Hello Dharma Friends!

It has been a very busy couple of months here at Bombu HQ. Writing is not just a past-time of mine, it’s also a professional passion. Since last I had the chance to sit down and send an update, I have written a chapter for a new book on the legal information profession, published an article on library space planning in the digital age, and given several professional talks. That is not to say that I have relegated my Jodo Shinshu pursuits to the back-burner. In fact, I was honored to give several Dharma talks, publish an essay on making the temple home, and begin the formal process of pursuing tokudo. It has been a whirlwind around here and things are still spinning until at least year’s end. You can read more about what I have been up to here.

I am happy to say that I have moved all of my Buddhist writings and talks to the Being Bombu website. Information about the new content is below. I am also excited to share that, starting in 2025, I will be focusing mainly on further development of my site, this newsletter, and thus my practice. If you are enjoying the content, please do not hesitate to share it with others who you think might benefit from it. I am still keeping it all free and hope to do so for the foreseeable future. Thank you for reading along and for your support!

- Sokusho

New Blog Postings / Dharma Talks

In this update, I have not one, but THREE new blog posts to share with you all. Each is adapted from Dharma talks that I was honored to share at the Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. I am delighted now to be able to share them with you as well. Featured this week are (titles are links):

• To Infinity and Beyond: Did you know that each of us is, in our own way, a Jodo Shinshu astronaut? It’s true! When we say Namo Amida Butsu, we are not only expressing our thanks to Amida for his immense compassion, but also acknowledging that we are indeed destined for infinity and beyond in the Pure Land. See what makes each of us like Disney’s Buzz Lightyear.

• Good Hearts, Bad Hearts, It’s All the Same: As people of blind passions, it is hard for us not to judge everything and everyone around us. While we like to think of it as our human nature, Shinran taught that the way we perceive things is actually the result of the causes and conditions that have colored our life experiences. Especially when it comes to labeling others as either good or bad, he warned us that focusing on discriminating between the two could cause us to forget that Amida’s compassion extends to all. We are all the same!

• To Hear AND Receive: In this age of mappō, there is nothing we can do within our own power to achieve liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Luckily, the Compassionate Vow of Amida Buddha, has already secured that freedom for us. All we need to do is to open our hearts to true entrusting in that Compassion. And how do that? Well, it starts with opening our ears and our minds to the Buddha Dharma. Read my interpretation of what that means.

Newsletter Extra: What is Ohigan?

Twice each year, Jodo Shinshu temples hold a very special celebration. We call it Ohigan and we celebrate it around the time of the spring and fall equinoxes. The word Ohigan literally translates to “the other shore”. While in one sense, it is a metaphor for what happens when we die, it also has another application that is not so morbid. It serves as a joyful reminder that even in this life, we can “cross over” to a place of peace that is free of greed, hatred, and ignorance. And how do we do that? Well, by listening deeply to the Buddha Dharma and entrusting ourselves to Amida’s boundless Compassion. Thus we usually celebrate Ohigan by coming together to listen to special lectures and teachings, and to share the Dharma with each other. It is a wonderful opportunity for learning, self-reflection, and the renewal of our Jodo Shinshu beliefs.

And as we just recently passed the fall equinox here, may I wish a very happy and insightful Ohigan to all!

Bombu’s Bookshelf

Currently Reading: Sky Above, Great Wind: The Life and Poetry of Zen Master Ryokan by Kazuaki Tanahashi

Master Ryōkan Taigu was a Sōtō Zen monk and hermit who was well known for his

unconventional lifestyle and eccentricity. A simple man, who referred to himself as a “great fool”, Ryokan is also one of Japan’s most revered poets. In this book, Tanahashi - himself a Zen teacher - has gathered and beautifully translated scores of Ryokan’s poems from over the course of his life. He presents these along with an insightful history of the Master himself. Ryokan was a man of many loves - food, children, nature, and even a very special young woman - all of which are presented with a simply joy in his writings.

Sky Above, Great Wind is available from the BCA Bookstore.

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What Does It Mean to Be “Bombu”?

The quotation above comes from the Hymns of the Pure Land Masters. It is my favorite of the Wasans and one that we Jodo Shinshu followers see and hear often. Before I share my thoughts on Koso Wasan 95, I want to first start with a bit of gratitude. I want to thank Rimban William Briones and Rev. Hibiki Murakami of the Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple for encouraging me to tackle this topic. One of the perks of being a Minister’s Assistant is that I occasionally get the chance to stand up before my sangha and demonstrate what I think I know with the full realization that I probably do not actually know it. You see, I am learning to embrace the reality that my understanding - like the rest me and the things that I do - are flawed. I am coming to terms with what it means to be what we call “bombu” - a person of blind passions.

In the Wasan that I shared, Shinran Shonin refers to his own eyes as “being hindered by blind passions”. We are often reminded that upon leaving his Tendai monastic life, the Master even renamed himself Gutoku which means “foolish, stubble-headed one”. When I first took an interest in Jodo Shinshu, this concept of my own eyes being clouded by my blind passions was a hard one to grasp. In fact, it reminded me of my Catholic upbringing and constantly being told that as humans, we are sinful creatures. I know, of course, that sin is not a Buddhist concept. So I made it my mission to understand not only what it means to be subject to blind passions myself, but what it means to recognize that everyone around me - all of you - are people of blind passions too.

Check out the Being Bombu blog for a two-part exploration of what it means to accept the fact that each of us is an imperfect person. I welcome your thoughts!

‘Tis the Season for Ohigan!

Twice a year, Jodo Shinshu temples around the world join in a weeklong celebration known by a quartet of somewhat similar sounding (and looking) names. Ohigan, also called Higan, Higan-e in Japan generally, or Sanbutsu-e in our temples formally is celebated every spring and fall, right around the time of the equinoxes. Work, life, and temple schedules being what they are, the actual dates of the observance will vary from sangha to sangha. So will the ways in which it is celebrated. The meaning of the observance, however, is the same for all of us.

Ohigan is a time of joyful reflection on the Dharma teachings, as well as a time to express gratitude for the many things - tangible and intangible - that have been passed on to us by our ancestors and teachers. I have seen the term “higan” translated as both “other shore” and “crossing over” and we use these times of year, when the days are most equally balanced, to remember that the Pure Land is waiting for us. Thus we use Ohigan to think a lot about what it really means to cross over to that other shore and to have balance in our lives as we wait for that time to come.

In many temples here in the USA, Ohigan is celebrated with Dharma talks from visiting teachers, special services, and opportunities for the sangha to come together in a spirit of gratitude, learning, and joy. That means that our ministers break out the fancy robes, the temples are decorated, and various temple affiliate groups will serve up tasty treats for attendees. As much I love a sweet, my favorite part of Ohigan is definitely the wisdom and insights that are imparted to us by the featured speakers. Though the topics are often serious, the presentations tend to be inspirational. They remind us that Amida’s Compassionate Vow has already cleared the path for us and that we just need to entrust ourselves and live our lives in the present moment. It is a powerful message that is worthy of two celebrations a year!

If you get the chance, be sure to attend an Ohigan seminar and/or service near you. If you’ve already missed your local Spring Ohigan observance, do not fret. The next one is coming up in the autumn. You can read more about Ohigan in this wonderful posting from our Dharma friends at the San Jose Bestuin.

A happy Ohigan to all!

On the Bombu Bookshelf: Jewels by Dr. Kenneth Tanaka

I was recently gifted a copy of Dr. Kenneth Tanaka’s book, Jewels: An Introduction to American Buddhism for Youth, Scouts and the Young at Heart. Aspiring to be a part of that last group, I dove in. Somehow, Tanaka-sensei has managed to yet again deliver the Dharma as well as his own insights and experiences in a way that shines a bright light on the joy, gratitude, humor, and humanity that color the Buddhist experience here in America and beyond.

Dr. Tanaka has both a gift and a passion for story telling. The tales and anecdotes that he shares are relatable and have a knack for making the sometimes complex and conflicting teachings of Jodo Shinshu easy to understand and apply to our daily lives. He loves a good joke, but never drops one without also teaching an important lesson alongside the punchline. Best of all, Tanaka-sensei shares the stories of others, as well as his own, with openess and honesty. Their questions and challenges are every bit like our own. By highlighting what his subjects learned from those experiences, Dr. Tanaka provides us with the basic blueprints from which we can build and customize our own unique paths to the Pure Land.

If you want to learn more about Jodo Shinshu and American Buddhism generally, pick up a copy of Jewels. Dr. Tanaka will have you feeling like a kid again - at least at heart - in no time.

Jewels is available as either a free digital download or for a mere $6 in hardcopy from BDK America here. If you are in the Los Angeles area, come by one of our Sunday services at Nishi Betsuin and we will gladly give you one at no charge!

Until next time, my hands are palm to palm! Namo Amida Butsu!

Thank you for reading. - Sokusho

Every year around this time, Buddhists all over the world pause to remember a very solemn, yet beautiful, day. Called Nirvana Day (Nehan-e in Japanese) by some and Parinirvana Day by others, this is the day on which we celebrate the death of Shakyamuni Buddha.

You are probably wondering, however, why we celebrate the death of the founder of Buddhism. After all, the world lost a great teacher and person on that fateful day well over 2000 years ago. Well, when we die, we Buddhists believe that we transition on to our next state. It is not a cold, dark ending. As a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist, it is my belief that we are immediately reborn in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha and thus break free of this cycle of birth and death that colors our human existence.

Shakyamuni reached enlightenment and became a Buddha during his mortal life. HE was thus liberated upon his passing. He broke free of this samsaric world and entered Nirvana finally and fully! He finally achieved what he had been working so hard to accomplish throughout his life. While death is sad in the sense of our attachment to this life and the people and things in it, we celebrate the Tathagata’s incredible accomplishment in breaking from worldly attachments and desires once and for all!

I invite you to read more about how and when we celebrate Nirvana Day on the main Being Bombu site, where I go into more depth and share some common practices for making the most of the observation. Access the full discussion here.

Monks, you must always seek earnestly for the Way. All worldly things, whether movable or immovable, are subject to destruction and decay. Stop thinking for awhile. Stop talking, too, for time is slipping away and I am about to enter Parinirvana. These are my final words. - Shakyamuni Buddha

Parinirvana of the Buddha

No Draggin’ the Year of the Dragon

In addition to Nirvana Day, most Buddhists around the world are also celebrating the arrival of the Lunar New Year, also called Chinese New Year in many parts of the world. It is common practice to celebrate with parades and parties that include rituals and charms to bring good luck, fortune telling, and practices to help guarantee prosperity and health. This year’s celebrations usher in the Year of the Dragon, the most mystical and magical of all the signs of the Chinese zodiac. It is a very special time indeed.

The hullabaloo surrounding the Lunar New Year also brings an interesting dilemma to many of us in the Jodo Shinshu school. These rituals, practices, and magical items are indicative of self-power, or things we can do ourselves to reach ‘salvation’. As such, they run counter to our belief that it is only the compassionate vow of Amida, or ‘other power’ (Tariki in Japanese) that can do this. To put our faith in these other things would distract us from the power of Amida’s vow and contradict the teachings of Master Shinran himself.

But that does not mean we cannot take part in the fun. There is real cultural and social significance to the practices and accoutrements surrounding the Lunar New Year that should not be missed out on. The crux of the issue hinges on something I mentioned earlier and that is where we put our faith. So long as we see these rituals and talismans for what they are culturally, historically, and socially, and keep our actual faith in the Compassionate Vow of Amida Buddha, we do not stray from what Shinran taught. So enjoy those parades and parties, pick up a pretty omamori, and stick a grinning dragon on your shelf. Just remember that as cute and fun as they may all be, none of it will do anything more to get us into the Pure Land. That’s already been accomplished for us!

Until next time . . . Namo Amida Butsu!

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A New Year is a New Opportunity to Share the Dharma!

So why a newsletter?

When I launched the main Being Bombu website and blog, I was simply looking for a way to share my experiences as a follower of the Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land) Buddhist path - to shine just a little bit of light in the darkness that seems to have been enveloping our world as of late. After all, if the Pure Land Dharma could give me hope in the midst of so much anger, selfishness, and death and help me to see the good that is hidden among it all, then I was sure it could do the same for others. The site and its blog became became my way of giving a little something good back and a true labor of love.

The format of Being Bombu, however, is designed to deliver Jodo Shinshu teachings, inspiration, and resources in small bites. My focus there is primarily on those who are new or unfamiliar with Pure Land Buddhism and its practice. I will soon be relaunching it with an emphasis on short introductions to the various things one might see or hear in any of our temples. It is thus not a good outlet for deeper applications and more personal explorations of the Jodo Shinshu way. That is where this new newsletter will come in.

Think of What’s New, Bombu? (WNB? for short) as a celebration of the Dharma in daily life and an attempt to apply it to the questions that frustrate our human understanding. Please know that I make no claim to be a scholar of Buddhism. I am not a minister. I will not even remotely pretend to have all the answers. If I did, I would not be here now. I am just someone who earnestly believes that we do not have to face the chaos and challenges of this world alone. We can and must work together and learn from one another if we want to create any kind of meaningful change and reduce the suffering of all on this planet.

So I hope you will read along as I share my experiences, ask big questions, and try to make sense of what I am learning. It is also my wish that you consider sharing your own perspectives and questions with me and your fellow readers. Subscriptions are free of charge, but participation is eagerly accepted. Welcome to What’s New, Bombu?!

Hōonkō: a Time to Remember and Reflect

The Jodo Shinshu school of Buddhism as we know it today was founded by Japanese monk Shinran Shonin in 1234 AD. Long a practitioner of Tendai Buddhism, he abandoned his former practices and took refuge in the teachings of Master Honen Shonin. For almost 40 years, he expanded and spread the Pure Land doctrine throughout Japan. We commemorate the day of Shinran’s own passing into the Pure Land with a celebration we call Hōonkō.

The Japanese word Hōonkō can be translated into English as meaning “a gathering to return gratitude”. And that is what we do every year on or around January 16th1, the day that Shinran died in way back in 1263 AD. We gather in our temples and sanghas in a sincere show of thanks for the Dharma the master taught over the course of four decades and in the face of great social and political challenges.

For most Jodo Shinshu followers, Hōonkō is observed through a day of listening to and learning from esteemed Buddhist teachers. Listening to the Dharma is a key activity for us in our regular services, but on this day of celebration we tend to go really big and some speakers will travel great distances to share their thoughts on the teachings.

This year at the Los Angeles Betsuin we were honored with not one, but two excellent and learned speakers. Randomly enough, they also shared the same first name! Dr. Nobuo Haneda, a well-known author and engaging speaker, led us in a discussion of what we call the “Primal Vow” of the Bodhisattva Dharmakara - that unless all other sentient beings first became Buddhas, he himself would not do so. Dr. Haneda called this Dharmakara’s “innermost aspiration”. In particular, we looked at how there is reall happiness to be found in putting others first. It was an inspiring and touching exploration of one of the most fundamental of Jodo Shinshu’s teachings.

We were also joined by the jovial Rev. Nobuo Miyaji who took a very somber topic and turned it into an uplifting message of hope and possibility. His talk was all about how Jodo Shinshu approaches the unavoidability of all life ending in death. By seeing past the duality of marking life as “good” or positive and death as “bad” or negative to the reality that we really just move on to our next state, like we do constantly throughout each and every day, we can find peace in the unknown. By putting our trust in the compassion of the Buddha and letting go our attachments and desires to control our lives, we can find the space we need to live in and enjoy the present moment.

A big part of the joy of the day was simply being able to come together with our temple family and friends to listen to these messages and discuss our own thoughts and questions face to face. Knowing that we are all in this same boat we call life makes the waves and the storms we traverse far less frightening. That my friends is gratitude incarnate. With thanks to our teachers and the company of our dharma family, here’s to another wonderful and memorable Hōonkō! If you have never attended one, there’s no time like the next one.

“Even through ages of myriads of kalpas hard is it to hear such an excellent, profound, and wonderful doctrine. Now we are able to hear and receive it.” - The Three Treasures

This Week’s Shin-spiration

This week’s words of Shin-spiration come from none other than Shinran Shonin himself. They remind us that even as flawed as we are as bombu, Amida’s compassion is still greater and thus our own Buddhahood is guaranteed. Namo Amida Butsu!

“Although my eyes, blinded by passions, do not see the brilliant light which embraces me, the Great Compassion never tires, always casting its light upon me.” - Shinran Shonin

What to Expect from WNB

I hope to publish WNB? weekly. Life has a habit of getting in the way, however. So let’s see how it goes. Subscriptions will remain free, though donations (dana) in support will eventually be welcome. At both the top and bottom of the page, you will be able to comment on each issue or share them with others you think might benefit from the discussion. Please do not hesitate to post your thoughts and questions and to pass this newsletter on to others. New readers are always welcome! We even have a chat feature that is open to all. Just remember to be respectful! Of course, you are invited to check out the main site for even more Jodo Shinshu fun.

With gratitude and in gassho,

Sokusho