Year End: A Time to Reflect

By Rev. Ken Yamada

As the year ends, let’s reflect on the importance of time.

This week, there are two important Buddhist services marking time—the Year End service and New Year’s Day service. I stress the term “Year End” (instead of New Year’s eve) because it’s a time to look back on the past year and think about all that has happened. The New Year’s Day service commemorates a beginning and starting out fresh.

But aren’t these merely random markers of time? After all, each day flows mostly indistinguishable from the next. Continue reading “Year End: A Time to Reflect”

Searching for happiness? Try looking backwards

Dualism: the world of pluses and minuses

By Rev. Ken Yamada

I heard a Japanese Buddhist “cult” promised members they could change their karma by reciting sacred words. If lonely, they’d find a mate; if unemployed, they’d find a job; if sick, they’d get well. In other words, they could change past “bad” karma into future “good” karma. In case you’re wondering, the words they recited weren’t “Namu Amida Butsu.” Continue reading “Searching for happiness? Try looking backwards”