SCOOPING, ONLY TO FIND I WAS BEING SCOOPED
At the end of May, I was on a short trip to Japan. The humidity and heat I felt there have now begun to make their way to Toronto as well—yes, it is already late June.
Looking back, June was full of meaningful encounters and events. One special experience was officiating an inter-faith wedding ceremony in cooperation with a Christian priest. The groom grew up attending our temple’s Dharma School, and through that long-standing connection, I was invited to take part in this unique and heartfelt ceremony. I sincerely hope the couple will continue to respect each other’s religion and live a life guided by the teachings of the Nembutsu.
On another day, Rev. Sugiura and I were invited to an event held at the Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden, a facility established by a Chinese Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Toronto. In recent years, the Buddhist College of Cana-da, located at the garden, has been strengthening its rela-tionship with Emmanuel College—a graduate theological school affiliated with Victoria University at the University of Toronto. Though Emmanuel College is a Christian seminary, it is also one of the few institutions in Canada offering graduate-level courses in Buddhist spiritual care. As someone who has an interest in chaplaincy, I’ve long wanted to explore these studies, and this event was part of that relationship.
June, then, was a month of engaging with new perspectives and building bridges across reli-gions and cultures. But just as memorable for me was an event that took place right here at To-ronto Buddhist Church—our an-nual Backyard BBQ. This year, in addition to the usual food and festivities, we were treat-ed to something special: Nagashi-Somen (flowing Somen noodles), thanks to a generous person who happened to own some bamboo.
While this activity is relatively common in Japan, bamboo is hard to come by here in Canada. For many of our members, this was their very first time experiencing it.
We split the bamboo lengthwise, connected the halves to-gether, poured cold water down the trough, and sent chilled Somen noodles flowing along it. The goal is to catch the noodles with your chopsticks as they pass by. It’s a simple game, and yet—everyone gets completely absorbed in it.
In Nagashi-Somen, the noodles flow right in front of you, but unless you actively reach out to catch them at just the right moment, they slip away. If you’re not paying attention, the opportunity is gone. In this, I couldn’t help but feel the deep message of impermanence.
As I watched everyone enjoying this summer tradition, I began to think of Amida Buddha’s compassionate working.
Amida Buddha reaches us through the Name, Namo Ami-da Butsu, which flows to us at all times, in all places. With boundless compassion, Amida calls out to each of us:
“I will surely save you. No matter who you are, I will never abandon you.”
However, if we fail to notice that voice—if our hearts and minds are closed off to it—then we may find it passes us by. Often, we are too caught up in the demands of daily life, in our worries and our assumptions, to really hear the Amida Buddha’s call.
Nagashi-Somen, of course, flows in intervals. But the working of Amida Buddha does not.
It never stops. It has always been flowing—unceasingly, eternally—whether we notice it or not. It is the unwaver-ing, ever-present Vow that manifests as the Name, Namo Amida Butsu, calling to us in this very moment.
And it is because of this working that we are finally able to realize:
“This has been flowing for me all along.”
What we thought we were scooping up with our own hands—was, in truth, already being handed to us by the Buddha’s compassion.
That hand we reached out with? Perhaps it was moved not by our own strength, but by the very working of the Vow.
The Primal Vow of Amida is not saying, “Work hard and attain enlightenment on your own.”
Rather, it says:
“You are fine just as you are. I will surely help you. Please, entrust yourself to me.”
This unwavering wish flows into our lives through the Nembutsu, Namo Amida Butsu. And before we know it, the voice that once called to us from beyond becomes our own voice—spoken from within.
When we are touched by deep gratitude, that single phrase naturally arises from our lips:“Namo Amida Butsu.”
Looking back, I feel June was a month full of meaningful encounters—like flowing noodles, fleeting but profound.
Let us take time now and then to pause, listen closely, and realize: “Ah, today too, I am being called by Amida Buddha.” Even if we forget, the flow never stops.
Now, as we enter July, the time for Obon has come.
It is a sacred opportunity to remember our loved ones who have gone before us, and to reflect on our own lives under the light of Amida’s great compassion.
After Obon, our Sunday Services at TBC will shift to our shorter Summer Service format. This year, I plan to share Dharma messages exploring the theme of hell.
The word “hell” may sound frightening, but in Buddhism, it refers to more than just a distant realm.
It reveals something about the suffering and confusion we already experience in this life—and the path of liberation that unfolds even there.
It’s not someone else’s story. It’s a mirror showing us our own reality, here and now.
As the summer heat deepens, please take care of yourselves—and may your days be accompanied by the Nembutsu.
Namo Amida Butsu
Rev. Kensho Hashimoto