Yes, that’s right! For the first time, Ginza will take place in July. So mark your calendars and tell your friends and families! Help us spread the word to all of our members, guests, and volunteer workers about this year’s new dates! As we finalize details, we will update our Ginza website. We hope to see you at GINZA in JULY!
date posted:
Ask Reverend Todd
Welcome to the Ask Rev Todd blog page. If you have a question about Shin Buddhism or the Midwest Buddhist Temple, feel free to submit an inquiry through the Ask Rev Todd button. Responses may be posted to this site with permission.
Rev. Todd is continuing the outreach effort that was started by Rev Miyamura over 10 years ago and you can find the archive of Rev Ron’s answers below.
As a child, I remember Easter as a fun holiday—coloring eggs, having an Easter basket filled with goodies, and a family party including an Easter egg hunt (who would find the “golden” egg?). I even wore an Easter bonnet to Dharma School! I never thought of it as a Christian holiday. We’ve continued many of these fun Easter traditions, but as a Buddhist, is it “OK” to celebrate Easter (and Christmas)?
We live in the U.S. and American culture promotes many wonderful secular aspects of these holidays. My childhood memory of Easter is also about coloring eggs, Easter egg hunts and getting candy. However, I’m not so sure if the coloring of eggs, egg hunts and the Easter Bunny have religious meaning.
But I think we can respect and appreciate the sanctity of the religious holiday while celebrating the positive cultural aspects that we have come to enjoy—things like getting together as a family and the gratitude and joy we see in young children. These are universal benefits in any tradition.
As a recognized holiday in American society, time is set aside for many of these traditions along with its commercialization so there is nothing wrong with taking advantage of that opportunity from a Buddhist perspective.
As we all celebrate together, this can open up a dialogue for a better understanding of each other.
Gassho, Rev. Todd
If one doesn’t attend temple and isn’t a part of a Sangha, can he/she/they be good Buddhists and can they possibly reach Enlightenment?
As a minister I would encourage attendance at every Sunday service to be a good Buddhist!
But in all seriousness, this question brings up the question of religious identity. What makes one a Buddhist?
This can take many forms. It is not just one way.
I think Jodo Shinshu has a big tent with the Dharma as its center support that encompasses everyone.
You may have heard of “night-stand” Buddhists. Those who are well-read in Buddhist texts but are not involved in a Sangha or claim a religious affiliation.
Buddhism refers to the three jewels that are important to the Buddhist follower. These are Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. So being with a community of followers (Sangha) is an important and helpful part of our tradition. For a Shin Buddhist, our practice is learning from our daily life. It is deep hearing which is not just listening to the teachings, but also learning from our experiences with each other.
Being with a Sangha is part of this process.
But what about those who are unable to or are uncomfortable being part of a Sangha? Are they bad Buddhists? No!
The notion of being a “good Buddhist” implies there is a “bad Buddhist.” It is not an either/or dualistic thought. They are both sides of the same coin. If we look within ourselves, we are all good and bad Buddhists!
However, in the Shin tradition, there is Great Compassion given to us by Amida Buddha, which is the Wisdom and Compassion or understanding and caring that sustain our lives. The Buddha sees things without discrimination so one does not have to be what we think of as a “good Buddhist” to receive this compassion. We all have our human limitations, and it is not in spite of, but because of, them that we are embraced as we are.
However, just because there is an antidote doesn’t mean you should take the poison. We should each strive to move toward expanding our awareness and understanding of what Amida Buddha means to us—to see the wisdom and compassion in our lives.
Gassho, Rev. Todd
How did you decide to become a Buddhist minister?
Many of my life experiences have brought me to this point. What was probably the most influential was the death of my sister when I was a teenager and how it affected our family and so many others.
When I saw how people were changed by her life, I came to realize I was surrounded by people who lived with the Dharma in their lives. Although my parents were devastated by her death, when I reflect back, I see how the compassionate working of Amida Buddha was a guiding light in their life. Through them, I have come to realize that the Dharma was being taught to me every day. Although I didn’t pursue the ministry initially and became a dentist, the way I practiced was strongly influenced by my Jodo Shinshu upbringing.
So after leaving my dental practice, causes and conditions made it possible for me to learn more about the teachings. My sister was married when she died and her husband at the time became a Buddhist minister and scholar. He became my teacher at the Institute of Buddhist Studies and was very influential in my education and my decision to become a minister.
Gassho, Rev. Todd
In the Contemplation Sutra, it talks about nembutsu samadhi. What exactly is nembutsu samadhi? How do you achieve it? How do you go about visualizing the Pure Land, the bodhisattva, and Amida?
Nembutsu Samadhi is Nembutsu Meditation, which takes several forms.
In the Contemplation Sutra, it refers to a type of meditation using visualization. In particular, one is supposed to meditate on “seeing” what the Pure Land is like—sights, sounds, smells and everything. The Pure Land is often described as the “Land” of utmost bliss.
By visualizing the Pure Land, one should desire, all the more, wanting to be born (or re-born) there. So, one tries to visualize the perfection of the Pure Land, which is so far beyond this world of Samsara (world of change).
Shinran acknowledged the role that the Contemplation Sutra plays in the development of Pure Land Buddhism, but he did not directly say that we should be concerned with things like Nembutsu Samadhi.
Shinran considered such practices as interesting, but had to be considered as selfpower practices which did not necessarily directly assist us in accepting the Wisdom and Compassion that is Amida Buddha.
Some of the other forms of Nembutsu Samadhi are:
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
I was reading that you are not supposed to mix the Nembutsu with other Buddhist and other religious practices. I used to do tai chi and yoga. I would like to do them as exercises. I was wondering, if you didn’t follow their practices and beliefs, could you do them? Or do you have to give them up?
Shinran was very clear, the only practice is Nembutsu. Not only that, but a specific kind of Nembutsu practice. Only the Tariki (Other Power) Nembutsu— that was not mixed with meditative practices and non-meditative practices—would lead one to the Pure Land.
Only by acknowledging and accepting one’s own limitations can one ever hope to receive Shinjin (Awakening), and this is to realize all efforts and practices are fruitless.
One prepares to receive the gift of Wisdom and Compassion. However, in order to “best select” the pure Nembutsu practice of Shinran, one has to have many experiences and probably much experimentation.
For most people, it is only by having a lot of experiences that they are able to not only select “my practice” but also to have the wisdom to find my “best” practice.
I like the idea of “best select” because we come to make a choice only after much thought, experience and insight. And when one can discard the Ego-Self enough to receive.
Doing tai chi or yoga or anything is fine. It is part of making each of us a more wellrounded person. Of course, doing these kinds of exercise is fine, and it might add to your experiences in being more human, and more of an ordinary person.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
What are some common examples of “self power” that you see from other people? If you keep Amida Buddha in mind and just live your life, is that considered “other power”? What should we watch out for to keep “other power” from becoming “self power”?
The most common examples of “self power” is probably those people who think something like Zen meditation will cause their Enlightenment. (Serious Zen teachers know that “other power,” or at least, something beyond ourselves is needed.)
The other common self power practice is just thinking that one can just practice something and become the next Buddha (the ultimate ego trip).
A Shin Buddhist knows that everything that we do is self power and, thus, just wasted energy. Only by admitting one’s limitations can we allow other power to even enter into our lives.
Other power enters our lives without any effort on our part. It just happens (thus shinjin is called a “crosswise transcendent” experience. It happens suddenly and without any effort, it just happens).
Another way of looking at it is: everything before shinjin is self power and, after shinjin, one can look back and see that it was meant to be because it led up to the experience of shinjin.
Maybe, all those self-power efforts were needed so that the causes and conditions could come about to accept shinjin.
To accept shinjin is so difficult because our ego keeps getting in the way, and we continue to reject the gift of shinjin.
As for the second part of your question—Is just living life considered other power—the answer is yes and no.
Yes, because when we live our lives naturally and freely, with mindfulness and kindness, then we are setting up the causes and conditions for shinjin.
No, because we are attached to our ego, and we seek shinjin. The more we seek, the more elusive.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
I just wanted to be sure I understood ego self and non-ego self. Is ego self our self-focused selves? Is non-ego self when we realize we are limited and can’t reach enlightenment on our own and depend on Amida Buddha to help us obtain enlightenment in the Pure Land?
I am not sure by what you mean by non-egoself, but if it is when we realize that we are truly limited, then your question makes sense.
The ego-self is our selfish self. We are full of blind passion (Bonno) and we wander through life trying to fulfill our selfish desires.
But, after we truly encounter Amida, and we admit how useless our self-efforts really are, then the non-ego-self is the “small ego” that allows us to continue to function as human beings—but with a different attitude and perspective because one is embraced by the Wisdom and Compassion of Amida.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
When you become a Shin Buddhist do you start on the path of being a bodhisattva or do you have to make the decision to become a bodhisattva? How do you become a bodhisattva? What is important to keep in mind being a bodhisattva in today’s world?
One of the unique things about Shin Buddhism is that one does not change when becoming a Shin Buddhist. The basis of Shin Buddhism is that we are all Bombu (limited and full of evil human beings), and there is nothing that we can do to change our limited and evil self. Thus, for us, the only alternative is to rely on the Infinite Wisdom and Compassion shared with us by Amida Buddha.
And this is complete reliance on Amida is called shinjin. Shinjin is the Awakening in this life that we Shin Buddhists look forward to.
Yet, we cannot do anything that will cause shinjin. Shinjin simply happens, it comes to us from Amida. Shinjin is not caused by any action or practice we humans can do.
Shinjin assures us birth in the Pure Land, and one can enjoy the benefits of the Pure Land in this life. However, if we do not receive or encounter shinjin in this life, that is fine because birth in the Pure Land is assured after death.
True, one becomes a bodhisattva of the Highest Rank of Non- Retrogression when one encounters shinjin in this life, but it is unrealistic to strive to become a bodhisattva because we are just too limited.
It is that spiritual contradiction; we cannot hope to become a bodhisattva by our own efforts, yet we can become a bodhisattva just by being our limited selfish human being.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
What are the best beginner books to understand the foundations of Buddhism that everyone should read?
The most basic book for all of Buddhism would be “What the Buddha Taught” by Walpola Rahua. Also a good survey of Buddhism might be “Buddha” by Karen Armstrong.
Buddhism is so diverse and may seem so different to a person looking at Buddhism for the first time. There are so many schools, sects and subsects (each proclaiming to have the true path). Actually we each have to find our own path, thus, there are so many sects.
For our sect of Pure Land Buddhism, called Jodo Shinshu in Japanese and translated as Shin Buddhism, I would suggest “Ocean” by Kenneth Tanaka (copies are available in the MBT Bookstore) and “River of Fire, River of Water: An Introduction to the Pure Land Tradition of Shin Buddhism” by Taitetsu Unno.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
When you become a Shin Buddhist, do you start on the path of being a bodhisattva or do you have to make the decision to become a bodhisattva? How do you become a bodhisattva? What is important to keep in mind being a bodhisattva in today’s world?
One of the unique things about Shin Buddhism is that one does not change when becoming a Shin Buddhist. The basis of Shin Buddhism is that we are all Bombu (limited human beings full of evil) and there is nothing that we can do to change our limited and evil self. Thus, for us the only alternative is to rely on the Infinite Wisdom and Compassion shared with us by Amida Buddha.
And this complete reliance on Amida is called Shinjin. Shinjin is the Awakening in this life that we Shin Buddhists look forward to.
Yet, we cannot do anything that will cause Shinjin. Shinjin simply happens. It comes to us from Amida. Shinjin is not caused by any action or practice we humans do. Shinjin assures us birth in the Pure Land, and one can enjoy the benefits of the Pure Land in this life. However, if we do not receive or encounter Shinjin in this life, that is fine because birth in the Pure Land is assured after death.
True, one becomes a Bodhisattva of the Highest Rank of Non-Retrogression when one encounters Shinjin in this life, but it is unrealistic to strive to become a bodhisattva because we are just too limited.
It is that spiritual contradiction. We cannot hope to become a Bodhisattva by our own efforts, yet we can become a Bodhisattva just by being our limited selfish human being.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
I have some questions about self-power practices. a) What is self-power exactly? b) Is it just doing anything by your own efforts? c) What are some common self-power practices that you commonly see or hear people doing as a minister? d) When you are doing a self-power practice how do you just f ix it?
An interesting set of questions…. For a) Self-power usually refers to using one’s own efforts to discover Enlightenment, just like the historical Shakyamuni Buddha did some 2,600 years ago by sitting under a Bodhi Tree. For b) Yes, it is doing things by our own efforts. And it the attitude that I can find my own Enlightenment on my own. It is certainly possible, but almost impossible because we no longer have the Teacher (the Shakyamuni Buddha) to guide us. For c) Self-Power is what allows the ego to grow. For example, when one starts to meditate and starts with breathing exercises. Then one gets pretty good at it. And, soon, the ego takes over, and one starts to compare how much better I can meditate than the person sitting next to me. And it goes on and on.
One starts believing that I meditate pretty good. And on and on. The ego grows.
For d) How to fix it… .well it comes with the realization that I need help. And one comes to realize that Other Power can help me. But one has to let go of the ego and become willing to accept help.
The difficulty with the Self Power and Other Power is thinking in a dualistic way—somehow we want Self Power to be the opposite of Other Power. In reality, there is no Self Power because it is used by human beings who are, by nature, temporary and thus limited. Other Power is the energy, workings and grace of the Buddhas.
Only when a human can let go of the ego (and Self Power), then one can allow the Buddhas to have an effect. But, we are trapped as humans. We need Self Power to realize Other Power.
As humans, we only have Self Power. We need our Self Power to begin the journey. And it is only later, when we realize our limitations and come to know how impossible it is to discover Enlightenment by our own efforts… only after giving up (discarding Self Power) can we allow Other Power to work on us.
This is actually a common thread in all of Mahayana Buddhism. Wisdom alone is not enough. We need Compassion. Accepting the Compassion of the Buddhas allows us to become a Bodhisattva (goal of Mahayana Buddhism) which allows Wisdom to be realized.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
How do I ensure a way of keeping Buddhism practices in my everyday life, almost as a habit?
Yes, it is out of habit, but we also need reminders. The basic practice of all Buddhists is to follow the Three Treasures of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
But it can take many forms.
For many traditional Shin Buddhists, there are home reminders. Among the reminders is to have a home Butsudan—a small home Buddhist altar (I really dislike the word altar since it comes from meaning a site of making sacrifices). Each morning, open the Butsudan, place our hands together (Gassho) with our Nenju (mediation beads) around our hands, and bow (Raihai). And do this while thinking about the Three Treasures of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and then saying the Nembutsu, “Namu Amida Butsu” (taking refuge in Amida Buddha). And at the end of the day, we close the Butsudan with Gassho, Raihai and Nembutsu.
Another reminder is to take a moment before we eat a meal, to put our hands together (Gassho) and to bow (Raihai) and say “Itadaki-masu” (I humbly accept this food with gratitude). And when we finish a meal, we do Gassho and Raihai, and say “Gochiso-sama” (I acknowledge the benefits of eating).
On a side note, Itadakimasu and Gochiso-sama are Japanese words, and you can alternatively say “Thank for the nourishment.”
Of course, another reminder is to attend our Sunday morning service when we can be among other Fellow Travelers (to be among the Sangha), either in person or virtually.
Some of the guideposts for everyday living.
In our everyday life, we should always try to be mindful of what we are doing and to be mindful of others.
There is not one way to practice Buddhism, and it should be both comfortable and comforting.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
I was reading a book about the Pure Land. It said the Pure Land is here and now. I thought that it was a place we go to when we die. I just wanted to double check that the Pure Land is a place where we go to when we die.
The Pure Land is both, hereand- now and a realm for after we die. In traditional Pure Land Buddhism, the Pure Land is something for after death. It is said that Amida and his entourage will appear when you call the Name of Amida Buddha (say, “Namu Amida Butsu”) with one’s last breath and, then, one would be carried off to the Pure Land. And there developed many physical practices to ensure one would call the Name of Amida Buddha. Sometimes these practices were to help ensure one would call the Name and, sometimes, these practices were to build up enough merit so that Amida would appear even if I forgot or could not call the Name.
Then comes Shinran. Shinran showed that any practice was selfish and self-motivated and, thus, doomed to failure. What mattered was “Faith” (Shinjin) or Awakening of one’s powerless self and limited self, and the only hope was to receive the Infinite Wisdom and Immeasurable Compassion of Amida.
Shinran called this the “Two Kinds of Deep Faith.” At the same time: On one hand, total failure, selfish and destined for hells; and on the other hand, embraced by Amida and destined for the Pure Land.
Of course, using logic and human thought, it is impossible to be both destined for hells and destined for the Pure Land at the same time. This is the spiritual core of Shinran’s thought and teaching.
Thus, the Pure Land is here and now. When one is Awakened with Shinjin, the benefits of the Pure Land are in this lifetime, while one is alive. And the Pure Land is the ultimate destination after death. This is a spiritual answer, not a logical answer.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
What does “abusing the Right Dharma” mean and how does one avoid it?
The “Right Dharma” refers to the Teaching of the Buddha, i.e., the words of the Buddha as transmitted in the Sutras.
When one tries to explain the Dharma, one does not add one’s own thoughts and ideas as if the Buddha said them. Abusing the Right Dharma refers to putting something else in the teachings as if it was from the words of the Buddha, such as adding Hindu or Christian, etc., beliefs into the Dharma. For example, saying “the Buddha is God and, therefore, …. blah, blah, blah …” It also means not to omit things from the Dharma when one tries to explain the Dharma. Abusing the Right Dharma refers to keeping the whole of the Sutras and maybe replacing one’s own thoughts— such as ignoring Karma and saying that fate is the only way things happen.
Thus, deep study is needed before transmitting the “Right Dharma” and that is why scholars and teachers are difficult to find. It is all too easy to take a small part of the Dharma and a personal understanding and then go off on a tangent, which might be considered “abusing the Right Dharma.” This is why Shin Buddhism encourages a collective style of Teachers/Minister.
That is, we do not have the guru style nor do we have a masterdisciple style of learning. Rather we encourage one to learn from many teachers and to listen to many ministers.
This is based on the idea that there are many paths to Enlightenment, but what matters is finding the path for you. (Of course, as a Shin Buddhist minister, I would hope you find the Nembutsu Path as your path).
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
Did Buddha say there was Amida Buddha and a Pure Land?
Yes, it is in the Sukha-vativuha Sutra also known as the Larger Sutra on Mitayus. If you do a Google search, you will probably come up with the BDK translation. In this Sutra, Sakyamuni Buddha explained how Dharmakara Bodhisattva made 48 Vows, and upon fulfillment of these vows became Amida Buddha (the combination of Amitayus and Amitabha).
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
I heard there is a Border Land. Is this a part of the Pure Land? What are some of the reasons that someone might go there?
Yes, there is a Border Land in most traditional Pure Land Buddhist schools/ sects. It refers to someone who dies and is not yet determined to enter the Pure Land due to incomplete practice. It is the Border Land between this physical world and the Spiritual World of the Pure Land.
For Shin Buddhists (Jodo Shinshu), as taught by Shinran Shonin, our founder, the Border Land does not really apply. Due to the inexhaustible (or infinite) Storehouse of Merit accumulated by Dharmakara Bodhisattva’s completion of Vows and becoming Amida Buddha, everyone is Born in the Pure Land.
Thus, we know that Amida’s Vow is able to overcome all of our human limitations. This is known as Vow Power or Other Power, which makes Shin Buddhism unique. In Shin Buddhism, everyone is Born in the Pure Land, in this life or at death. There are no exceptions because of Amida’s Vow.
Shin Buddhism is not for the “chosen few,” which is common for most religions. Rather, Shin Buddhism is for the chosen all—an odd term, but means there are no exceptions for Birth in the Pure Land.
The Pure Land is the realm of spiritual existence beyond this world. It is a realm or world in which a Bodhisattva postpones their own Enlightenment and continues to assist others with a heart of Compassion.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
I was reading that he Primal Vow is excluded for people who commit the five grave offenses and slander the right Dharma. Is that true? The book I was reading said the people that are excluded are the people who slander the Dharma, due to denying the existence of Amida and the Pure Land, but the people who commit the five grave offenses are okay (not saying Amida approves of them).
[Editor’s note: The five grave offenses are killing one’s mother; killing one’s father; killing an arhat (saint); injuring the body of the Buddha; and causing a division in the Buddhist community.]
The ending passage about who is excluded remains in all the Vows and that is the way it was translated from the Sanskrit to the Chinese, and that is the way it was transmitted to Japan. There is no doubt that this exclusion passage is in the Vows.
As a scholar—and Shinran wanted to be recognized as a scholar— Shinran could not just drop or ignore the exclusion passage. He did get around it in subtle ways, and explained that everyone slanders the Dharma and may even commit the five grave offenses at one time or another.
But if the intent of the person was not purposeful (that is to slander and commit the five grave offenses on purpose) than these past acts could be forgiven. Additionally, if the slander and grave offenses were done out of ignorance (that is, before one came to understand the depth of Amida’s Wisdom and Compassion), then it could be forgiven.
In short, we can all be forgiven for slander and the five grave offenses, and so much more because of our ignorance. Certainly, if we were aware of Amida’s Wisdom and Compassion, we would not slander the Dharma nor would we commit the five grave offenses.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
I was wondering what are the main books for Shin Buddhism that should be in my home library. I have The Three Pure Land Sutras, Tannisho, and Kyogyoshinsho. I didn’t know if there was any other books I needed to get.
You have a nice collection of books. The only other academic and doctrinal type book would be the “Collected Works of Shinran” in two volumes. This is available online and at the temple bookstore (when it is open again).
Among the non-doctrinal books, I would suggest:
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron
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date published:
On November 2, 2023 Rev. Ron Miyamura retired after a 50 year ministerial career. MBT is grateful to have had Rev. Ron’s leadership for these many years and we will always honor him for his major role in the history of our temple.
Rev. Ron’s ministerial journey began in 1964 at University of California Davis and UC Berkeley, where he received his bachelor of arts degree in history. From there, he attended the Institute of Buddhist Studies, a pre-ministerial candidate school.
With his interest and passion growing, Rev. Ron went on to Ryukoku University in Kyoto, where he earned his master of arts in Shin Buddhism. Between the years of 1971–73, Rev. Ron completed his Tokudo and Kyoshi training and participated in the ceremonies.
His tireless efforts finally brought him to Chicago where he was assigned to the Midwest Buddhist Temple on Aug. 1, 1973 as assistant minister to Rev. Gyodo Kono. That year Rev. Ron started MBT’s annual New Year’s Eve Service (ringing the Kansho bell 108 times) establishing a tradition that has lasted to this day.
During his early years in Chicago, Rev. Ron met Elaine Ichikawa and in May 1975 they were married at MBT with the ceremony being officiated by Bishop Tsuji of the Buddhist Churches of America.
Over Rev. Ron’s many years his influence and presence has been widely felt through his work with BCA Eastern District temples including the Twin Cities Buddhist Association (TCBA), Cleveland Buddhist Temple, New York Buddhist Church, Ekoji Buddhist Temple and Seabrook Buddhist Temple.
Rev. Todd Tsuchiya reflected on Rev. Ron’s influence at the Twin Cities Buddhist Association. “Our Sangha started in 1946 with the help of Rev. Gyodo Kono, the founding minister of MBT. We are grateful for the support of MBT, but without Rev. Ron, we would not be in existence today. He has always realized that we are a unique organization with unique needs and unique methods of practice. He brought the Minister’s Assistant Program (MAP) to us to increase access to the teachings and enhance our leadership team. This has enabled us to increase our service meetings and our membership. We have adapted and grown to keep up with changing needs, all thanks to Rev. Ron.”
Rev. Ron later encouraged TCBA to start a Buddhist taiko group, which led to the inception of Kogen Taiko. His encouragement and leadership led to the start of taiko groups at MBT, Seabrook and New York, as well.
Far away or right here in Chicago, Rev. Ron has made his mark. He has worked collaboratively with the Chicago Buddhist Ministers Group and the Catholic Buddhist Dialogue of Chicago. In 2015 he was asked by the BCA to be part of a delegation of Buddhist leaders to participate in a Catholic Buddhist Dialog held in Rome at the request of Pope Francis. The session was sponsored by the Pontifical Council on Inter-Religious Dialogue. Rev. Ron shared his thoughts about this remarkable session in an essay posted on our website in August 2015 – Different Faiths, Common Goals.
A career by definition is an individual’s chosen profession for which they train in order to undertake a life’s calling. Whether Rev. Ron was serving as a minister, a sensei of taiko, actively running Ginza as the chairman, or simply acting as a friend, one thing is clear.
In all of the Sanghas he has been a part of, Rev. Ron has loyally dedicated himself to being there for his Sangha members. He has been there for the joys of marriage and other milestone celebrations. He has been by his Sangha’s side for the challenges of illnesses and the loss of loved ones.
An example of Rev. Ron’s dedication was exhibited during the Covid Pandemic when all public buildings and institutions were closed as whole populations quarantined at home. Every Sunday for nearly 18 months, Rev. Ron would sit alone in MBT’s Hondo and give a Dharma message from the Naijin streamed via the internet to Sangha members and others both near and far. While he could have given his talks from home, he felt people would appreciate the atmosphere of the Hondo and of course he was right. Many people signed on each Sunday to hear his comforting messages and to maintain a sense of connection.
Rev Ron’s commitment has been very clear in his actions over the past 50 years proving that ministry is his true life’s calling. His “come as you are” all-inclusive mindset will surely continue for years to come.
May I take this opportunity to congratulate and thank Rev. Ron Miyamura for his many years of dedicated service to the Midwest Buddhist Temple, to the Eastern District, and to the Buddhist Churches of America. Thank you, Rev Ron, for sharing the Dharma during your illustrious ministerial career. (click to read Bishop Harada’s full letter)
Rev. Marvin Harada
Bishop
Buddhist Churches of America
I am profoundly grateful to Rev. Ron for his support and mentorship throughout my life. What comes to mind is Shinran Shonin’s quote from Shandao in the Kyogyoshinsho: “Now, encountering a true teacher, I have been able to hear the Name that embodies Amida’s Primal Vow.” Namo Amida Butsu.
Rev. Todd Tsuchiya
Midwest Buddhist Temple
The Midwest Buddhist Temple has been fortunate to have benefited from your leadership for so many years. Your influence is felt well beyond your service as Resident Minister. We are happy and comforted knowing that even though you are retired, you will continue to be a welcome presence at MBT. On behalf of the MBT Board of Trustees and the Sangha, Thank You Rev. Ron. Namo Amida Butsu.
Jason Matsumoto
President
Midwest Buddhist Temple
REV. RON’S TALKS & WRITINGS
Everyday Buddhist (everydaybuddhist.org) is an in-depth resource for those wishing to further their understanding of Shin Buddhism through online courses taken at your own pace and on your own schedule. The ‘Our Buddhist Course Pathway’ curriculum is 40+ courses taught by certified Buddhist Ministers, curated for step-by-step learning. Designed for new seekers or long-term practitioners maintaining a beginner’s mind. Everyday Buddhist offers a Guest Speaker Series and a free weekly Blog.
MBT is proud to announce that we are now part of the Everyday Buddhist Temple Affiliate program. Many BCA temples have taken advantage of this Affiliate program to extend Buddhist education to their Sanghas.
From the Everyday Buddhist website: “At EverydayBuddhist.org, we believe that following a Buddhist path can lead to an authentic, more fulfilling life, offering guidance amidst the chaos of everyday life. Our mission is to present the teachings in a modern framework that is relevant, accessible, and transformative.
Everyday Buddhist is closely aligned with a Pureland, Shin Buddhism practice which is a lay point of view (versus monastic) providing accessibility to Buddhism in our contemporary everyday lives.
Whether you are new to Buddhism, or have a seasoned personal practice and just want to retain your beginners mind, we think you will find our course material helpful in cultivating compassion, understanding and inner peace.”
There is a subscription required for Everyday Buddhist courses and that information is outline on its website. As a Temple Affiliate, when MBT Sangha members or friends sign up for a subscription, Everyday Buddhist will make a donation back to our temple. To learn more about Everyday Buddhist offerings use the link below (this link is specific to MBT’s Sangha members and friends):
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reprinted from:
December 2023
Volume 78
Number 12
Say “Hi” and “Happy New Year” to your MBT friends while helping to support the MBT Bulletin!
It’s that time of year when we invite you to share your New Year’s Greetings with readers of the MBT Bulletin. Your New Year’s Greetings donations, along with our advertising revenue, make our MBT Bulletin a self-sustaining endeavor, and we are grateful to all of you who support us so generously.
With readers in Hawaii, California, New Jersey, Nevada, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Washington and other states as well as in Europe, your Greetings will reach almost 1,400 Bulletin readers all over the United States and around the world.
This year, your greeting can be featured with text only ($20) or in a display with a Happy Holidays or a Happy New Years graphics ($50).
Text Only ($20)
“Your Message Here”
Jane & John Doe
(your location)
Happy Holidays Graphic ($50)
Happy New Years Graphic ($50)
Just follow the simple steps below. Of course, if you prefer the paper method we still support that! Choose which ever you’re most comfortable with – and thank you for your generosity.
Step 1: Click the button and enter the information about your Greetings.
Step 2: To Donate online you have 2 options:
Step 1: Click the image below for a printable version of the Bulletin Greetings form.
Step 2: Fill out the form then mail it with your donation to Midwest Buddhist Temple, 435 W. Menomonee St, Chicago, Ill 60614.
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Statement from the Bishop
We are all watching in great sadness and horror, the loss of life and destruction of homes and communities in Maui, Hawaii, due to the devastating wildfires. Our thoughts go to all there who have lost loved ones, homes, businesses, temples and churches, and their community. What a tremendous loss for everyone.
I recall a story from the Jataka Tales in our Buddhist tradition. Once there was a huge forest fire and all of the animals in the forest were running away from the fire for safety. One little bird was flying into a lake, dipping its wings in water, then flying over the forest fire dropping little drops of water to fight the fire. Back and forth the little bird flew. The other animals shouted to the little bird, “What are you doing? You cannot put out the fire that way?!” The little bird shouted back, “I may not be able to stop the fire, but this is all that I can do. I must try.”
In the face of such devastation, we will all do what we can do, whether it is to contribute to the disaster relief, to share our encouragement, or for those in Maui, to begin to rebuild, one step at a time, doing what they can do.
Gassho,
Rev. Marvin Harada
Bishop
Buddhist Churches of America
Donation Links
It is with a heavy heart that we share this call for support. Many of you have probably heard about the devastating fires on the island of Maui. A fellow Temple of MBT’s, the Lahaina Hongwanji and its sangha members are facing an unbelievable challenge. The Temple, columbarium, classroom building, and minister’s residence were completely destroyed in the fires. The Temple’s sangha members have been forced to evacuate and many of their homes have been burnt to the ground.
As our Sangha and community at the Midwest Buddhist Temple come together to celebrate our Ginza weekend, let us hold in our hearts and minds the Sangha members of Lahaina Hongwanji, as well as the larger community of Lahaina and Maui.
Both the Hawaii Hongwanji and the Buddhist Churches of America (BCA) have reacted quickly to direct support to those who have been affected. MBT will make a direct donation, and we ask all of our members and friends to consider donating to the relief effort (direction are contained in the two letters below).
In Gassho,
Rev. Ron Miyamura
Rev. Todd Tsuchiya
Jason Matsumoto, MBT President
MBT Board of Directors
August 10, 2023
Dear Dharma Friends,
We have been watching in disbelief the tremendous destruction caused by the recent wildfires on Maui. The loss of life, livelihood, and property has been devastating. Lahaina Hongwanji and its Sangha were directly affected by the fires. The temple, columbarium, classroom building, and minister’s residence were completely destroyed in the horrific fires that devastated historic Lahaina town. Many temple members were forced to evacuate, and many homes were burnt to the ground. Our hearts go out to all who have been impacted by this disaster. As residents and our fellow Sangha members begin the process of rebuilding and healing, Hawaii Kyodan is committed to supporting relief efforts on Maui.
Please click to read the full letter with links to donation options:
Hawaii Kyodan – Maui Wildfire Disaster Relief Fund Drive letter
In response to the fire that has devastated Maui, the BCA has put in place the following disaster relief effort to help support our Dharma friends in Hawaii through our BCA Social Welfare Committee:
Here is how you can help:
Also, below please find the letter from the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii (Bishop Toshiyuki Umitani, President, Dr. Warren Tamamoto, and Rev. Blayne Higa, Chairman – Committee on Social Concerns) which details their disaster relief efforts.
Please share all of this information with your members and friends. Your support of our Dharma friends in Hawaii is greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Gassho,
Rev. Michael Endo
Executive Assistant to the Bishop
BCA Headquarters
click anywhere on the image to register
Saturday, July 8th at 8:00 pm in the temple parking lot we will celebrate Bon Odori. Come join us as we dance to express our gratitude to our ancestors and the joy in the Truth of Life..
The chochin lanterns will hang above our temple parking lot. The cars will be gone, replaced with a ring of chairs, a stage for a taiko drum. And as nighttime falls, we will fill the lot to dance Japanese folk dances and honor loved ones who have passed before us. It’s the Bon Odori, celebrating Obon, one of the most colorful of the Buddhist observances which dates back 1500 years.
Everyone is welcome to dance at the festival. Although you don’t need to know the dances to participate, anyone wishing to learn before the festival can attend open practices led by the MBT Minyo group (Obon practice dates are posted below and on our calendar).
In the MBT tradition, we will have memorial candles available for a small donation. For $10 per name you can have your loved one’s name placed on a candle. These candles will be placed on the balcony ledge for the Bon Odori dance and in the Hondo for the Obon/Hatsubon service. The light of the candles remind us of the light that shines from the boundless lives of those we love. It is a reminder of what we have received and how their life continues to take effect upon us.
Please register here to purchase your candle(s) by July 2.
If you plan to attend in person, please observe our Attendance Policy, thank you
Its origin is linked to the Ullambana-sutra that tells the story of Mogallana, one of the great disciples of the Buddha. In this story, Mogallana sees his departed mother suffering in the fiery domain of the Hungry Devils, a domain where hunger and thirst know no bounds.
Everything that is touched immediately bursts into flames.
Grieving at what he sees, he attempts to relieve her suffering but his attempts to relieve her suffering are futile. In desperation, he goes to the Buddha and the All Compassionate One shows him the way.
Following the path shown him, he finally succeeds. He and his friends rejoice, expressing their joy and gratitude with music and dancing.
The Bon Odori is symbolic of that occasion. It is a time of rejoicing and expressing gratitude in the same manner as did Mogallana and his friends. This is the tradition of the Obon.
Please join us for Bon Odori and Obon Service. If you have any questions contact us.
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Rev. Ron Miyamura continues his popular Shin Buddhism Study Series in a “virtual” format. Classes will be held via ZOOM on successive Wednesdays Evenings – May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, and June 7, 14, 21 at 7:00 pm.
Cost: The suggested donation for non-pledge members is $25 for the full series of 8 sessions (click to make a donation).
Registration: Contact the Temple office to register (p) 312.943.7801 or (e) office@mbtchicago.org or you can contact Rev. Ron directly at rev.ron.mbt@gmail.com. A new Zoom registration link will be sent weekly to registered participants.
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If you are interested in Shin Buddhist Chanting, we have a collection of instruction videos of traditional Shin Buddhist Chants on our website. In these videos Rev. Katsuya Kusunoki, of the Buddhist Church of Lodi, chants a series of Sutras that are commonly chanted during Shin services. Rev. Kusunoki has been certified as a “chanting instructor” by the Ritual Department of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji (international Jodo Shinshu headquarters).
While chanting is typically done with the Sangha (congregation), here Rev. Kusunoki chants solo so one can clearly see the proper sequence of movements and hear the tones and pitches involved. In a future enhancement we hope to publish the lyrics for each chant so one may practice with the videos (for now the lyrics and meanings of each chant can be easily found via an internet search).
The ‘Buddhist Chanting’ videos can be found in the ‘About Jodo Shinshu Buddhism’ section or click the link below:
These videos were made possible in part by a grant from the Rev. Gyodo Kono Fund.
On February 11, 2023 the Eastern Buddhist League held its annual conference via ZOOM. The featured speakers were Rev. Kurt Rye and Rev. David Matsumoto. Below is the conference video.
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The Midwest Buddhist Temple is announcing its updated attendance policy for all events and activities that happen at the Temple.
We continue to take precautions to protect our entire Sangha and friends who utilize the Temple facilities. As a Shin-Buddhist Temple, collective compassion is at the center of our religious practice. We ask all who intend to visit to adhere to the following policies.
Will MBT continue to live-stream Sunday service?
Yes, details will be provided in MBT’s weekly email.
No.
No.
No.
No. Volunteers may request that you attend service from the social hall depending on the number of attendees.
Weather permitting we may open windows in the Hondo.
Yes, please maintain appropriate distance when you are waiting in line to do oshoko.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes, eating and drinking are allowed in the social hall. Masks are now optional (but are still required in Dharma School classrooms for children over the age of 2.)
Yes. Please maintain social distancing.
As normally scheduled, 1x/day.
Welcome to our Online Dharma Talk page. On this page you will find the most recent Dharma Talk and links to both our video and podcast archives.
DHARMA TALKS
April 7, 2024
Rev. Ron Miyamura
Listen to the Podcast:
About Dharma Talks: Any ideas and opinions expressed in these talks are those of the individual speakers.
Browse MBT Video Archive to find recent Dharma messages in video format.
If you prefer the podcast format you can browse the MBT Podcast Archive.
RESOURCES FOR CHANTING
CHANTED TEXTS:
For those who would like to chant during service this document provides texts and English translations of some of the Sutras chanted by Rev. Miyamura during services. CHANTED TEXTS
CHANTING VIDEOS:
Another resource we have on our website are CHANTING VIDEOS. In these videos Rev. Katsuya Kusunoki, of the Buddhist Church of Lodi, chants a series of traditional Sutras. Rev. Kusunoki has been certified as a “chanting instructor” by the Ritual Department of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji (international Jodo Shinshu headquarters).
Please consider making a donation to MBT – Thank you.
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Jason Matsumoto President
Kristin Park Vice President
Rich Taura Treasurer
Joy Zavala Corresponding Secretary
Kiku Taura Recording Secretary
Terry Cichocki Co-Auditor
Alex Yu Co-Auditor
Roger Suekama Religious Affairs & BCA
Jac Cerney Assistant Treasurer
Joy Zavala Events Planning Committee
Rev. Ron Miyamura Advisor
Rev. Todd Tsuchiya Associate Minister
MBT welcomes our newest Board member Mari Nord.
MBT also thanks departing Board member Greg Rivera for his service on the Board of Trustees. Thank you!
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The Midwest Buddhist Temple (MBT) began in 1944 organized by Japanese Americans relocating to Chicago after imprisonment in the American WWII concentration camps. As our participation in the community has grown, so has the diversity of our membership.
We are a community of Jodo Shinshu Buddhists which is a Pure Land tradition in the Mahayana School of Buddhism. What this means is that we are concerned not only with our own lives but for the lives of others.
We understand that we are interconnected with all beings in oneness. This does not deny our individuality, yet what we do affects others as we are a collective part of this world. We realize our lives are the result of causes and conditions and the actions of others which gives us a profound sense of gratitude.
We practice a religion that teaches us to be truly human. By observing the universe, we come to understand our place in the world. In short, Buddhism shows us that our ego, our image of ourselves, is false. By letting go of our ego, we understand that we are part of a greater whole, not the center.
Our tradition is for the ordinary person and does not require us to become a monk or sit
for hours in deep meditation. It is through deep listening that the Dharma penetrates into our hearts. From our life experiences with others, the Dharma can illuminate even the darkest corners of our ego self.
As with all Buddhist traditions, enlightenment or awakening is our goal. Shin Buddhism teaches how ordinary people can find their own path to enlightenment. It gives us a unique path for everyone to discover awakening.
“Come as you are and stay awhile”
“Come as you are” means there is no judgement about who or where you are from, your beliefs, age, class, race, sexual identity, gender or any other basis. There is no exclusivity in Jodo Shinshu. This radical equality is an extremely important message welcoming all those who want to hear the Buddha-Dharma and experience the teaching of non-discrimination of our founder, Shinran Shonin. It is a teaching available to all. Amida Buddha is said to have the “Wisdom of Non-Discrimination.” This is manifested in the Great Compassion that embraces all beings.
To “stay awhile” is listening, observing, participating and reflecting, which are important parts of the tradition. This describes one of the primary practices of
Jodo Shinshu, that of “deep listening.” To deeply hear the Dharma or the Buddhist teachings allows us to better understand ourselves and our world.
A Sunday service is an opportunity to encounter the Dharma, the Buddha’s teachings. We sit in pews, sing songs, chant sutras, participate in readings and hear a message shared by our minister. We welcome families and have a Dharma School for children. Casual attire is fine.
We encounter the Dharma not only through the messages shared in the service, but from the experience of engaging with others during the many activities at MBT. The Jodo Shinshu tradition emphasizes “ondobo/ondogyo” meaning fellow travelers on the path. The significance is that we are part of a Sangha or community of followers.
(Naijin/Inner sanctuary)
• Amida Buddha Statue:
Jodo Shinshu is a Pure Land tradition. The Pure Land is the land where Amida Buddha resides. Amida is the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life or Wisdom and Compassion and is the golden statue that is revered (Gohonzon). Amida Buddha is not a person or a divine omnipotent being who grants us things if we meet certain conditions.
Instead, Amida Buddha is the dynamic reality of infinite wisdom and compassion. Amida is formless but we give Amida anthropomorphic features to help us understand our relationship to ultimate reality. In other words, Amida is the embodiment of the principle of infinite wisdom unfolding as compassion – the way this world actually is but difficult to see because of our blind passions, our egocentric self.
• Ornaments:
The ornaments in the Naijin (inner sanctuary) are representations of the Pure Land. It is usually not thought of as an actual place but a purified sphere of influence or realization for Amida Buddha. Each has meaning, adding to the environment for us to attain awakening.
• Meaning of the rituals:
Worshipers place incense in the burner (oshoko), place their palms together (gassho), encircling their hands with their mindfulness beads (nenju), and recite “Namo Amida Butsu.”
– Incense Offering: incense represents the transiency of life. The smell purifies the air and represents the Dharma. The candle is the light of wisdom of the Buddha. Flowers symbolize impermanence and the changing existence of nature.
– Gassho: is an expression of reverence and gratitude.
– Nenju: encircling the hands with a nenju represents oneness.
– Namo Amida Butsu: is translated as “I take refuge in the Buddha.” It is not a meditation or practice to attain enlightenment but an expression of gratitude for having received the True Entrusting Mind of the Buddha. It is called the Nembutsu which means to “think on” or the “recitation of” the Buddha’s name.
You are welcome and encouraged to participate in any rituals being done by others and we can help you with any questions. If you are not comfortable, there is no requirement to do so. You don’t have to be a member, go through special training or do things perfectly to participate in our gatherings. The act of learning the process and going through the ritual is in itself mindfulness of the Buddha and our lives. We only ask that you are respectful.
Please ask us how you can learn more about the temple and our tradition. There are opportunities to be a part of our Sangha in different ways to fit your time and comfort level.
If you want to see more you can view 2020 Virtual Ginza Holiday.
We are appealing to you to help us close our budget gap. Ginza Holiday represents 1/3 of our annual operating budget but we’ve had to cancel Ginza not once but for 2 consecutive years! Thanks to sound fiscal management MBT’s long-term financial state remains strong – but missing Ginza for 2 years in a row has put a significant gap in our annual budget. Throughout our Fill the Gap campaign we’ll share information about what it takes to keep MBT going. Take a moment and read the letter from the MBT Board. Please donate generously and help MBT Fill the Gap.
The amount you give is a personal decision and any amount will be greatly appreciated. That said, here are a couple of suggestions that may help you decide:
Fill the Gap is now over and we thank you for your generosity.
Please help spread the word to your family or friends of MBT. Email a link to this webpage, post the link to your Facebook network, or forward the Fill the Gap emails that you receive. Encourage your network to participate.
Like any large building, MBT requires a tremendous amount of routine maintenance just to keep things in good shape. And we are lucky to have a group of dedicated volunteers who give up their free time to tend to our gardens, keep our kitchen organized, or make all manner of repairs and improvements from electrical, to plumbing, to carpentry, and even our telephones and security system. These wonderful volunteers (you know who you are!) have helped MBT keep maintenance expenses at a reasonable level and they have not taken a break even during the pandemic. Thank you to our volunteers!
Despite the efforts of volunteers, some maintenance or repair tasks require professional contractors. Of course, these major tasks are planned in advanced and are a part of our annual budget. The MBT Board prudently continues these projects as required (forgoing maintenance could lead to much larger repair costs down the road). Here is a partial list of maintenance or repair projects. Please note: these are not all immediate – some are routine annual efforts, some are planned to start soon, some are on a longer time-line but they all have one thing in common – they all cost money.
In the early days of the pandemic, when MBT had to close its doors, Rev. Ron decided that the Sangha and many others would benefit from a weekly video Dharma Message. He further decided that streaming his message “live” from the MBT Naijin would give people a sense of normalcy and comfort during chaotic times. He was right and we are grateful for his leadership. Since March of 2020 Rev. Miyamura has streamed over 75 Dharma Messages to Sangha members and friends of MBT via Facebook Live! The technology he used has evolved over the past 20 months starting with his cell phone to a laptop with a webcam and a light ring. Rev. Ron would be the first to tell you that he had some help from a small group of volunteers to assist with organizing services, running ZOOM sessions and to chase down technical issues. Much appreciation to Rev. Ron and his volunteers!
Thanks to Rev. Ron’s pioneering efforts we realized that video broadcasting significantly expands the reach of weekly Dharma Messages and creates new possibilities for outreach. Over the year of livestreaming services we experimented with ZOOM which allowed other speakers, like Rev. Tsuchiya or our own Minister’s Assistants, to participate in services from their homes. Also, during lockdown MBT offered a few “virtual” memorial services where families were able to participate from anywhere in the country or anywhere around the world! We realized that even after the Temple reopens for in-person services, livestreaming and video conferencing systems have a permanent place in MBT’s offerings.
However, until recently our internal network at MBT was in such poor shape that Rev. Ron often had to use his personal cell phone just to get an internet connection in order to livestream Sunday Service. With the Board’s approval we recently upgraded our entire WiFi network resulting in a 5-fold increase in speed with much improved stability, security, and capacity for expansion. While the WiFi upgrade was expensive, costing several thousands of dollars, it was a necessary investment in the temple’s current and future outreach capabilities.
Why is this needed? Like many non-profit organizations MBT relies on donations and fundraising to make up our annual budget. Of course the pandemic has forced us to cancel our biggest fundraiser, Ginza Holiday, for the second year in a row. We have taken prudent steps to reduce expenses and while MBT continues to have a good financial foundation, missing Ginza over 2 years has created a gap in our budget. Donations raised by this campaign will go directly to reducing that gap.
Is this the same thing as the Annual Pledge Drive? No. We are so grateful for all the Sangha members who submit their “Pledge” each year and our annual Pledge Drive will continue. “Fill the Gap” is a direct appeal to help MBT during these extraordinary times of the Covid-19 pandemic.
How much should I give? We’ve presented some “food for thought” about donations but in the end the amount you give is up to you. Please know that all donations, large or small, will be accepted with the same level of gratitude. Thank you!
A note about PayPal: The DONATE NOW button will take you to PayPal. While PayPal is very convenient for collecting donations by credit card it also deducts a processing fee from each donation. PayPal now offers donors the option to increase their donation by a small amount to cover the processing fee thus insuring MBT will receive the full donation amount intended. You will see this option as you complete your PayPal transaction. This is optional and is up to each donor.
Can I donate with ZELLE? Yes. If your bank supports the ZELLE payment system then you can electronically send your donation directly to MBT’s bank account. This is a secure bank-to-bank funds transfer and the best part is there are no fees involved. Check with your bank to see if it supports ZELLE (most banks do) and then all you need is our special email address: giving@mbtchicago.org. NOTE: If you use Zelle please put your email address in the memo area when you create the donation.
Can I give by check? Of course! Make your check out to “Midwest Buddhist Temple” (on the memo line write “Fill the Gap”) and mail it to:
Midwest Buddhist Temple
435 W. Menomonee Street
Chicago, Illinois 60614
Is MBT is a Non-Profit?: Yes, the Midwest Buddhist Temple is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Recently three temples, Cleveland Buddhist Temple, Twin Cities Buddhist Sangha, and Midwest Buddhist Temple, gathered virtually to celebrate Hanamatsuri. The Dharma School children worked hard to produce their socially distanced musical rendition of the song “In Lumbini’s Garden” and a creative narration of “The Life of the Buddha.” Under the guidance of their teachers, Jennifer Toguri, Elaine Miyamura, Chiemi Onikura Bly and the technical support of Kyle Tsuchiya, the entertaining videos were shared during the service. There were also music and chanting collaborations to make this service a unique and meaningful way to share the Dharma across temples. Dharma messages were shared for children and adults by Assistant Minister Rev. Chiemi Onikura Bly of the Twin Cities Sangha and Minister’s Assistant Joy Zavala of MBT. Please enjoy the video of the full service.
(If you would like to view more Dharma Talks visit our Online Dharma Talks Page)
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Kick-start your story: Start writing the story you’ve always wanted, but didn’t know how to start.
The creative writing workshop will be based on the story workshop method, using reading, recall, exercises, visualization and writing. Participants will be required to read each others’ work as well as listen and provide verbal feedback in the form of questions. Anyone high school age or above, who would like to work on fully seeing and telling a story can participate. These workshops can help jumpstart the process. Maybe you’ve got a story in your head that you’ve been dying to tell. Maybe you’ve got a story, novel, play, script or screenplay you’d like to jumpstart. Come with a scene in mind. Leave with something on paper you can use to write the rest of the story, as well as a method for seeing and writing more.
Eduardo Cruz Eusebio is a former publisher-editor of magazines and newspapers. He has a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Columbia College where he taught fiction using the Story Workshop Method. Over the years, he has mentored successful publishers and writers, and is an award-winning fiction writer with publications in literary journals and magazines. The Chicago Reader in their annual fiction edition published his award-winning short story “Disappear”. Ed is also a singer / songwriter/ producer in the band Venus By Air.
When: Saturdays, 9:30am – noon
Where: On ZOOM – a link will be provided to registered participants
Suggested Donation:
Reservations are required to ensure a maximum class size of 10 and are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Contact Alex Yu to reserve your spot: creative.writing@mbtchicago.org
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December 2020 – January 2021
Volume 75
Number 11
By Albert Sora
Mochi-Tsuki Chairperson
If our temple’s Ginza Holiday Festival is the highlight of the year for me, Mochi-Tsuki is a strong second.
While Ginza is a cultural and fundraising event, Mochi-Tsuki is a pure cultural event. And for me, it brings back memories of many years ago, as a gathering day of my grandparents and uncles and aunts in far-off Kapaa town, Kauai, 26 miles away. Not all of them would appear, as I had 20 uncles and aunts.
Luckily, it never rained because our family’s mochi-tsuki always took place outdoors with steaming wood boxes over firewood. Only women made the mochi cakes on a temporary table of wooden planks in the exact way we do it today, and the men folks did the pounding in a stone usu.
Even the mochi gome was local and grown by Japanese farmers. These farmers also grew regular rice but mochi gome sold at a premium.
As kids, we really liked mochi as it had a distinct flavor unlike regular rice and a very different texture. Plus, it was made only once a year. (In later years, with the gatherings ended, mochi became commercialized and for sale in boxes holding cakes of different colors in a neat rectangular array.)
Today, mochi-tsuki is a very rare event in households. But here at the Midwest Buddhist Temple, it continues with vigor and in a volume that would serve a large family (our membership) and any passerby who may have dropped in. It’s a mix of old and new where old still employs steaming boxes, handmade cakes , mallet pounding—and new is represented by a clever machine with a propeller that magically forms a large mochi ball. But some say that it takes second to the pounding method because it contains no wood splinters.
Unfortunately, there will be no splinters and no festival this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If it weren’t for COVID, we would have been gathering in the temple’s Social Hall on Dec. 9.
Instead, we thought we’d share some memories of our 2019 Mochi-Tsuki with some photos taken at last year’s festival.
Take my word, we’ll be back with a real Mochi-Tsuki in our Social Hall as soon as we are able. In the months before December 2021, check our digital monthly Bulletin or mbtchicago.org, for the exact date.
Would you like to make a donation for Mochi-Tsuki? Just go to our Donate Now Page. Thank you.
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The Midwest Buddhist Temple is a temple of the Jodo Shinshu school of Buddhism, with roots in the Pure Land Buddhist tradition. Jodo Shinshu, also referred to as Shin Buddhism, was founded in Japan by Shinran Shonin (1173-1262). It was Shinran Shonin who made Buddhist teachings accessible to people of all walks of life—in contrast to the traditional, primarily monastic practice of Buddhism.
July 10, 1944. South Parkway Community Hall. Southside Chicago. Rev. Gyodo Kono holds the very first service of a small congregation of Jodo Shinshu Japanese American ‘resettlers’. Seventy-five years ago such were the humble beginnings of Midwest Buddhist Temple.
To commemorate our Sangha’s 75th milestone, we held multiple events throughout 2019 to; recognize the challenges facing our founding members, to relive memories of the generation who “came of age” at MBT, and to celebrate today’s dynamic Sangha.
We’ve assembled pictures, articles, memories and even recipes that were all part of our year-long celebration. Among the many things you can view are two very special surprises from our 75th Anniversary luncheon. First we enjoyed a beautiful video, created by Jason Matsumoto, that chronicled our anniversary year and even included rare footage of Rev. Kono as he spoke in our newly constructed chapel nearly 50 years ago. Then each family was presented with a tenugui (decorative Japanese towel) specially designed by Waza artisan, Masahiro Kawakami, to commemorate MBT’s 75th anniversary. We hope you enjoy this collection of memories.
Hints for exploring this page: You can skip to a section by clicking one of the links above or your can simply scroll down the page. Each of the photograph slideshows will automatically start and you can also position your mouse over any picture to pause the display and reveal the navigation controls.
REV RON MIYAMURA – Resident Minister: As we celebrate our 75th Anniversary we should pause to look back with a sense of gratitude and forward with a sense of hope.
Our temple began with just six members in 1944. Rev. Gyodo Kono, just released from the Rohwer Relocation Center in Arkansas, came to Chicago with the ambition to start a Jodo Shinshu temple. We are grateful to Rev. Kono and the many Nisei who risked much to establish our temple during times of great distrust of any persons of Japanese descent.
Our temple not only survived but flourished in the following decades. Having started as an “ethnic” temple our Sangha has now become more diverse. New people are finding MBT through paths such as ZenShin Meditation services and even our Dharma School is attracting new families. This points to a positive future for MBT.
KIKU TAURA – MBT President: On Sunday, Nov. 3, Midwest Buddhist Temple capped a year of commemorative events with a luncheon in honor of our 75th anniversary. I was happy to see that an estimated 175 Sangha members and friends came to celebrate the occasion, and the full house reflected the many faces of MBT today.
Nisei attendees (part of MBT’s founding generation) were seated as guests of honor at the front tables, and we were fortunate to see those who could attend, while missing those who were unable to do so. Legacy generations (third-generation Sansei and fourth-generation Yonsei) were well-represented, as well as our members and friends from Zen Shin Meditation. Dharma School families were there in full force, adding their usual energy to an already energized atmosphere.
JASON MATSUMOTO – 75th Anniversary Committee Chair: MBT, throughout its 75 years, is fortunate to have been under the guidance of forward-thinking leadership. MBT values openness and inclusivity, inviting people who are 1 mile away or 10,000 miles away to, as Rev. Ron likes to say, “come as you are.”
Traditionally, anniversaries at the temple have been celebrated in a single, blowout event. For this year’s 75th, we tried to do things a little differently. Instead of one huge gala, we held a series of events over the course of the year designed to honor, reminisce, and celebrate.
For me this has been a wonderful year of learning (and sharing) more of our history and celebrating our Sangha.
November 3, 2019
Photography: George Nagata, Jason Matsumoto,
Alvin Hayashi, Alexa Tang, Joy Zavala
Historical Footage of Rev. Kono courtesy of JASC Issei Gerontology Project (1975)
Music: “A Song For You” and “Summer of ’42” by Kishi Bashi (courtesy of Kaoru Ishibashi)
Video Editing: Katherine Nagasawa, Jason Matsumoto
click any title to expand the section
When we thought about this special anniversary, we knew we wanted to do more than just serve lunch to the Sangha. We wanted to really celebrate the temple’s history and highlight all the special relationships that we’ve built as a community over the years. We decided to design the luncheon menu with a spirit of storytelling, using personal memories and stories as a way to share our history.
For lunch, we enjoyed a meal prepared by members of the temple’s affiliate groups, including Ho Etsu Taiko, MBT Taiko and the Zen Shin meditation group. The menu included recipes from the MBT “Oishii Cookery” cookbook along with a few favorites from temple members—chicken (sub turkey for the day) dofu, shira ae, nasu, tsukemono and salad. Everyone who attended got copies of these recipes so they could continue making them at home.
A special thank you to all who helped to plan and execute a wonderful event, and a wonderful set of events throughout 2019 to commemorate the temple’s 75th anniversary. We look forward to celebrating many, many more together!
by ALEXA TANG (reprinted from MBT Bulletin Dec 2019 – Jan 2020)
(position mouse over recipe card to reveal navigation buttons)
The tenugui was inspired by Jason Matsumoto’s desire to have a unique, hand-crafted memento to commemorate the Anniversary. He commissioned Fujiya, one of the premiere tenugui shops in Japan, operated by second generation artist Chihiro Kawakami and his son, Masahiro. They are well-known to our members as they have been coming with the Waza craft persons to our Ginza festival for 37 years.
Masahiro Kawakami
Starting in January, Harumi Ichikawa exchanged ideas with Masahiro that included elements from Chicago like the skyline and city flag. Numerous designs evolved over the next 6 months from graphics to Japanese calligraphy before focusing on “The Windy City” using a cloud motif. Just as our Anniversary was designed to honor our past while looking to our future, the tenugui combines traditional elements in the design with modern elements in the type style of the words. The final design was selected in August when Masahiro was in Chicago for Ginza. In September, Harumi was in Japan and worked with Masahiro at the family’s shop in Asakusa to select the final type font.
Tenugui is made from a cotton cloth roll about14 inches wide. The stencils are hand cut, then each tenugui is dyed, and trimmed to about 40 inches from the master role. A unique paper wrapper was designed and printed, then each of the 250 tenugui were folded and placed in a wrapper.
The shipment was scheduled to leave on September 26, just as a typhoon struck Japan, delaying all mail. Miraculously, they arrived just 4 days before the luncheon.
The temple gave a commemorative tenugui to each of our Nisei and pledge members in appreciation for all that you have done for MBT.
by CARL ICHIKAWA
Congratulations to the Midwest Buddhist Temple on its 75 th anniversary. The MBT Dharma School has a long history at this temple and we are very grateful to be a growing and active part of the sangha.
During the school year, the children spend each Sunday learning about theBuddha’s life and teaching through stories, activities and etiquette. We alsocelebrate holidays and traditions including Hanamatsuri, Bodhi Day, Mochitsukiand most recently Halloween.
In September, there is a special day to mark the International Day of Peace. In Dharma School, we commemorate this day by participating in activities to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.
We learned about the story of Sadako Sasaki who was 2 years old on August 6 th, 1945, when she was impacted by the atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima during World War II. Sadako was contaminated by radiation poisoning. When she was 12 years old, she learned she had leukemia.
During her treatment, she and other patients received a gift of colored origami paper cranes as a get-well present. This gave Sadako an idea and she believed in a legend and wish that if you fold a thousand cranes, you would get over your sickness.
Sadako dedicated hours each day to folding cranes. According to her brother, Sadako exceeded a thousand cranes, but her wish was not to be. She passed on October 25 th , 1955 at the age of 12 surrounded by her family.
After her passing, Sadako’s story of her determination spread around the world. Her short life inspired the Children’s Peace Monument in Hiroshima where she is memorialized by a statue of her holding a crane to honor the children who died from the atomic bombing. Each year, people from around the world travel to Hiroshima and bring their own origami cranes as a gift to Sadako’s memory and as a symbol of their wish for peace.
The Dharma School would like to express their wish for peace, happiness and eternal good luck to the temple and world. We are very grateful for being part of the temple and appreciate its rich history and legacy. During the past year, the children, parents, friends and Dharma School teachers folded 1000 cranes. We would like to mark this special 75 th anniversary occasion with the 1000 cranes or senbazuru displayed here. A very special thank you to Eli and Miss Terry for their time to string these cranes for the display today. We hope you enjoy our senbazuru and we hope to keep this visible for all to see.
JENNIFER TOGURI
How did you come to the idea of this project? The collages were created to share our rich history. I thought it would be important for our Sangha members and others to explore MBT through a variety of images to share the dream that Rev Kono had when he came to Chicago after leaving camp. The idea to create the collages was based on my work in our MBT library and viewing vast numbers of photographs. I realized how important it is to share our photographs for many and not just have them in albums. The inspiration for this particular type of collage came from collages my sister, Linda, creates.
How did you approach the project and how long did it take? To answer the question of how long it takes to make a collage is not easy to answer. It is hard to imagine the amount of time each collage took or as a collection. Some collages probably took a minimum of 15 – 20 hours each and others 5-10 hours. Each collage tells a story that has to be composed through selecting, copying, cutting, arranging, and rearranging thousands of photographs.
Final thought? The collages were not created just for the anniversary luncheon. The optimism is that they will be on display for a long time so others will continue to enjoy looking at images of MBT’s incredible history and to learn about our past as we move into the future.
editor’s note: The pictures on this page simply do to do justice to the original collages – we encourage you to visit the Temple to view Cynthia’s work in person.(position mouse over image to reveal navigation buttons)
September 21, 2019
…a dark MBT dance hall with glimpses of psychedelic flowers and peace signs among strands of twinkle lights and the voice of Smokey Robinson filling the hall. Suddenly, lights hit Tonko Doi sporting a familiar afro saying: ”It is 1968 at MBC [Midwest Buddhist Church]…” However this time around, the dance-goers in the crowd are no longer just Sansei, but joined by multiple generations and races.
The sold-out evening, titled “Nikkei Nights; Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generations,” featured the reunion of the Knu(er) Basic, formally known as Knu Basic, which was made up by our own Steve Arima (on drums), Jim Chikaraishi (bass) and Elaine Matsushita (keyboard), as well as original band member George Formoso (lead vocals) and Darrell Kaneshiro (rhythm guitar) and Alan Arima (lead guitar). The band played three sets throughout the evening. They worked hard for the event, practicing eight hours per weekend leading up to the big night, with George driving nearly four hours each way from Michigan to get there.
He was not the only one traveling for the event. The performance also brought the whole Chikaraishi gang together, as well as two fans —friends and Chicago natives Naomi (Shimomura) Kawahara and Barbara (Kurokawa) Yamadera—from California and other groupies across the Chicagoland region.
The band played classic ’60s songs, including Steve’s trademark “Last Kiss,” and the never-ending “Shout.” One memorable moment was when the band invited special “voice of the angels” guests on stage—including Ryan Toguri on lead with David Toguri, Mike Naito and Al Shimizu singing backup on “My Girl.” David later remarked that they didn’t get to rehearse it, but when Ryan jumped on vocals, he wasn’t going to argue.
Also in the crowd was Fumiko Matsushita and Yayeko Adachi, as Elaine Matsushita and her then-fiance Bob Sutter were recognized by the band and her sons Josh and Sam Fidler for their wedding that would follow the next day.
Yonsei also led the evening with entertainment throughout intermissions. Brandon Ishikata, a JACL Kakehashi Program alumnus, led line dancing that got the whole floor moving to Earth, Wind & Fire’s song “September” to fit the occasion (the song appropriately begins “Do you remember, the 21st night of September?” and the event was held on Sept. 21). Brandon professionally teaches dance at “May I Have This Dance” studio (mayihavethisdance.com) in Jefferson Park.
Also performing during one of the night’s breaks was the ensemble “Friends of 94,” featuring JACL board member Lane Mita, as well as Mas Hoshii, Joey Rolla and Elizabeth Mangulabnan. All had performed separately during the Open Mic Night last June during the MBT’s 75th Anniversary event “Contested Histories.” Despite not living during the times, they brought the crowd back to the ’60s grooves of Stevie Wonder and “Sukiyaki.”
Outside of the performances, crowds of different generations came together and shared memories of the Knu Basic performances back in the ’60s and ’70s at Viking Hall and Battle of the Bands in Chinatown, as well as some of the other bands that used to also gig around town back then.
While the conversations happened in the Social Hall, Anna Takada, Kat Nakagawa and Jason Matsumoto were busy gathering interviews to capture not just the stories, but also the memories being made that evening. Some of these footages will be going toward JASC’s archives.
As a personal shout out, thank you to the Dance Committee’s co-chair Elaine Ogawa and committee members Steve Arima, Jason Matsumoto, Lisa Doi, Gary and Lynn Yamagiwa, Tonko Doi, Rich Taura and Gail Chase; and to all of the volunteers from MBT and JACL-Chicago. Together, we raised over $4,000 that will be divided between the MBT 75th Anniversary fund and JACL Chicago youth groups. Outta sight.
by EMILY HARADA (reprinted from MBT Bulletin Oct 2019)
May 17-19, 2019
As part of our 75th anniversary MBT was honored with a special visit from Los Angeles’ Japanese American National Museum (“JANM”). Key museum staff were in Chicago Friday May 17th to Sunday May 19th to present CONTESTED HISTORIES, the museum’s traveling exhibit that displays never-before-seen art-and-craft objects created by Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII.
With this special opportunity to host CONTESTED HISTORIES in Chicago, JANM staff and Chicago community leadership collaborated to offer a series of programs to reflect, discuss, learn and process this part of our history. These programs, collectively entitled FINDING HOME (Re)Building a community in the Second City, took place during the exhibit of CONTESTED HISTORIES and here we provide a summary of three events:
CONTEST HISTORIES exhibit and discussions
Sharing Stories: Intergenerational Conversations
Stage reading of “Garage Door Opener”
CONTESTED
HISTORIES
Sample artifact
Contested Histories: Art and Artifacts from the Allen Hendershott Eaton Collection came to the Midwest Buddhist Temple on May 18 and 19 as part of the temple’s 75th anniversary celebrations.
The traveling exhibit features art-and-craft objects and other handmade items created by individuals of Japanese descent who were wrongfully
Sample artifact
incarcerated in American concentration camps during World War II. These items were collected by Mr. Eaton while he was researching his book “Beauty Behind Barbed Wire: The Arts of the Japanese in Our War Relocation Camps” (1952).
Sample artifact
After being kept in storage for many years, the collection was saved from being dispersed by auction in 2015 by Japanese American community leaders and activists. Ultimately, the collection was transferred to JANM. For more information, visit janm.org/exhibits/contested-histories/
This is the first time this exhibit will be shown in the Midwest.
by Joyce Morimoto (from MBT Bulletin April 2019)
INTERGENERATIONAL
CONVERSATIONS
As its name suggests “Sharing Stories: Intergenerational Conversations” brought together old and young in meaningful conversations about experiences, memories and the impact that the incarceration of Japanese Americans had upon those who lived through it and the generations that followed. Some excerpts from the conversations:
…One thing that I hadn’t thought about much but that came up often from the people who were young children in the incarceration camps was the struggle to find housing after coming to Chicago. It’s not an issue that I think of as specifically affecting Japanese Americans in Chicago today, but it was a common struggle for our community not long ago.
…Many Sansei and Yonsei who came to the event explained that they were seeking their family history that they were unable to hear from their parents and grandparents.
…Across generations, shame and silence was a common theme shared by the Issei and older Nisei participants, as it was a difficult and ostracizing time. Still, one Nisei remarked, “Regardless, I’m proud to be Japanese American.”
…A common conclusion among the participants was their heightened awareness of the generational impact of the incarceration—with trauma that experienced by incarcerees being passed down to their children.
…Maybe we are stepping in the right direction, though, as the younger generations are finding the voice that those who lived through EO 9066 could not find, and giving those who lived through it an opportunity to tell their story.
GARAGE DOOR OPENER
stage reading
(pictured above: the cast – Diana Lee, Dwight Sora, Aurora Adachi-Winter, Anne Shimojima and Ron Wesley—with ‘Garage Door Opener’ playwright Soji Kashiwagi)
The stage reading of Soji Kashiwagi’s “Garage Door Opener,” performed at MBT as part of the temple’s “Contested Histories: Finding Home” weekend, effectively employed humor to delve deeply into the pain and dysfunction between the Nisei and their children. The performance was given by five local actors—Dwight Sora, Anne Shimojima, Aurora Adachi-Winter, Roy Wesley and Diana Lee.
The garage filled with kamaboko boards, broccoli rubber bands and tofu containers came to represent all the emotions, conflicts and resentment that some Sansei carry with them. Through the discovery of other memorabilia by Glen and Sharon, the adult children gain a wider perspective and a deeper understanding of the trauma their Nisei parents experienced through their incarceration.
The discovery of their father’s valedictorian speech on citizenship, which sang praises of this great country, stood in stark contrast to the rounding up of Japanese Americans and being thrown into forced confinement in horse stalls and barracks. (read full article by clicking button)
March 1, 2019
AMERICAN SUTRA – presentation
FRIDAY MARCH 1 USC professor Duncan Ryukan Williams, who is also a Soto Zen priest and author of the book “American Sutra: A Story of Faith and Freedom in the Second World War” gave a presentation and talk about “American Sutra.” The book, released by the Harvard Press on Feb. 19, reflects on how Japanese American Buddhists dealt with dislocation, loss and uncertainty during their wartime incarceration.
Drawing on contemplative practices and rituals from their Buddhist tradition, their stories represent timeless approaches to finding inner liberation when freedom has been taken away from you. Their stories also represent a vigorous defense of the American ideal of religious freedom.
Dr. Williams was joined by Rev. Ron Miyamura and Northwestern University’s Associate Professor of Religious Studies Sarah Jacoby for a thought provoking discussion.
Professor Williams’ Dharma Talk
On Sunday, March 3, Dr. Williams was the guest speaker for our Sunday Family Service and shared his Dharma Message – his talk can be played using the controls below.
