Thinking about Life

I am very sorry my dear colleague has lost his older brother who was a resident minister of his family temple in Japan.

Because of such a sudden death,  he has to make a decision so suddenly, too, whether he should go back to take over the temple or not.

My heart aches.  His heart must be aching much much more.  In fact, he lost his father, too, when he was a student.

But I've realized...sooner or later, I have to experience this sorrow of losing a brother and a father.  Then I have to think about too whether I should go back to Japan to take over the family temple or not.   But of course, this is a story if I were lucky. 

I said "lucky" because there is a possibility that I die first, too.   It could happen tomorrow or in a few years.  Who knows.   If we can be mindful of the mystery of the universe, anything could happen.   Then if I die,  I don't need to experience sorrow, but instead, my family will be suffering.

What a life.

Buddha said, "life is suffering."

When there is life, there is suffering. 

When there is a happiness, there is a time to lose it.

Then what for we are living?

What is a meaning of life?

How can we be positive about life?

This is the main theme of the Jodo Buddhism and this is what I want to talk about  at Sunday Service which starts at 10:30 a.m.

Tomorrow, I just want to share thoughts on life.