Dharma on the Move 1/31/08

Chanting sutra is a great practice. In the Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist tradition, we recite the Lotus Sutra every morning and every evening. As February 3rd is an important day, called Setsubun, a day before the start of the New Year in the Japanese traditonal astrological calendar, we hold a special session to chant the whole pages of the Lotus Sutra in one or two week period of time. At 6am today, I started chanting from Chapter 3, "A Parable", to Chapter 6, "Prediction" at home myself. The total pages were about 70, and it was close to 8am when I finished the chanting. When I recite the sutra particularly in a loud voice, I always enjoy the sense of connection with the Dharma. Feeling deeper appreciation to family, friends, and all beings, I renew the bodhisattva spirit. I was sitting and chanting for two hours this morning, but I felt it was just about five minutes.

After the breakfast, it seems the Dharma guided me to listen to an audio lecture in a website. It was a lecture by Ven. Kusala Bhikshu. He was talking about Buddhism to students at Santa Margarita Catholic High school.
I was very much impressed with his openness, his easy-to-understand expression, and at most his sincere attitude throughout his life to share the Dharma to free every being from suffering.

Several days ago, I watched a video presentation by Pema Chodron and was struck by her great articulation of Buddhist principles.

I also got impressed by a book titled “The Best Buddhist Writing 2007”. Most of the contributors to this book are Western Buddhist scholars and practitioners.

Having learned and practiced the Buddhism wholeheartedly, now American Buddhists are sharing the Dharma with American people. Actually the person who introduced the Pema’s video talk to me was also a brilliant American leader in our Oklahoma Dharma Center.

Dharma is on the move now! I would like to renew my vow to contribute to peace and happiness of people in this country by sharing the Dharma as compassionately as possible.

Chanting brought me a great day today! Thank you, Buddha.
Shoko Mizutani

great time with other religious leaders 1/29/08

It was a great honor and pleasure for us to host a Nikkei (Japanese American) Interfaith meeting at Rissho Kosei-kai of LA yesterday. About 30 religious leaders from Shinto, Christianity, and Buddhism attended and we enjoyed eating Bento (lunch box) together and also sharing thoughts and news.

We grow from interaction. By listening, by talking, by being with other religious leaders yesterday, I was very much inspired. All religions are, I believe, wonderful manifestation of the truth of the universe. And by walking on the respective path most sincerely, followers will eventually attain enlightenment. So being a Christian, for example, you too can become a buddha, enlightened one. Difference gives us options to choose a path. Difference creates more opportunies for interaction and nurtures all practitionars.

How wonderful it is to have various forms of religious tradition, instead of just one!
Difference must be a great gift to all of us. Shoko Mizutani

"When you change, other will change." 1/26/08

After enjoying swimming exercise at the YMCA pool, I went to the Borders for lunch and books this afternoon. A young guy at the coffee section served me politely and also very friendlily. 　I found a book ,“The Best Buddhist Writing 2007”, and stood in a customers’ line. A charming lady at a cashier called me up, and I walked to her. She asked me, "Do you have a Borders’ card?" "Yes, I have. But I didn't bring today." "That's all right. What is your email address?" "OK, it is mizutani21@..." "That's your age!" We smiled together.

A positive interaction always makes me happy.　In Japan, we don’t show much friendliness or a smile to those whom we don’t know yet. This is truly a great virtue of people in US.　　But even in this county, not all people are nice. Through my own experience, I have noticed something. That is when I am with a big smile, the person I meet is most like respond to me with a big smile. This is the basic concept of Buddhism, the Law of Causation. In a simple expression, it means, “When you change, other will change”. I experienced the dharma today too. Shoko Mizutani

Let me start anyway. 1/25/08

Thank you for visiting my blog.


I would like to write here about my everyday reflection. My writing is not on what I did today, but on what I viewed myself on that day. I would like to write about my joy of living the dharma as well as frustration and irritation because of my occasional deviation from the Way.


Buddha said, "Every one of us has limitless capacity of becoming a buddha, an enlightened one." This is a great assurance. Then how can we achieve it? Like standing on a scale is a simple and truly effective way to accomplish the control of one's weight, reflecting oneself in a mirror of the dharma is significant.


I have many excuses of not being able to start the blog until today. The biggest one was the fear of showing my ignorance. But I remembered that my Master, Rev.Nichiko Niwano says, "A person, who thinks he will do something only after he has gained the capacity, will not make it forever; a person who tries to do most diligently will eventually become able to do it. "

I would like to enjoy trying hard. Please come back.

With deep respect