Orange County Buddhist Church
Orange County Buddhist Church
MOMENT OF ONENESS
Every day at OCBC is different, and my day is never the same as yesterday, and will be different again tomorrow.
I want to share with you a very spiritual story that I experienced at OCBC. It was on a Monday. I was preparing to leave the office about 5:00PM. Then I saw a couple walking towards the temple office. They were looking at the photos in the window. I had never seen them before. Are they looking for someone? Are they interested in one of the BEC classes? Well, I stuck my head through the office door, and asked them, “Hello, can I help you?”
The man told me that they were looking around the beautiful Japanese garden, and asked me if they could spend some more time to look around. “Of course, please enjoy your time,” I said. I soon realized the lady was nearly blind. The man was tightly holding her hand. He said to me, “This is my wife.”
He said he is interested in Buddhism and Japanese culture. I was pleased to hear that. I welcomed them to the office, and gave them the BEC brochure and the free “The Teaching of Buddha” book. He was pleased to receive them, and showed an interest in coming to one of the BEC classes. They also asked me about the Hanamatsuri festival.
After talking about the Hanamatsuri and the trip to Japan that he made a few years ago, when he met his Vietnamese-Chinese wife, they left the office and walked in the garden. After a while, they again came back to the office, and asked if they can see the Hondo. We went to the Hondo, and he was holding her shoulders to navigate her in the right direction. This man is married with a blind lady.
We entered the mini-chapel door. The lady immediately said to me with smile, “It smells good.” I escorted them to the Hondo, and turned all lights on. He started explaining to her how the altar looks, while holding her shoulders. I told them that the altar represents the Buddha’s land of peace and bliss. I was not sure if she is able to slightly see the objects or is completely blind. Since she does not have sight, I burned the incense and gonged the big bell (daikin). “I heard the sound of bell many times when I was a child”, she said with a big smile.
I took her right hand and he took her left hand, and I asked her, “Would you like to offer the incense?” I brought her right hand to the inside of the incense container. She picked up a pinch of powder incense and dropped it into the kōro (incense burner bowl). And then she put her both hands together. We recited the Buddha’s Name, Namo Amida Butsu. At that moment, a tear came out from her eye. I was also in tears. At that moment, I felt the Buddha had entered into myself, herself, and her husband. We all surely felt the moment of sharing and being embraced by the Buddha. Buddha, myself, herself, and her husband ……… we were all in oneness with the Buddha in the immeasurable Light and Compassion. It is very hard to describe the feeling that I had. It was so rare. But I was very grateful to have encountered the opportunity to meet with this couple.
I thought that she had really wanted to come toward Amida Buddha. She must have realized that she was one of many sentient beings that the Buddha always cares for, guides, and never abandons. She must have been able to capture the Buddha’s eternal and immeasurable light that will shine on her for the rest of her life even though she has no sight.
Among many Buddhist temples in Orange County, they somehow selected OCBC and came to this temple. She was able to come with her husband’s help. It means a lot to me.
People coming to the temple are the Buddha’s guests. They all heard the Buddha’s voice. Her husband told me, “My wife and I feel like we are at home here.” Of course, they came to their spiritual home, and they will meet many more Dharma friends here at OCBC.
What a wonderful place this is! We are so grateful.
NAMO AMIDA BUTSU
Rev. Mutsumi Wondra
April 2008
