REEDLEY BUDDHIST CHURCH P.O. BOX 24 ~ 2035 15TH ST., REEDLEY, CALIFORNIA 93654 PHONE & FAX (559) 638-2146 http://reedleybc.org June 2014 June Calendar Message from Rinban Nakagawa Calendar of Events 2 3 5 7 “The Letters” of Rennyo CBE Lecture “Buddhist Antagonists” Gary Mukai - at Fresno FDC 7:00 pm Meditation in Buddhism at Fresno FDC Rev. Nakagawa 7:00 pm Intro to Jodo Shinshu Buddhism at Fresno FDC (Rev. Alan Sakamoto) 7:00 pm Buddhist Broadcast on KBIF (900 AM) 7:25 am 11 Buddhist Discussion in English at Buddhist Church of Parlier - Curtis Koga 7:00 pm 12 Intro to Jodo Shinshu Buddhism at Fresno FDC (Rev. Alan Sakamoto) 7:00 pm 14 Buddhist Broadcast on KBIF (900 AM) 7:25 am 17 Dharma School Planning Meeting 7:00 pm 18 Tannisho Discussion at Fresno FDC Rev. Alan Sakamoto 7:00 pm 19 Intro to Jodo Shinshu Buddhism at Fresno FDC (Rev. Alan Sakamoto) 7:00 pm 21 Buddhist Broadcast on KBIF (900 AM) 7:25 am 22 Monthly Memorial Service BWA Meeting (following lunch) 9:30 am 11:30 am 26 Vision & Preservation Meeting in Fowler 7:00 pm 28 Buddhist Broadcast on KBIF (900 AM) Visalia Buddhist Church OBON 7:25 am 8:00 pm Looking Ahead July 26 - REEDLEY OBON July 27 - Hatsubon/Obon Service JUNE TOBAN: BWA - Area 4 - Nancy Sakata Church - District 2 - Hatakeda & Toyota Dharma Sch. - Osato & Hamada 5:00 pm 9:30 am Rennyo (1415~1499) was a descendant of Shinran Shōnin and the eighth Monshu (head priest) of the Honganji Temple in Kyoto. He has been recognized as the most important dharma-teacher after Shinran Shōnin and we adore him as the Restorer or the Second Founder of JodōShinshū because of the enormous expansion of the organization during his lifetime. At the highest point of his propagation activities, Rennyo edited and published the Shōshin-Nenbutsu-Ge (Gāthā) and Jōdo Wasan (Praise) followed by the practice of the Nenbutsu as the standard service book for the everyday use by all people. With the addition of “The Letters”, this form of service has been and continues to be held daily at every follower’s home and temple. There is an interesting fact that a large number of the Myōkōnin (pure and devout Jodō Shinshū follower whose dharma experience is tremendously deep) have appeared in succession after Rennyo to the present in particular areas where people have been followed Rennyo’s instructions of everyday service. Even among the widespread Jodō Shinshū areas of Japan, only the people who lived in such areas had succeeded to establish their own tradition of the Nenbutsu life. Moreover, we should be remind the fact that most of our ancestors, the so-called Jodō Shinshū Immigrants in USA had come from such areas in Japan. Particularly, “The Letters” were effective as a guide for correct understanding of the Jodō Shinshū teaching. Renjun, the sixth son of Rennyo reported Rennyo’s careful attitude toward writing “The Letters”: “In order to make ignorant beings like us understand easily and quickly, he selected a hundred essential points out of a thousand, ten out of a hundred, and one out of ten, and thus wrote “The Letters”, clarifying a quick way of fulfilling the Dharma path for ordinary people. It is due solely to Rennyo’s fervent wish that the teaching of the Founder Shinran Shonin has spread all over the country.” [Renjun-Ki(record)] Renjun clarified the inseparable relationship between “The Letters” and the spreading of the Shinshu teaching among ordinary people in Japan. Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 J U NE , 2 0 1 4 Church Acknowledges Dana Mr. Susumu Sasaki - In Memory of Mrs. Joan Sasaki $400.00 The Haraguchi Family - 1 Year Memorial for Mrs. Chiyo Haraguchi 200.00 Mrs. Sue Kawamoto - 1 Year Memorial for Mrs. Chiyo Haraguchi 20.00 Maintenance Fund Mr. & Mrs. Joe Ikemiya 40.00 Hanamatsuri Mrs. Sayoko Otani 10.00 March Memorial Service Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Okamura 20.00 April Memorial Service Mrs. Amy Naito 20.00 May Memorial Service $10.00 Mr. Susumu Sasaki Mrs. Mary Uyeda The Board requested a presentation by Dopkins Funeral Home, who recently opened an office in Reedley. This was in response to the Board’s desire to continue providing Buddhist funeral services. Owners, Mike and Karen Franzen, and Funeral Counselor, John Sanchez, provided a presentation to the Board at the May 21st meeting. They shared that they have been handling arrangements for Buddhist funerals for many years and are happy to accommodate any special needs. Included in their services are the guest/koden book, Buddhist program, arm bands, gloves, and thank you cards. They will also transport flowers from the church to the cemetery. For more information, you may contact them at (559) 638-7000. Ms. Mary Hashimoto Mrs. Nancy Sakata $20.00 Mrs. Joanne Hansen Mrs. Setsuko Kimura Mr. & Mrs. Larry Nishida Mrs. Yukiye Takayama Mrs. Amy Naito Mrs. Ellen Yamada Mr. & Mrs. Yasuo Hashimoto $30.00 Mrs. Shiz Kunishige Mrs. Sue Kawamoto Dopkins Funeral Home in Reedley Mr. & Mrs. George Tsuji $50.00 Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Okamura Mr. Roy Kawagoe Ms. Amy Naito Mrs. Chizuko Iwasaki Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Nishinaka Mrs. Eva Iwanaga Altar Flowers Donation The family of Mrs. Joan Sasaki Memorial Day Service New Windows Installed The new windows were installed in the church hall during the month of May. These windows were donated by Mr.Bill Imada of Southern California in memory of his uncle and aunt, Mr. & Mrs. Tak Yamakawa. Prepping the frames before the installation were done by Shuzo, Tyler, & Jason Toyota. The windows look fabulous and give the hall a new and fresh look. Take a look the next time you’re at church! PAGE 3 J U NE , 2 0 1 4 Reedley Buddhist Church OBON FESTIVAL Saturday, July 26, 2014 5:00 PM - Obon Festival 8:00 PM - Bon Odori 2014 Reedley Dharma Scholarships L to R: Church President Gary Sakata, Connor Osato, James Kamada, Crystal Ikemiya, and Rinban Nakagawa. Rev. Nakagawa’s Message - cont. from page 1 Thus, this Buddha-as-words initiates the transference of merits to us unenlightened beings at the simultaneous instant of our total reliance on the original sense of care (=Amitabhaḥ) with the matrix of Śākya-muni Buddha’s true heart for sharing the Dharma (=Namu). This working is pointed out in the “Larger Sutra” where we read: “Namu Amitabhaḥ provides all beings with all the merits”. Since the serious karma accumulated from time immemorial becomes completely nullified through the incomprehensible working of Śākya-muni Buddha’s18th Wishfor-the-world, we shall reside within the ranks of the Truly-Assured and the Non-Retrogressive (Shō-jō-jyu Futai). Accordingly and for this reason it is called "the attaining of Nirvāna without the eradication of blind passions." This tenet is particular to our way and is not to be discussed with practitioners of the others. This must be understood well. Hatsubon & Obon Service Sunday, July 27, 2014 9:30 AM A-NA-KA-SHI-KO, A-NA-KA-SHI-KO (These venerable and awe-inspiring words are wasted on beings such as we .) 2013 Hatsubon Lanterns PAGE 4 J U NE , 2 0 1 4 Message from Rev. Alan Sakamoto Graduation, Father’s Day and “Rebuild Your Life Month” It is already June! Oh my, where has the year gone? Time surely passes quickly, especially as I get older. This month, I have a few things to write and share with you. June brings with it the beginning of the long awaited summer vacation for all the students, Father’s Day, “Rebuild Your Life Month,” and of course, graduations. First, I would like to extend my congratulations to all the 2014 graduates. Your accomplishments mark an important and memorable event in your lives. You have put in many hours of hard work and study on the path to graduation, and the doors to your future are wide open, allowing you to choose your own exciting and worthwhile path. The fruits of all those difficult days and tests are ready for the picking. Every graduate has the support whether moral or financial from that special person or persons. Your parents, brothers and sisters come to mind first, but then there are also your grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and family friends. But, have you thought about others? Boy and Girl Scout leaders, bosses at your jobs, team members, teachers, temple members, and yes, maybe even that minister. But those who guide us are not always just those nice and friendly people. We learn from everyone! Good and bad! We take the good from our encounters and incorporate that into our lives, but we also note the bad, and try to ensure that we are not bad, or do not do those things that we think are bad. This is kind of like the “middle way.” We learn from both sides good and bad. Our gratitude extends to many, just not those we like. And, we need to be thankful to each and every one of them. June is also when we formally observe Father’s Day. I seem to appreciate Father’s Day more and more each year AFTER my father passed away. It is very sad that I was not more appreciative and thankful toward my father while he was alive. Sometimes, we don’t truly appreciate what we have until it is gone. However, one thing he told me which will always stick with me, and he said, “the greatest gift that I can give you is your education.” This is indeed true. But more than that, he instilled within me the desire to learn more and more, and to continue to ask questions and seek answers. I hope that you can take some time this Father’s Day and sincerely thank your father for all that he provided and contributed to your wellbeing, growth and character. Continued in next column And I know what you’ve been thinking, “what is Rebuild Your Life Month?” It is an actual designation for June. I couldn’t believe it until I looked up more information on the internet. But, I think it is an appropriate title to note. I’d like to explain a part of this using Steve Job’s 2006 Stanford University Commencement Address. In it, he noted 3 stories. The first was about his adopted parents and his choice to drop out of college and take some classes, other than the required classes, that sparked his interest. The second was about how he got fired from Apple, the company he started. It was a devastating time in life, but as this door closed, others opened. He began the company, NeXT. And, later, NeXT was bought by Apple where his new ideas and thoughts became the foundation for those devices that we take for granted, like the iPhone and iPad. The third story was about death. He was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and given 6 months to live. He was fortunate since this form of cancer was operable. He survived to life many more years. And, he began to ask himself, every morning, "’If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.” We have the ability to change ourselves, each and everyday. We don’t have to wait for “Rebuild Your Life Month” to do so. This lesson is one that is found in Buddhism. Finally, I would like to end with another Steve Job’s quote: Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary…Be Hungry, Stay Foolish! You have the ability to change yourself, NOW, JUST DO IT! Namu Amida Butsu Rev. Alan Sakamoto PAGE 5 J U NE , 2 0 1 4 Dharma School News Dharma School Perfect Attendance Awards Where did the months go? It seems we were just welcoming in the New Year, and now we are fast approaching summer! Dharma School held its End-ofTerm Service and Graduates Luncheon on May 18. Eight students, Alyssa Calhoun (1 yr.), Adam Calhoun (4 yrs.), Keiko Kajihara (4 yrs.), Kenji Kajihara (5 yrs.), Reese Kubo (6 yrs.), Rylee Kubo (6 yrs.), Camryn Tavlan (11 yrs.), and Lauren Tavlan (14 yrs.), were recognized for perfect attendance, and we honored our four high school graduates, Crystal Ikemiya, Kelsey Ikemiya, James Kamada, and Connor Osato. Superintendent Nancy Kimura was recognized by the Board and the Dharma School teachers in appreciation for her hard work and service this past term. We look forward to starting a new term in September. Have a wonderful summer and see you at Obon!! 2014 OBON ODORI PRACTICE 2014 High School Graduates Dharma School Superintendent, Mrs. Nancy Kimura receiving a token of appreciation from Church President, Mr. Gary Sakata. The Obon Odori season is here and when we went to print, a practice schedule was not in place. A notice will be sent with dates and times as soon as the schedule has been set. The dates of the local Obons are as follows: June 28 - Visalia Obon - 8:00 PM July 12th - Fresno Obon - 7:00 PM July 19th - Fowler Obon - 8:00 PM July 20th - Parlier Obon - 8:00 PM July 26th - Reedley Obon - 8:00 PM We hope you will make an effort to attend all the Obons as well as Reedley’s to show our support of the Central California festivals. J U NE , 2 0 1 4 PAGE 6 June Monthly Memorial Service cont. DECEASED: SESHU (OBSERVANT) Shigeto Omachi, & Shizue Omachi Sukeichi Sasaki & Torayo Sasaki Kathleen Omachi The June Monthly Memorial Service will be held on Shirow Sasaki & Sunday, June 22, 2014, beginning at 9:30 AM. FamiSatoshi Sasaki lies and friends are asked to attend and offer incense. The Kikutaro Shimizu Teruko Shibata deceased and seshu (observant) for June are as follows: Toyotaka Shitanishi Tom Shitanishi Kenneth Sunamoto DECEASED: SESHU: (OBSERVANT) Jerry Sunamoto Shigetaro Takasaki & Nobu Fujiye Mukai Sadie Abe Takasaki George Takasaki & Kikuko Kawakami Betty Aoki Yuki Takayama Fred Minoru Masumoto Evelyn Asato Hikoso Tatami Akio Tatami Ayako Emily Sakamoto & Shizuko Kimoto Janette Wong-Sing & Yukio Sakamoto Darlene Hashimoto Amy Tsuji Ben Tsutomu Hatakeda & Hazuye Hatakeda Misa Hatakeda Frank Hirata & Irene Shizuye BWA TO SPONSOR LUNCHEONS Tamura Bill Hirata AFTER MEMORIAL SERVICES Asakichi Hosaka & Jisaku Mukai Todd Hosaka The Buddhist Women’s Association Edith Shizuye Maeda Eloise Ibara will be sponsoring a light luncheon Kazuo Ibara Kan Ibara following the Monthly Memorial serKiyomi Takahashi Michi Ikeda vice each month. Please mark your Hisao Tamaki Fumiko Ikemiya calendar and plan to join us. Jack Noburo Ota Susan Ikemiya Tsuneichi Ishida Mary Ishida June 22nd - Subway sandwiches Emiko Matsuno Iris Justesen July 27th - somen, chashu, & watermelon Arakichi Kimura Setsuko Kimura & August 10th - somen & ice cream Helen Kimura September 21st - salad luncheon Sanpei Ito Helen Kimura October 19th - Chinese food Harakichi Konishi Nagiko Konishi November 16th - chicken bowls Yoshiye Kubota & December 14th - soup luncheon Michiko Yoneta Ben Kubota Kanichi Kunishige Miyo Kunishige 2035 15th Street - P.O. Box 24 Sanatsu Miyamoto Michio Miyamoto Reedley, CA 93654 John Jun Morita Elsie Morita Phone/FAX: (559) 638-2146 Ben Tsutomu Nakagawa Sammy Nakagawa Website: http://www.reedleybc.org Tom Nakamichi Danny Nakamichi George Nishi Alice Nakamura Email Webmaster: [email protected] Asako Nakamura Harvey Nakamura Midori Nishida Larry Nishida ARTICLES/NEWS Yasuki Kitaoka Midori Nishijima Sode Sakuragi & George All submissions must be made no later than the Choji Okamura Dale Okamura 21st of each month to be included in the bulletin Setsuo Okino, Yaino Okino, /newsletter. We appreciate your help in adhering Shintaro Okino, & to the deadline. If your article or advertisement is Masayuki Okino Fujiye Okino print ready, you may email it to: [email protected] PAGE 7 J U NE , 2 0 1 4 PAGE 8 J U NE , 2 0 1 4
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