GEDATSU COMPANION - Gedatsu Church of America

June 2014
Vol. 65 No. 6
GEDATSU COMPANION
GEDATSU CHURCH USA
www.gedatsu-usa.org
JUNE 2014
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
2
3
2
6
8
9
News and Announcements
Dear Reverend: “How can Gedatsu help
me find fulfillment in my career?”
A Brief History of Gedatsu USA –
Conclusion
Gedatsu Teaching 10 and Commentary
Personal Experience – Naoya Okano
Donations and Upcoming Events
Gedatsu Kongo’s
Thought for the Month
“You can build a happy family
through your sincere practice of
Gedatsu.”
A family consists of a husband and wife and
their children. Everyone desires a happy
family life, but in reality, all too few are able
to achieve their wish.
The key to building a happy family life is in
the hands of the husband and wife. When
they love each other with sincere respect
and appreciation, there will be unity and
harmony between them. These positive
feelings spread throughout the home,
creating a warm relationship between
parents and children.
Without a doubt, a couple’s mutual love and
appreciation is the foundation of a happy
family.
Sun
8 9:30 am Sunday Service & Ajikan Meditation
Mother Kiyota Memorial Service
Sun 22 9:30 am Sunday Service & Ajikan Meditation
Sat 28 11:00 am Rokujizo Bazaar
Sun 29 11:00 am Rokujizo Bazaar
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Sun 1 10:00 am Japanese Kanshakai Service
Sun 8
No Service, Church Open (until noon)
Sun 15 10:00 am Japanese & English Kanshakai Service
Mother Kiyota Memorial Service
Father’s Day Service
Tue 17 7:30 pm GROW Meeting
Sun 22 10:00 am English Kanshakai Service
Ajikan Meditation
Sat 28 11:00 am Rokujizo Bazaar in Sacramento
Sun 29 11:00 am Rokujizo Bazaar in Sacramento
JULY 2014
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Sun 13 9:30 am Sunday Service & Ajikan Meditation
Sat 19 10:00 am Lake Tahoe Benzaiten Service
Sun 27 9:30 am Sunday Service – Obon Service
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Fri
4
Sun 6 10:00 am
Sun 13
Sun 20 10:00 am
Church Closed
Japanese Kanshakai Service
No Service – Church Open (until noon)
Japanese & English Kanshakai Service
Obon Service
Tue 22 7:30 pm GROW Meeting
Sun 27 10:00 am English Kanshakai Service
Ajikan Meditation / Graduates Honored
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Buy Your Rokujizo Bazaar Raffle Tickets Now
Exchange Ambassadors from Japan to Visit
One of Gedatsu Church’s biggest fundraisers of the year –
the annual Rokujizo Bazaar – takes place Saturday and
Sunday, June 28 and 29, in Sacramento. Raffle tickets for
the prize drawing are on sale ($10 for a book of 12 tickets)
at your church office. Support your church and vie for
cash prizes – including a $1,000 grand prize.
In recognition of their exemplary service and dedication to
the church, two workers from Gedatsu-kai Japan
headquarters will visit the U.S. in late June to experience
American culture and familiarize themselves with Gedatsu
USA. Exchange Ambassadors Motoaki Miyasaka and
Tatsuya Kobayashi will visit Sacramento from June 25 and
participate in the Rokujizo Bazaar. The visitors will enjoy
sightseeing in Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. They will
later meet with L.A. members on July 2 and 3, and visit the
Honolulu Church on July 6. Please welcome our visitors
from Japan.
Gedatsu Memorial Tower Enshrinement 2014
Applications for enshrinement in the Gedatsu Memorial
Tower at this year’s Grand Fall Festival in Sacramento will
be accepted until June 22. Fee is $100 per application.
Application forms are available at your church office.
The event attracts hundreds of visitors, who come for the
delicious Asian foods (like the mesquite-grilled teriyaki
chicken shown above), as well as entertainment and
activities. Member-volunteers are needed to help. If you
can lend a hand, please contact the Sacramento Church.
Fall Grand Festival – One Week Later This Year
Please note that the Fall Grand Festival, which is normally
held on the Labor Day weekend, will be held a week later
this year – on Sunday, September 7 – to accommodate
minister schedules.
In addition, the 65th Anniversary of Gedatsu USA will be
celebrated at a dinner banquet, which will be held on
Saturday, September 6, in Sacramento. Please mark your
calendars now with these special dates. Details of these
events will be announced in the coming months.
L.A. Benzaiten Service Moves to August
The L.A. Benzaiten Service (formerly scheduled for July)
will be held at the L.A. Church on Sunday, August 17, as
part of the Japanese and English Sunday service.
L.A. Holiday Crafts Faire Joins October Event
The Holiday Crafts Faire (normally held in November) has
been combined with the Autumn Moon Festival and will
be held at the L.A. Church on Saturday and Sunday,
October 4 and 5.
Join the Tanabata Workshop
The Tanabata “Star Festival” Workshop will be held at the
L.A. Church on Saturday, June 7, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm.
Volunteers will create the paper floral pom-poms and
streamers that will decorate the Church’s entries in this
year’s Tanabata Festival in Little Tokyo in August.
Members and friends are invited to participate in the
workshop. Lunch will be served.
At the workshop, the Tanabata design team will unveil
concepts for two decorative creations that will compete in
the manga/anime category of the Festival, in which the
church was awarded a first-place prize last year. This
year’s Festival theme is “Wish Upon the Stars.”
If you have any questions about the workshop, contact
Jo Ann Shiroishi at (626) 695-9019 or
[email protected].
2|Page
DEAR REVEREND
Q
I am thankful for my job, but I feel
unsatisfied. How can Gedatsu help me find
fulfillment in my career?
Frankly, I’m a bit concerned, because if you were
really thankful for your job, you would feel
satisfied. Are you thinking that there may be a better job for
you elsewhere? Remember, when the grass looks greener on
the other side, water your own lawn.
On the subject of one’s occupation, our founder,
Gedatsu Kongo, left us these words:
“Your current title, rank and position were given by
God. God assesses the virtue of your spirit and rewards or
punishes accordingly. Therefore, it is important to accept
everything given to you with gratitude and to repay the favor
to society.
“Whether you are a factory worker, an office staffer or
waiter, if you do your best at your workplace, you can create
an extraordinary position for yourself – becoming an
invaluable, irreplaceable individual in your workplace.
“It doesn’t matter where you work. Don’t think that
you are just an employee. If you think of your job as a Godgiven mission, you can cultivate and elevate your character
through your job.”
The Gedatsu Companion is indebted to Rev. H. Taki for
translating this series of articles on the history of Gedatsu
Church USA. Rev. Taki wrote the articles, which were
published in Gedatsu Magazine in 2008, to explain to
Japanese members how Gedatsu was propagated in
America. Following is the final installment in the series.
A
If you are not making people happy with
your work, you are not really working.
The Japanese translation for the word “work” is
“hataraku.” “Hata” literally means “people around you,”
and “raku” means “happy.” Our founder explained the
meaning of “hataraku” like this: “The reason we use the
word ‘hataraku’ is because we are supposed to feel happy
in our job, and are supposed to make others happy through
our job, as well. So if you are not making people happy
with your work, you are not really working. You are simply
going through the motions of working.”
As a first step, I urge you to self-reflect and try to
amend your way of thinking about your job. After
reflecting, if you still feel unsatisfied with your job, try
another job and see if it works for you.
Gedatsu teaching is all about practice. Even though
you may fail, the practical knowledge you gain is a good
lesson for you. Don’t worry. As our prayer states, “Our
attitude and object is to confirm by personal experience.” I
hope you will be satisfied with your job.
Rev. Tatsunori Kamiya
A Brief History of Gedatsu Church USA – Conclusion
A GEDATSU FOR ALL PEOPLE
Gedatsu in Hawaii
In the mid-1950s, as the propagation of
Gedatsu was expanding in California, a seed of
Gedatsu was also being planted in another American
state 2,500 miles further west, Hawaii.
The history of the Gedatsu Church in Hawaii
begins with Alice Takamoto, who was born and raised
in Honolulu. While attending college in Sacramento,
California, Alice stayed at a Gedatsu member’s home,
where she began studying Gedatsu. When she
finished college and made plans to return to Hawaii,
Archbishop Kishida encouraged her to conduct
Gedatsu meetings at her home in Honolulu, stating
that he would stop in Hawaii to attend her home
meetings on his trips from the U.S. to Japan. Thus, the
home meetings in Alice Takamoto’s home marked the
beginning of Gedatsu propagation in Hawaii.
(Continued on page 4)
Hawaiian members, Alice Takamoto (left) and Norma
Takeshita (rear), greet Archbishop and Mrs. Kishida on
their visit to the islands.
3|Page
(History – Continued from page 3)
Over the ensuing years, others in Hawaii
opened their homes to Gedatsu meetings, most
notably Mrs. Tengan of Honolulu, Mrs. Ellen
Sayegusa in Kaimuki and Professor Kenneth
Yasuda of University of Hawaii, who started a
popular and well-attended study group at his
home, introducing Gedatsu to many of his students
and local Hawaiians. Archbishop Kishida
participated in these meetings to teach Gedatsu
each time he flew to Japan.
In the late 1960s, Archbishop Kishida asked
Gedatsu-kai Japan member Michiyo Asami to go to
Honolulu as resident minister to teach members at
Mrs. Sayegusa’s home. Thanks to Archbishop
Kishida’s and Rev. Asami’s efforts to teach
Hawaiian members, the Gedatsu teaching gradually
expanded in Hawaii.
Until then, those meeting homes were
regarded as branch churches of Gedatsu Church of
America in California, not yet authorized by the
State of Hawaii. In 1979, Gedatsu Japan
Headquarters sent Ms. Tokiko Hosoya to Hawaii to
prepare for the establishment of Gedatsu Church in
Hawaii. Thereafter, Chairman Takenori Okano
and a succession of teachers – Revs. Aoyama,
Yamadera, Yamada, Tonogi, Kondo and others –
came to teach members in Hawaii. Meetings were
held in a rented house, then in a house in Kuliouou
that was purchased to become the new Gedatsu
Church in Hawaii, officially authorized by the State
of Hawaii in 1981.
With the death of Archbishop Kishida in
1981, Hawaiian members of the Kaimuki meeting,
which had been a branch of Gedatsu Church of
America, joined the Gedatsu Church of Hawaii.
Thus, two Gedatsu groups in Hawaii – one
connected to the U.S. Gedatsu and one connected
to Japan – merged in 1983. Revs. Miki, Sakamoto,
Otsuka and other teachers from Japan came to
Hawaii to teach in the various home meetings
started by members.
In 1984, Rev. Arthur Sakamoto assumed
the position of the head of Gedatsu Church of
Hawaii and played a leading role in Gedatsu
propagation in Hawaii until his retirement in 1987.
Other resident ministers followed, including Revs.
Shigetaka Okano, Hisakazu Taki, Jimmy Nakamura
and Kazuo Yamada. Rev. Tatunori Kamiya has
been resident minister of the Church of Hawaii
since 2007.
Gedatsu in America – Assessing an Experiment
Top photo: The Gedatsu Church of Hawaii in Honolulu.
Bottom: Pottery class led by Rev. Kamiya after Sunday
Service.
The brief history of the Gedatsu Church in
America, which has spanned some 70 years –
beginning in the war years of the Japanese
relocation camps to the present day – can be
viewed as an experiment to demonstrate the
universality of the Gedatsu teaching.
When our founder Gedatsu Kongo
established Gedatsu in 1929, his teaching was
aimed at Japanese citizens in a pre-war era and was
intended to awaken their consciousness to their
national traditions and heritage. But at the same
time, his teaching contained an abundance of
universal principles that transcended national,
cultural and racial boundaries. After the founder’s
death, his disciples – Archbishop Kishida, Mother
Kiyota and others – devoted their efforts to
spreading the Gedatsu teaching beyond Japan and
to demonstrating the universality of Gedatsu.
4|Page
When Gedatsu was first brought to
America, most of the early church members were
Japanese Isseis and Niseis. Released from Japanese
relocation camps after the war, they re-started
their lives with little in the way of material wealth.
The Gedatsu teaching, which was deeply based on
Japanese culture and traditions, supported their
identity as Japanese and encouraged them to move
forward to rebuild their lives with pride. For them,
Gedatsu was like a bridge between America and
their homeland, Japan.
Today, however, Gedatsu members in the
U.S. are mostly non-Japanese-speaking JapaneseAmericans and other ethnicities. The Japanese
cultural aspects of Gedatsu, which gave comfort
and strength to their parents and forebears, have
far less connection to these younger generations
today – and even less to non-Japanese members.
The Gedatsu Church in the U.S. is thus critically
challenged to demonstrate the universality of
Gedatsu for all people.
The Universality of Gedatsu
What, then, is the universality of Gedatsu?
While steeped in Japanese culture and traditions, the
essence of Gedatsu is Universal Truth, which applies
to everyone: (1) reverence to God and ancestors, (2)
appreciation and gratitude for everyone and
everything and (3) awareness of the
interdependence of everything in the universe.
Importantly, the unbiased, nondenominational teaching of Gedatsu has special
significance in the United States and other countries,
where a variety of cultures and religious traditions
exist together. Gedatsu has the potential to play a
key role in overcoming conflicts among different
values and traditions in the modern world and
effecting world peace.
Indeed, Gedatsu is not only for Japanese
people, but for everyone throughout the world. The
teaching encourages all people to value and
perpetuate their unique cultural heritage, while
respecting other traditions, and to promote the
harmonious and peaceful co-existence of mankind.
Facing the Challenges of the Future
Today, in this 65th anniversary year, Gedatsu
Church USA faces a harsh reality. Despite the
sincere, often heroic, efforts of so many teachers and
members over the past seven decades to spread the
teaching among Americans, U.S. church membership
has been declining for many years. The long-held
dreams of church pioneers – as well as Archbishop
Kishida’s fervent desire to adapt the Gedatsu
teaching for Americans – remain largely unfulfilled.
If Gedatsu is to remain rooted, and thrive, in
American soil, members today must act decisively to
create a Gedatsu Church that is truly theirs. They
must demonstrate to all that the universal principles
taught by Gedatsu Kongo for mankind’s salvation
remain essential and immensely relevant to their
lives today and to the lives of future generations of
Americans.
Top photo: Members of Gedatsu USA and Hawaii bear
th
flags at the 80 Anniversary of the Gedatsu Church in
Japan in 2008. Bottom: Gedatsu USA tour members in
th
Japan for the 80 Anniversary celebrations assemble for
a group photo with Abbot Okano and his wife.
5|Page
OUR GEDATSU STUDY
Gedatsu Teaching 10
By Seiken Okano (Gedatsu Kongo)
Gedatsu-kyo monthly newsletter, February 18, 1936
Translation and commentary by Rev. H. Taki
Gedatsu is truly sacred and precious.
Get rid of your ego, self-reflect and sincerely practice morality. Live each day and night with a
deep sense of appreciation and requital. Work for the salvation of mankind and follow the path of
humanity. I have repeatedly explained this in the monthly Gedatsu newsletter.
A selfish person neither believes nor accepts the path of gratitude, the Gedatsu path, even when
he hears the Gedatsu teaching. In fact, he may feel annoyed on hearing it. According to Buddhism, this is
because of the Five Impurities: (1) turbulence of the times, (2) degenerating ideology, (3) spread of
earthly desires, (4) lowering of human nature, and (5) shortening of life. By pursuing various desires, a
person spends his lifetime astray, in a state of confusion and lawlessness. It is only natural that he
suffers.
Buddhist teachings explain that there are four basic human sufferings: birth, aging, sickness and
death. Beyond these sufferings, there are others, such as grief, as well as sufferings due to material
cravings, greed and attachment. When one demonstrates greed and various cravings, one will not only
suffer on earth while alive, but also will suffer further in hell after death. There are also other sufferings,
such as poverty, parting from loved ones and confronting adversaries. Buddhist teaching states that you
should not explain the teaching to those who scheme and ridicule, who are lazy, or who have egotistical
views, because they won’t believe or accept the teaching even when they hear it. They are attached to
selfish desires and cannot understand. Therefore, the Buddha said you should not explain the teaching to
those people.
By contrast, if you renounce your ego, even while living in the present social environment, you can
live happily and freely. You can also succeed in life, enjoy longevity and live contentedly without fear,
boredom and troubles.
This is because, as I have stated, Gedatsu is sacred and precious. Gedatsu is truly profound and
vast. I urge you to study and inquire into Gedatsu more deeply. Please read my book on the Gedatsu
doctrine and monthly Gedatsu newsletters thoroughly.
Self-reflect, self-reform and render salvation to those who suffer mental conflicts, while working
hard in your occupation. This is the path of humanity to save people and benefit the world.
Without changing your negative attitude in life, how can you find peace and happiness even when
you pray to God? I urge you to seriously consider this.
6|Page
Commentary on Gedatsu Teaching 10
Gedatsu Kongo explains again the Gedatsu
teaching. In particular, he emphasizes here the
importance of self-reflection as the means to
achieving true happiness.
He also emphasizes the importance of selfrenunciation and observing the highest morality.
He urges us to live with appreciation and gratitude,
and work for people’s happiness, as this path of
Gedatsu will bring forth happiness for yourself and
others.
Some people may listen to and follow the
teaching. Others, however, will neither believe nor
accept Gedatsu, because their egos prevent them
from hearing the teaching. This state of mind is
called the “Five Impurities” in the Buddhist
tradition.
The Five Impurities are the indications of a
degenerated society: (1) turbulent times, when
famines, plagues and wars arise, (2) degenerating
ideology caused by erroneous views, (3) spread of
earthly desires, (4) lowering of human nature
because of people’s rejection of morality, and (5)
shortening of life.
Ego: The Source of Human Misery
Gedatsu Kongo describes the degenerated
state of present society by using the abovementioned Buddhist terminology. Without my
going into detail, the founder simply describes the
selfish state of the present world. When people
are selfish, their egos are the source of every
human misery in the world. Selfish people won’t
listen to the teaching or believe it. Therefore, it is
very hard to save these people.
You are very fortunate to be able to study
the Gedatsu teaching. While none of us is perfect,
by listening to the teaching, you can become aware
of your selfish thoughts, and will be able to correct
your wrong attitude. This is possible not only
because of your efforts, but also because of the
guidance of your ancestors. This is an important
point to understand.
When you self-reflect and become aware of your
egotistical thoughts, you will be free from egoism,
and will be physically and spiritually happy. Thus,
self-reflection and self-reform is the path to your true
happiness. This is why Gedatsu Kongo repeatedly
states that Gedatsu is truly sacred. He urges us to
carefully read and study his books and writings in
order to understand this point. He also encourages
us to try to share this path of happiness with people
who are suffering. This is your sacred duty bestowed
by God.
Change Your Thoughts to Change Your Life
Gedatsu Kongo concludes this writing with
following words: “Without changing your negative
attitude in life, how can you find peace and happiness
even when you pray to God?”
Some people may think that to have religion is
just to pray to God for personal gains without any
effort and self-reflection. Such an attitude will never
lead you to happiness. Gedatsu, the path of
happiness, always starts with your self-reflection and
self-reform. When you self-reflect and become
aware of your selfish thoughts, you will apologize to
God for your wrong attitude in life, and will be able to
become a new person by correcting your faults. This
total change of your mind is the beginning of your
true peace and happiness.
For Your Personal Study . . .
To aid you in your study and practice of Gedatsu, take a
moment to ponder the following questions:
Question 1: Our founder Gedatsu Kongo repeatedly
stressed the importance of self-reflection. How do you
practice self-reflection in your daily life?
Question 2: Do you practice Gedatsu in your daily
work? If so, how? If not, why?
7|Page
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
The Eyes and Dreams of Children
By Naoya Okano
As part of its international philanthropic efforts, the
Gedatsu Church in Japan collects and donates monies for
“Viva Cambo,” a project to support and build schools in
Cambodia. This is in response to the critical shortage of
schools and teachers in the country, a result of the mass
executions of approximately two million Cambodians during
the late ‘70s – the infamous “Killing Fields” of the Khmer
Rouge regime.
Gedatsu-kai works closely with Shanti Volunteer
Association, a non-governmental organization dedicated to
providing educational support to some of the world’s leastadvantaged children.
Each year since 1999, the Gedatsu-kai Youth Group
organizes a week-long study tour to Cambodia to visit the
school project sites and tour key areas. Naoya Okano, 28,
who is currently training in Japan to be a Gedatsu minister
in America, is a former Youth Group staff member. He
participated in the tour for the first time earlier this year, in
March. He gives the following account of his experience.
Over the next few days, we visited two schools
that Gedatsu supports, which are located in Kampong
Thom, Cambodia’s second largest province. We were
warmly greeted in Japanese with “konnichiwa”
(“welcome”) from the students, with whom we played
soccer, sang songs, danced and made crafts. I was
impressed with their welcome and delighted to see how
much Viva Cambo benefited them.
At first, the children suspiciously eyed us –
foreigners who spoke a weird language – but as we
played and shared time together, their innocent, shiny
eyes and smiles gave us energy and happiness.
On the first day of our tour, we visited the “Killing
Fields” near Phnom Penh, where more than 20 thousand
men, women and children were tortured, executed and
buried in mass graves. Our guide explained how the victims
– many of them professionals and so-called intellectuals –
were hideously tortured and how newborn babies were
killed by being bashed against tree trunks.
As we sincerely offered Amacha blessing to the
victims, I tried to imagine what the victims felt – were they
sad, angry? – but their situation was so horribly beyond my
imagination that I could only feel sorrow. And did their
torturers think they were doing the right thing, or were
they afraid that they too would be killed if they didn’t
comply? No one can predict how they would behave if they
were in similar situations.
Tour members pray at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.
At top, students warmly welcome guests to their school.
Below, Naoya helps paint tires for playground equipment.
Seeing their eyes reminded me of when I was a
university student, majoring in Education. At that time, I
wanted to be a teacher, so I served as a practice teacher
in a second-grade class, with students nearly the same
age as those I met in Cambodia. I saw the same eyes in
both Japan and Cambodia: pure, shiny and innocent.
Those eyes have become treasures in my life. I learned
that if we are sincere in getting close and holding hands,
we can be friends without words.
(Continued on back page)
8|Page
2014 UPCOMING EVENTS
APRIL 2014 OFFERINGS
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
$5 - $25: S. Tanaka, R. Ide, J. Tanaka, K. Gibson, R. Nakatani,
F. Mills, K. Tsukamoto, S. Taketa, Y. Ota, S. Tanaka
$26 - $50: M/M A. Akashi, M/M C. Tanaka, M/M H. Tsujimura
$51 - $75: T. Harada, S. Nishino,N. Johnston
$76 and up: Gedatsu Church of Hawaii, Sankakukan
Special Acknowledgment:
Y. Ota
N. Bridgham
M. Fukushima
Y. Ota
In memory of Eva Hing
In memory of R. Fukushima
In memory of R. Fukushima
In memory of Mas Ota
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
Jul
4 (Fri)
19 (Sat)
20 (Sun)
22 (Tue)
27 (Sun)
Aug 17 (Sun)
Aug
Aug
Sep
Sep
Sep
Sep
19 (Tue)
31 (Sun)
2 (Tue)
6 (Sat)
7 (Sun)
21 (Sun)
$5 - $25: K. Giroux, G. Hirami, M. Mori, T. Murakami
$26 - $50: K. Chinen, Dongura Karaoke Club, M/M Hamada,
H. Tomishi, E. Ogawa, P. Ogawa, M. Okada, M/M H. Tsujimura
$51 – 75: M/M K. Kimura, M. Murakami, T. Okimura
$76 and up: K. Fuji, M/M T. Fukushima, G. Hass, T. Ishida,
G. Miyasako Fund, D. Shiroishi, J.A. Shiroishi, D. Tomita
Sep 23 (Tue)
Oct 4 – 5
Special Acknowledgment:
M. Michiuye
S. Shunichi
R. Overton
Hass/Mizokami Famiies
Hass/Mizokami/Ginter/
Reifslager Families
M. Hass / M. Reifslager
Oct 21 (Tue)
Nov 2 (Sun)
Nov 9 (Sun)
Special kuyo
Special kuyo
Ancestor blessing
Ancestor blessing
Ancestor blessing
Ancestor blessing
Oct 14 (Tue)
Oct 19 (Sun)
Nov 15 (Sat)
Nov 16 (Sun)
Nov 18 (Tue)
Nov 27-30
Dec 7 (Sun)
Dec 14 (Sun)
Dec 14 (Sun)
Dec 21 (Sun)
Dec 24 – 31
Church Closed
Lake Tahoe Benzaiten Service (TBD)
LA Obon Service (Japanese & English)
GROW Meeting 7:30 pm
Sacramento Obon Service
LA Graduates Honored
LA Benzaiten Service
(Japanese/English)
GROW Meeting 7:30 pm
Church Closed
Church Closed
65th Anniversary Banquet
Fall Grand Festival 10:00 am
LA Higan Service
(Japanese & English)
GROW Meeting 7:30 pm
Autumn Moon Festival and
Holiday Crafts Faire 11 am – 6 pm
Church Closed
LA Ujigami Service
(Japanese/English)
GROW Meeting 7:30 pm
LA Gedatsu Kongo Memorial Service
Sacramento Gedatsu Kongo Birthday
& Joen-no-gi (Plaque Burning)
LA Stateline Turnaround
TBD 7:00 am
LA 7-5-3-Year Children’s Celebration
Gedatsu Kongo Birthday
GROW Meeting 7:30 pm
Church Closed (Thanksgiving holiday)
LA Archbishop Kishida’s Memorial
Service (Japanese & English)
Sacramento Last Service of Year,
All Souls Service, Archbishop Kishida
Memorial Service / Church Clean-up
LA Church Clean-up 10:00 am
LA Christmas Service
Last Kanshakai of Year
(Japanese/English)
Church Closed
New car blessing: Rev. Sebe, Rev. George and members of the
Sacramento Church recently offered Amacha blessing and prayed
to God and Bato Kannon for protection from traffic mishaps in
the operation of the church’s first new car in ten years.
9|Page
6 月度教会行事予定
ロサンゼルス教会
1(日) 10:00A 日本語感謝会
7(土) 9:30A～七夕ワークショップ
8(日)
教会正午まで
15(日) 10:00A 日英感謝会・父の日サービス
清田憲祐先生命日法要
17 (火) 7:30P グロウミーティング
22 (日) 10:00A 英語感謝会・阿字観法
28 (土) -29 (日) 六地蔵バザー(サクラメント)
サクラメント教会
8(日) 9:30A 感謝会・清田先生メモリアル
22 (日) 9:30A 感謝会
28 (土) - 29 (日) 六地蔵バザー
６月度みさとし
「感謝修業に依って家庭の幸福を期す」
家庭をつくるのは夫婦二人からであり、やがて子
供が恵まれて夫婦・親子の関係を軸とした家庭生
活が営まれていきます。誰もが幸せな家庭生活を
望みながら、その願いとは程遠い現実に甘んじて
いる人は少なくないと思います。幸せな家庭を築
くための鍵は、夫婦がお互いに、家庭は夫婦二人
がつくるものであるいう基本認識に立ち返るとこ
ろにあります。夫婦がお互いに相手を思いやり感
謝し合うところに、夫婦の相愛と和合が生まれ、
そこからよき親子関係がおのずから形成されてい
くでしょう。感謝の心こそ、夫婦円満と家庭の幸
福を築く基なのです。
解脱人生相談 6
人生は変えられる！
【質問】わたしは子供たちを一所懸命に育て、そ
れぞれにはずかしくない教育を受けさせてきたつ
もりです。それなのに、老齢を迎えた今になって、
子供たちに忘れられています。どうすればよいの
でしょうか？
現在子供さんたちがあなたに対してどのような
態度をとっているにせよ、子供さんをそのように
育てたのはあなた自身だということを忘れてはな
らないと思います。残酷に聞こえるかもしれませ
んが、このことに気づけば、そこから子供さんと
の関係修復ははじまるはずです。
「子供は、親のいうことは聞かないが、親のやっ
ている通りにするものだ」
昔の人がいったこの言葉をよくかみしめてくだ
さい。そして、あなたが親に対してどのような態
度をとっていたか、妻（夫）に対してどうだった
か、また、子供が生まれたときどう思ったか……
等々、これまでの自分自身のあり方をよくふり返
ってみてください。
子供は親の所有物ではありません。神・先祖か
ら授かった尊い贈り物なのです。このことをもう
一度しっかりと自覚し、子供さんを授かったこと
を神さま、ご先祖さまに心から感謝してください。
そこから、子供さんたちとの新しい関係の第一歩
がはじまるのです。
まず、子供さんたちの親にさせていただいたこ
とを神さまに心から感謝できるようになることで
す。そして今日から新しい気持ちで敬神崇祖の生
活をはじめるのです。このことをこれから毎日ま
ごころで実践し続けてください。そうすれば、あ
なたの態度もおのずから変わり、それに伴って子
供さんたちの態度も少しずつ変わっていくはずで
す。宇宙に存在する一切は皆互いにつながり合っ
ているのです。現状を変革する鍵は常にあなた自
身のなかにあるということを、けっして忘れない
でください。
このことを信じて、今日から毎日、感謝と自己
反省の実践につとめてください。いっぺんに状況
を変えることはできません。しかし、まごころで
この実践を続けていくならば、かならず子供さん
たちとの関係は少しずつ改善されていくでしょう。
どうかあきらめないで。人生は変えられるので
す。それはすべて、あなた自身にかかっています。
（回答者：瀧久和）
紙
【回答】あなたが置かれている現在の状況をお気
の毒に思います。しかし、子供さんたちとの関係
を修復するには遅すぎるということはありません。
今から関係修復の努力をなさるべきです。
上講
話
「解脱は自想である」
山田一雄
「人は神の分身霊である」と金剛さまは言われ
ます。もちろんこのお言葉は、人間イコール神と
短絡的に言っているものではありません。人間生
命の本体は、物質次元を超えた霊であり、その霊
的生命の本体は、さらなる次元を超えた神の分身
であると拝察されます。
「ここに瞬時も神と離れることのできない本則
がある」と金剛さまは言われます。なぜなら、私
たちの魂の根源は、神の分身霊であるからです。
だから、「神に通じ、神の心のまにまに生きんと
する神人生活は最も自然の道であり、人間生活の
根本道である」と言われているのです。
私たち一人ひとりは、それぞれが神の分身霊を
魂の奥にいただき、神と同じ本質を内に持つ存在
です。このことは、神と一つである部分を内に秘
めた存在であるということであり、すべての源が
内にあると言うことができるのです。だからこそ、
自己を掘り下げ、本来の自己を求め発揮していく
「自想（じそう）」の学びが尊いのです。
解脱の教えが、既存の信仰と最も異なる点は
「自想にある」と言われています。
金剛さまは「旧来の信仰は教想（きょうそう）
である」とされ、それまでの信仰のあり方と「自
想」の在り方とを対比してその違いを説明されて
います。
「旧来の信仰は文字のごとく、仰ぎ信ぜよであ
り、宗派の先輩の教えに心を相（あわ）せる教え
にある」。これが金剛さまの言われる「教想」の
意味であり、旧来の信仰姿勢です。
一方、「解脱の教えはこれに反して一切自想、
心を相（あわ）せること自らである。真行、行ず
ること真である。他人の教えでなきを完全に認識
せられたし」と言われています。
また「教想は亜流であり、亜流は源泉を汲みち
がう」とも言われています。「亜流」とは「一流
の人にただ追随し真似るだけで独自のものがない」
という意味で、「源泉」とは「教えがわき出ると
ころの源」の意味で、それは宗祖様でなく、宗祖
様をして目覚めさせた神、もしくは宇宙大生命そ
のものを指すのです。
つまり「教想」は、宗派の先輩の教えに心を合
わせ、信じ仰いでいるのであって、極端に言えば、
独自のものでない他人の教えに追随する状態で、
それは「教えがわき出るところの源」を見誤ると
指摘されているのです。
一方、「自想」の「心を相せること自らである」
という「自ら」とは、「自分自身で心を合わせる」
姿勢と、「本来神の分身霊である自己の本質に心
を合わせる」対象の、二つの面を指しています。
たとえば、「自想」のあり方について触れるとき、
金剛さまは「実践躬行（自分で実際に行動するこ
と）で、体験実行で自己反省し、修験、修徳をも
って真善美の合一を実現する」姿勢を促されると
同時に、「要は、吾人、各自みずから精神の奥殿に
参じて、宇宙万有の本源に到達して、世界の聖化
をはかれ」とされます。
私たちの心の奥底に宇宙万有の本源があるので
す。どこまでも自己を磨き探求し、内なる光を
輝かせていきましょう。それが自想の学びです。
掲示板

解脱霊廟祭祀の申込について
秋季大祭( 9 月 7 日)における霊廟祭祀申込み
締め切りは 6 月 22 日です。各教会にある「解
脱霊廟祭祀申込書」に記入し、祭祀料１霊に
つき 100 ドルをそえてお申し込みください。
 六地蔵・ラッフル・チケットのご協力を
恒例の六地蔵バザーが６月 28 日・29 日にサ
クラメント教会で開かれます。ラッフル・チケ
ットは 12 枚つづりで＄10 です。
 歓迎！日本から研修生 2 名
解脱会本部職員・宮坂素明さん（御霊地管
理部）・小林竜也さん（解脱錬心舘）が 6 月
25 日にサクラメント入りします。六地蔵バザ
ー奉仕後、ラスベガス・グランドキャニオン
をめぐり 7 月 2 日からロサンゼルス教会に 2
泊、その後ハワイ教会に 3 泊する予定です。
 七夕ワークショップ＠ロサンゼルス教会
ロス教会では、リトル東京での七夕祭り出
品のため、七夕ワークショップを 6 月 7 日
（土）午前 9 時半～午後 2 時半まで開きます。
参加希望者はジョアン城石さんまで連絡くだ
さい。
 ロサンゼルス教会の行事日変更
ＬＡ弁財天祭（日本語・英語）の開催は、8
月 17 日の第 3 日曜日になりました。また、例
年 11 月に開かれていたクラフト・フェアーは、
本年より 10 月 4 日・5 日のオータム・ムー
ン・フェスティバルと一緒に開かれます。
GEDATSU COMPANION
Vol. 65 No. 6
June 2014
The Gedatsu Companion is published
monthly for members like Cookie Takara
Barthel. Cookie was introduced to
Gedatsu as a child, when her parents,
Naomi and Joe Takara, joined Gedatsu
nearly 50 years ago. She served as the L.A.
Branch Manager and now serves on the
Gedatsu Church USA
Los Angeles Branch
7850 Hill Drive
South San Gabriel, CA 91770
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
EL MONTE, CA
PERMIT NO. 110
L.A. Regional Board and hosts the monthly English
Appreciation Service. She enjoys riding her bike at the beach
with her husband, Fred, playing with her dogs, serving at
church and learning more about the Gedatsu study.
Rev. Kazuo Yamada, Editor
Joyce Reid, Editor-in-Chief
Editorial contributors to this issue:
Cookie Barthel, Rev. Tatsunori Kamiya, Tomoko Kamiya,
Rev. George Matsuhashi, Marylin Nakamura, Naoya Okano,
Jo Ann Shiroishi, Rev. Hisakazu Taki, Calvin Tanaka and
Rev. Kazuo Yamada
(Eyes and Dreams – Continued from page 8)
The third school we visited – the new facility
that Gedatsu-kai was building – is in a remote, rural area
called Banteay Meanchey. Its residents are so poor they
lack the most fundamental educational tools like books
and TV, and, until our arrival, were unaware of the
existence of foreigners. Being near the Cambodia and
Thailand border, the area was under military guard,
which I later learned was not only to ensure our
protection, but because the new school was a big event
for the soldiers, too. Everyone in the area had been
hoping for a school for more than seven years, so they
protected us and celebrated having their own school.
We were treated like very important people. I was
surprised, but appreciated that our tour was possible
because of the help of many people.
The tour forced me to think and feel many
things. When a friend asked me about it, I found it
difficult to respond with a simple: “It was good” or “I
enjoyed it a lot.” I truly enjoyed visiting the historical
sites, playing with the kids and eating the traditional
foods – but I came away with both tears of sadness and
happiness. Also, the tour members became my
irreplaceable friends. The six days were filled with
precious experiences.
Of those experiences, I will never forget the little girl
who lived in Banteay Meanchey, to whom we asked, “What
is your dream? What would you like to be?” She repeatedly
answered, “I don’t know.” Our Cambodian guide explained
that every day the girl and her family were focused only on
getting enough food for that day. They couldn’t afford to
dream about a future.
Education is important because it gives kids the
chance to have a dream. So, all I can do is help Viva Cambo
build schools in Cambodia . . . to give kids the chance to
have a dream.
Shyness and language difference give way to laughter and
exuberance as the Cambodian school children and Gedatsu
study tour members become friends.

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