You may view previous editions of the bulletin from the listing to the right.
Welcome to October! It seems that every month we are saying, "Wow, is it that time already?" Yes, it is time for Kakimochi and the Bazaar. The turkey is in the fridge, and the Christmas decorations are up. October also brings the opening of the Jodo Shinshu Center the weekend of October 20-22 in Berkeley, CA. A few of us will be going to get a first hand look at the renovated building that will house the newest additions to the Buddhist Churches of America.
We have all seen articles, letters, and brochures describing this huge undertaking, usually followed by requests for contributions. The tone seemed to turn from pride to panic, causing most to wonder, "What did BCA get itself into this time?" Like most things in life, if it turns out all right, WE did a good job. If it turns out badly, THOSE GUYS screwed up.
The Jodo Shinshu Center will be housed in an older building renovated for use. It sits one street over from the Berkeley Buddhist Temple. The back corns of the 2 lots meet just like my house and Mrs. Hayashi's. The Center will house the Institute of Buddhist Studies. The BCA Bookstore will also be there. Hongwanji, our Mother Temple in Kyoto, will have an office there. Ryukoku University will also have an office there. Ryukoku is a university connected to and sponsored by Hongwanji. They have several campuses in Japan. The Center for Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Studies will also be housed at the Jodo Shinshu Center. The role of hte Center for Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Studies is to establish and coordinate educational opportunities specific to lay members. To have both Hongwanji and Ryukoku University with a physical presence in America is a huge plus for BCA and the growth of Shin Buddhism in America. Virtually every major educational body of Jodo Shinshu in America will be housed and centrally located in the Jodo Shinshu Center.
As the urgent letters for support have come in, BCA members have responded across the country. Continued response will make this project successful. Some might think, "Well, what else is he going to say...he's a minister!" On the other hand, I'm supposed to share these perspectives with all of you. Please talk to our members as they return from their visit to the Jodo Shinshu Center. Learn about this project and support it as best as you can. Hopes become reality through effort. That's how we all got here.
.......GASSHO...........RAIHAI
Rev. Dennis
It wasn't too long ago that we were tolerating the high temperatures and now we're putting on extra layers to keep warm. Must be signs that fall weather is around the corner.
Bazaar time is approaching upon us fast. Patty Aarestad had a couple of meetings already to remind all chairpersons of their duties or changes that needed to be made. We will be needing everyone's help to have a successful Bazaar - if you can't help, you may donate items for Bingo-Auction, Needlework, Pastries, and we're asking for $10.00 from each family towards teh cost of the chicken. Ruth Harada and Mae Nakano will be taking your donations. All the Bazaar proceeds will go towards the Temple operating expenses. Kakimochi will be made on October 1st with Ontario Town in charge of the dough making, and Weiser-Oregon Slope ladies organizing lunch. We appreciate everyone's help.
Wednesday Activity Day is still going on. If your planning on coming it's appreciated that you come on time, which is 10:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. That way we can split the players equally per table. We have enjoyed some of the excess rice that had been frozen for lunch. Some of the ladies have been taking turns making some okazu and desserts. Umm Good!
The Dharma School Teachers provided a "Back to Dharma School" lunch. Hot Dogs with all of the trimmings, potato salads, relishes and desserts were served. Thanks everyone. We enjoyed it.
We had a couple of Sunday Family Services in September. Brady Kameshige, Laurel Saito, and Grant Saito gave their time to share experience of their Youth Retreat they had in Sacramento, CA in July. It was very nice to hear the Youth speak about their feelings and their experiences. They all did a wonderful job on their time to share.
To all of our Shut In's, we're thinking about you...have a good day!
From the poem, "Faith in Mind", translated by Master Sheng-Yen
The Way is perfect like a great space,
Wthout lack, without excess.
Because of grasping and rejecting,
You cannot attain it.
Do not pursue conditioned existence;
Do not abide in acceptance of Emptiness.
In oneness and equality,
Confusion vanishes of itself.
The first day of Dharma School was a great day. We had all of the kids in attendance and the teachers served lunch to about 80-85 people. Thank you teachers for the lunch of hot dogs, potato salad, finger jello, chips, cookies and a birthday cake in honor of Sanami Nakano.
Ohigan Service was held on September 24th. Unfortunately, there was a mix up in scheduling and Rev. Joren MacDonald was unable to attend. However, we had a nice time to share by Grant Saito who shared his experience at the BCA Youth Retreat in Sacramento this summer. Thanks Grant, it was nice to have you up on the Onaijin.
The Halloween praty has been changed to Sunday, October 29th, after service, rather than Friday evening. Please feel free to invite a friend and wear your costumes.
The purpose of the Sangha Award is to give the Buddhist Scouts practical guidance in achieving the spiritual pledge made in the Scout Oath and Law, thereby providing a Scout whose views and actions in life would stem from the highest of the Buddhist thoughts.
The Sangha Award program aims to do this by leading the Scout 1) to attain understanding and faith in the Buddha, 2) to learn the Teachings, and 3) to practice the harmonious Buddhist way of life, in the spirit of universal brotherhood of all living things. These are the dynamic aspects of the Scout's complete acceptance of the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha).
Further, the Award program duly recognizes the twelfth point of the Scout Law, that the Scout "is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion." The Scout is expected to receive religious training and participate actively in his temple program. Finally, the Sangha Award program gives the Scout a solid basis for fuller understanding and a greater appreciation of all phases of the Scouting program.
The temple presents the Award to a Buddhist Scout in reocgnition of his spiritual growth as shown by his fulfilling the Award requirements.
The requirements are made quite flexible to suit different conditions, so that any Buddhist Scout who sincerely and earnestly applies himself to meeting the requirements of this Award will find it to be very rewarding.
Any Buddhist Scout who is a registered member of a Scout Troop or Explorer Unit may apply and begin qualifying for the Sangha Award. Since this is an individual program, a Buddhist Scout who is a member of any unit may qualify whether or not a Buddhist Temple sponsors his unit.
September Bulletin Helpers: Mae Nakano, Sanami Nakano, Shiz Inouye, Hideo Harada, Ruth Harada, and Mary Nakamura
Church Cleaners for September: Wright and Nan Nagasaka, Mas and Sachi Sakoi, George and Setsuko Morishige, Seiji and Shiz Hata, Tracy Nakamura, Bill Arima, Dyke Nagasaka, Aiko Imada, Karen Hata, George and Sue Uyeki, Bob Arima and Jim Morinaga.
Designated Memorial Service Years for 2006. To schedule a family memorial service, please contact Reverend Fujimoto. 1 Year = 2005, 3 year = 2004, 7 year = 2000, 13 year = 1994, 17 year = 1990, 25 year = 1982, 33 year = 1974 and 50 year = 1957.
There's a show on the Discovery Channel called "Dirty Jobs". The premise is that the host goes around visiting people who have really dirty, smelly, messy jobs: plumbers, trash collectors, worm farmers, and so on. He hangs out with them, tries his hand at doing their job (usually poorly), and demonstrates just how awful their jobs are. But the point isn't just to laugh at how miserable these jobs are or to feel glad that we don't have jobs as gross as theirs. The real point of "Dirty Jobs" is that thousands of people are working everyday at really undesirable jobs so that we can enjoy the relative comfort, hygiene, and convenience of modern life. The host wants us to acknowledge their sacrifices and feel thankful to them for enabling us to live in a way that isn't "dirty".
I really admire this show "Dirty Jobs." Before I watched it, I didn't have a clear sense for how many factors must come together to allow me to live as well as I do. Sure, I saw the guys haul off the trash and recycling every week from behind my building, and every now and then I had to call a plumber for help. But all the while there were so many people I wasn't aware of who toiled in dirty jobs so that I could eat, enjoy my home, receive electricity, gas, and water, wear decent clothes, and basically do virtually anything and everything that I do.
In Buddhism, these connections between us and other people are called interconnection. The late Shin thinking Kaneko Daiei also used the term "inner togetherness." Whether or not we are aware of them, our whole lives exist only because of the existence of other lives. The whole world comes together in my living, which is especially apparent in our modern globalized situation, where I can type this message for an American temple on my Japanese computer while wearing Chinese clothing, eating some Italian food (probably prepared by Mexicans), and listening to music from Africa.
When we think of interconnection, sometimes we tend to think of the amazing aspects, like eating food and listening to music from another part of the world. But there are also the very mundane or even unappealing aspects as well. Interconnection means that I can have a clean job (such as being a teacher), only because someone else has a dirty job (hauling away my trash) that supports me. Even if we aren't aware of it, what those poeple are doing affects us. Interconnection also means that even if we aren't aware of it, what we do impacts others too. Somehow, on some level, what I do affects the violence in the Middle East, the homeless people down on Skid Row, the migrants working in the fields, and everyone else. We all share this inner togetherness.
For me, an important part of Buddhism is waking up to the myriad ways in which I am interconnected with others. When shows like "Dirty Jobs" reveal to me my indebtedness, I feel humbled and thankful. Then, I try my best to act in ways that will make positive contributions to everyone who shares this inner togetherness with me. Just as a limited being such as myself can't know all the factors that support my life, I can't know what impact I am continually having on others. But to the extend that I am awakened to the presence of others, known and unknown, enabling me to live, I can work at returning a small portion of that gift with compassion and gratitude.
Idaho Oregon Buddhist Temple
286 SE 4th Directions
PO Box 397 (mailing address)
Ontario, Oregon 97914
541-889-8562 (office)
541-889-8662 (fax)
10:00 am - IOBT Choir Practice
10:30 am - Adult Study
10:30 am - Dharma School Service
11:00 am - Adult Service
11:00 am - Dharma School Class
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