2024年01月22日
Monday January 22nd, 2024 (6th Reiwa)
At the end of last year, I went on a family vacation to Kanzan-ji Onsen, although it took two days and one night (since it was difficult for all of the fewer than 20 of us to attend). The photo on the left is of the Ferris wheel at the amusement park just after sunrise (7 am).
I take to heart the sentence, “... Though the water is the same, it appears differently according to one’s karmic reward from the past.…” from Nichiren's writings known as the Gosho (Reply to the Lay Priest Soya, 1275).
So, I always need to recognize that what I see is not the whole picture. At the same time, even if we appear to be looking at the same thing, others may not always see it the same way I do. This is the ordinary way of thinking for me.
I take to heart the sentence, “... Though the water is the same, it appears differently according to one’s karmic reward from the past.…” from Nichiren's writings known as the Gosho (Reply to the Lay Priest Soya, 1275).
So, I always need to recognize that what I see is not the whole picture. At the same time, even if we appear to be looking at the same thing, others may not always see it the same way I do. This is the ordinary way of thinking for me.
2023年12月15日
Freiday December 13th, 2023, (Fifth Reiwa)
On December 10th, I attended the Indian dance musical “Mumbai☆Star,” an original production by Min-On and supported by the Embassy of India Tokyo.
When I was a teenager, I met Daisaku Ikeda Sensei at a summer course held for the student section around 1970, shortly after I joined the Soka Gakkai.
At the event during the summer course, Ikeda Sensei handed something to each member, saying to them, "It's hot, so here, have something cold to eat." Many students gathered around Sensei, moving slowly in a whirlpool around Ikeda Sensei. When that vortex (Ikeda Sensei) came close to me, I extended my hand to try to make my way through the crowd. I felt something in my hand and squeezed it.
When the whirlpool (the group around Sensei) moved away, I was finally able to pull my arm out of the crowd. I then opened my palm and found a thin piece of plastic (see photo). It was, of course, a ticket to buy shaved ice. I ate the shaved ice but paid for it using cash from my wallet instead of using the ticket.
In this way, the yellow square piece of plastic has remained with me and has been my treasure (thus I can't lose it absolutely). I keep it close to me wherever I go.
When I was a teenager, I met Daisaku Ikeda Sensei at a summer course held for the student section around 1970, shortly after I joined the Soka Gakkai.
At the event during the summer course, Ikeda Sensei handed something to each member, saying to them, "It's hot, so here, have something cold to eat." Many students gathered around Sensei, moving slowly in a whirlpool around Ikeda Sensei. When that vortex (Ikeda Sensei) came close to me, I extended my hand to try to make my way through the crowd. I felt something in my hand and squeezed it.
When the whirlpool (the group around Sensei) moved away, I was finally able to pull my arm out of the crowd. I then opened my palm and found a thin piece of plastic (see photo). It was, of course, a ticket to buy shaved ice. I ate the shaved ice but paid for it using cash from my wallet instead of using the ticket.
In this way, the yellow square piece of plastic has remained with me and has been my treasure (thus I can't lose it absolutely). I keep it close to me wherever I go.
2023年11月13日
Monday Nobember 13th, 2023, (Fifth Reiwa)
In early November, I attended the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu Gongyo Session at the Diaseido (Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu) in Tokyo. The weather in Nagoya and Tokyo was warm and mild for November (OK without a jacket). Nagoya station was crowded, but only in the morning, as it was the first day of the three consecutive holidays (Tokyo always seems to be very crowded for those who come to Tokyo from regional cities).
I attended a Min-On concert titled "RAJATON JAPAN Tours 2023” on November 12th (which is commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of Min-On.). In mid-November, it gets cold even in Nagoya, with a minimum temperature of 8°C and a maximum of about 15°C. So even though the concert started at 3:00 p.m., I wore a jacket.
I attended a Min-On concert titled "RAJATON JAPAN Tours 2023” on November 12th (which is commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of Min-On.). In mid-November, it gets cold even in Nagoya, with a minimum temperature of 8°C and a maximum of about 15°C. So even though the concert started at 3:00 p.m., I wore a jacket.
