Category: Lectures

As summer ends, we prepare for Ohigan, the Buddhist holiday that occurs during the week of the equinox. While there are multiple ways to spend this holiday, in general, it is a time for self-reflection and to re-evaluate one’s Buddhist practice. For some, it is also a time to not only pay respect to their ancestors or the deceased, but in a way, join them in practicing Buddhism. This concept may be foreign to many people. For example, someone told me the other day that Buddhism is a religion that exists for times when people need to hold funeral and memorial services. I believe that the reason for this misunderstanding is because the concept of memorial services in Buddhism is difficult to grasp here in the United States.

In order to understand the meaning of spiritual prayer during for example, memorial services and Ohigan, we must consider the purpose behind our existence in this world. In Buddhism, we state that a human being is bound to experience the four sufferings: birth, old age, sickness, and death. The amount of “bad” karma we have accumulated in our past lives dictates which suffering realm we are born into. Even within the same realm, individuals will experience different levels of suffering due to the varying amount of this bad karma that we carry with us at birth.

While our task in this suffering world is to rid ourselves of this bad karma, at times this seems near impossible. We may in fact be accumulating bad karma without even realizing it. This includes unknowingly making a comment that hurts another individual. Some also find it very difficult to fully comprehend their reason for being born into a particular suffering realm. Such souls repetitively return to the different realms of the suffering world. They cannot rest in peace.
However, it is possible for others, including us, to help them break this cycle. I equate this, in a way, to certain types of volunteer work some partake in. For example, there are types of volunteer experiences, which involve sharing hardships with people who are going through difficult circumstances. Our prayers and Buddhist practice during Ohigan also incorporates a similar idea. We never fully know the state of deceased individuals or different spirits. In other words, they may be suffering or having concerns about the realm that they are currently living in because they want to escape it. However, due to the situation of the realm that they currently live in, they may not be able to accumulate “good” karma to escape the suffering world. In order to help them, we, as individuals also living in this suffering world, need to try and connect with these spirits by praying and chanting the sutra. Like volunteer work, there is a need to try and understand their pain and concerns to fully help them, though this may be difficult. This act of volunteer work is also very difficult to understand, especially because we cannot physically see how much we have helped these spirits. Unfortunately, people tend to praise and recognize volunteers if we can physically see these actions or the changes in the individual being helped.

However, I hope that during this month of Ohigan, everyone will take the time to not only self-reflect, but also think about these spirits in the suffering world that are in desperate need of help. Through our prayer, we not only strengthen our own Buddhist faith, but also help others in the process.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
September / October 2024

When we think of July, the first thing that comes to our mind is usually Obon. Because I know that everyone already knows a lot about Obon already, it probably isn’t necessary for me to explain the meaning of Obon again. However, it is necessary to once again reflect and understand the the meaning of Obon. Obon is an abbreviation of Urabon-e, which is a transliteration of the Indian word “ullambana,” a word that denotes the suffering that comes from being hung upside-down.

Among the Buddha’s disciples, there was one named Maudgalyayana who possessed exceptional divine powers. In Japan he is known as Mokuren. By means of his divine powers he sought to see what was happening to his mother after her death, only to find she had fallen into and was suffering in the hell of hungry spirits. Whatever she tried to eat turned into fire and could not be eaten. Mokuren was shocked at seeing his mother suffering as much as if she had been hung upside down and he sought the counsel of the Buddha. The Buddha then taught his disciples to donate food and pray for their mothers’ happiness on July 15, the day that their rainy season practices came to an end. From this event, “ullambana,” which venerates one’s ancestors, came to be carried out on July 15. In Japan this merged with the folk custom of ancestor worship, which had its origin in the most ancient times and became a unique custom. The first Obon was said to have been observed on July 15 in the year 606 during the time of the Empress Suiko. Probably because it suited the feelings of the Japanese people who had believed in and venerated the souls of their ancestors, Urabon-e became established in this Japanese form.

When we reflect on I this story, we must remember to think about why Mokuren’s mother was in the hell of hungry spirits. His mother was there because she didn’t want her children to starve and to provide for them enough of what they desired and so she had to be greedy. With that, she fell into the realm of hungry spirits. Is this not something that can be said about parents today as well? During Obon, it is possible to open the gates of hell to release your ancestors and let them return to their family. This is why we must pray for them in order to show your respect towards those who are not with you in this world anymore.

Your loved ones will return from the spiritual world to your house and so please show them your respect during those tour days of Obon.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
July / August 2024

Happy Mother’s Day! This year Mother’s day was on May 12th. I would like to talk about the essay written a while back by an elementary school student that won the Prime Minister Award in Japan.

The essay starts off like this: “No matter how much of an important or famous person you become, if you rely on different people and cause trouble, no one will like you, so grow up to be a good person that everyone will like,” said my mother while grasping my hands tightly while lying in the hospital bed. A few days later, she passed away. Being a preschooler at that time, I did not understand the true meaning of those words. Death was something unusual to me and I repetitively confused my grandmother, asking her why my mother had died. Seven years have passed now and Mother’s Day has come again. For farmers, May is a busy month. My father was getting weaker and sicker everyday so he could not work out in the fields and my grandmother was left to worry about the 1-hectare of land that lay barren. My brother and I continued to worry about leaving our grandmother to take care of the fields and we helped her. While helping my grandmother, I suddenly recalled my mother’s last words. I finally understood that relying on different people was something more serious than what people normally thought it was. People would probably say, “oh, it’s just what your mother said. You shouldn’t think too deeply about it.” But those last words were spoken by my mother, the only person in this world to have given birth to me. To those whose mother still exists, they would not be able to understand how lonely I am without my mother and for that reason, my mother’s last words are my treasure. I read the newspaper and cannot help to notice how many people are nonchalant about relying on others or causing trouble with the public. Since last year, I have joined a history club and every weekend, have traveled to different places on my bicycle. From that, I have started to become curious about the smallest things, even little tiny rocks lying on the sidewalk. While cutting the weeds in my family’s field, I picked up a remnant of an ancient earthenware pot. I rushed to show it to my teacher, who told me that it was a fragment from a “sueki” pot, which led to the discovery go an ancient tomb in my field. I rushed to let my mother know about the discovery. The most important thing in my life is something that I cannot grasp. It is my mother’s spirit that continues to live in my heart. Not relying on people includes also, to go ahead and do what makes people happy from the bottom of your heart. My mother’s spirit is a treasure that can continue to accumulate.”
From listening to this story, we need to learn that we need to pray and study the Lotus Sutra, compared to just paying your membership fee for this church and not coming once to the temple. By doing such, your treasure, which is the teachings of Nichiren Shonin and Sakyamuni Buddha, will continue to accumulate in your heart, the same way that the mother’s spirit continues to accumulate in the little boy’s heart. Every one of you has a good deity that is always protecting you. However, if that deity does not have power, it cannot continue to save you. That is why we need to pray in the same way that we have our three meals everyday, to gain the strength in the same way we gain energy, to protect you. So, let’s practice to our fullest potential this whole year. Thank you.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
May / June 2024

Twice a year, we experience equinoxes, signifying the beginning of either fall or spring. As most may know, this is a significant time for Buddhists as well, who practice those three days before and after the equinox. Higan, as this is called, is a time, when we practice in order for our mind to leave this shore and cross the river of suffering to reach the other shore of enlightenment. During this time of shumbum (spring equinox) and shubun (fall equinox), the length of morning and night is the same and as Buddhists, we must learn to appreciate that midway between the penance and pleasure of life through practice. We must
remember that this time of higan is a time for both praying for ourselves and holding memorial services for our ancestors.

Whenever memorial services are held for one’s ancestors, the young people always tend to ask, “Is this necessary?” The same question is often asked in Japan, too, by the younger generation.

Memorial services are not held just to satisfy one’s ego and to please the ancestors. Some people think that by having a memorial service, they have done their duty and find satisfaction in this belief.
Many people also think that when a memorial service is held, prayers are simply offered for the benefit of the ancestors; however, this is not true. When we place ourselves before the altar, we are also praying for our own awareness and spiritual growth.

Nichiren Shonin said, in a letter addressed to his follower,
Abutsubo, “There is no finer vehicle of precious truth than the faith of a man or woman who believes in the truth of the Lotus Sutra. It does not matter whether you are rich or poor. If you recite ‘Namu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo,’ your body becomes the vehicle of precious truth for you are the Buddha of infinite understanding and truth.”

When we recite the Sutra with Nichiren Shonin’s words in mind, we realize that Buddha dwells in our hearts. Our ancestors dwell in our hearts as well, always sharing our trials and joys.

Money is always good to have but even without it, if your family is healthy and happy you can be sure that your ancestors are resting in peace. No matter how wealthy or poor you may be, if no problems occur in your family, your ancestors are also happy and at peace.

Offering of prayers through the recitation of the Sutra does not mean that you are merely offering prayers to something you cannot see nor understand. You are offering prayers to your innermost self and realizing your infinite love and understanding. You feel grateful for your life, blessed with goodness and moved by the oneness of you and your ancestors. With this awareness you extend the benefits of your prayers to others.

With infinite love and understanding you are at peace. If you are at peace, your ancestors will rest in peace. If your ancestors are at peace, you will be at peace. Your life cannot help but be blessed with goodness. This is the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Attaining this awareness is the true purpose of having memorial services.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
March / April 2024

In Japan, it is customary to visit the temple on New Year’s Day and pray for your family’s health and happiness. In this newsletter, I would like to talk about the meaning of praying on New Year’s Day.

To celebrate the new year and to pray for peace, happiness, and health on New
Year’s Day is called “shu shou e” in Japanese. The origins of this custom go back to
Ancient China where the ceremony was first practiced. The first written record of this ceremony in Japan is said to have been held at the temple built under the emperor of the time in AD759. After AD765, every prefecture had a big temple where these ceremonies could also be held. During that time the people prayed for the country’s peace also for good harvest

In AD827 “shu shou e,” which once been restricted to certain temples, was now publicly given permission to be practiced in several other temples. Through the centuries, it is said that people made a custom to practice “shu shou e” to mainly pray for one’s personal benefits. Aside from “shu shou e,” it was customary in every prefecture to pray every New Year’s Day at a shrine. During the Edo Period (1600s), people started believing that by praying, they would be blessed with good luck and happiness.

In present day Japan, the “shu shou e” has renamed renamed “hatsu mou de” due to the incorporaton of different styles of praying that have been practiced throughout Japanese history. In any case, the way that the people pray for and happiness has not changed. We will gain protection and benefits from the Buddha if we consciously hope for this peace and happiness and work toward achieving this goal.

At our temple we have a purification service every month. By striving to attend the services and pray, you will be able to obtain benefits from the Buddha. Therefore, this year, let’s make an effort to attend these services as I purify your family altars and pray for your family’s happiness from the temple at midnight New Year’s Day.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
January/February 2024

Enlightenment, or satori, is a translation of the Indian word bodhi, which is transliterated as bodai in Japanese, hence enlightenment and bodai are synonymous. This is the absolute understanding of the composition and the truths of the universe and human beings.

The Buddha thought that human beings are originally beings, which bear suffering. Every human eventually has to grow old, experience illness, and die. That is suffering. One has to part from whom one loves and may be unable to obtain what one wants. This, too, is suffering.

Why is it that we must suffer in this way? It is because human beings have desires and attachments. Humans suffer because they grow attached to life despite the fact that they have to die, and because their desires expand from one to another and they are unable to attain satisfaction.

How are we to be released from such suffering? The Buddha thought that since attachment and desire were the causes of suffering, if we could cast attachment and desire aside (or at least control them), suffering would also disappear. He also conceived a means of practice whereby one could control attachment and desire.

The Buddha seated himself beneath the bodhi tree and entered meditation. He comprehended the makeup of the human mind and the nature of the universe and awakened to the truth. This experience is called “enlightenment” (satori) and is referred to as bodai.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
November/December 2023

By Rev. Sensho Komukai

“Wake up!” It took a few moments to realize what was going on at two-thirty in the morning. “Get up! It’s time for the water splashing ritual! Hurry up!” Suddenly, I remembered where I was: in Aragyo for the 100 days of ascetic practice. Was it the second or third day? I don’t remember, even though it is only six months ago that I was there. I had probably been asleep for two and a half hours, but it felt like only five minutes. Though I was dead tired, I mustered up enough energy to get up and fold my bedclothes and get in line to perform the water splashing ritual. The darkness was complete and I do not think I was fully awake until the pail of water was splashed over me. Although it was just the beginning of November, the water was cold enough to shock me awake. This was just the beginning of a very long day. The 100-day Aragyo practice starts on November 1 and lasts until February 10. During this time, every priest participating performs the water splashing ritual beginning at 3 a.m. through 11 p.m. The water splashing ritual is call Suigyo in Japanese. It takes an hour for all the participating priest to complete the ritual. Between the water splashing rituals, one chants the Lotus Sutra as loudly as possible. Before long, one becomes hoarse. During the chanting of the sutra, the priests sit with their legs folded under themselves (seiza) for over an hour. One soon has terrible pain in one’s legs. For meals, the priests are served rice porridge and miso soup twice a day. Everything begins to seem edible, because one is constantly hungry. An empty belly together with the lack of sleep makes one feel heavy hearted all day. What did I get from the Aragyo practice? I would say that I went through the six realms of illusion, from hell to heaven. There was no freedom, no time to pursue my usual pastimes, no relaxation, which means I was suffering in hell. When I was hungry, the two meals a day never satisfied my appetite. I sought something more to eat with burning eyes, all the time, everywhere. I was in the realm of hungry spirits. I was in the realm of animals when I instinctively did selfish acts: I did not try to be kind to the other priests and I did not feel I could afford to encourage them. When I was angry or irritated due to the stress and strain of the practice, I was in the realm of ashura demons, almost ready to fight over trifles. How did I arrive back into the realm of human beings? It happened as the final day approached. Reflecting back on the 100 days, I very gradually began to appreciate being hungry, because it helped me realize the value of food. Chronic drowsiness made me appreciate how enjoyable it is to lie down to rest and sleep. Although my left foot was sore, the biggest reason I was able to endure the severity of the 100-day practice was because I had not been troubled by a severe illness. I am very thankful to have remained healthy. On the final day, I felt I had arrived in heaven. At six o’clock in the morning on February 10, I was about to pass through the open gate. I heard the loud voices and the drums. I heard the voices of the people who had assembled from all over the country, waiting outside the gate all chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. I was excited, delighted, and crying with joy! How fresh the air is! How beautiful the sight of the outside world! And how wonderful it is to see the huge crowd of believers. Looking over my shoulder to see the gate, I wondered if I would ever come back here again. Well, it depends.

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Rev. Komukai went through the 100-day practice from Nov. 1, 2006, to Feb. 10, 2007. He was the former resident minister of the Chicago Nichiren Buddhist Church.

Sakyamuni Buddha, whose teachings of truth are spread throughout the world, was born as a son of King Śuddhodana, a ruler of a kingdom in India. When he was a young man he renounced his life as a prince and became a monk. After much spiritual training and physical hardships he attained enlightenment and he died after preaching for fifty years. However, in reality, he was the Eternal Buddha of infinite life. He appeared in this world as a mm, trained as a monk and became enlightened to show us that everyone is capable of attaining enlightenment.

In the 16th chapter of the Lotus Sutra, which is composed of 28 chapters, there is a parable of the great physician who was able to diagnose with skill and cure patients of all illnesses. So let us begin:

One day the physician came home from a trip and found his children suffering from the effects of the poison they had taken while they were playing in the pharmacy during their father’s absence. The father immediately prepared an antidote, saying to the children, “Here is a medicine with good color, fragrance, and taste. Take it and it will make you feel better.” The children who believed in the father’s words took the medicine and were freed from their suffering immediately. However, poison had already affected some of the other children so badly that they were out of their minds. They could not believe that the medicine that their father had prepared would do any good and refused to take it.

The thought that something had to be done to bring the children to their senses and thought of a plan. He told the children he was going away on a trip again to a distant land. He said that he was getting old and may even die before he returned. He said that if this should happen he wanted his children to help each other and to get along without him and to remember what he told them about taking his medicine. Sometime later sent a messenger home to tell the children that the father had died during his travel. The children were shocked and full of grief. They suddenly realized how much their father had meant to them and they could no longer depend on his loving guidance. The children who were grief-stricken finally came to their senses. They remembered what their father had told them and took the medicine and recovered from the poisoning.

When the father learned that all of his children recovered completely, he was relieved and came to reveal to the children that he had not died after all. The father and children had a joyous reunion.

The great physician is Sakyamuni Buddha. The suffering children who could not believe in the father’s words are the people of this world suffering from ignorance. The great medicine is most valuable of the teaching of the Buddha, the Lotus Sutra. The great physician, through his assumed death, taught the value of his medicine to his suffering children. The Buddha, through the manifestation of his death, impressed upon us the value of his teaching. With great compassion he showed us the value of his teaching. With great compassion he showed us the way to escape the sufferings of life caused by ignorance through accepting the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Buddha is eternal. He is forever blessing us with his wisdom and compassion.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
July/August 2023

Each time that you have a memorial service for the deceased, you must be wondering why these services have to be performed and also how these services affect them.

Some people wonder if the minister can rescue those who have been sent to purgatory. This is not such a far-fetched idea because one of Buddhist teachings stresses the following point: “Whatever one does; one reaps.” In other words, “whatever sin one commits, one must face the consequences.” These memorial services are practiced periodically to do something good for the deceased. It is an aged-old custom that all Buddhist families have observed and practiced for many centuries.
The following story illustrates the significance of memorial services:
Lord Buddha spoke to the village people and asked, “If a rock is thrown to the bottom of the lake, can it be raised by prayer?’ The village people said, “That is impossible.”

Whereupon, Buddha said, “If oil is dumped into a lake, would it sink to the bottom with your prayer?”

To which the village people responded, “Why speak of such nonsense!”

The Lord Buddha said, “If a person has committed one sin after another throughout his life, would he be able to gain rebirth in Heaven or Nirvana? On the other hand if a person has been good all Hs life, would that person be sent to purgatory by prayers?” questioned Buddha.

The villagers replied, “That’s impossible!”

Lord Buddha advised, “Listen carefully. If we really prayed earnestly and performed a memorial service for the deceased, we can take all deceased persons to the other shore of enlightenment in a huge boat. This goal is achieved by means of memorial service. Conducting memorial service is a way to show your expression of sympathy toward the deceased.”

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
May/June 2023

One day a little boy was playing in the mud and saw Śākyamuni Buddha walking by so he quickly prepared and offered him a mud pie. It is said that the little boy was reincarnated and became who is now known as Emperor Asoka.

While Buddhism is practiced by a many in the West, many Westerners fail to know or recognize the importance of Emperor Asoka (269-232BCE), emperor of the Indian Mauryan Empire, known to have devoted his life and rule to the spread of Buddhism throughout his empire and eventually the world. Before Asoka’s reign, the Mauryan Empire expanded as a result of killings and brutal conquest. Asoka himself would kill his 99 siblings and continue this brutal conquest until the siege at Kalinga, an empire in central-east India, which became his last place of conquest. From that moment, he is said to have converted to Buddhism and became a Buddhist king, promoting morality and Dharma throughout his empire.

Asoka’s dedication to the Dharma was significant in what would become the world’s first large-scale missionary effort in the history of the world’s religions. Asoka built stupas, locations with sacred relics of the Buddha himself, as well as pillars inscribed with edicts that became the official rule of the empire and would become the symbol of early Buddhist teachings. Both the edicts and the stupas would become important pilgrimage sites for early Buddhist missionaries hoping for a better understanding of Buddhism. The edicts show Asoka’s deep devotion, including his banning of hunting and proclaiming the acceptance of the Dharma within his empire. While this may suggest forced conversion, Asoka states that Dharma could be practiced simultaneously with other faiths or religions since the Dharma promoted ethics and individual moral development.

Asoka wished that others outside his empire would also accept the importance of the Dharma and sent ambassadors to various locations. This would in fact prompt the beginnings of the spread of the Sangha and most importantly Buddhist missionaries, who would influence others to spread teachings of the Śākyamuni Buddha. This missionary work continues throughout the world even today.

Asoka’s simple offering in his past life brought him back to live a luxurious life while also promoting a life that the Buddha would have wished others to live and maintain. Without Emperor Asoka’s emphasis on the Dharma, Buddhism may not have spread to the extent that it has; however his significance is one that many, including Buddhists fail to recognize.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
March/April 2023