Nirvana Day celebrates the day when, upon death, Buddha reached Nirvana… the end of the cycle of birth, rebirth, and suffering. It is also an occasion for reflection on death and impermanence, as expressed by Rennyo Shonin in his classic “Letter on White Ashes.”

Rev. Dunford uses experiences from their own life to reflect on the acceptance of one’s death and also the appreciation of treasured friends and the unrepeatable moments of life.

There is no inherent meaning in a piece of snack food, but seen through the eyes of individual viewers it may appear like one thing or another. As individuals insist on the “rightness” of their view, conflict and suffering arise.

Buddha’s light reveals things as they are; not as they appear through the lens of “self”. The Pure Land is described in the Larger Sutra as populated by beings without attachment, discrimination, or thought of self.

Buddhist teachings are not meant to focus on our imperfection, but to inspire us to improve with Buddha's guidance. When Buddha's wisdom and enlightenment come to the center of our lives, our blind passions will diminish.

Rev. Dr. David Matsumoto discusses BLEND: Buddhists Living with Equity and Non-Discrimination. In a world divided by various factions and claims of "purity," it is important to remember that each being and everything is unique, and yet at the same time, all are interrelated and of equal value with all others. We can only address social issues when we realize that everyone counts and everyone is accountable for our own connections with the problems of this world.

If our heart is rooted in the ground of Amida Buddha's compassionate aspiration, our essence is enriched and we are able bear spiritual fruit throughout our lives.

Amida Buddha's aspiration is to guide us so that we may live spiritually fulfilled lives. Wisdom liberates us from suffering and compassion to help guide those in suffering. We show our appreciation by reciting the nembutsu.

One of the greatest lessons we can learn from Amida Buddha is inclusivity. For the Buddha, all beings are included on the path to enlightenment, yet on a human level, we often separate and judge others who aren’t like us. On Parent’s Day, let’s appreciate the guidance of all beings we encounter in our lives, respect those living in different situations than our own, and humbly open our hearts to build a more inclusive society. 

When we run into unexpected problems, do we first reflect on ourselves, or do we first question others? When we evaluate others, can we say we are objective? The Buddha’s teachings are our best measurement of reality, guiding us toward a deeper understanding of ourselves and cultivating a soft and gentle mind toward others. 

Shin Buddhism offers a different understanding of good and bad people. Those who think they are in the right or follow a set of guidelines to be “good” suffer more than those who recognize their own limited perspectives and see themselves as “bad.” Judging others, the “good” person may become closed-minded, while the “bad” person, with humility before the Buddha-dharma, is open and flexible to change.

“From a tiny seed a flower grows, it stretches up and looks at the sun…” Rev. Kuwahara considers the many causes and conditions which enable the growth of a flower, and how taking a broader view of these conditions deepens our ability to hear the dharma.