Guest Sensei: Kiyonobu Kuwahara Sensei
Come join us for an event filled weekend to celebrate the birth of the Buddha. On Saturday at 3:00 pm, we will have a short service followed by a public lecture by Kuwahara Sensei entitled, “The Buddha and I”. Kuwahara Sensei is presently the minister at the Berkeley Buddhist Temple as well as being the coordinator of the Jodo Shinshu Center. Following Sensei’s talk we’ll have our Hanamatsuri potluck dinner starting at 5:00 pm with our special guest.
On Sunday, April 21 from 10:30 am, we will be commemorating Hanamatsuri with our guest sensei. When we enter the Hondo for the service, we immediately notice the beautiful miniature flower altar or “Hanamido” and the beautifully colored flowers offered in the main altar. These flowers are place in the “Naijin” or altar to symbolize the birthplace, Lumbini Gardens, where the Buddha was born.
When we offer incense, we notice the small statue of the baby Buddha standing in the middle of a deep tray filled with tea, sweet tea. We pour some of this sweet tea on the baby Buddha statue, symbolizing the sweet rain, which fell on him and bathed him shortly after his birth.
As we sit quietly in the Hondo, putting our hands together in gassho and take a quiet moment to reflect, we are reminded of the signs of spring. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and new life is all around us. Let’s all open our eyes, hearts and minds to the meaning of Hanamatsuri. Following the service please make sure you stay and join us for the Hanamatsuri luncheon.
Make sure you come and join the celebration.
御講師：桑原浄信開教使
4月20日～21日週末にお釈迦様の誕生を祝う花祭り週末が行われます。20日の土曜日は午後3時より御講師の桑原先生の英語の講演会が行われ、題名は「The Buddha and I」です。先生は現在バークレー仏教会の駐在開教使でありながら、浄土真宗英語通信教育の担当者でもあります。講演会の後に桑原先生を歓迎する持ち寄り食事会を午後5時より開きます。
21日（日曜日）午前１０時半より花祭り法要を勤修いたします。本堂の御内陣には花御堂と言う小さなお御堂が設けられます。花御堂にはお釈迦様の誕生された時の御像を皿の中央に安置し、甘茶を頭の上からかけます。これを「灌佛」と申しまして、お釈迦様がご誕生された時、天より降られた甘い雨を表しています。また、花御堂は多くのお花で飾り付けられますが、これはお釈迦様の誕生されたルンビニー荘園の様子を表しています。
本堂で静かに合掌すると、鳥の鳴き声や多くの花の輝きなどの春の訪れを感じさせられるでしょう。花祭り法要にお参りされますようお願い申し上げます。