Cleveland Buddhist Temple

Telephone: (216) 692-1509

Fax: (216) 692-2012

www.ClevelandBuddhistTemple.com

Reverend Ronald Miyamura, Resident Minister

September - October, 2010

Calendar of Events

September

1 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation

5 Sun: No Sitting Meditation Today

7 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation

8 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation

11 Sat: 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM Zen Shin Sangha Sesshin

                                                12        Sun:     10:00 AM        Sitting Meditation
                                                                        10:00 AM        Pancake Breakfast Fund Raiser
                                                                        11:30 AM        Temple Board Meeting

14 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation

15 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation

19 Sun: 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation

10:00 AM Dharma School

10:30 AM Monthly Memorial and Sangha Service

                                                21        Tue:     7-9 PM            Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
                                                22        Wed:   7-9 PM            Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
                                                26        Sun:     10:00 AM        Sitting Meditation
                                                28        Tue:     7-9 PM            Zen Shin Sangha Meditation








                                                29        Wed:   7-9 PM            Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
                                                                                                Guest Speaker: Brad Warner

October

3 Sun: 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation
10:30 AM Introduction to Buddhism with Tim McCarthy

                                                5         Tue:     7-9 PM           Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
                                                 6         Wed: 7-9 PM           Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
                                                10        Sun:     10:00 AM        Sitting Meditation

                                                                        10:00 AM        Pancake Breakfast Fund Raiser
                                                                        11:30 AM        Temple Board Meeting
                                                12        Tue:     7-9 PM           Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
                                                13        Wed: 7-9 PM           Zen Shin Sangha Meditation

                                                17        Sun:     9:00 AM        Bulletin Mailing
                                                                        10:00 AM       Sitting Meditation
                                                                        10:00 AM       Dharma School
                                                                        10:30 AM       Monthly Memorial and 
                                                                                                Sangha Service, conducted by 
                                                                                                Rev. Ron Miyamura
                                                19        Tue:      7-9 PM           Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
                                                20        Wed:    7-9 PM           Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
                                                24        Sun:     10:00 AM        Sitting Meditation
                                                26        Tue:     7-9 PM           Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
                                                27        Wed:    7-9 PM           Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
                                                31        Sun:     10:00 AM        Sitting Meditation

November (Tentative)

2 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation

3 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation

7 Sun: 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation

9 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation

10 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation

14 Sun: 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation

10:00 AM Pancake Breakfast Fund Raiser

11:30 AM Temple Board Meeting

____________________________________________________________________________________

Sensei Talk

The following Dharma Talk by Bishop Koshin Ogui is taken from his book: Zen Shin Talks.

Here is a true story from my life. I was minister of a large temple in San Francisco. I had a call in the daytime from a man who is a second-generation Japanese American. This man said, “Sensei, my father is dying. He asked me to call you to come.”

I drove through the traffic in San Francisco. The atmosphere in a hospital, especially in a room where people are dying, is entirely different. You can't walk into a room in which someone is dying and say, “Hi! How are you doing?” Actually, whether people are aware of it or not, they are changed by such an atmosphere. Ministers and counselors working with dying people and their families are quite exhausted after such encounters due to these drastic changes in energy.

When I walked into the hospital room of the dying man, I heard family members crying. The man dying was an Issei pioneer, a first-generation Japanese American. His son said, “Papa, priest is here.”

With his whole strength the dying man extended his hand to shake my hand. I shook his extended hand. I noticed he was saying something, so I got close to him. He said, “Thank you very much for all kinds of things.”

I kept quiet. I couldn't find any adequate words to describe my feelings. I shook his hand tightly. The son with tears in his eyes said, “Papa, I shall see you again in the Pure Land. I learned this in Sunday school.”

I knew that this son is a doctor in biochemistry and teaching at Stanford University. I thought to myself, “I've never seen this guy at the temple, but he must have been a Sunday school kid when he was younger.”

I was quiet.

The dying man began talking with all his strength, “Say my son, do I have to go to some other place to meet you again? I have already met you and I'm meeting with you in Nembutsu. Na man da bu. Na man da bu.”

There is actually no way to describe what I experienced. At that moment, there was a golden quietness. I was quiet, with no intention to be quiet. I was astonished. I shook his hand again.

After the moment, my computer brain began to analyze so I could describe the feeling I experienced. I felt as if I was facing a magnificent scene like the Canadian Rockies. I felt as if I was swallowed or taken into this gigantic snow peaked Canadian Rockies. I scared myself even.

As I drove from the hospital I felt so enriched. The dying Issei's words echoed in my mind. Do I have to go to another place to meet you again? I have already met you and am meeting with you in the realization of oneness of Nembutsu. Na man da bu. Na man da bu. How fortunate I am, working as a so-called Buddhist minister. I have such great opportunities to meet and learn from people.

I have been well-trained at the Yale Divinity School to give final prayers. I had thought I had gone to the hospital to comfort this dying man. Clergy are supposed to say words of wisdom which comfort people, you know. I had not spoken even one word to him. He gave wisdom to me. He manifested the truth to me!

Most patients are extremely insecure and uncertain when dying. In contrast, this man simply, maturely, firmly shared wisdom and compassion with me, the clergyman. He did that without any intention to do so. What wisdom he lived! His spiritual life was so enriched. There was no need for final prayers for this Issei pioneer. He is the one who lived in the eternal moment in a realization of oneness with self and non-self.

That evening I received a call from his son. He said, “My father passed away.”

After the memorial service, the son came to me and said, “I still don't understand the meaning of what my father said. What did he mean when he said he has already met with me in the realization and oneness of Nembutsu. Na man da bu.”

I said to this son, “Since you are a professor and you give homework to your students, I leave this question to you as your lifetime homework.”

As I thought about the way I answered this son's question, I smiled to myself. And now, my friends, I give you the same lifetime homework. Make it your flesh and blood.

Do I have to go to another place to meet you again? I have already met you and am meeting with you in the realization of oneness of Nembutsu. Na man da bu. Na man da bu.

What is this?

_______________________________________

Zen Shin Sangha

The Zen Shin Sangha, founded by Sensei Ogui, is a group that practices the Buddha Dharma through meditation, chanting, and discussion under the guidance of senior students.

Training for beginners is held on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 PM and includes two twelve minute periods of sitting meditation, walking meditation, chanting, and listening to a Dharma talk. The Wednesday classes, also from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, follow the same format and include more lengthy sittings and more extensive chanting. Instructions on the basics of meditation practice are given on Tuesdays; on Wednesdays it is assumed that the participants have already received such training.

On Wednesday, Sept. 29^th, we will have as a guest speaker Brad Warner, an ordained Soto Zen teacher who has explored the expression of Buddha Dharma in contemporary popular culture. All those who are familiar with the Wednesday sitting format are invited to attend.

Zen Shin Sangha Sesshin

The Zen Shin Sangha will hold a sesshin, a day of intensive sitting, walking, and chanting meditation on Saturday, September 11th from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM. The program will conclude with a pot-luck lunch. There is no fee required, although a donation of $5 per person is suggested. For further information, please see Craig Horton.

Sunday Sitting Meditation

On most Sunday mornings in September and October, there will be a period of sitting meditation practice at 10:00 AM that will last for at least twenty minutes. On Sundays when no other service or activity is scheduled, the practice will include chanting meditation, two periods of sitting meditation, and walking meditation. All are invited to come to these Sunday morning sittings. Newcomers to sitting practice are encouraged to come at least ten minutes early in order to receive instruction about the practice. Please note: there will be no sitting meditation on Sunday, September 5^th.

Dharma School

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple Dharma School will meet at 10:00 AM on Sunday, September 19th, and Sunday, October 17th, in conjunction with the monthly Memorial and Sangha service on those days.

Those who want their children to attend the Dharma School should bring them to the Temple a little before 10:00 AM. For further information, please call Connie Guinto at (330) 273-1882.

Monthly Memorial and Sangha Service

For September

The Monthly Memorial and Sangha Service for September will be held on Sunday, September 19th at 10:30 AM. Our loved ones we are remembering this month include: Yosuke Yamagata, Eizo Nakashige, Hisayo Fujikawa, Harold Honda, Yutaka Hashimoto, Satoru Hayataka, Nobe Sakai, Leona Hoover, Noboru Asamoto, and others.

Introduction to Buddhism with Tim McCarthy

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple holds introductory programs to provide information (and inspiration) for students of all levels, as well as visitors or newcomers to the Temple. The next program will be Sunday, October 3rd, with sitting meditation at 10:00 AM and the program itself starting at 10:30 AM. Participants will have an opportunity to talk about Buddhist thinking and practice with one of the finest and most accessible teachers we know.

Tim McCarthy is well known to all Temple members as the Director and teacher of Kent Zendo, and as Dharma speaker at our regular Animal Memorial Services. He will gear his presentation to the needs and interests of those who attend. This is your chance to ask questions and take notes. We encourage anyone who is interested in Bud-dhism, or who is working on a school project or paper involving Buddhism, to come to this presentation as a starting point for your personal education and/or spiritual growth.

Monthly Memorial and Sangha Service

For October

The monthly memorial and sangha service for October will be held on Sunday, October 17^th at 10:30 AM, and will be conducted by Rev. Ron Miyamura. Our loved ones we are remembering this month include: Tokuko Konishi, Kahei Morikawa, Eizo Sakai, Juichi Koyama, Ryuichi Uyeki, Roy Koyama, Andrew Kratochvil, and others

Relying on this Bulletin

Occasionally, especially since each issue of the Temple Bulletin covers a two-month period, there are changes in scheduled events that are not reflected in the Bulletin. Such changes for the coming week are included in the recorded Temple schedule that is available at theTemple’s telephone number: (216) 692-1509.

In Memoriam

Our good Dharma friend Katsumi (Kay) Akiba passed away on June 16^th, 2010 at the age of 77. He was very 
devoted to the Temple and to his friends in the community, and served as the Temple’s treasurer for 

many years.  He was also one of the mainstays of our temple’s food bazaars, where he could always be found 

working the woks, preparing chicken teriyaki and chow mein. A memorial service for Kay was held at the Temple 

on Saturday, July 10^th. We extend our sincere sympathy to his family and friends. Namo Amida Butsu.




_____________________________________________________________________________________













                                                                                                      

Donations

Memorial Donations:

Yuki Llewellyn (Mikiko Hayakawa)
Rick and Carolyn Vigneulle (Satoru Yamahiro)
Janice Katz (Teddy Katz)
Joe and Carolyn Ahern (Winifred Murphy)
  “               “          “      (Raymond Murphy)
  “               “          “      (Ann Ahern)
Reiko Fujikawa (Shohei Fujikawa)
K. C. Peer                           (Tei Higaki)
Frank Shiomi                        (  “      “     )
Katsuko and Vernon Higaki (  “      “     )
Tina and Richard Ishiyama  (  “      “      )
Junko Kraft                           (  “     “      )
Sue Nakamura                      (  “     “      )
Tina and Richard Ishiyama (Manny Peer)
Sue Nakamura                     (    “          “  )
Katsuko and Vernon Higaki (   “          “  )
K. C. Peer                            (   “          “   )
Shig Fujimura                       (Ken Asamoto)
Hazel Asamoto and Family  (  “          “       )
Cornelius, Diane, Nicole, and Natalie Grant
……………………………...(   “       “       )
Satoru and Grace Nakamoto 
…………………….(Gunichi and Asayo Nakamoto)
Dean and Miki Nakamoto (  “            “          “           )
Chris and Donna Lew  (       “            “           “          )
Shig Fujimura (Kiyo Fujimura)
John and Betty Ochi (Yonetaro Ochi)
Anita Kazarian (Garo Papazian)
Nakanishi Family (Hideo Nakanishi)
       “            “       (George Kuramoto)
Susan Ishiyama           (Toaru Ishiyama)
Miyako Ishiyama        (    “          “         )
Sue Nakamura           (    “          “         )
Reiko Fujikawa          (Toaru Ishiyama )
Tina and Richard Ishiyama   (    “          “         )
K C. Peer                           (    “          “         )
K. C. Peer                          (Effie Shijo)
Rick and Carolyn Vigneulle (Grace and Larry Yamahiro)
Satoru and Grace Nakamoto (Tomi Orikuchi)
John and Nobuto Akiba         (Kay Akiba)
Satoru and Grace Nakamoto (  “        “    )
Hazel Asamoto                       (  “       “    )
Pauline Malarkey                   (  “        “    )

Total …………………………………………..$1,925.00

Obon Donations:

Verrnon and Katsuko Higaki
Reiko Fujikawa
Sue Nakamura
Rick and Carolyn Vigneulle
Satoru and Grace Nakamoto
John and Betty Ochi
Shig Fujimura

Total …………………………………………..$260.00

Other Donations:

CARP
John Waltz
Norman Yamahiro
Dean Williams
Yoshiko Ikuta
Dana Box

Total …………………………………………..$652.00

Calendar of Events

September 1 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation

September

1 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation