Orange County Buddhist Church

“Namuamidabutsu:  For All People Of All Ages”

    This September, the Orange County Buddhist Church will be hosting an historic event for this temple and for all of Southern District.  It is our Southern District Family Conference 2005.  This is the first time that a conference of this scale and for all ages has been attempted in the Southern District, with the exception of the celebration of the BCA Centennial in which the Los Angeles Betsuin hosted a one day all ages conference.  This is the first time we are holding it at a major hotel and including all ages of our temples, from Dharma School, Sangha Teens, Jr. YBA, Sr. YBA, YABA, Adults, and Fujinkai.  It is a major undertaking, and there have been many long meetings in preparation. 

    Planning and preparing to host this conference has been an exercise in actually experiencing the theme of the conference itself.  All ages have been represented at our meetings, and input from so many individuals and age groups have been considered.  How do we take care of the children and infants?  What would the Sangha Teens like to do?  How should we incorporate this with the annual Jr. YBA conference?  How much English and how much Japanese program should we have?  We have been faced with a myriad of questions and challenges to face and overcome.

    When you think of all the ages and backgrounds of people at our temple now, you might wonder what there is that we all have in common.  Think about it.  It is hard to have one common denominator in terms of food.  Some like Japanese food.  Others might like American food.  Still others might like Chinese food.  Young people like pizza, but adults might like fish.  Some like salty or spicey dishes, while others who are on a low salt diet wouldn’t be able to eat those dishes.  Some like sweet things, but those who are diabetic couldn’t.  It is hard to find a common denominator for all people in terms of food.

    What about music?  Kids like Disney songs.  Teenagers like rap music.  Young adults might like rock or jazz.  Adults might like classical or big band.  Still others might like Japanese Enka music. 

    What about sports?  Isn’t there a common denominator in sports?  Some like baseball.  Others like basketball.  Still others might prefer football or golf.  There are also others who don’t like sports at all, and would rather watch a documentary or a movie.  Sports is not a common denominator of our diversified Sangha. 

    What it all boils down to then, is that the one thing that binds all groups together, the one thing that we all have in common, is the truth of Namuamidabutsu. 

The Nembutsu transcends age.  A five year old can gassho and recite the Nembutsu, and so can a ninety year old.  Whether young or old, we are all on the same path of the Nembutsu together.  We might have different levels of understanding depending on our age and experience, but there is nothing that hinders one in terms of age for living the life of the Nembutsu.  In fact, an eighty year old can learn from the child like innocence and spontaneity of the religious understanding of an eight year old, and at the same time, an eight year old can feel the depth and power of the Nembutsu from an eighty year old.

    The Nembutsu transcends ethnicity.  Although our temple was founded and built by a Japanese American community, the Nembutsu does not belong only to Japanese Americans.  The Nembutsu originated in the heart of Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment in India, 2500 years ago.  From there it spread throughout the Asian continent.  The Dharma does not belong to people of India where Buddhism originated.  It does not belong to the people of China or Tibet.  It does not belong to Japanese or Koreans.  It belongs to those who follow the path, to those who listen to the teachings, to those who awaken to its truth.   

    The Nembutsu transcends gender.  It is not something just for women, or just for men. 

    The Nembutsu transcends class distinctions.  No matter how rich or how poor, the Nembutsu can speak to your life. 

    It is my hope and dream that our Southern District Family Conference 2005, will show us concretely, how the Nembutsu, Namuamidabutsu, is truly for all people of all ages.  By attending this conference, with young and old, with men and women, with Japanese, Caucasians, and various ethnicities, with people of various backgrounds and occupations, we will dramatically see how the Nembutsu is the one common denominator that we have in our diverse and growing Sangha.   

    If you haven’t signed up for this conference yet, I would suggest that you do so right away.  It will be a wonderful experience you do not want to miss out on. 

Namuamidabutsu,
Rev. Marvin Harada

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