The month of o-bon is upon us. O-bon is short for urabon, the Japanese
pronunciation of the Sanskrit ullambana. The ullambana ceremony has its roots
in the story of Maudgalyayana, one of the ten great disciples of Shakyamuni,
who wished to help his deceased mother. She had been reborn in the realm of
hungry spirits, one of the six realms of existence, and was suffering there.

“Hungry spirit” refers to the impoverished state of mind in which one is attached
to immediate gain and loss and is filled with self-centered desires.
Maudgalyayana's mother had showered her son with affection. In this sense,
perhaps she could be called a good mother. She is said to have fallen into
the realm of hungry spirits because of her "Whatever is good for my son" greed,
in other words, her self-centered way of thinking.

This story makes us reflect upon the narrow, impoverished state of our own minds
and teaches us the importance of pursuing the bodhisattva way of Mahayana
Buddhism, in which we aspire to the happiness of others. We tend to assume that
we are always right, which brings suffering upon us because it pits us against other people and causes us to stumble.

When we cast off the source of that suffering - our own narrow perspective and yardstick - our minds become much more relaxed. We are freed from the chains of
ego that have bound us tightly. In Rissho Kosei-kai, we teach the importance of
putting others first because we want everyone to savor that mental ease and comfort.

There are three practices that are concrete methods of ridding ourselves of our own narrow yardstick. The first is saying good morning to other family members with a
smile. The second is replying crisply and clearly when addressed. The third is neatly
lining up our shoes when we take them off on returning home. Anyone, anytime, anywhere, can do these things that foster consideration for others, maintain a
harmonious atmosphere, and improve the mood.

In other words, the mind becomes quiet and still, at peace and at ease. You will understand as soon as you try it.


Living to Accomplish the Buddha’s Vow

We were not born into this world through our own efforts. We were given life thanks
to the Buddha. Indeed, we received life as human beings capable of comprehending
the Buddha’s teaching, the Truth. When we realize this, we feel an overwhelming
sense of gratitude and cannot help wishing to help other people and devote ourselves
to their happiness.

When we realize this, we have discovered what truly makes life worth living. None of
us is perfect. All of us are living with some imperfections. This is precisely why we
are filled with joy when we compensate for one another’s weaknesses and devote ourselves to others. Through disseminating the faith, we can firmly grasp the
happiness of living to accomplish the Buddha’s vow.