Buddhist Teachings for Everyday Living
Feeling the Full Embrace of Obon
As a Jodo Shinshu convert, it sometimes takes me a while to fully appreciate the depth and beauty of certain Japanese traditions—especially Obon and Hatsubon. When I first joined the Vista Buddhist Temple sangha, I made a simple commitment: just show up, join in, and trust that understanding would come in time.
Ichi-Mi: All of the Same Essence
“Ichi-Mi (一味)” is a term found in Shinran Shonin’s Shoshin-Nembutsu-Ge. The translation of this passage is as follows: When ignorant and wise, even grave offenders and slanders of the dharma, all alike turn about and enter shinjin. They are like waters that, on entering the ocean, become one in taste with it.