FreeVol. 4

2016
SpringCherry Blossoms 桜

Can you want to stop wanting ?
The basic premise of Buddhism is that
suffering arises from attachment: ourbasic tendency is to want things perpetually, and we experience only abrief moment of satisfaction after we
get we what we wanted—because
after this there will be another desire
we want to be satisfied. It’s interesting
to note that even the very word “want”
originally has the meaning of “lack”: if
we want something it’s because we
don’t have it, and if we have it, we startwanting something else that we don'thave.
Buddhism has the ideal aim of releasing us from suffering by eliminating
our various attachments. In order tostop suffering, we are supposed tostop wanting; and for that we mustwillingly adopt and adhere to a rigorous lifestyle of training and denial ofpleasures. This is said to be the only

path to enlightenment and nirvana.
But if you think about it for a while,
you’ll notice a paradox. How cananyone want to stop wanting? If the relentless quest for happiness is indeed
the cause of suffering, then the Buddhist
quest for total happiness can only
mean... total suffering. How can we getaround this paradox? The answer is assimple to say as it is hard to put into
practice: the only way is to stop wanting
without wanting to stop.
This is obviously not something that
can happen just because we command
it to. It can only happen by realizing thetruth and letting it work its way on its
own into our mind.
Receiving enlightenment, instead of
pursuing it, is the defining feature of
Shin Buddhism. And it’s not as different
from original Buddhism as it may seemat first. The historical Buddha reachedhis enlightenment by rejecting extreme methods and engaging inmeditation, which means looking
clearly at the facts of life and drawing
honest conclusions. He didn’t want
to stop wanting; it happened spontaneously as the result of his insights
into the cause of suffering.
Since life is always around us, anything can become an opportunity forthe kind of meditation and reflectionthat help the truth find its way into themind, and nenbutsu (reflection on theBuddha) is the clearest expression ofthis. If you forget about suffering, attachment, and enlightenment, and instead focus on exploring the pathcreated by past Buddhas and teachers, you have already received much
more than you realize.
(Dan Bornstein)Leaves of Scripture
We are beings filled with ignorance and blind passions.
(Notes on Once Calling and Many Calling)

Awareness of ourselves as ordinary unenlightened beings
Milan Kundera once said, “The stupidity of people comes from having an answer for everything.”The word stupidity is usually used in the sense of not knowing the answer to a given question. However, what stupidity truly
means is the blind belief in our ability to find answers to everything. For example, don’t we sometimes find ourselves judging people around us—our children, parents, partners, or friends—based simply on the notion that “Iknow who they are”? Once we put such a label on them and see them with such prejudiced eyes, we automatically shut ourselves off from our true understanding of who they are. Only when we are mindful of how really difficult it is to understand each other, are we at last able to encounter one another in the true sense.
If we make judgments based on our limited point of view and too quickly assume that we have the rightanswers, we invariably lose sight of what is important in life. Buddhism teaches us that this is the state of mumyō
無明, the darkness of ignorance.
(Dōbō, December 2014. Kyoto: Higashi Honganji Shuppanbu, p. 33.)

MON Vol. 4 2016 Spring

Things Worth Knowing about Shin Buddhism

Hanamatsuri
Hanamatsuri is the celebration ofŚākyamuni Buddha’s birth, which
occurred about 2,500 years ago andis typically observed on the 8th ofApril. It is called Hanamatsuri 花祭
り , or Flower Festival, due to thefact that the baby Buddha was bornin the flowery Lumbini Garden,
which was located in present day
Nepal. The following story aboutŚākyamuni Buddha’s birth is often
shared at temple Hanamatsuri observances.
Śākyamuni Buddha’s given nameat birth was Siddhartha Gautama.
He was born as a prince to King
Suddhodana and Queen Maya.
Prior to the prince’s birth, the kingwas visited by a hermit seer named
Asita who predicted that the baby
would either become a great king orbecome a holy man who would freepeople from their sufferings.
During the last month of her pregnancy, Queen Maya decided that she
wanted to enjoy the spring day outside and took a walk in a flower
garden. This garden, called Lumbini
Garden, was filled with trees in fullbloom that gave off wonderful fragrances. Suddenly, but yet peacefully, Queen Maya leaned onto thebranch of an aśoka tree and gavebirth to the baby Siddhartha Gautama from her right side. Following
his birth, it is said that the baby took
seven steps in each of the four directions and proclaimed, “In heaven
above and on earth below, I am themost honored one. I shall dispel thesufferings that fill this world.” His
birth was followed by sweet rain thatfell from the sky and bathed thenewborn baby.
The story of baby Siddhartha
Gautama’s birth may sound amazing and impossible. However, thisstory illustrates the birth of thehuman child who would later
become the Buddha. His proclamations as an infant also exemplified his wish to free all beings fromthe cause of their suffering when
he attained Buddhahood.
The observance of Hanamatsuri
is often accompanied by a ritualcalled kanbutsu 灌仏 . A special
flower altar is created and a statueof the baby Buddha is placed
inside it. Participants of the service
are welcomed to come to the altar
to pour sweet tea over the statue
to celebrate the Buddha’s birth.

MON Vol. 4 2016 SpringShōsei-en
Just a short stroll away from the temple
Higashi Honganji, the garden Shōsei-en, also
known as Kikoku-tei, offers an escape from thehustle and bustle of the area surrounding
Kyoto Station. Shōsei-en spans an area of
about 33,000 square meters (8 acres) of land,
which was donated to the temple by Tokugawa
Iemitsu, the 3rd shōgun, in 1641. In 1643,
master calligrapher and landscape gardener
Jōzan Ishikawa was commissioned to design
the garden.
About two centuries later, the garden wasdestroyed by fires in 1858 and again in 1864
leading to restoration efforts spanning years
well into the Meiji period. The Shōsei-en thatexists today is a striking version of the original
design including the wooden structures, pond,and stone wall. In 1936, Shōsei-en was designated a National Historic Scenic Site.
Throughout the year, Shōsei-en is home to avariety of colorful blossoms and leaves including those of plum trees, cherry blossom trees,and maple trees. The changing colors of thescenery transform the garden each season andseamlessly accent the enormous pond that isthe centerpiece of the landscape. Shōsei-en
also boasts architectural delights such asreception halls, stone structures, two woodenbridges, and four tea houses.
Though not nearly as bustling as Osaka orTokyo, the city of Kyoto is filled to the brim withplaces of scenic beauty and historical interest,and being only ten minutes walking distancefrom Kyoto Station and also easily accessible
by public transportation, Shōsei-en makes forthe perfect quick getaway. Shōsei-en’s unmistakable beauty and unique history make it an
ideal stop for travelers hoping to flee thestreets lined with taxis and tour buses for apeaceful moment.

Published by: Shinshū Ōtani-ha (Higashi Honganji), Kyoto
Kindly supported by: Dan Bornstein, Markus Rüsch
Website: www.higashihonganji.or.jp/english