It was a war to end all wars. It did not. It would make the world safe for democracy. It failed. It was to end quickly. It lasted four horrific years with millions of casualties. It was a war which should not have happened. Yet it did. It changed the world forever. It solved nothing. It planted the seeds for war 21 years later and for the conflicts of today. It was called the Great War, the World War, World War I. It ended 100 years ago this month on November 11, 1918. It is a day known as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day. In the United States, we call it Veterans Day. Continue reading “Make Peace Great Again”
Dying last words
Rev. Ryoko Osa
Often in movies, when people are dying, they say to family members, “I love you… Thank you for everything… Please take care of yourselves.” However according to medical professionals, such last words are rare at life’s end. Continue reading “Dying last words”
Who Am I?
By Rev. Noriaki Fujimori
In Hawaii, a health treatment center’s sign welcomes people with, “We understand the connection between the body, mind, and spirit,” reminding me of Shin Buddhist teacher Ryojin Soga, who said, “My life connects with mountains, river, and land.” Continue reading “Who Am I?”
Kiyozawa: What was Shinran thinking?
By Rev. Wayne Yokoyama
Someday I hope Shinshu teacher Manshi Kiyozawa will be widely recognized as a truly brilliant mind of the modern era. He not only entered the Shinshu Otani-ha (Higashi Honganji) denomination from the outside, his influence on religious thought extends far beyond his native Japan.
Daiei Kaneko’s Guide to Shin Buddhism
By Rev. Ken Yamada
Buddhist scholar Daiei Kaneko represents a modern understanding of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, although he’s not widely known in the West. An e-book, “A Thinking Person’s Guide to Shin Buddhism,” captures his thinking and helps explain Shinshu in contemporary terms. Continue reading “Daiei Kaneko’s Guide to Shin Buddhism”
Food, Wasting and Being Right
By Rev. Hideaki Nishihori
“Food”
Recently, I really like to cook. I began to like cooking when I lived alone in Tokyo. Although I once worked for a French restaurant as a part-time chef in Kobe city, I didn’t really care about food until I moved to Hawaii. Continue reading “Food, Wasting and Being Right”