Brothers and Sisters
Reverend Koho Takata
Most of us have brothers and sisters. I have an older twin brother, a younger brother, and a sister. As you know, I am the younger twin brother. If I was born in the old days, I was considered as the older one. Then, the second born baby was considered as the elder because it was at the upper part of mothers’ womb. Today, however, as in this country, the first baby to come out into the world is considered to be the older brother. I was born after my twin brother. According to my parents, I was late for about five minutes.
My brother and I are identical-twin. So, my brother looks very much like me. We have the same features, the same voice, and when we were small, we wore the same kind of clothing. So, I cannot tell which is me even in the pictures of us in our younger days. Mysteriously, my twin brother and I often got sick or injured almost at the same time. There were times when we both stayed in a hospital together. The doctors and nurses often got us all mixed up. Although most people mistake me for my twin brother, I am very happy to have been born as a twin.
Generally speaking, Japanese temples are succeeded by the eldest son of the family. Therefore, my twin brother will take over the temple, when our father retires. If I were the older brother in my family, I could not have come to Hawaii. So I am glad I was the younger twin brother so that I could have come to Hawaii. For now, I can share the joys of the Nembutsu with you.
Shinran Shonin mentioned about brothers and sisters in his writings.
"In that land of happiness, every single being is born transformed from the pure lotus of Amida Tathagata’s perfect enlightenment, for they are the same in practicing the Nembutsu and follow no other way. This extends even to this world, so that all Nembutsu practicers within the four seas are brothers and sisters."
(The Collected Works of Shinran, page 155)
Like this, he thought brothers and sisters with more deep meaning. He thought all those who walk the path of the Nembutsu and live in the Nembutsu as brothers and sisters. For Amida’s Vow is to save all beings equally at all times and in all places without any discriminations. So, we are all companions and fellow Nembutsu practicers walking in Shinran Shonin’s True Nembutsu way. Let us listen to the voiceless voice of Amida Buddha and walk in the True white way with brothers and sisters.
Namo-Amidabutsu