Because of the importance of Ho-Onko, there are several postings this month about the day and about our founder. This remembrance was written by the Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America, Reverend Kodo Umezu, and originally appeared in the January 2014 issue of “Wheel of Dharma”, the official publication of the Buddhist Churches of America. It gives us a sense of how important this day is to Shin Buddhists, particularly in the small villages where Shin Buddhism is still the main expression of Buddhist practice.
- 0 -
During the month of
January, many temples and churches observe a very special service called Ho-Onko.
It is a service to honor the founder of the Jodo Shinshu School of Buddhism,
Shinran Shonin (1173-1263). Ho-onko
is the main service in our tradition and is the origin of our religious
organization. The term Ho-onko means “a service or a gathering to express
appreciation” and is used by many other Buddhist orders in Japan. Therefore,
the Ho-onko that we observe is formally called “Shinran Shonin Goshoki Ho-Onko”
to specify that the service is a gathering to express our appreciation for
Shinran Shonin on his memorial day. While growing up in Japan, during my grammar school years, my temple in Fukuoka observed Ho-Onko for an entire week, from January 2 to January 9. Though the observance lasted seven days, it required more than two weeks of preparation. About a week before the service we had to clean the hondo, polish the brass items and ornaments in the naijin, and decorate the altar. We relied on a group of five or six members called Hana-ko (Flower Arrangement Association), who were in charge of arranging special flowers for the altar. About one week before the service they went to the nearby mountain and brought back piles of pine and bamboo branches. They secluded themselves in a special room behind the hondo where they spent many days creating two pairs of huge, magnificent arrangements. Around the same time, a group of musicians called Gakunin (musicians) started rehearsing the gagaku music to be played during the services. The people of Hana-ko and Gakunin were dedicated members who were local farmers but had special talents and skills. A few days before Ho-Onko, we pounded mochi rice and made hundreds of tiny mochi rice cakes.
These small mochi cakes were stuck on bamboo skewers, tied around wooden cylinders, painted, and placed around the shrines as offerings to Amida Buddha and Shinran Shonin.
Our Ho-Onko was one of the biggest events in my village. It required every villager to come out and help put on the services. In the morning of the first day, heating devices with burning charcoals inside (hibachi) were placed in the hondo as we waited for people to come. The series of Ho-Onko services began with an early morning service at 5 a.m., then another one at 10 a.m. The afternoon service began at 1:30 p.m. and the last one was at 7:30 p.m. Some members stayed at my temple for seven days to attend each and every service. Otoki lunch was served every day. The menu was all vegetarian dishes. I remember sometimes sake was served. Many Buddhist Women’s Association members who were in charge of cooking came early in the morning and started the fire in the kitchen. Their dedication was remarkable. They prepared and served hundreds of meals every day for seven days.
We invited a guest speaker for Ho-Onko called the Hongwanji Fukyo-shi (certified speaker). He stayed with us for the entire seven-day period and delivered about 30 messages. It was like a weeklong seminar and religious festival, but I was too young to sit through all of the dharma messages.
Sometimes it snowed. It was the coldest time of the year, yet people came with smiles on their faces. I remember laughter and friendly conversations inside and outside of the hondo. Outside was cold, but there was a warm atmosphere around the temple compound. The nembutsu came out of people’s mouths spontaneously. The sound of Shoshinge chanting, the beautiful, ancient melody of Shoya Raisange, the flickering flames of big red candles, the gagaku music, the sound of the bell, the smell of incense, the delicious otoki meals, and the nembutsu utterance are all fond memories now.
My role (besides helping to make mochi) was to attend the services. My older brother and I had to wear specially made robes and sit next to our father and chant. On the last day, sitting on the guest speaker’s stage in front of everyone, I had to read a letter written by Rennyo Shonin. I remember not looking forward to it, but it made our elder members very happy, as I recall.
When I was growing up I had no idea who Shinran Shonin was, but I was always part of Shinran Shonin’s sangha. I knew his name through reading a comic book but had no idea what he had taught or done. It was much later in my life when he became a special person to me. Now I love him so much and I want to know more and more about him; or I should say, I respect him and appreciate all that he did. Reflecting on my childhood, I am especially grateful to my parents and temple members who gave me the chance to stay close to him.
Before and during Shinran Shonin’s time, Buddhism existed just for the elite classes. The Dharma was for the Imperial family and some monks and priests. Shinran Shonin, after realizing the true essence of Shakyamuni Buddha’s teaching through Honen Shonin, brought the teaching to all the people. He shared the message of the Great Vessel (Mahayana) that carries everyone to the realm of ultimate Oneness with only one condition; that is, to hear and appreciate the reason that no conditions are required of us. Age, class, gender; whether ordained or not, single or married, and even the state of our minds are of no concern. This is what Shakyamuni Buddha said, and what Shinran Shonin taught. They had shown us not to rely on our foolish and unreliable minds.
The true Dharma made Shinran Shonin realize that we do not need to pray to a supernatural being for anything. The Dharma taught him that everything happens due to countless causes and conditions. He knew the law of causation. He taught people to live their lives according to the law of causation. His teaching freed people from superstitious beliefs so they could focus on their livelihoods as ordinary people.
The Pure Land teaching really awakened and humbled Shinran Shonin. He deeply appreciated the kindness of Shakyamuni Buddha, successive masters and teachers who had taught and passed the teaching down to him.
As I live my life, I appreciate his teaching more and more. I am just one being in this universe but I feel so fortunate to be able to hear his message.
–Bishop Kodo Umezu
No comments:
Post a Comment