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Report on the 5th Shokai (English) |
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The 5th Shokai was held at Three Wheels Temple from 28th May to 30th May 2010 and was attended by fourteen people; nine men and five women.
At the opening meeting Mr Ant P. offered a vow of sincere practice on behalf of all those present. As such, having spoken briefly of his own encounter with the Buddha-dharma, and having expressed his gratitude to all those in the Shogyoji sangha who made the retreat possible, he said, “May we encounter each other in the Tathāgata’s light, supported by the Primal Vow, always recalling the true reason why this Shokai is taking place.” Reverend Sato received Ant’s words on behalf of the Buddha and expressed his appreciation of the great sincerity and effort he has been displaying with regards to his encounter with the Jōdo Shinshū teaching.
The retreat was the last of a four-part series focusing on Shinran Shonin’s Kyōgyōshinshō and took as its theme the subject of ‘Realisation’ or ‘Enlightenment’ (Shō). Consequently, at the opening service, Reverend Kemmyo Sato explained the major topics that would be explored during this Shokai. In particular he emphasised that whilst Realisation forms the goal in majority of Buddhist traditions, it is actually taken as the starting point of the path in Jōdo Shinshū because Amida Buddha’s own enlightenment takes the initiative in seeking to awaken all beings. He then went on to introduce the two phases of Amida’s virtue-transference (ekō) which form the impetus for “our journey to the Pure Land and that of our return to this world to save all sentient beings,” and which are both “to be realised as Amida’s working … to save us perfectly.” This dynamic activity flowing out of Amida Tathāgata’s enlightenment is, he said, “both perfect and dynamic …. an endless circular process, because sentient beings are innumerable.” He added that this great working of compassion is received in daily life as we meet and confront the realities of our karmic existence; “Becoming aware of our own finitude Amida’s working is clarified.”
After Reverend Sato’s talk a letter was read out from Mr Jon B. who was unable to attend Shokai despite his great wish to do so. In his letter he spoke of how his experience of the openness and honesty amongst his fellow participants at the 3rd Shokai awakened him to the reality of the 17th Vow, in which all Buddhas pronounce the Name, and he thanked everyone for “bringing this reality to light” for him with “a blinding clarity which continues to have a profound effect” in his heart.
The reading of this sincere and moving letter seemed to create a space of great openness in which introductions between the participants were then made. To mention only a few of the comments made during this period of encounter; Reverend Sato welcomed Ms Hannah B., who was attending Shokai for the first time, and spoke about their friendship which goes back over a decade to the early days of Three Wheels; Ms Mary H. expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to reflect on the significance of her forthcoming wedding and the fact that she will soon be continuing her journey towards the Buddha within the context of marriage; and Mr Duncan K. came to tears describing how Reverend and Mrs Sato always welcomed him to the temple by saying “Thank you for coming.” To the latter Reverend Sato replied; “It is because I am meeting the Buddha through your coming. Buddha’s virtue-transference is here.”
After sharing supper together the Shokai participants gathered for a chanting lesson. During the meeting, chaired by Ms Sanjee C. and led by Reverend Sato, previous lessons on the Soshikumesage Shoshinge were reviewed before we moved on to look at the first part of the Sanjo Wasan. For many of the participants it was their first time chanting the wasan, which was rather daunting, but everyone showed a great deal of concentration and interest.
At the morning service on Saturday Reverend Sato gave a talk about article 34 of the Rennyo Shonin Goichidai Kikigaki in order to help clarify the relationship between the attainment of pure faith (shinjin) and realisation (enlightenment); “Although the attainment of Nirvana takes place in the Pure Land, we become assured of birth in the Pure Land in the here and now by taking refuge in Amida Buddha. We are impelled to take refuge in Amida Buddha through our encounter with the Buddha; our taking refuge in the Buddha is actually the working of the Buddha … We ourselves have nothing to add to it.” As Rennyo Shonin stated thoughtfully; “It is completely with Amida’s discretion to save us with or without our transgressions. It is not for us to argue the matter. What is of vital importance is faith alone.”
For Shokai English translations of the Ofumi readings had been provided, so that the participants could understand what was being read out in Japanese, and during the eza after the morning service several people expressed how joyful and moved they were to be able to receive Rennyo Shonin’s words during otsutome in this way. Perhaps based on this response, and also bearing in mind the respectful and clear manner in which Mr Andrew W. had read out some other religious documents during the meetings, Reverend Sato made the momentous decision that in future the Ofumi will be read out in both Japanese and English. This news was received with much gratitude, excitement and happiness, and the samgha are looking forward to discussing the best way to arrange this new element of our services in an appropriate manner.
After breakfast Mr Andy B. gave a talk on Amida Tathāgata’s 11th Vow as discussed in the ‘Realisation’ chapter of Kyōgyōshinshō. The principle aim of this talk was to explore the nature of ‘Equivalent Enlightenment’ from an affective perspective. In order to do this Andy looked at the subject of the ‘one-thought instant of faith’ (shin no ichinen) in relation to the relationship between ‘being’ and ‘time’, and then discussed how the awakening of faith alters this relationship to reveal the field of Amida Tathāgata’s activity. He went on to discuss how this new awareness is re-integrated into daily life and the necessity for the nembutsu-sha to continuously return to their original starting point of awakening faith. During this talk Reverend Sato interjected many helpful comments, and even drew a diagram based on the thought of Nishitani Keiji which helped to clarify the relationship between the first ‘one-thought instant’ and the continuation of the nembutsu of shinjin into the future. Using this diagram Sensei showed how returning to the first experience of awakening faith does not mean going backwards but rather returning to the reality of one’s karmic existence and simultaneously re-encountering the ‘support’ underlying our whole life. At this moment fear is dispelled and inward peace becomes settled.
In the afternoon Ms Mary H. gave a short talk about ‘work practice’ (sagyo) in which she said, “Whilst I stayed at Shogyoji last summer … I remember working with the ladies in the kitchen of the dojo, where there was a great feeling of gratitude, even as they would cook for upwards of 50 people per meal. It was not considered hard work, because it was not work. It was sagyo. What is it that transforms our work into a part of our Buddhist practice? It is the interplay between the intention that each of us has towards our task and the compassion of Amida Buddha.”
After listening to Mary’s talk the Shokai participants than engaged in the afternoon work practice which involved removing, cleaning and replacing stones from the gutter of the Zen garden. As this had never been done since the garden was created the scope of the task was not completely clear in advance and it soon became apparent that it would be a vast undertaking. However, despite the poor weather conditions and extremely intensive work involved, everyone worked very hard and co-operatively so that over half of the stones were cleaned and returned to the gutter. Much of this was thanks to the efforts of Mr Dave Z. who, as activity organiser, ensured that everything was well coordinated and that morale levels were maintained. It is hoped that we will be able to complete the rest of the work in the near future and Mr Matthew A. has kindly made a detailed diagram of which areas of the garden still need attention.
After supper and a rest everyone gathered once again in the Buddha-room where Reverend Sato and Mr Dave Z. led a period of zazen meditation.
Next day, at the morning meeting, Reverend Sato expressed his thanks to everyone for their work in the garden and said that the purity of the garden on this occasion reminded him of his own first experience of seeing the precinct of Shogyoji temple. In addition, the Ofumi having been read out in English for the first time during otsutome, Reverend Sato expressed his happiness that “Shin Buddhism is now becoming settled in this country.” Also during the meeting Mrs Kathleen H. described how her sense of the atmosphere in the temple had developed since she last attended Shokai, and Ms Hannah B. spoke about the word ‘service’ which she felt aptly described the attitude embodied by those around her.
After breakfast everyone reconvened to hear Mr Andrew W. give a talk on the second part of the ‘Realisation’ chapter of Kyōgyōshinshō entitled ‘Entering the Garden of Birth and Death. At the end of his talk the previous day Mr Andy B. had described how the circular and endless dynamic by which Amida Tathāgata saves all beings is closely related to the sprit expressed in the ‘Four Great Vows’ (shiguzeigan) which begin “Sentient beings are numberless, I vow to save them all,” and it was this spirit, embodied in the figure of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, that Mr Andrew W.’s talk sought to explore. As he said, “the career of the Bodhisattva does not end at the point of awakening enlightenment through birth in the Pure Land. Shinran clarifies … that the true intent of the 22nd Vow is that beings, on attaining enlightenment in the Pure Land and becoming true bodhisattvas, return again to the suffering world of humanity to save all beings. Being born into the Pure land is only then the beginning of a new phase of movement: - gensō ekō “Amida’s directing of virtue for our return to this world”.
Andrew went on to discuss the way in which the activity of gensō ekō is experienced by those still dwelling in this world, saying, “If we can encounter the Buddha-Dharma through an individual [reciting the nembutsu in pure faith] … as Shinran did through his master Honen Shonin, then that person becomes like a Buddha to us, a person who is awakened to the truth of life and through their guidance we can be awakened to Pure Faith in the nembutsu. This faith is called pure because it is the gift of Amida Tathagata. We can receive this gift through others solely through Amida’s virtue-transference.” Reverend Sato clarified this point further by stating that, “Shinran Shonin said “I am an ignorant fool,” but in realising his true reality he was already embraced in the Buddha’s wisdom, and his Dharma friends saw him as radiating light.”
The 5th Shokai concluded at midday on Sunday 30th May with otsutome and a talk of thanks to the Buddha given by Mr Duncan K. Duncan thanked Venerable Chimyo Takehara and Bomori-sama for their support; Rev Sato, for being our teacher and guide, and various other people, including Mrs Hiroko Sato, Mrs Kaori P., and Mrs Mako W., whose kind efforts made the retreat possible. He also said that he had been struck by the comment of Mr Andy B. that “realization…[refers]…. to our being awakened, beyond our own efforts, to a living and dynamic reality that is always seeking to express and manifest itself within our lives, and stated that, “As we leave today it is our aspiration that the “letting flow” and “opening” to this reality, Shokai, will manifest in our daily life encounters [so that], as Mr Andrew W. said, “[we can go] out again into the world refreshed in mind and body with the joy of having received the Buddhas teaching.” He then concluded, “In offering [these words of] thanks, I offer them to that Eternal, Inconceivable Light and Life which is Amida Buddha. Namuamidabutsu.”
Andy B.
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