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ISSUE 203 June 1, 2007 KOYASAN JIHO
NEWS Let us reflect on our life at Obon by Bishop Seicho Asahi The Obon memorial service was started at the suggestion of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni; its purpose was to help to ease the sorrow and grief of family members who have lost loved ones. There are many causes that give us pain and suffering. Therefore, Shakyamuni taught his followers to look for their causes, and to practice to remove them in their daily lives. There
are two kinds of causes: direct and indirect. Direct causes are easy to
recognize because generally they are physical and material conditions like
money, food, and property. Indirect causes are sometimes hidden from us;
therefore, they are hard for us to recognize. For example, the indirect
causes for a baby’s life can be the internal energies, oxygen, milk, etc.,
while its direct causes may be his body, brain and consciousness. Even though
this baby has a perfect body, brain and consciousness, if his internal
energies do not work properly, his life may be at risk. If there is not
enough oxygen to inhale, his life may not be prolonged. Living plants and
flowers are constantly producing oxygen for us but we usually do not see or
pay attention to this, and take everything for granted. We are able to enjoy
our lives today because of the work and inventions of people from past
generations that have invented the use of electricity, automobiles, and
airplanes. When it is hot outside, we can turn on the air conditioning, and
are able to live comfortably inside our houses. Two hundred years ago, it took many days to
walk to San Francisco from Los Angeles, but today it takes less than 8 hours
to get there by car. We
all receive a tremendous amount of benefit from nature and other people as
indirect causes; however, we have a tendency to focus only on the direct
causes, “only on the things that we can see with our eyes.” Our physical
eyes, having limited ability, cannot see everything, but we have a tendency
to believe very strongly sometimes on what we can only see, and take action
based on the limited information we receive as though we know and understand
each situation clearly. It
is important for us to realize that a major portion of our life is dependent
upon the indirect causes that we cannot see, and to become aware of the
benefits we are constantly receiving from them whether or not we are
conscious of it. The
Obon memorial service was observed in a bamboo garden in BISHOP MIYATA’S RETIREMENT PARTY
WAS HELD Bishop
Taisen Miyata has retired after 49 years of missionary work, and the
appreciation banquet was held on May 20 at Empress Harbor Sea Food Restaurant
with many members and friends from OBON/SEGAKI SERVICES The
Obon Segaki Services will be held on Sunday, July 15 at 1:30 p.m. at the
Betsuin. Candle light offerings by Hatsubon families will be observed as
prayers will made in memory of loved ones. Please use the enclosed
application form to write the names of those you wish to offer prayers and
return to the office by Wednesday, July 11. ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT IS
POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER Due
to the delay of the kitchen renovation, the AOBA MATSURI, CELEBRATION OF
KOBO DAISHI’S BIRTH Our
founder, Kobo Daishi, was born on June 15, 774 in JIZO BON Two
annual mid-summer rituals, the Okuribi and Jizo Bon Services will be held on
Sunday, August 19 at 10:00 a.m. in the Betsuin courtyard. Offerings are made
in front of Jizo Bosatsu statues and we send spirits of the loved ones off to
the source of life by burning memorial tablets and old memories during the
service. Please attend this beautiful morning service. PRAYER FOR
WORLD PEACE AND MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR A-BOMB VICTIMS The
62nd annual memorial service for the victims of the atomic bombs
and prayer for world peace will be held on Sunday, August 5 at 10:30 a.m. at Betsuin.
The service is co-sponsored by the Hiroshima/Nagasaki Survivors Organization.
The temple has been preserving the Hiroshima Peace Flame since 1984. Everyone
wishes for World Peace. This is a wonderful opportunity to pray for peace, so
please make an effort to attend the event. REV. SATO TO GET MARRIED Reverend
Shinyu Sato announced that he will have a marriage ceremony on Saturday, July
7 at 11:00 a.m. at Betsuin. His fiancé is Miss Hiroko Yuhara of REV. ASAHI APPOINTED BISHOP Reverend
Seicho Asahi was appointed as the new Bishop of Koyasan Buddhist Temple and
former Bishop Taisen Miyata granted the official certificate to him on April
22 after the Shomieku Service. Born
in KOYASAN
BETSUIN WEBSITE Most of companies, retailers, schools and even religious organizations have their own website these days. Koyasan Betsuin is also putting its website soon. Miss Regina Sakurai, one of the temple cabinet members, has been volunteering on this project. Lots of information about history, services, events, calendar, newsletter, teaching on Shingon-shu, etc. will be on the web. The web address is www.koyasanbetsuin.org. . If you have an access to internet, please visit us. A
REQUEST from the The If donation is placed in one envelope after a service/prayer is conducted, §
Amount up to $100: entire donation/offering
goes to the §
Amount up to $200: $50 to minister and
remainder goes to the §
Amount above $200: $100 to minister and
remainder goes to the If two separate envelopes are
given, one goes to minister and another for the We appreciate it very much for your understanding and cooperation LABCC Los Angeles Buddhist
Coordinating Council will host its 53rd summer camp at Morning
Star in the RETIREMENT
MESSAGE from BISHOP T. MIYATA Under the guidance of Kobo
Daishi with your warm support toward my missionary here in |
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