“Listen to the Dharma in Daily Life”
The cold days continue. This is my first winter in Toronto, but it’s actually my second time experiencing a Canadian winter, as I studied English in Canada in 2022. I’ve realized that when the temperature drops below -10°C, I become reluctant to go outside.
Despite the cold, approximately 100 people gathered for the year-end Joya no Kane (bell-ringing) and New Year’s Day services, respectively. Most of them had never visited the temple before. Perhaps it is part of Japanese culture to feel the urge to visit a temple during the New Year season.
I imagine that many new immigrants live in Toronto. Starting in January, we began initiatives such as renting the temple’s social hall to immigrant groups for events. While it’s a small step, I hope this helps more people become aware of the temple. My wish is to create opportunities for them to visit the temple and join us in listening to the teachings of Amida Buddha.
Now, changing the subject, after completing my training in the United States in mid-December, I returned to Toronto and have been enjoying curling every Sunday evening at the “NISEI CURLING CLUB.” As you may know, curling is a strategic winter sport played on ice and is often referred to as “chess on ice” because it requires careful judgment based on the situation. Two teams of four players each take turns sliding polished stones toward a circular target area called the “house.”
In Japan, curling has gained recognition due to achievements such as the women’s national team winning an Olympic medal. However, there are only about a dozen dedicated curling rinks across the entire country, making it a challenging sport to start. In contrast, Canada is a curling powerhouse, with over 700,000 participants—about 70% of the world’s curling population is said to be Canadian.
I first tried curling during my time as a student in Kamloops and was immediately captivated by its charm. Back then, I practiced twice a week for about two hours and participated in a Japanese Canadian league on Sunday nights. I even had the chance to join a Japanese Canadian bonspiel in British Columbia.
While there are hardly any temple members in the NISEI CURLING CLUB I currently attend, everyone is incredibly friendly. After games, players from both teams gather around tables to socialize, regardless of whether they are opponents or teammates.
The true appeal of curling lies in its emphasis on respect for opponents. At the start and end of every match, players shake hands and exchange greetings like “Good Curl” or “Good Game.” The sport does not require referees, and players do not rejoice at their opponents’ mistakes. It’s an incredibly respectful sport to play. Curling is also a team sport that requires collaboration. Even if one player throws the stone, it won’t reach the intended spot without the sweeping efforts of their teammates.
However, no matter how much you practice or synchronize with your team, the stone doesn’t always stop exactly where you want it to be. In fact, achieving the perfect result is rare. Even if you throw a stone with the same form and force, the ice conditions change throughout the game, affecting the stone’s curve and speed. Small adjustments in strength and unforeseen circumstances can significantly alter the outcome. Perhaps the true essence of curling lies in the fact that “not everything can be controlled.”
In this way, curling mirrors life itself. No matter how much we prepare, things often don’t go as planned. Many of us unconsciously believe that life should go the way we want it to. As a result, when things don’t turn out as expected or when we face difficulties, we may think, “Why is this happening to me?” or “Something must be wrong.” We tend to place the blame on others or external factors, saying, “It’s because of that person” or “It’s because of that.”
If we could control every aspect of our lives, it might indeed be wonderful. No one wants to encounter unhappiness in life. However, as the Buddha taught, “Life is suffering.” Living inevitably involves facing obstacles and hardships, and life rarely goes as we wish. Suffering does not disappear, even with fervent prayers to Buddhas or gods. We must face it and accept it ourselves.
Our teaching is one of “listening to the Vow of Amida Buddha.” Amida Buddha constantly extends a helping hand, reaching out to us in our moments of pain and suffering. Yet, Amida Buddha does not demand rigorous practices or ascetic exercises such as fasting or standing under waterfalls. Instead, Amida Buddha works calling to us, “You are fine just as you are. Please, just notice my Vow.”
Shinran Shonin teaches in the “Hymns of the Dharma Ages”(Shōzō Matsu-Wasan）:
“When we reflect on the establishment of the Vow,
We find that the Tathagata, without abandoning
sentient beings in pain and affliction,
Has taken the directing of virtue to them as foremost,
Thus fulfilling the mind of great compassion.”
When I ask why Amida Buddha made a vow to help me, I am told that it is because he could not leave me alone in my suffering, anxiety and despair. Through the name Namo Amida Butsu, Amida Buddha wants to bestow the virtue of enlightenment on me and free me from suffering and anguish.
Amida Buddha has infused His wish to ease our suffering into the nembutsu, “Namo Amida Butsu,” and delivers it to us. This sacred Name, created so that anyone, anywhere, and at any time can recite it with ease, is already present beside us, embracing us with His compassion. However, reciting the nembutsu does not mean that illnesses will be cured instantly or that we will be shielded from all accidents. Amida Buddha tells us, “Your joy is my joy, your suffering is my suffering. I carry your sadness and suffering with you.”
It is important for us to express gratitude not only for the favourable events in our lives but also for the unfavourable ones.
Precious opportunities that help us grow and deepen our understanding of Amida’s teachings.
This is because, even in the midst of difficulties, we can overcome them with Amida’s help, and through this, we can feel Amida’s deep compassion even more. Such events become
The place where we listen to the Dharma is not only when we visit the temple. Our daily life itself is the place where we receive Amida Buddha’s vows. Of course, for me, the curling rink is also a place where I feel embraced by Amida’s great compassion. Amida Buddha is with us anytime and anywhere.
Namo Amida Butsu
Rev. Kensho Hashimoto
