The Compassion That Seeks Nothing in Return
By the time this newsletter reaches you, our temple will likely be bustling with preparations for the Annual Bazaar. Since I was away for training from October to early December last year, this will be my first time experiencing this event at TBC.
As I observe the preparations little by little, I can feel how this event is built upon the efforts of so many people. Cooking, decorating, greeting, selling, cleaning—each person contributes their time and energy, and together these efforts make the Bazaar possible. It’s not just an “event,” but a gathering of many acts of kindness that sustain our temple.
Another important aspect of this event is that it serves as an essential fundraising opportunity for our temple. Every service, educational program, children’s activity, and the maintenance of our facilities is made possible through your warm support. The funds raised through the Bazaar help sustain these
activities for the future.
But this event is not carried out by a few individuals. It is sustained by everyone offering “what they can.” One person may help with preparations, another may volunteer for just an hour on the day, and others may simply come to enjoy the event. Each of these acts, no matter how small, is precious.
When we see many people offering their time, skills, and hearts in their own ways, we are reminded that what sustains this temple is not individual effort, but the coming together of countless unseen supports. This way of supporting one another reflects something even deeper—Amida Buddha’s compassionate working that embraces us all.
What is most important here is this: Amida Buddha never “demands something in return.” Amida embraces us and assures our birth in the Pure Land without expecting a single “thank you.” That is why responding to Amida’s compassion is not an obligation—it is a natural and heartfelt response that
arises within us.
To respond to Amida’s compassion means to do what brings joy to Amida—not to repay a debt, but to live in harmony with that boundless heart. It means sharing that heart with others and walking together on the Nembutsu path. I believe our Bazaar is one expression of this way of living.
Of course, in the midst of all this, there may be moments of tiredness or frustration. Things may not always go as planned. But if we pause and look around, we will notice the many hearts behind it all—the people working late to set up, the quiet support of those behind the scenes, the guests who look forward to attending. All of these unseen efforts sustain the Bazaar.
When we turn our attention to these unseen efforts, a genuine “thank you” naturally arises in our hearts.
Amida’s compassion is not only found in grand moments. It is quietly and surely present in our everyday lives. Even if each of us can only offer a little, together, those small acts become a great power.
At the end of our Sunday Service, we always sing Ondokusan. This hymn expresses our heartfelt response to the boundless compassion of Amida Buddha and the deep gratitude we feel toward those who have transmitted the teaching to us.
Such is the benevolence of the Tathagata’s great compassion,
That I must strive to repay it even if my body turns to dust;
Such is the benevolence of the masters and true teachers,
That I will thank them until my bones have crumbled.
Amida never asks us to “repay” this benevolence. Yet when we encounter this boundless compassion, gratitude naturally arises. I believe our Bazaar is one such expression of this heart—a place where we live out that gratitude together.
May this year’s Bazaar become a moment for each of us to remember “thank you,” and a chance to strengthen the warm circle of support that sustains our temple.
In gassho,
Rev. Kensho Hashimoto