2018年11月

煩悩具足の凡夫、火宅無常の世界は、よろづのこと、みなもってそらごとたわごと、まことあることなきに、ただ念仏のみぞまことにておはします　(歎異抄)

9月6日に起こりました北海道胆振東部地震では、多くの被災者が避難生活をされ、全国各地より集ってこられたボランティア活動での炊き出しや、壊れた家屋のあと片づけなど、人の心の優しさ温もりを感じさせるものです。冬季へ向けて今なお厳しい生活をされておられる方もいます。
今回の災害で「寒い時期でなくてよかったね」などという声も多く聞かれます。日常のありがたさ、つながりの大切さに改めて目覚め気付かせてくださったのではないでしょうか。
地球の中で起こっていることは予測がつきません。「あれ、また、揺れているかな」などといつ起こるか分からない余震に不安を感じることがあるのです。私の周りにあるもの全ては移り変わり変化していく。「生じたものは必ず滅する、生まれたものは必ず死する」という、無常の世界なのです。
それはまるで家に火がつき、みるみる滅びていくような状態で、その不安定なこの世の中のことは、嘘や偽りに満ちていて、ただ、お念仏のみ教えだけは真実であり、変わることなくはたらいて下さっているのです。
社会に目をむけてみますと、様々な政治家の問題、各スポーツ界のパワハラなどの問題。医学部の男女合格者数の調整問題など、残念ながら嘘や偽りの多い世の中であると言わざるを得ません。私に具わっている心の闇の煩悩は、縁が調ったら、どのようなこともしかねない危うい存在、人に指をさすことのできない私であることを教えてくれるのです。
ただ、私に届いてきている恵みをよろこばせていただきましょう。

However, I am an ordinary man who offered all evil passions, and this world is the world which changes as at once as the house which burns brightly. All, empty, pretend, true, say, one, nothing. It (It was in that, and only the prayer however was true") became orders. (Citation from Lamentations of Divergences)

November 2018 Issue

We never know what will happen tomorrow.Many people were affected by the East Hokkaido Earthquake of 6 September 2018 with 41 deceased.
Supply of meals, and the cleanup of the debris were done by volunteers from all around Japan as well as the Local Governments, Self Defence Forces, and Fire Brigades. It made us realise the great importance of our human connections.Some say that it was lucky that the earthquake did not happen during the colder months. However, not all evacuees were able to return home. There are some who are still living in the temporary shelters as we are heading towards winter.It has been two months since the earthquake, but we are still having aftershocks.
There are many plates around Japan. These plates collide with each other or a plate sinks beneath the other plate.Earthquake occurs when a plate flips up due to excessive stacked energy which exceeds its limitation.
Since we can not see the movement of the plates deep beneath, we are very anxious. When we look at what are happening in our society, there are issues with our politicians, power harassments in the sport, and unfair application adjustments at medical schools. Unfortunately, we have to say there are lies abound in the world.As we have bonno＊, this darkness in our hearts, depending on the situation, we could do anything as directed by our desire.
＊Those mental functions which disturb the mind.Before you criticize the behaviors of others, remember “One Man‘s fault is another’s lesson., Learn wisdom by the follies.”Everything around us will change.
All things in this reality we live in, exist or are happening as direct or indirect results of causes and conditions. They will always continue to change and nothing is eternal.