Orange County Buddhist Church
Orange County Buddhist Church
It is time again for another Obon, another Kangi-e, or Gathering of Joy. In Japan it is a time when many who have left their birthplaces to go to work in the big cities return to their birthplaces to welcome back those who have gone on before them. It is probably a time to avoid going to Japan, unless you are going for that purpose, because the trains are usually filled with those people.
On the other hand, there are many who take advantage of the national holiday to leave the country for a vacation here in the U.S. or in Europe or wherever. They do not take a vacation in their own country, because of the aforementioned filled trains. It is most likely that these people no longer believe that their deceased ancestors come back at Obon time, yet they are in other ways just as superstitious as anyone else.
We, who live the Jodo Shinshu life, do not believe that our ancestors return to us at Obon, but we celebrate, or commemorate, it just the same, because we look at it as a special time to listen to the Buddha Dharma, afforded us by the memory of all those who have gone on before us. Because of the summer heat, it is not the easiest time to do so, although nowadays, thanks to air conditioning, it is not all that difficult either. I hope that our minds are not preoccupied with the Obon festival or anything else that will follow the weekend following the Obon service. Listening is the most important and only real practice we are capable of, and that only barely. Listening, in this context, includes reflection and appreciation.
Life is shorter than most of us would like, yet we too often fritter away the short time that we have, probably thinking that we will live for a long time yet. I sincerely hope that I will not leave thinking I have so much more to experience, do, or say. What about you?
Gassho,
Dull-rooted Jaan (Rev. John Doami)
