Shoma

Reverend Koho Takata

Once I discussed about the listening to the teachings with one of members.  He told me, "Older people are interested in listening to the teachings because their death is close.  This is why they always come to Sunday services.  On the contrast, younger people are not interested in because their death is far and not the matter of urgency."  How do you think about this?                

"Whether I go before others, or others go before me; whether it be today, or it be tomorrow, who is to know? ...  Though in the morning we may have radiant health, in the evening we may return to white ashes."                                               (On The White Ashes)

As Rennyo Shonin stated in his letter, we do not know when our lives end.  Whether you are young or old, your age is irrelevant to death.  Although you may think that you are young so that your death is far, your life can be ended anytime.   

The other day, a Christian came to observe a memorial service for her mother who was our temple member.  After the service, she told me that she is a very active member in one of Christian Churches.  Then, she shared with me all the activities, problems, history, and so forth in her church.  After priding her participation, she confessed to me, "Although I am very active, I do not have a bible, I do not know the bible, and I never studied the bible."  She asked me, then, "When my life ends, where do I go?"

While you are still alive, you need to find out where your spiritual home is and where you will return after your life ends.  Whether you are young or old, rich or poor, man or woman, educated or uneducated, officers & directors of the temple or not, big donor or not, active in the church activities or not, help fundraising or not, it does not determine whether you will be born in Amida's Pure Land or not.  The Shinjin (true entrusting mind to Amida Buddha) alone is essential.                       

One of Kakunyo Shonin's writings, 'Gaijya-sho (A Collection of Erroneous Views About Buddhism)', recorded that Shinran Shonin said, "When I die, give my body to the fish in the Kamo River."  He was not influenced by external forms and appearances.  Whether you cremate a body or not, own a grave or not, and observe a funeral or not was not so important for Shinran Shonin.  He emphasized that the importance of listening to the teachings and awaken to the Shinjin while you are yet alive.  When you are awaken to the Shinjin, you are immediately assured the stage of the truly settled to be born in the Pure Land.  Through listen to the teachings and awaken to the Shinjin in every moment of your everyday living is essential.    

I also would like to share about Shoma who lived in Sanuki (Kagawa Prefecture), Japan who had a very fulfilling life of 73 years.  He is recognized as a wonderfully excellent person in Jodo Shinshu.  He was a single and did not have any children.  When he was about to expire, Ichizo who was one of neighbors and members of Jodo Shinshu went to see him and felt a pity for Shoma because he was alone. 

During the visitation, Ichizo thought that nobody would take care of him after his passing for a funeral, memorial service, etc.  Then, he decided to build a grave for Shoma and to ask some of members to help the project. 

After getting the agreements from members about the project, he thought that it was a good thing to let Shoma knows about their project while he was still living.  Ichizo went to the bedside and told Shoma, "We decided to build a grave for you.  Do not worry about after your passing."  Then, Shoma replied to Ichizo without any smiles, "I will not be under the grave stone after my death!"

What do you think, then, where he went after the death and where he is today?  Shoma truly appreciated the teachings and earnestly listened to the teachings throughout his life.  I guess that Shoma solved the matter of the death by listening to the teachings in his daily life.  This is why he could reply that he would not be under the grave stone after his death.  As well as Shinran Shonin, he too did not care the forms and appearances like grave, funeral, etc.  This story tells me the importance of listening to the teachings and realizing Amida Buddha's perfect guidance while we are still living, not at the time of death.           

Let us realize the importance of listening to the teachings in our daily lives and impermanence of all life which encompassed by the Amida Buddha's Limitless Light and Life at all times and in all places.

"One should listen to the teachings of the Buddha while you are young.  As one becomes old, walking becomes difficult and drowsiness visits one.  Hence, one needs to listen to the teachings while you are young."

"In the Buddhist teachings, there is no tomorrow.  Hurry up, hurry up with what pertains to the Buddha's teachings."                           

                                                (Rennyo Shonin)

Namo-Amidabutsu