GOLDEN  CHAIN    Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church 32975 Alvarado Niles Road Union City, CA 94587-3165 Church Office: (510) 471-2581

E-mail: sacbc@sbcglobal.net Website: www.sacbc.org Reverend’s Cell Phone: (510) 364-5611 Reverend’s e-mail: revhimaka@gmail.com Resident Minister: Rev. Carol Myokei Himaka January 2017

I am a link in the Buddha’s golden chain of love that stretches around the world. I must keep my link bright and strong. I will try to be kind and gentle to every living thing and protect all who are weaker than myself. I will try to think pure and beautiful thoughts, to say pure and beautiful words, and to do pure and beautiful deeds, knowing that on what I do now depends not only my happiness or unhappiness, but also that of others. May every link in the Buddha’s golden chain of love become bright and strong,and may we all attain perfect peace.

New Year Day ---- 2017

For celebrating New Year’s I’ve grown accustomed to spending the time quietly at home. Lately,

I don’t even want to watch TV New Year events. In Japan, New Year’s Eve is a very quiet occasion. If

you step outside all you hear is the faint sound of a temple bell ringing in the distance. That lonely

sound, almost makes the coming of a New Year seem sad, as if one were mourning a death or some

other deep loss.

At midnight, the temple bell rings out 108 times. When I looked for a reason as to why this is done, I

could find no historical Buddhist reason. Apparently this is a strictly Japanese tradition. A kind of blend of Shinto

purification and Buddhist meditation awareness. The number 108 has many different explanations but usually

stands for the number of hinderances caused by our existence within a physical body. The number is derived

usually from counting the 6 senses, multiplied by the 6 sensations created by contact of these sense organs with

sense objects of the world. This number (36) is then multiplied by 3, indicating that all possible sense

experiences can be categorized as either Pleasant, Unpleasant, or Neutral. The Japanese Buddhists ring the bell

108 times to symbolically banish these hinderances, so we can enter the new year clean, pure and free from such

obstacles.

Even the ringing of the bell can become a distraction though. Especially if one becomes attached to the

ritual. I was leading a group at a public event in ringing the bell once, and to make it fair, everyone had to be

given a number, so they could ring the bell. A woman came up to ring the bell and she had number 83. She

excitedly asked me "What is the hinderance associated with 83?" I was surprised and told her that as far as I

know, there are no direct associations linked with specific numbers. She was disappointed. However, her

question prompted me to search if there were such a list of "hinderances" associated with the symbolic 108. I

looked but could not find any such list. There exist many lists. especially in Theravada tradition, but they usually

list various states of Mind, which are meant to focus one's practice of meditation, but no 108 hinderances. I'm left

to conclude that this is a Japanese Buddhist tradition.

Actually it's more important to for us to focus on the silence that exists before and after each ring of the

bell because it is the silence that is the greater sustaining reality – not the sound of the bell.

A noted modern spiritual teacher, Eckhart Tolle, writes:

Silence is helpful, but you don’t need it in order to find stillness. Even when there is noise, you can be aware of the stillness underneath the noise, of the space in which noise arises. That is the inner space of pure awareness, consciousness itself. You can become aware of awareness as the background to all your sense perceptions, all your thinking. Becoming aware of awareness is the arising of inner stillness.

The practice he advocates is learning how to focus your attention on the Now. This advice is justified because the

Future is not yet real and the Past is already gone, so the only moment of True Reality is the Now. Now is the

only “place” or “time” when we can actually do something of any consequence . Now is also the only place we

will discover the peace of inner stillness discovered by the buddhas of long ago.

As we welcome this new year, let us strive to keep our attention on the Now moments in our lives. Not

the Now moments of anyone else, but the Now of our own lives. If world peace can be found at all, it can only

begin from within, in our own moments of reflection on the Now. If we listen really hard, we may be able to hear

within those peaceful moments of Now, Namo Amida Butsu.

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2017 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING January 15th, 2017

11:15 am immediately following Ho-On-Ko Service

Each year, we hold a general meeting of our entire membership to conduct required on-going business such as approving our 2017 Budget. We need a quorum to convene this meeting so please either plan on attending or if you cannot attend, send in a proxy. Proxy forms have been sent out in the year end packet and are also available at our office. I don’t anticipate any major agenda issues but please make an effort to attend as this annual meeting is a great opportunity to get better informed about our church activities and plans. In Gassho, Ken Suyama Board President ****************************************************************************

2017 BCA CALENDARS

The 2017 BCA calendars are here! They are available in the Hondo lobby or church office. Please, 1 calendar per member household.

JANUARY SHOTSUKI HOYO

Family, relatives and friends are invited to attend the monthly memorial service for the following on Sunday January 8, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.

Deceased Family 1937 Chizuko Sekigahama Sekigahama Family 1958 Sakue Kamiji Mrs. Sachi Fudenna & Mrs. Michi Handa

1960 Tsuru Nomura Nomura Family 1965 Hichizo Ota Mrs. Hajime Ota 1966 Ruriko Kataoka Kataoka Family 1968 Koyuri Shibata Shibata Family 1976 Moto Tsurui Tsurui Family 1978 Haruyo Kawaguchi Mr. & Mrs. Yoshimi Nakamura

1986 Taijuu Kato Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Sakuda 1993 Tsuyuko Suzuki Mrs. Yukie Kawase 2000 Dennis James Hatakeda Mr. Harold Hatakeda

2002 Toshiharu Okada Mr. & Mrs. Hideo Okada 2003 Katsunori Hatsushi Mrs. Kyoko Hatsushi 2005 Tsugio Nishimura Mr. & Mrs. Fujio Yamamoto 2006 Yoshiko Kawaguchi Kawaguchi Family 2006 John Nagata Mrs. Jamie Nagata 2007 Marie Payne Mrs. Nancy Camacho 2007 Hosshi Shingetsu Akahoshi Mr. Hiro Akahoshi 2008 Ken Okubo Mrs. Keiko Okubo 2011 June Okino Okino Family 2011 Yuka Matoba Mrs. Haru Hamamoto 2011 Jon Nakamoto Mr. & Mrs. Seiji Nakamoto 2014 Moss Fujii Ms. Naoko Fujii & Ms. Chieko Fujii 2014 Molly Kitajima Mr. & Mrs. Bob Kitajima Yoshimitsu Ushijima Mr. & Mrs. Yasushi Yamada Chiyemi Sakuda Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Sakuda Christopher Takayama Mr. & Mrs. Michael Takayama Ichitaro Yamasaki Mr. Kyle Yamasaki Matsue Yamasaki Mr. Kyle Yamasaki Kathleen Marie Dupler Mr. Ron Dupler Machi Doami Doami Family Marcus Susumu Hishinuma Mr. & Mrs. Sabu Hishinuma Richard Sakakida Sakakida Family

Tsugiko Hayashi Mr. Richard Hayashi Edward Cuccia Ms. Ann Cuccia

NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU NAMO AMIDA BUTSU

Memorial Service 2017 Memorial year for those who passed away in:

2016 – 1 year 2015 – 3 year 2011 – 7 year

2005 – 13 year 2001 – 17 year 1993 – 25 year

1985 – 33 year 1968 – 50 year 1918 – 100 year

If this is a special service year for a departed relative, please contact Rev. Carol Myokei Himaka at (510) 364-5611 to schedule a memorial service.

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2017 – Year of the Rooster

January 1 , 2 0 1 7 - Shusho-E Service Sunday, 10 A.M.

Let us welcome 2017 with Rev. Carol Himaka Kagami mochi will adorn the altar.

A sake toast will offer wishes for good will and good health.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ January 8 , 2 0 1 7 – Shot suki Hoyo

10 A.M. At this monthly memorial service, we honor those loved ones

who passed away in the month of January.

Dharma School to follow service.

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January 1 5 , 2 0 1 7 – Ho-On-Ko Service 10 A.M.

This is the memorial service for Shinran Shonin, founder of the Jodo Shinshu Sect.

The SACBC Board of Directors will be installed.

The General Meeting will be held. A quorum is needed so please attend or sign a proxy.

Ho-On-Ko Otoki will follow the meeting.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

January 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 – Family Service 10 A.M.

Dharma School will chair this service.

Dharma School to follow service.

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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ January 2 9 , 2 0 1 7 – Family Service

10 A.M.

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BWA NEWS by Nancy Minamide

Happy New Year! Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2017. We had a wonderful Year End celebration. Our thanks to Karen Suyama for the donations of recycle bags for our raffle. Edythe Vassal was our guest speaker. She gave an enlightening dharma message. Sorry about the mix-up concerning check payments. As you have heard, our church mailbox was broken into by vandals. If you are able please send a replacement check to those who attended and told me their payment was in the mail. Please set aside January 27 for our BWA bingo night. We need volunteers to sell Flash cards as well as help in the kitchen. Toban leaders will call you for donations of cakes, pies and cookies. You can begin to bring donations for our rummage sale on March 4 and 5. Place your items on the bazaar food line counter behind the gym. REMEMBER: NO FURNITURE OR CHILDREN CAR SEATS. ******************************************************************************

NOTICE: MAILBOX THEFT

Recently, the church mailbox was broken into. Several envelopes, possibly containing checks, were stolen. If you sent a check to the church in the past couple of weeks please contact our treasurer, Larry Gissible, our membership treasurer, Yvette Hornig, or the appropriate organization treasurer to see if they received your check. If necessary, you may have to call your bank and put a stop payment on the check. We have installed a lock mailbox to try and prevent such occurrences from happening again. Many thanks to Bob Kitajima for purchasing and installing the new mailbox. Sorry for any inconvenience.

2017 SACBC Board of Directors

2017 Officers President Ken Suyama VP Operations John Arai VP Religious Activities Karen Fujii Recording Secretary Karen Suyama Treasurer Larry Gissible Membership Treasurer Yvette Hornig Equipment Treasurer Iris Yakuma Corresponding Secretary Pat Takemoto General Counsel Garret Murai Past President Ken Suyama Honorary Advisor Dr Walter Hashimoto 2017 Elected Board Members Dave Abe Hideo Okada John Arai Neil Okamura Nancy Dodd Dean Osaki Karen Fujii JoAnn Rogers Reina Fujii Mark Shimomura Larry Gissible Karen Suyama Yvette Hornig Pat Takemoto Palitha Jayaweera Ermina Teramura Noel Lowe Judy Tokubo Curtis Mark Tet Uemura Jamie Nagata Katherine Velasco Paul Nakao Iris Yakuma Ben Norling Kyle Yamasaki Organization Representatives BWA Nancy Minamide Dharma School Cathleen Yoshida & Cindy Sakihara Jr YBA Noreen Osaki AA Ken Matsubayashi Koto Buki No Kai TBD Cub/Boy Scout Christine Tanizawa O Nami Taiko Bob Kitajima Japanese Language School Garret Murai Kendo Dr. Walter Hashimoto Bingo George Nakamura