Good morning everyone. Thank you for coming to the end of the year Sunday service. Now I seem to have developed an allergy. My nose is always running. I heard lots of Sacramento people have allergies. Maybe I’m getting to be a real Sacramento person now. Next year in the summer, I will try to apply for a green card. I hope I will get a green card and stay in this country for rest of my life.

Last Thursday night, I saw a bad dream at Arco arena… I went to Arco arena to see the Kings’ game against the Lakers. I think you know the game results. It was terrible. Instead of cheering, I was signing and saying “Oh my and Oh no…!” But I know Rev. Bob had a smile. You know why? Please ask Rev. Bob about the reason for his smiling.

Last week, we had Bodhi day service at the Gedatsu church hosted by the Sacramento Buddhist Federation. There are Our Betsuin, the Nichiren church, the Koyasan church and the Gedatsu church in this association. That was my first visit to the Gedatsu church. They have a unique altar. Their main altar has a shrine. It looks like Japanese Shinto shrine. I don’t know much about Gedatsu style of Buddhism. So, I asked Rev. Seibe, who is the minister of the Gedatsu Church about their main altar. Rev. Seibe said “our main altar is a mixture of Buddhism and Shintoism. Our founder’s letters are inside of the shrine” So, now I know a little about Gedatsu Buddhism.

They also have Sunday services but only twice a month. When I have questions, I always try to ask others. So, I asked Rev. Seibe “Why don’t you have weekly Sunday services?”

Rev. Seibe said “It is difficult for me to collect materials for Sunday Dharma messages every week. And also our members only wanted Sunday services twice a month” I guess he is almost the same age as Rev. Bob. He is very young so, I thought that’s not a good reason to not have weekly services. So, I said to Rev. Seibe “Sensei, you had better try weekly Sunday service to propagate our Buddha Dharma.”

Gedatsu teaching has many differences from our Jodo-Shinshu Buddhism. But all Buddhist traditions have the same roots. Historically, Buddhism originated in India over 2500 years ago.

At the age of 80, just before he died, Shakyamuni said his followers “Listen to the Dharma and Follow the teaching. Let the Dharma be your guide.”

There are many Buddhist sutras in this world and as Buddhism spread, it always tried to accommodate and understand other religions and cultures. Buddhist have always tried to respect other religions. During this time of year, I think there are many houses decorated with holiday lights that are both Christian and also Buddhist.

Buddhism is always developing, growing and trying new things.

Maybe someday if like the Gedatsu church that is Buddhism and Shinto, there will be some who try to make a mixture of Buddhism and Christianity. Who knows?

See you at the end of the year service. I hope you will all have a happy holiday!

Gassho

As Rev. Bob said last week, as Buddhists, we admire and respect truth in every tradition… everywhere.