Good morning everyone!

Thank you for coming Sunday Dharma service.

Last year, I caught a cold three times. But this year, fortunately I have yet to catch a cold. I hope I stay healthy this season.

Have you seen the musical, “a 100 year Anniversary of Disney on Ice”? It is now showing at Arco Arena. Have you seen it? No? They have been performing this show since Thursday. Today I will go to Arco Arena to see it with my friends. Even if you know the story, please don’t tell me. I want to be surprised.

Today is our annual Special pet memorial service. I heard some churches have a pet memorial service and others do not.

Yukawa-sensei had a small dog when he was lived in the Betsuin resident minister’s house. Yukawa-sensei’s dog was called Tonbo. So, maybe that is why some members said to me “Sensei, you should have a dog”. But when they said that, I said “I have never had a dog before. It would probably be difficult for me to take care of a dog.”

And then they said “It is easy to take care of a small dog.”

I replied to them “But I would feel sorry for the dog. Because no one would be home to take care of the dog during day time.

Last May, I went to Mr. & Mrs. Castle’s house to attend a party. I saw an aquarium in their house.

When I saw their aquarium, Tim Castle-san asked me “Do you like tropical fish?”

I said “Yes, yes. When I was in Japan, I had tropical fish in my aquarium like Angel-fish and Neon-tetra.”

Then he asked me “Why don’t you have an aquarium here in America?”

I answered “My non-immigration Visa will expire in August of 2006. If I cannot get a green-card, I may have to go back to Japan. And I would feel sad to leave them if I could not stay.

When we have pets as a part of our family, we have a responsibility to take care of them as long as they live. Especially those pets that can not survive without our help.

We hear stories of people who get tired of taking care of their pets and they leave their pets in a park or near a river or other places. That is why sometimes we also hear of people finding unique or exotic animals abandoned in a river or at a park.

Even if I had to leave this county, I would not want to cause harm to my pet. Our pet’s lives are precious too.

So, when Tim-san suggested for me to have a pet,

I said “Sorry, no I can’t… not yet”.

Today, we have many pictures of pets that were very much loved by their family. I think these pets felt very happy because their family took good care of them all their lives. Having pets also gives us a chance to realize that life is transient and short.

Some of you know, if you have tropical fish as your pets, you always have to control the temperature and keep the water condition clean. If the water condition goes bad, these fish will easily die.

Most of our pets are not able to live as long as we do. This means that if we have pets, we will also have to know the sad time when our pets die…

This is so hard, because they are like family.

But when we truly feel and know life is transient and short, we also know we must behave kindly toward every living thing.

In the Golden Chain it says, “I will be kind and gentle to every living thing and protect all who are weaker than myself.”

Today, at our Sacramento Betsuin Pet Memorial Service, we remember again the pets we love that we have lost. In remembering them, we remember again that it is most important to be kind and gentle to every living thing for this is the Buddhist way.

Gassho

The Golden Chain said “I will be kind and gentle to every living thing and protect all who are weaker than myself.”

It is most important to be kind and gentle to every living thing for this is the Buddhist way.