21600 Shaker Blvd, Shaker Heights, OH 44122

OBON Shin Buddhist Service

Sunday, July 17 Obon Service:

9:45 AM: Sitting mediation, all levels, including beginners: Meditation Leader, Greg Stepanic

10:30 AM: Shin Buddhist Sangha Gathering for Obon and July Memorial Service: Rev. Anita Tokuzen Kazarian

12:00 Noon: Bon Odori Japanese Festival - East Garden

Dhammapada

Dhammapada, a collection of verses of Shakyamuni Buddha

The wise tell us that a nail keeps a shoe, a shoe a horse,
a horse a man, a man a castle, that can fight.

The earliest record of this proverb, in this form, dates from around 1230, written by Freidank in his Bescheidenheit, a collection of "practical wisdom, correct judgement, discretion.” In 1758 Benjamin Franklin included it in his Poor Richard’s Almanac. Today it is mostly known as a children’s nursery rhyme.* Why “mostly?” While it can be read as caution to be prepared ahead of time, it is in my reading a mundane version of two Buddhist concepts.

Who after all thinks a nail, or lack of one, can cause so much trouble? It wasn’t till Covid, employment numbers, geopolitical struggles and, well everything, that the truth of a missing nail hit home to some of us. Today we hear people complaining they can’t take delivery of a new car because a chip is missing. Or, their flight was canceled due to a global shortage of qualified pilots. You’ve heard lots of your own examples - from very simple to ones to ones we are not yet even aware of that are heading our way.

So what are these Buddhist concepts hidden in the proverb about a nail? The first one that came to mind was our interconnectedness and interdependence with one another. This month’s Children’s Corner explains why children need to gain an understanding of the potential consequences of their words and actions. If a child says something unkind to a playmate, hurting their feelings, that child may leave and go home crying. Not a big deal you say? This little act may be like the nail in the proverb.

At what point in time and place may it turn into a big deal? Just as the loss of a kingdom is nearly impossible to trace back to that one nail, so it is with the consequences of our thoughts that turn into words and deeds. Our Buddhist teaching reminds us they will have consequences.
Rev. Kenryru T. Tsuji summed this up well when he wrote:

“Each idea that is thought, each word that is spoken, each action that is taken, changes the whole pattern of the universe for the universe is interdependent.”

What about the Buddhist concept of dependent origination? If nothing arises out of nothing, but is dependent on something else, then we begin to slowly understand that “what I do now affects not only my own happiness or unhappiness, but also those of others.” My words, my actions, my attitude is like that nail. While neither the nail nor my actions may change the world in a way known to me, they will have their consequences.

Namo Amida Butsu

In gassho
Rev. Anita
rev.anit.cbt@outlook.com

*For want of the nail that shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horse shoe nail.

Sometimes, it’s hard to realize when you made a mistake. For example, you might accidentally say something that hurts someone’s feelings. It’s very important to have people who point out such mistakes. Anyone who is kind enough to point out your mistakes and bad behavior is a good teacher. Your mother and father scold you because they love you and have your best interest at heart.

Excerpts of Buddhist voices across teachings, across continents, across time.

Eternal Now

In the beginningless, endless flow of time each life is a mere ripple,

existing only for an instantaneous moment and disappearing forever.

But each life is a unique experience with beauty and truth,

all of its own with no identical counterpart in history

and none absolutely the same in the future.

Your life, my life – is attuned to the rhythm of the cosmos

and to the heartbeat of reality.

Each life exists in the Eternal Now.

Each idea that is thought, each word that is spoken,

each action that is taken, changes the whole pattern of the universe for the universe is interdependent.

Think, speak and act, then, always in the eternal now

with compassion and understanding for your own enlightenment

and for the enlightenment of all sentient beings.

Excerpt, in gratitude, from Rev. Kenyru T. Tsuji writings. As shared by Rev. Ronald Miyamura, Supervising Minister – Midwest Buddhist Temple.

Photo by Milad Fakurian on Unsplash

Obon Shin Buddhist Service

Sunday, July 17

9:45 AM: Sitting mediation, all levels, including beginners: Meditation Leader, Greg Stepanic

10:30 AM: Shin Buddhist Sangha Gathering for Obon and July Memorial Service: Rev. Anita Tokuzen Kazarian

12:00 Noon: Bon Odori Japanese Festival - East Garden

Sunday, July 17 OBON Service & OBON FESTIVAL

What does not happen at a Shin Buddhist Service?

We do not worship, we do not have petitionary prayer, nor do we have rules or regulations to judge us from one from another.

Supervising Minister

Rev. Ron Miyamura

Resident Tokudo Minister

Rev. Anita Tokuzen Kazarian - rev.anita.cbt@outlook.com

Buddha Post is published by the Cleveland Buddhist Temple, 21600 Shaker Blvd, Shaker Heights, OH 44122

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple is an affiliate of the Buddhist Churches of America, founded in 1899:

https://www.buddhistchurchesofamerica.org/