In the May issue of the auto club magazine, Westways, there’s an article about road safety in Sweden. It seems that the Swedes are finding ways to reduce traffic-related deaths, which is also relevant to us, given the high …
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All Puffed Up
Many years ago while living in Ecuador, I had the opportunity to visit the Galapagos Islands, a Pacific archipelago that it claims and protects—from the ravages of people. Home to a vast array of flora and fauna, the islands were …
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A Life of Harmony
Of organizations, there are three kinds. First, there is the kind that is organized on the basis of the power, wealth or authority of great leaders.
Second, there is the kind that is organized because of its convenience to the …
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Attitude of Gratitude
The temple, after all, is not a gas station where one fills up with spirituality for the rest of the week at so many cents per liter. It is a living organization, not a mechanical machine. For this reason, temple …
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No Hocus Pocus
As Jodo Shinshu Buddhists, we shall seek to be mindful of our words and deeds, be responsible citizens of our society, and share with others the truth and reality of Jodo Shinshu. Understanding fully the principle of causality, we shall …
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What Do We Really Know?
Long ago, when I was a young student living in France, one of the locals proudly proclaimed that his country was home to 365 delicious varieties of cheese—one for every day of the year. When asked how many kinds we …
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If You See Something, Say Something
May all beings be happy and well
May no harm or difficulties come to them
May they live in peace and harmony
Adherents to the teachings of the Buddha are generally perceived as being guided by such benign tenets as …