BUSSEI

B U D D H I S T T E M P L E O F S A N D I E G O

Our son Oji turned eight months last month. He has just learned to crawl and now he moves cheerfully throughout the house as if it were a little small for him. His crawling territory expands every day. He also tries to put everything within reach into his mouth. So we sometimes keep him in a “fenced off” area of the room for his own safety, but he always starts wailing because he really doesn’t like being confined. What a naughty boy he is! However, recently to our delight, our daughter Kurumi has taken to looking after her younger brother all the time. If Oji tries to approach the fireplace or steps, she embraces him from the waist up and moves him. If Oji tries to put something into his mouth, she immediately takes it away and soothes him so that he doesn’t cry. Until a few months ago, because we had given our whole attention to Oji, Kurumi had a strong feeling of jeal-ousy and would cry, complaining, “Oji gets Mommy and Daddy to himself!” But now she is a very reliable and gentle big sister. We are really grateful for such growth on her part. Recently though, Kurumi has developed a problem. She is totally obsessed with my wife’s Kindle and doesn’t want to put it down. At first, when on a long drive or when we wanted her to keep quiet at a restaurant, we let her to play with the Kindle for a short while. But now she is obsessed with it and carries it with her wherever she goes. As you know, the Kindle is a very convenient way to enjoy the Internet, movies, reading, games, and even learn English and Japanese. For my curious four-year-old daughter with her great desire to learn new things, the Kindle has become indispensable. We are really worried because we feel that she is showing symp-toms of “Kindle dependence.” Recent astounding advancements in technology like the Kin-dle and smart phones bring incredible convenience to our every-day lives which nobody could have imagined even two decades ago. In both the U.S. and Japan, it is hard to find a person who doesn’t have or want them. Some elementary schools distribute iPads to students as a learning tool. Even my parents who are in their 70s use the Android smart phone. Thanks to these sophisti-cated tools, we can enjoy a life of comfort and convenience. But isn’t depending on technology to create an ideal world really just a big trap? What if these wonderful tools were to sud-denly disappear? I am sure that the world would be thrown into confusion, causing trouble at work and in our everyday commu-nications. Because they have become such an integral part of our lives, would it be an exaggeration to say that our lives are

now controlled by them? Therefore, we have to realize that it is dangerous to depend too much on tangible things. To illustrate this, I would like to share a meaningful story from a sutra called Zo-Agon (Miscellaneous Agama Sutras) with you. A long time ago, there was a rich man in a certain town who had four wives. He loved and treasured his first wife the most among his wives. He didn’t love his second wife as much as the first, but was very affectionate towards her. And his third wife was not treasured like his first and second wives, but was still favored by him. But his fourth wife was always treated badly and ignored. This man suddenly developed a serious illness. All treatments were unsuccessful and finally the time came when he was near-ing his end. Feeling the shadow of death about to befall him, the man called his first wife to him and expressed his feelings of loneliness, saying, “I have loved and treasured you over anyone else. Will you die with me?” But she replied coldly, “No! I can’t do that. Certainly, you loved me very much, but that’s another matter. I will not die with you.” The man was pained by her heartless words. He called his second wife to him and made the same request. But she also refused, saying, “Even your first wife whom you loved the best will not follow you. How can I die with you?” The man felt betrayed and became very depressed. Then he asked his third wife if she would die with him. After some thought, she apologized, “Since you wish it so much and be-cause you have taken care of me, I will follow you to the grave site. But this is all I can do for you. Please understand.” The man was stunned by her reply but he decided to ask his fourth wife the same thing, knowing she would refuse because he had always treated her badly. Although she had been hard-ened by his neglect, she answered affectionately, “Yes, of course. No matter what might happen, I will never abandon you. I will gladly follow you anywhere.” The man was abandoned by the three wives he had loved and treated so well, and only his fourth wife whom he had treated coldly would be by his side with her sincere heart. Not until he was on his deathbed did the man realize the one whom he should have loved and honored all his life was his fourth wife. He felt a deep regret at his foolishness. Of course the four wives are a metaphor and through them Shakyamuni Buddha teaches us an important lesson. The first wife symbolizes our body which we always treasure. If our body says, “I am cold,” we will make it warm. If our body says, “I want to eat something delicious,” we will feed it. And if our body says, “I feel awful,” we will immediately go to see a

SCRIPT 2929 Market Street, San Diego, California 92102 Web: www.btsd.net E-mail: info@btsd.net Phone: 619-239-0896

WHAT DO YOU MOST DEPEND ON?

By Rev. Yushi Mukojima, Resident Minister

VOLUME CXXIII NO. 5 MAY 2013

(Sensei’s Message: Continued on Page 3)

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PAGE | 3 B T S D B U S S E I S C R I P T M A Y 2 0 1 3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE By Glenn Torio, Board President

doctor. This shows we love our body more than anything else. But no matter how well we take care of it, it doesn’t follow us after our death. That which we treated so well will remain in this world after our death as an unsightly corpse. The second wife symbolizes wealth, power or status. We nev-er want to let go of our precious fortunes because it took such effort to gain them. But no matter how much we believe that money is everything in life and no matter how much we have saved or how sincerely others may honor us, when we die, we can’t take these things with us. The third wife symbolizes our family and friends. Of course, family is very important to us. All of us live dependent upon our family and friends. But when we pass away, the reality is that they will only follow us as far as the grave site. And finally, the fourth wife who was treated so badly symbol-izes the teaching of Buddha and the mind of Buddha. I am sure that our priorities in life are quite as Shakyamuni Buddha says: We treasure more than we should our body, our wealth and status, and our family. We frantically pursue them throughout our lives although none will accompany us when we die. Yet I wonder how many people live in a way which treas-ures and respects the Buddha’s great wish which is offered to each of us as true spiritual support? If we only seek and revere finite things, we will surely lose sight of the meaning of living. If we believe that only material possessions are life’s treasure, we are greatly mistaken. It is dangerous to depend upon the unreliable. There is something that deserves our reverence even more in life. Without question, our family and friends are very important. We must help and support one other. As a father, I ought to protect my wife and kids at the risk of my own life. I try to do my best to be the one they can lean on and I want to support them forever. Unfortunately, I am but a human being of flesh and blood, so I am not to be relied on forever. If my family sin-cerely depends on me, I would be very glad. But if I were to dis-appear suddenly one day, what on earth would my bereaved family do? If they depend solely upon me as their spiritual sup-port, they might lose their will to live and be turned adrift. How terrible this makes me feel. Because we live in an impermanent world, our existence is fleeting, changing without resting, only to disappear in the end just like the clouds. So if we let our loving family lean on a pillar of an illusion, when the pillar falls, our bereaved family cannot stand up again. No matter how fiercely we want to support and protect our loved ones, it is an undeniable fact of life that we cannot protect them forever. Therefore, if we have loved ones whom we sincerely want to protect, while we are still alive, we must tell them about the true spiritual support that is solid and immovable. What is it then? It is, of course, the fourth wife–the primal vow of Amida Buddha, the Nembutsu teaching which is intend-ed for each one of us. In this impermanent world, each of us is embraced and protected by Amida Buddha who supports us and will never abandon us no matter what might befall us. Embraced in his infinite wisdom and compassion, we are awakened to how important it is to find the true nature of our lives, to accept each other’s existence, to feel joy together, to

Many thanks go out those that made our Hanamatsuri such an enjoyable day. From the Hanamido decorators, to the Dhar-ma School’s “encore” performance of “Jodo Shinshu Style” with special guest star, Mukojima San!!! The generous dana of so many people, both monetary and floral, adorning our Temple is such a beautiful sight. To see the Temple full of eager listeners of the teachings of the Buddha is very gratifying. Each Sunday there is a feeling of warmth and freshness in the Hondo with our Sangha, new Temple members, friends and many visiting college students. To add security to our Temple, we have just recently installed a new speaker/monitor system at the parking lot entrance door. If you wish to visit the Temple and the doors are closed, press the button on the intercom box mounted to the right of the doors. Speak to Miss Jamie or whoever is in the office at the time, and you will be buzzed in. The intercom has a built-in cam-era as well so you will be seen on the office monitor…Smile! Many of you have heard that Mukojima Sensei is scheduled to be transferred to Mountain View Buddhist Temple in the Bay area, later this summer. We are saddened by the news, but also happy for Sensei, Mika-san, Kurumi and Oji, for their continuing journey through the life as a young family spreading the Buddha Dharma. I encourage you to continue visiting the Temple and spend time with them these next several months. The Temple Affairs Committee and I met with Socho Umezu to discuss the replacement of our Mukojima Sensei. He ex-plained the process we will be going through to accomplish this task. We have already begun the process; I will keep you in-formed of our progress. Our hope is to have a smooth transition for all. For our Mother’s Day service on May 12, we have invited Reverend Kenji Akahoshi from the San Jose area, to be a guest speaker. The Jr. YBA is having their Mother’s Day breakfast prior to service, so come out and treat your mom to a complimentary and delicious breakfast! Gassho,

(Sensei’s Message: Continued from Page 1) cry together, to respect and support one another. We should realize fully how important it is to live in this way. We should share our precious lives with others in gratitude each moment we are alive. This is the essence of what a life led by the Nem-butsu teaching should be. Then when we meet our end, these lives will be born with the Nembutsu in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha where we will see one another again. It is this spiritual support we must hand down to our loved ones. The story of the four wives shows how foolish and dangerous it is to depend too much on physical things if in doing so we lose sight of the most important thing in life. So which wife will you love the most? I sincerely hope that it will be the Nembutsu, filled with Amida Buddha’s unlimited compassion. Tonight I intend to take time with my loving daughter, so attached to her Kindle, to speak with her about what our true spiritual support is. I hope that each of you will also take the time to reflect and consider if you, too, rely too heavily on unre-liable things. I sincerely wish that your FIRST WIFE is the Nem-butsu teaching. In Gassho,

PAGE | 4 B T S D B U S S E I S C R I P T M A Y 2 0 1 3

April started out fairly quiet for us. On April 14 was Hanamatsuri. We thank those who brought a dish to share at the potluck luncheon after the service. Our Dinner meeting at Peking will be Saturday May 4 at 4:30 p.m. Please let Tsune know if you will be attending.

ABA NEWS

The Dharma School Staff Meeting was held on April 7, 2013. Hanamatsuri was observed on April 14, with the 6th-8th Grade Class leading the sutra chanting. We would like to thank Tyler & Heidi Elder; Julianna, Kimberly & Jeff Kruse; Sage Sey-mour & Sue Moribe; Karen & Roy Okuhara; Mr. & Mrs. Shin-taku; Ruth Voorhies; Jamie Shimizu; and Margo Spears for as-sisting in decorating the Hanamido and all the floral arrange-ments. We would also like to thank Mich & Naomi Himaka; Mrs. Asako Morinaka & Ronnie Morinaka; Mrs. Chieko Moriyama, Madeline & Michael Clogston; Kaytee Sumida; Mr. & Mrs. John Hashiguchi; and a few anonymous donors for their floral and monetary donations. We also thank Roger Coppock for filming and producing “The Making of Our Hanamido” this year. You can view it at https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=537472329638953&saved or at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPCMmoBKdN4&feature=youtu.be. Richard Matsumoto attended the Federation Dharma School Teachers League (FDSTL) Conference on April 26-28 in San Mateo and brought back some interesting teaching information. On May 19, we will host the Hatsumairi Service (Infant Presentation Service), which is a ceremony in which your child or grandchild is presented to Amida Buddha for the first time. This is called Shosan–shiki, “The First Visitation,” in Japanese. If you would like to your child or grandchild to participate, please complete the enclosed form and return to either Avis Honda or the temple office. We ask that the parent or a grandparent is a member of our temple. The service will begin at 9 a.m. The Dharma School staff meeting will be on May 5 at 9 a.m. There will be Dharma School and Family Service on May 5 and 12, and Gotan-E Service on May 19. The 9th – 12th Grade Class will lead the sutra chanting. The Temple will be closed on May 26 for the Memorial Day Holiday.

In Gassho, Ann Ong, Asst. Superintendent

BWA NEWS Thank you to Mrs. LuAnn Lee for donating “Get Well” cards to the BWA.

NEW BUSINESS 1. The Temple Fundraising Committee Meeting on March 20

was attended by Fumiko Ohara and Kikue Graeber. 2. The SDBWL meeting at Nishi Hongwanji on March 30 was

attended by Fumiko Ohara and Susan Moribe. 3. 2019 WFJSH BWA Questionnaire (World Federation Jodo

Shinshu Hongwanji-ha Buddhist Women’s Association Convention): a) All Temple members, regardless of age, and interest-

ed individuals have been invited to the 2019 WFJSH BWA Conference to be held in San Francisco.

b) A survey for all Sangha members has been provided by the Convention Planning Committee for the 2019 convention.

c) Surveys must be completed and returned to Susan Moribe by May 12, 2013; Susan will send the surveys to the Convention Planning Committee by the May 20, 2013 deadline.

BOARD HIGHLIGHTS

DHARMA SCHOOL NEWS

d) Copies of the survey are included in this issue of the Bussei Script.

4. Southern District Conference at Nishi Hongwanji – June 8, 2013 a) Registration $50 per person ($5 goes to Zaidan fund). b) Please notify Susan Moribe if you plan to attend. c) Registration must be submitted by May 31, 2013. d) Food choices will be available. e) Either carpool or bus – Dependent on the number of

attendees. 5. FBWA 2014 National Conference – Irvine. San Diego hostess duties = Information booth. 6. Kitchen Compliance Project. Members are requested to

have suggestions for any changes they would like to see for the kitchen project, and discuss with Michael Kinoshita at our next meeting.

Thank you Toban “A” for the refreshments. Toban “B2” will be responsible for refreshments at the meeting on May 5, 2013.

SANGHA TEENS On April 13, the Sangha Teens attended an activity at Gar-

On Thursday, April 11, 2013, the Board of Directors met and the following items were acted on or discussed.

1. Rev. Mukojima announced that he will be re-assigned to the Mountain View Buddhist Temple, effective August 2013, after our Obon Odori. President Glenn Torio and members of the Temple Affairs Committee informed the Board of the recent developments in the re-assignment. A letter was drafted to the San Diego Sangha, and a letter was addressed to Socho Umezu that explained the Board's position and its request that a permanent resident minister be assigned to serve San Diego Sangha as soon as possible. The board recognized Rev. Mukojima for his sincere efforts and outreach to the San Diego community.

2. Condolences to the family of the late Ben Sekishiro, who passed away March 30.

3. Congratulations to Brian and Caitlin Yoshioka on their wedding (April 7).

4. The Board approved the purchase of tickets for President Glenn Torio and Rev. Mukojima to attend the Japanese Coordinating Council Keiro Kai.

5. The Board approved monies to cover the cost of repairing the Sangha Hall HVAC damaged by theft of the piping system.

6. The Board was informed of the upcoming June visit by a Japanese Navy training ship - more details will be forthcoming.

PAGE | 5 B T S D B U S S E I S C R I P T M A Y 2 0 1 3

BUDDHIST EDUCATION IN MAY

JR. YBA REPORT

The Junior YBA is hosting their annual Mother’s Day break-fast on Sunday, May 12. We will start serving from 8:30 until 9:45 a.m. Mother’s will receive a complementary breakfast and guests are $3. Hope to see you there! Thank you to the Guiang family for hosting our last meeting on April 20. We appreciate their kind hospitality.

ACTIVITIES REPORT

We would like to thank everyone who purchased a 50/50 opportunity drawing ticket. It was a success! Congratulations to Florence Ozaki, the winner of the drawing! Thank you to Yasuko Kinoshita for chairing the Movie Day on Sunday, April 21. Everyone enjoyed the delicious chili made by Rick and Carrie Huddleston. Over 100 movie goers came to see the film and partake in the lunch, and most purchased baked goods. We deeply appre-ciate all the dedicated volunteers that came out to prep, cook, sell, set-up and clean up. We also thank all who made monetary donations. All proceeds will go towards the Kitchen Compliance Project. Coming up on Saturday, May 4, we will be having a Furniture Sale. We are looking for volunteers to sort prior to the event and for selling the day of. Please see Glenn Torio, Sue Moribe or Nancy Martinez for details.

YBA NEWS

May 29 June 26 July 31

August 28 September 25

October 30

November 20 December - NO

MEETING

May BEC Lecture with Guest Speaker Rev. Mas Kodani: Shinran Shonin on Our Experience of the Mysteries of Buddhist Understanding. Sunday, May 19, at 1 p.m. in the Sangha Hall, the Buddhist Education Committee (BEC) presents a special lecture by guest speaker Rev. Mas Kodani of the Senshin Bud-dhist Temple. We expect the event to last about 90 minutes. Rev. Kodani will speak about Shinran Shonin’s insight into the ultimate mysteries of Buddhist understanding, not as academic study, but as human experience. Dharma is one of the three treasures of Buddhism and it means both the Buddha’s Teachings and the Way things are. Kodani Sensei will explore dimensions of how we come to such understandings with suggestions to help us on our way. Rev. Kodani is a popular speaker and writer on Buddhist topics and has served the Senshin Buddhist Temple since 1968, and as its head minister since 1978. Buddhism 1-2-3: Eightfold Noble Path and Meditation. Join us every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Sangha Hall for 90 minutes of chanting, meditation, and dharma discussion. May 1 and May 8 complete coverage of the Eightfold Noble Path; the rest of the month (May 15, 22, and 29) is dedicated to meditation in more depth, including zazen, walking meditation, and other forms. New: Repair your Buddhist Beads (Onenju). Thanks to the assistance of the intrepid Mo Okita, we want to try to develop some local capability to repair broken strands of Buddhist Beads (onenju, sometimes called ojuzu or mala). On an experimental basis, we are asking for any broken bracelets If you have an onenju or ojuzu you hope to have re-paired, please seal it in a baggy with your name and phone number or email address, and drop it off to the Temple, atten-tion BEC. We will see if we are able to repair it for you and let you know if we are able to handle it at this time and an ex-pected date for completion. No guarantee! But we are hopeful we can accommodate your request. Currently there are no fees for this service; donations upon completion will be forwarded to either the General Fund or Temple Compliance Project. Bookstore News, Books Highly Recommended. We have added or replenished our stock of several books, all of which are highly recommended. New to Us: Everyday Suchness is a classic of American Bud-dhism from a respected teacher in the Higashi Hongwanji side of the Jodo Shinshu tradition. Rev. Gyomay M. Kubose pub-lished this collection of short essays in the 1960s while the resi-

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Our Annual Cultural Bazaar is on Sun-day, June 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The theme this year is “Hana.” We will be looking for donations towards our silent auction, bakery, snack bar, kids’ game prizes, etc. and we al-ways welcome anyone to underwrite items that we purchase. Bazaar letters and tickets are being sent out soon. Please join us for our Monthly Fundraising Meetings. They are held at 7 p.m. in the temple’s conference room. Here are the meeting dates for 2013:

dena Buddhist Church. The theme was Giant Board Games. Breven Honda, Koji Martinez, Trina Muraoka, Davis Ong, Hailey Sasaki, and Jill Yamanishi played various board games in their groups and had a dance to end the evening. They enjoyed this activity at Gardena and can’t wait until the next Sangha Teen Activity, which will be on Saturday, May 18 at Orange County Buddhist Church and see their friends. The theme is Winning Isn’t Everything. On Saturday, May 11, the Sangha Teens will be having a Jog-A-Thon around our Obon Circle in the parking lot to raise funds for the Kitchen Project. The activity will begin at 3 p.m. Please come watch and root them on OR enjoy a stroll around the Obon circle as well.

Avis Honda, Co-Advisor

Back in February, we announced the re-establishment of the Young Buddhist Association (YBA) to the Board of Directors who had our full support. Since then we’ve had a few more people show interest in joining, and are starting to plan a series of ac-tivities for everyone at the Temple to enjoy. Our first event, “Culture Series: Yakisoba Cooking Class” on April 27, was the first of a series of classes open to anyone who would like to attend. A full report will be posted in the next issue of the Bussei Script. The goal for YBA is to bring together young adults (ages 18-35) for social, cultural, and volunteer activities. If you or anyone you know are interested in the group, or would like more information, please contact the Temple and they will direct you to one of the members. Thank you!

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

UPDATE

Many thanks to all of you who have renewed your 2013 memberships pledge and payment of dues. For the rest of you, please turn your attention to this effort now! Membership forms can be downloaded from the Temple website or picked up at the office, or found in the monthly newsletter. Members who joined (in boldface) or who renewed over the last month include: Cathy Bartels, Sally Ishihara, Tomomi Sakatani & Setsuko Lam-bert, Akiko (Alice) Matsumoto, Kay Ochi, Jeff & Kathy Sakai, Robert Taniguchi, and Chad And Sonya Sakamoto. Please note that these names reflect forms processed as of the third week of April. If you recently renewed but don’t see your name here, please let us know by calling or emailing (info@btsd.net) so we can research the paperwork for you. Not Yet Halfway. We are not yet at the halfway mark for renewals as the first half of 2013 draws to a close. Pledges make up a significant part of our budget and help us pay for today’s expenses, so please don’t delay.

Bingo Night on March 23 had a small turnout. At Bingo on April 27, the VFW served their delicious Hot dogs and Chili dogs. Remember, the Temple gets 50% of all the pro-ceeds. Bingo starts at 6:00 p.m. Buy-in is $10.00 (including a raffle ticket), with extra cards at $0.50 each. Pull tabs are also available for $0.50 each. Bring your family and friends for a fun night of BINGO! Hope to see you there next time!

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FRIDAY LUNCH AT KIKU GARDENS

Rev. Mukojima encourages the Sangha to participate in the Memorial Day services that will take place on Monday, May 27. The day begins with a service at El Camino Memorial (formerly Cypress View) in the Japanese section of the mausole-um beginning at 8:30 a.m. The Japanese community service will be held at Mt. Hope Cemetery starting at 9:30 a.m. in the Japa-nese section. Sensei will conduct a service at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the southeast section of the cemetery near the gazebo. On Saturday, May 25, Rev. Mukojima and a few temple members will travel to the Imperial Valley for memorial services at Brawley, Calexico and El Centro cemeteries. Please contact the temple for more information on all of the observances.

MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCES

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION AVAILABLE IN MAY!

The BTSD Scholarship Committee is happy to begin distrib-uting scholarship applications by email during the first week of May, for both graduating senior high school students about to start their freshman college year and college students continu-ing their education. If you do not receive an application directly, please request one from the Temple Secretary, Jamie Shimizu, by phone or email. While scholarship amounts are not yet con-firmed, last year scholarships amounts were $500. Ben Honda Memorial Scholarship. For graduating high school seniors.

BTSD will host the weekly Kiku Gardens Senior Lunch pro-gram on Friday, May 17. The lunch is from 12 noon to 1 p.m. Cost is $3 per person for a nutritious and hot lunch. Kiku Gardens is located at 1260 Third Avenue in Chula Vista.

For our Bazaar’s Opportunity Drawing and for the Silent Auc-tion, Bill Teague and Aki Tomiyama respectively are asking for your help in securing donations. If you would like to donate an item, please call Bill Teague (619-248-3749) or the Temple so we can make arrangements with you to pick it up. Favorite Vendor. Better yet, do you have a favorite restau-rant or shop you go to frequently? Ask them for a donation! Call Bill or the Temple for a copy of our solicitation letter and on-the-spot tax receipt.

TEMPLE OPPORTUNITY DRAWING PRIZES AND SILENT AUCTION

PRIZES NOW SOLICITED

dent minister of the independent Buddhist Temple of Chicago, which he founded in 1944. In his essays he gently bids us to join him in looking at the everyday world around us to make the Dharma come alive. Rev. Kubose passed away in 2000. Back after Selling Out: Ocean, by Ken Tanaka, first written in 1997, remains useful as an introduction to Buddhism because it was generated by a series of interfaith discussions. The book is organized by chapter and includes short questions and brief answers, starting with general Buddhism and continuing through aspects of our Jodo Shinshu tradition. Back after Selling Out: Buddhism from the Heart, is by Prof. of Religions, Jeff Wilson. As a young man, he encountered Shin Buddhism as presented by Rev. Taitetsu Unno over twenty years ago. Prof. Wilson, who also has a tokudo level ordination, writes knowingly and appreciatively of our tradition in a series of warm essays on interesting topics. Other Book News. We have also replenished our stock of Rev. Marvin Harada’s Discovering Buddhism in Everyday Life. Readers of Rev. Harada’s book will not be surprised that early on he studied with Rev. Kubose in Chicago. And Don’t Forget Local Author Rev. Tesshi Aoyama. We have several of Rev. Aoyama’s books, including his most recent, Nembutsu Daze, which includes anecdotes about his term at the BTSD resident minister.

Tets Kashima Memorial Scholarship. For college students continuing their studies. Applications are due July 1, 2013, and for the scholarship for ongoing college students, must include a brief essay on the top-ic assigned. Note: To be eligible, a student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) must be current Temple members. Temple involvement and activities will be considered carefully in the selection process.

CALL IN G A LL YO UTH CA M PERS !

PAGE | 7 B T S D B U S S E I S C R I P T M A Y 2 0 1 3

HAVE AN OLD EYE SORE IN YOUR DRIVE WAY?

GET RID OF IT!

DONATE YOUR OLD VEHICLE TO THE TEMPLE!

Running or not...

Cars, boats, vans, trucks, or RV’s

This year, through the vehicle donations program, we have raised over $3,000 from the generosity of

our temple members and temple friends.

Ji Shin Kyo Nin Shin: “Believe in the Teachings Yourself, and guide others to Believe” is the theme for this year’s Southern District Conference. The conference will be held on Saturday, June 8 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Los Angles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Tem-ple. The keynote speaker will be Rev. Kiyonobu Kuwahara, Co-Director of the Center for Buddhist Education in Berkeley. Ku-wahara-sensei will speak to delegates in both English and Japa-nese. Registration fee is $50 per person (includes lunch and $5.00 for the Zaidan Fund). The deadline to register is May 31. If there are 40 registered delegates, the temple will charter a bus. More information regarding transportation is forthcoming. Please contact the temple if you are interested on attending.

SOUTHERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE IS JUNE 8!

Registration continues for the LABCC Youth Summer Camp program. The camp is geared towards registered Dharma

Hatsumairi Hatsumairi (Infant Presentation Ceremony) is a ceremony in which your child or grandchild is presented to Amida Buddha for the first time. In Japanese it is called Shosan–shiki, “The First Visitation.” This year, Hatsumairi will take place on Sunday, May

19, 2013 at 9 a.m. preceding the Gotan-e Service. If you would like to have your child and/or grandchild take place in this cere-mony, please complete the form below and return it by Sunday, May 12, 2013 to either Avis Honda (Dharma School Superin-

tendent) or to the temple’s office. We ask that the participants be there at 8:30 a.m.

Hatsumairi Ceremony Participation Form MAY 19, 2013

Participant’s Full Name: ______________________________________________________________

Participant’s Date of Birth: ____________________________________________________________

Parent’s Name(s): ___________________________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip ______________________________________________________________________

Phone Number: ____________________________________________________________________

E-mail Address: _____________________________________________________________________

Due by: SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2013

Cash. Finally, cash donations are appreciated too, as they offset the money spent for the top raffle prizes. Send to the Temple and specify “Bazaar Opportunity Drawing Cash Dona-tion.”

School youths ages 8-13 and will be held July 27 to August 3 at Camp Morningstar near the town of Barton Flats. The camp is located northeast of Redlands in the Angeles National Forest. The fee is $325 per camper. Families with multiple campers will have adjusted rates. Campers will engage in activities including nenju making, archery, swimming, hiking and star gazing. Each day begins with a morning service and Dharma message from a minister. Please contact the temple if your returning camper did not receive a registration packet or if you are a newcomer interest-ed in the program.

FURNITURE SALE SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2013

8:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.

BUDDHIST TEMPLE OF SAN DIEGO

2929 Market Street, San Diego, CA 92102

(619) 239-0896 info@btsd.net www.btsd.net

The Temple will be having a

Furniture Sale to make room for incoming “Fall Rum-

mage Sale” items! So come stop by the

Temple for any of your furniture “needs”!

BUDDHIST TEMPLE OF SAN DIEGO Membership Pledge for 2013

Renewal New Member* Sponsorship* Change of Address

Mr. Mrs. Ms. NAME: __________________________________ BIRTHDATE: _____________________

Mr. Mrs. SPOUSE NAME: ________________________________ BIRTHDATE: _____________________

ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________________________________________

CITY: _____________________________________________ STATE: _______________ ZIP: _______________

PHONE: (________) ________-____________ CELL PHONE: (________) ________-____________

WORK PHONE: (________) ________-____________

E-MAIL: ___________________________________________ OCCUPATION: _____________________________

Membership Pledge: The temple has an annual campaign to raise funds that go towards the Operating Budget. This budg-

et pays for ministerial salary, part-time staff, programs, utilities, maintenance and the day-to-day expenses of running the tem-ple. This tiered membership offers members the opportunity to choose their level of donation.

Sponsorship Pledge: Individuals are invited to sponsor a new or existing member under the current membership program.

Sustaining Dana Wisteria Bodhi Member Member Member Member

Individual / Senior / Youth (All Ages)

Couple / Family

Optional: Senior Reduced Cost (75 years and older)

Optional: Youth Reduced Cost (30 years and younger)

Recommended Annual Donations (Optional): FLORAL OFFERING FUND (Suggested annual donation of $40) The fund helps defray cost of regular fresh flowers for the Onaijin (Central Altar).

GENERAL MAINTENANCE FUND (Suggested annual donation of $40) The fund helps provide upkeep of the Temple properties.

SCHOLARSHIP FUND (Suggested annual donation of $20) The fund rewards members’ deserving high school graduates and college students.

DHARMA SCHOOL (Suggested annual donation of $20) Dharma School does not conduct fundraisers. Your annual donation helps sustain its activities.

TOTAL AMOUNT

AMOUNT ENCLOSED

PLEASE INDICATE PAYMENT SCHEDULE: _______ Annually _______ Semi-annually _______ Quarterly _______ Monthly

$275 $375 $500 $

$450 $650 $1000 $

$125

$150

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$

$

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To use credit card:

____ Visa ____ MasterCard Acct# ___________________________________ Expires (MM/YY) _____________________________

Authorized signature (if charging): _______________________________________________________________________________

Billing address (if different from above): ____________________________________________________ Zip _________________

Please make your check payable to the Buddhist Temple of San Diego. A percentage of your dues supports the Buddhist Churches of America and is remitted annually to the BCA via the Temple. Benefits include a year’s subscription to the BCA publication, “Wheel of Dharma” and a printed copy of our monthly newsletter, the “Bussei Script.” THANK YOU!

Mailing address to send your pledges: Buddhist Temple of San Diego 2929 Market Street San Diego, California 92102

For any questions about membership, please call the Temple at 619-239-0896 or send inquires to the Membership Chair at info@btsd.net.

* For NEW MEMBERS and SPONSORSHIPS, proration is available.

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BTSD Special Service Credit Card Donations 2013

ENVELOPE FREE DONATION: BTSD is offering the opportunity to conveniently plan your special service donation(s) by using your credit card. Please indicate the amount you wish to donate for each service and the treasurers’ committee will take care of your transaction(s).

Name ________________________________________________ E-mail _______________________________

Address _______________________________________________________ Unit. Number ________________

City ______________________________________________ State __________ Zip code _________________

Phone ( ___________ ) _________________________ Work Phone ( __________ ) _____________________

SPECIAL SERVICE DONATIONS 2013

New Year’s Day (Shusho-e) – January 1 This is a day of dedication. With renewed resolution, we dedicate ourselves to the way of the Nembutsu.

Hoonko (Shinran Shonin Memorial Day) – January 13 Commemorating the memory of Shinran Shonin (May 21, 1173 – January 16, 1262), the Founder of Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land sect). Shinran Shonin was the first to teach absolute faith in Amida Buddha.

Nirvana Day (Nehan-e) – February 10 On this day we solemnly observe the passing of Sakyamuni Buddha into Pari-nirvana.

Spring Higan (Higan-e) – March 17 Higan (“Other Shore”) is observed on or around the Spring equinox. During this time, harmony rules throughout the universe. Therefore, we gather before the shrine of Amida Buddha to devote ourselves to the realization of this harmony in our inner lives.

Hanamatsuri (Buddha Day) – April 14

Celebrating the birth of Gautama (the historical Buddha) in Lumbini Garden. A flower shrine (“Hanamido”) is set up in front of the main altar representing Lumbini Garden. The sangha offers flowers and pours sweet tea over a statue of the infant Buddha.

Gotan-e / Fujimatsuri (Shinran Shonin Day) – May 19 Shinran Shonin was born near Kyoto, Japan on May 21, 1173. On this day we observe his birth as the founder of the Jodo Shinshu sect.

O Bon (Bon) – July 28 Bon is a Buddhist Memorial Day. It is an occasion for rejoicing in the enlightenment offered by the Buddha. It is often referred to as the “Gathering of Joy.”

Fall Higan (Higan-e) – September 15 The sangha gathers once again, on or around the Fall equinox to recall the practice of the Six Paramitas.

Eitaikyo (Perpetual Memorial) – November 10

On this day, all dedicated members and Dharma friends who devoted themselves to the spiritual welfare of the temple, whether known or unknown, are honored so that we may continue to practice the Buddha’s teachings.

Bodhi Day (Jodo-e) – December 8 Gautama meditated under the Bodhi Tree (Tree of Enlightenment) and became a Buddha; perfect in Wisdom and Compassion.

Joya-e (Year-end Service) – December 31 On New Year’s Eve we meditate on the countless blessings we have received throughout the year and express our gratitude to our parents, our nation, all beings and Amida Buddha.

Please mail this form to: Buddhist Temple of San Diego c/o Treasurers 2929 Market Street San Diego, CA 92102

For any questions about Special Service credit card donations, please call the Temple at 619-239-0896, or send inquiries to the Treasurer at info@btsd.net.

Credit card: Visa Mastercard (credit cards will be charged during the month of each special service.)

Acct#: ______________________________________________________ Expires (MM/YY): ________ / ________

Authorized signature (if charging): ___________________________________________________________________

Billing address (if different from above): ______________________________________________________________

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MAY MONTHLY MEMORIAL (May 5)…

GOTAN-E (Fujimatsuri) and HATSUMAIRI (May 19),

Please join us as we observe Gotan-e on Sunday, May 19 at 10:00 a.m. Our guest speaker will be Rev. Masao Kodani of the Senshin Buddhist Temple. GOTAN-E celebrates the birth of SHINRAN SHONIN (1173-1262), founder of Shin Buddhism. The life and teachings of Shinran Shonin constitute one of the most significant developments in the history of Buddhism, for it was Shinran who discovered a path for the lay person which ensured that the treasures of the Dharma would be accessible to all people without discrimination. This observance is also called Fujimatsuri (Wisteria Festival), after the purple flower which represents our denomination. Though the flowers grow high on intertwined branches of a tall and sturdy tree, unlike other flowers which stand up when in full blossom, the wisteria hangs down, as if in humility. Following the Gotan-E Service, everyone is welcome to attend a Special Dharma Lecture which will be given by our guest speaker, Rev. Kodani at 1:00 p.m. in the Sangha Hall. Rev. Kodani will speak about Shinran Shonin’s insight into the ultimate mysteries of Buddhist understanding, not as academic study, but as human experience. The Hatsumairi, infant presentation ceremony, will take place at 9 a.m., prior to the Gotan-e service. Families of young children are encouraged to have this ceremony performed by Mukojima-sensei in front of Amida Buddha. Please contact the temple to sign up and for more information. Deadline is May 12. The May Shotsuki Hoyo (Memorial Service) for those who passed away during the month of May will be held on Sunday, May 5, at 10:00 a.m. in conjunction with the regular Family Service. On Sunday, May 12, Reverend Kenji Akahoshi from San Jose will deliver messages during the Dharma School/Family service be-ginning at 10 a.m. The Sangha is encouraged to attend and listen to Akahoshi-sensei’s messages. Following the service meet and greet Rev. Akahoshi during hospitality. Prior to the service the Jr. YBA will have its annual Mother’s Day breakfast from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. in the Annex Hall. Moms are free! All other guests are $3.

An envelope is enclosed if you would like to make an offering for Gotan-e. For those who subscribe to the Bussei Script online, we invite your Go-tan-e donation. As always, the Temple looks forward to your participation and is very grateful for your support.

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE

PAID San Diego, California

PERMIT NO. 396

Bussei Script BUDDHIST TEMPLE OF SAN DIEGO 2929 Market Street San Diego, California 92102 619/239-0896 info@btsd.net www.btsd.net

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

“For the time being, you may not have a job, or you might continue to be a burden upon your parents, but that is no reason to belittle yourself by saying that you are a useless per-son. You are, in this world, a unique existence, and no one can take your place.”

~Monshu Koshin Ohtani , “The Buddha’s Wish for the World”