Category: Lectures

Part One: The Los Angeles Nichiren Sangha Association

When I left Japan in November 1975, I was a young minister in my twenties who had recently been assigned as an assistant minister at the Los Angeles (LA) temple. My plan was to stay in the United States for approximately three years as part of my training and to learn about overseas propagation work before ultimately returning to Japan. At the time, immigration procedures allowed religious workers to obtain permanent residency before arriving in the United States. The Vietnam War had only recently ended, and I recall being nervous as I applied for my Green Card. I had heard stories of ministers who were asked during their interviews whether they would serve if drafted and felt obliged to agree for fear of denial. My own interview, however, was brief, and I was soon approved. Little did I know that having this Green Card would ultimately shape my life.

From the moment I arrived in LA, I realized that things were different from what I had been told. For example, young overseas ministers were expected to attend free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at the local community college to better serve the members. However, because most members were Issei and Kibei Nisei who spoke Japanese, the head minister felt it was unnecessary for me to learn English and did not permit me to attend these classes. It was only after a member noticed this situation that I was able to briefly enroll.

Less than a year later, difficulties at the temple resulted in the departure of nearly one hundred families. I also left my position. Unlike in Japan where several Nichiren Shu temples can be found within the same city, LA had only one. As a result, these former members were left without a place to gather and practice. I myself was also unsure of my next steps and considered returning to Japan. Soon afterward, however, the San Francisco (SF) temple needed a new head minister, and I was assigned to that position later that month. It was around the same time that the former members approached me and asked if I would guide their practice. Moved by their sincerity and dedication, I agreed to help, and with the understanding of the SF members, I began traveling to LA once a month to conduct services for them.

Because these activities were conducted independently of the LA temple, we received no financial support or official recognition from the Nichiren Shu headquarters in Japan. Nevertheless, the members came together and contributed whatever time and resources they could to make the services possible. At first, we met in a small hall attached to a retirement home in Boyle Heights, and later at the Long Beach Japanese Cultural Center. The members gathered the necessary items for the altar, which we assembled before each service and carefully taken apart afterward. Certain families prepared offerings, while others stored and transported the altar items. Even without a permanent temple, the room was full at every service, with members dressed in suits and their best attire out of respect and devotion to their practice. When we chanted together, the atmosphere felt no different from and at times even more powerful than anything I had experienced before or since in a temple.

We came to call this group the Los Angeles Nichiren Sangha Association, or “Shintokai” (“the gathering of [Nichiren Shu] followers”). Its purpose was not to recruit new members but to provide these families with a place to continue their practice. At first, I thought that many would eventually want to return to the LA temple. Instead, a strong bond formed, and most remained with the Shintokai for the rest of their lives. The children and grandchildren also attended, many of whom had never known a permanent temple building. What I expected to last only a short time continued for 49 years.

The Shintokai endured without a physical temple because of the strong faith, effort, and commitment of its members. It is easy to take a place of worship for granted and assume it will always exist. Yet for the Shintokai, the opportunity to practice and chant the sutra together was a privilege. Although no building bears its name and little written record of its existence remains, the Shintokai is an important part of the history of Nichiren Shu in America. There is much we can learn from the determination of the Shintokai members to continue their practice, regardless of circumstances.

Few ministers are given the opportunity to witness such dedication as I experienced through the Shintokai. I am deeply grateful to the families who entrusted me with this role, as well as to the members of the SF and Sacramento temples who allowed me to continue this work. It has been a true privilege to have practiced alongside them.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
March / April, 2026

Happy New Year. I hope everyone had a restful holiday season and a good start to the new year.

Since ending the season of “giving” just last month, I have found myself reflecting on how this idea is interpreted in the Buddhist context. In Buddhism, this concept is known as ofuse, commonly translated as “religious offerings.” Many people today associate ofuse primarily with money, in particular, donations to a temple or offerings made in connection with funerals and other special services. While monetary offerings can be part of ofuse, they represent only one aspect of its meaning. I feel that our understanding of ofuse has greatly changed since I first became a minister several decades ago. In recent years, something essential about it has been lost or misunderstood.

To better understand ofuse, it is helpful to look back to the time of Nichiren Shonin in the 13th century. Nichiren Shonin devoted his life to propagating the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, initially as a fiery street preacher in Kamakura, the political and cultural capital of Japan at the time. However, he was also known as a devoted and prolific letter writer, spreading the teachings through correspondence with his followers. These letters were often read aloud within households and communities, allowing propagation through personal relationships rather than formal institutions.

In return, his followers supported him and his practice through ofuse, which could take many forms, including food, clothing, money, time, or acts of care. In this sense, ofuse was not payment for services rendered; it was an expression of gratitude from those who had received the teachings, and a sincere wish that their offering would help sustain both their own practice and continued propagation of the Lotus Sutra. It arose naturally from the hearts of the followers, not from any request or demand made by Nichiren Shonin.

In his writings, Nichiren Shonin frequently expressed deep gratitude for the ofuse he received. He compared this relationship to an oil lamp: the priest is the flame, but without the oil, the support of his followers, the light cannot continue to burn. Material offerings sustained him physically, but more importantly, ofuse enabled him to continue praying and propagating the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. After he settled down in Mt. Minobu, it would support not only him, but the training of his disciples.

I came to understand this meaning of ofuse during my very first 100-day aragyo practice. During this training, we live with very little food, no heating or light, and minimal sleep. Wearing only a thin hemp robe and no socks, the cold is constant and severe. However, what sustained me during that time was the warmth of a simple cotton under-robe worn beneath my hemp robe. My mother had sewn it for me as her way of supporting my practice. That garment represented her time, effort, care, and concern for my well-being. Through this experience, I realized that this was the true spirit of ofuse – to feel the intention and compassion of the person offering it.

Unfortunately, in recent years, I feel that this understanding of ofuse has been increasingly overshadowed. In some cases, religious practice across various Buddhist sects has come to resemble a business, with some ministers and temples setting fixed fees and issuing detailed bills for funerals and other services. When I heard of this, I could not help but feel concerned about the future of Buddhism. This is not the ofuse Nichiren Shonin described in his letters. He did not place prices on the propagation of the Lotus Sutra, nor did he demand offerings from those he taught. Ofuse was always about what the donor felt was appropriate, offered freely and sincerely. At the same time, it is also true, as Nichiren Shonin acknowledged, that without ofuse, the institution or temple and the people who propagate the Lotus Sutra cannot survive or continue their work.

As we begin this new year, I invite you to take a moment to reflect on what ofuse means to you. It is not about the amount or expectations, but about the intention behind an offering. Whether it takes the form of material support, time, sincere practice, ofuse is an expression of gratitude for the teachings we receive and the connections that sustain us. It is my hope that by returning to this understanding, we can continue to nurture an environment rooted in mutual care, humility, and appreciation, just as Nichiren Shonin envisioned.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
January / February, 2026

I am sure I am not the only one surprised at how quickly 2025 has flown by. With the end of the year approaching, it is also the time to start thinking about all the tasks we need to complete before beginning the new year. As many of you know, in Japan, one of the year-end traditions is the comprehensive and intensive cleaning before the New Year. While this usually refers to our homes, it can also include public spaces such as parks and community centers. Of course, we will also hold our annual end-of-the-year cleaning of the Church in late December.

However, regardless of the end-of-the-year cleaning, I make it a point to maintain all aspects of the property regularly throughout the year. As many of you may know, I have made it my weekly commitment to care for the property grounds, including mowing the grass, pruning the trees, raking the leaves, and general cleaning. Only recently did I realize that there are over forty trees, shrubs, and bushes on the Church property! It is a responsibility that I have carried out consistently since becoming the head minister of the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church. One of my reasons for doing this is to make sure that the Church remains a place where everyone who visits can feel at peace and devote themselves fully to their practice.

As I reflect on this weekly commitment of mine, I realize now that in the beginning, I focused primarily on appearance. For example, I made sure that all the dead leaves and debris were collected, the lawn was mowed to a uniform length, and all branches that disrupted the shape of the shrubs and trees were trimmed. However, soon after, I noticed that I would find myself continuously raking up large piles of dead leaves and debris that kept accumulating under each shrub and bush week after week. I decided to take a closer look inside the shrubs and discovered dense inner branches that hindered growth and collected debris. It became clear to me that proper maintenance required pruning not just the surface, but also removing what was hidden within, allowing the plants to breathe, grow, and remain healthy. Much of the debris that accumulates within these shrubs is beyond our control the result of natural forces like wind and rain. Yet it is still possible to minimize this buildup by removing the inner branches and water sprouts. Since then, I have made it a habit to carefully prune these inner branches, even when it means cutting what appears to be a healthy branch. This selective pruning is essential for the plant’s overall health and continued growth.

This idea can also be applied to our Buddhist practice. As I mentioned earlier, every time we practice and accumulate benefits, we are also “cleaning” our spirit. Imagine our spirit as the shrub I described earlier. Each time we practice, we trim the outer branches, shaping the shrub and refining its form. However, to truly purify our spirit, we must also look within – pruning from the inside by examining ourselves more deeply and releasing what blocks our progress. This can be difficult, because just as pruning sometimes requires cutting even healthy branches so that a tree may flourish, true spiritual maintenance demands more than surface care. Our regular practice alone is sometimes not enough. In the same way that debris beyond our control can build up inside a shrub, no matter how diligently we practice or how pure we may feel, simply living in this world causes us to unknowingly accumulate impurities and karma through our six senses.

In the same way that we can carefully prune the inner branches and remove debris from within a shrub, there are also ways to purify the deeper, more hidden regions of our spirit. In Buddhism, we speak of the need to purify our six senses (rokkon shōjō). Although there are many ways to do this, one important method is through purification services (kitō), which help us remove the inner “branches” within our spirit that block growth and clarity. When we think of kitō, many people associate it primarily with wishes or requests – for example, recovery from illness, personal happiness, or success in life. While these intentions are natural, they represent only one layer of its meaning. Every person carries some form of suffering, and it is natural to wish for relief. Yet, when we focus only on escaping suffering, it can become difficult to fully concentrate on our practice. The true purpose of kitō is not simply to grant wishes, but to help us uncover and address the root causes of our suffering the inner obstacles that we cannot easily remove on our own. In this way, kitō serves as a form of deep spiritual pruning, helping us cleanse what lies within and restore clarity to the heart.
As we prepare to close this year, I hope each of us can take a moment to look within – to clear away what has accumulated and to begin the new year refreshed. I hope that through continued practice and the power of purification, we can continue to nurture clarity within ourselves and in the world around us.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
November / December 2025

As summer ends, we start the official transition into the fall season with Higan. It is a time to primarily self-reflect and focus on your Buddhist studies. However, as I have mentioned before, throughout our practice, we also find ways to help others in all realms of existence, especially our ancestors. I realize that the multiple underlying purposes behind Higan can remain very confusing for many, especially because many seen to overlap with those of other Buddhist observances. I was recently reminded of a conversation I had several years ago with a member. They said, “There are many special Buddhist services and traditions that happen throughout the year. Higan, Obon, memorial services for the deceased, etc. But many of them seem very similar – they all emphasize the importance of praying for your ancestors. I have a hard time understanding the differences between them.” The concept of ancestor veneration is prevalent in Asian cultures. For example, in Japan it is common for people to spend time with their families, as well as visit and clean their ancestors’ graves during these important Buddhist observances. However, this concept is not as common in Western cultures. For that reason, I would like to take this time to further explain why we honor our ancestors during Higan.

We observe Higan twice a year for approximately a week around the time of the spring and fall equinox. The reason for this timing stems from the agricultural history of Japan. Rice farmers would be busy from March when they would sow the seeds until September when they would harvest their crop. Higan is observed before and right after the end of this rice cultivation season, outside of which they were expected to have more time away from the field to focus on their Buddhist studies.

Aside from this timing, one of the major differences between Higan and other Buddhist observances is the emphasis on studying the Six Paramitas, which I’ve explained previously. Briefly, they include the following: (1) generosity, (2) observance of Buddhist precepts, (3) patience, (4) energy and diligence, (5) meditation, and (6) wisdom cultivated by studying Buddhism.

As I mentioned earlier, I have previously spoken about how we strive to help others during this time of Higan. One of the ways we do this is by practicing these Six Paramitas with our ancestors. What differentiates us from the deceased is our physical body and the five senses we use in our practice. Through these senses, we can garner good karma and virtues, but also unknowingly accumulate bad karma through actions we partake in or even witness. Without these senses, our ancestors cannot accumulate virtues in the same way that we do in this human realm. Any deceased, especially in the suffering world, therefore have a difficult time moving to a higher realm. Higan is a time when our ancestors can practice “with us,” meaning at the same time. This is different from Obon when the deceased are allowed to visit the living and practice with us at the same time and in the same location. In a way, during Higan, our ancestors are not only practicing themselves, but also through us. The good karma we accumulate during Higan benefits not only ourselves but can also be shared with our ancestors. Using the virtues we accumulate during Higan, the deceased can gradually try to progress to a higher realm. This is also a reminder that as humans, we ourselves still have work to do in order to move to a higher realm. Our senses make us unique and provide an advantage for us to accumulate virtues in this current realm that we live in. Therefore, our practice and prayer during Higan holds a special meaning. I hope that many of you will use Higan as an opportunity to focus on your Buddhist studies, keeping in mind that our ancestors are practicing with us during this time.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
September / October 2025

I hope everyone is doing well and finding ways to stay cool as we make our way into the summer months of Sacramento. Despite the changing weather, like many, I have a set routine that stays consistent throughout the year. Come to think of it, my routine has not changed for several years, even decades! My morning routine starts with waking up at 3:00am, preparing food offerings for the various altars, then going to the temple for my prayer at 3:30am. I should mention that at the Nichiren Shu 100-day ascetic aragyo training, we would start with “water prayer” at 3:00am, then move to the main temple at 4:00am to continue with chanting the sutra. Part of my routine is influenced by my aragyo training – even now, I start by chanting Nichiren Shonin’s kito prayer. I subsequently chant one full volume of the Lotus Sutra (8 volumes), taking me a total of eight days to cycle through the whole sutra. I finish my prayer at 5:00am, eat breakfast, then go on my daily hour-long walk at 6:00am.

Admittedly, I sometimes find myself going through some of the movements, like preparing for my walk, without too much thought. In a way, it has become somewhat of a habit. For my walks, I take the exact same path, expect to be at certain checkpoints at a particular time, and greet the same neighbors. But throughout the years of continuing my routine, I have also found the importance of taking the time to notice certain aspects that were not as obvious before. For example, it was surprising to realize how many coins I was able to spot on the side of the road during my walks. Of course, most of these coins were pennies, and very rarely would I spot a quarter. Whenever I would find these coins, I would bring them back to the temple and put them into the “Offering Box” that we have at the entrance. Last year, when Mr. Joe Hitomi, the temple treasurer, opened the “Offering Box” for the first time in several years, I was surprised to hear that out of the >$1,200 in donations, there were >$40 in just coins!

Many may ask why I take the time to put these coins into the “Offering Box.” My reason for doing this has to do with the following Japanese Buddhist phrase: “en naki shujyō wa doshigatashi” (縁なき衆⽣は度し難し). This is commonly translated as “those who do not have connections to the Buddha’s teachings or are unwilling to accept them, will not be saved.” This translation has somewhat of a negative connotation. However, I would like to propose a slightly different interpretation based off of my studies of Buddhist literature, my practice, and my experience as a minister in the US. It is that “unfortunately, those who do not have opportunities to learn about the teachings of the Buddha will have difficulty making connections to and reaping the benefits of these teachings”. This “connection” (en) is extremely difficult to make, especially in countries like the US, where Buddhism is of course not the predominant religion. We have to put in extra effort so that more of these opportunities and thus connections can be made. My hope is that this seemingly simple action of placing these coins into the “Offering Box” will help these individuals who unknowingly dropped these coins, make these connections to the Buddha. In a way, I hope to be the in-between of these people and the Buddha’s teachings. Through this connection that I have helped make, my wish is that they will have opportunities maybe later in this life, and if not, their next life or thereafter, to learn about and accept the teachings of the Buddha. This same idea applies to those that hear, for example, the chanting of the sutra as they walk by the temple or the sound of the taiko drums during our Sunday Service. All these actions are a way for anyone to initiate that connection with the Buddha’s teachings.

We, as Buddhists, are very fortunate to have found the Buddha’s teachings in this lifetime. However, we should not take this for granted – making this connection is not enough. We have to strengthen this connection by incorporating the teachings of the Buddha and Nichiren Shonin into our daily lives by, for example, attending the Sunday Services. We are also deemed with the task of helping people who lack these opportunities to make these connections to Buddha’s teachings.

As you can see, I was able to find purpose in my seemingly mundane walking routine. I hope that many of you will take this time to reflect on your daily life or routine, trying to find more ways to strengthen your connection to the Buddha’s and Nichiren Shonin’s teachings. Through this, my additional hope is that you may also find ways to help others initiate this connection as well.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
July / August 2025

Every year we hear of the increasing number of natural disasters that occur in various parts of the world. Most recently, the destructive wildfires that swept across Los Angeles left many without homes. These disasters cause various types of damage, which take a very long time to recover from. For example, the residents living in the Noto Peninsula of Japan are still trying to rebuild their lives more than a year after the devastating earthquake that happened on New Year’s Day last year. Every time I hear of these stories, I am reminded of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. In March of that year, we asked all of you for donations to help those affected by this natural disaster. We were able to raise a total of $1,500, which we sent to the Nichiren Shu Headquarters in Japan. This in turn was donated to earthquake relief efforts. Out of the many donations we received, there was one that I remember to this day. Today, I would like to share this story with you.

Towards the end of March 2011, I was outside sweeping the entrance of the temple like any other day. One man wearing tattered clothes was riding a very old and rusty bike, passing by me very slowly. I did not think much of it and continued sweeping until I realized a few seconds later that he was standing in front of me. He asked me if this was a Japanese Buddhist Temple, continuing to tell me how he was very distraught about the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. He then proceeded to open his torn-up wallet and took out a twenty-dollar bill folded into fourths. He handed it to me, telling me that this was all the money that he had, but wanted to find a way to send it to Japan. I graciously thanked him for his donation, promising him that it would be used to help those affected by the earthquake. He left without saying another word.

Seeing his kind actions made me think of jikkai (“ten realms”) gogu, which means that each of the ten realms contains within it, the same ten individual realms (listed in the chart above). One way to think of this is as follows. For example, we are living in this world as human beings and therefore, we are physically limited to this realm. However, in our mind, we can transcend the realm of Bodhisattvas or even Hell. Some may say that it is not the realm that we are physically living in right now, but where we are currently living in our mind that determines the next realm that we will physically be placed in our next life. Below, I have made a chart to aid in understanding this concept. We want to prevent ourselves from falling into the realms that are shaded. The circle represents that at minimum, in our mind, we want to be living in the realm of human beings. However, we always want to strive to live as Heavenly beings, or even better, as a Bodhisattva. We aim to “progress our mind”, so to speak, in the same direction that the arrow is pointing, so that we could be reborn into a better realm in our next life. The kind individual that I spoke of earlier, though physically restricted to the world of human beings, seems to be living in and displaying characteristics of those in a higher realm. Despite his circumstances, he strives to do what he can to care for others, even giving away all the money that he has. Therefore, I am hoping that we can take this time to rethink which realm we are truly living in right now, striving to go to these higher realms, at least in our mind.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
May / June 2025

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