Since the start of the Corona-virus pandemic of 2020, the Oregon Buddhist Temple (OBT) resident minister, Rev. Sugahara Yuki, has diligently been presenting Jodo Shinshu content YouTube every day! Nanmandabu! How wonderful!
For ease of access you may wish to go directly to the OBT YouTube channel and subscribe! Visit here: https://www.youtube.com/user/OregonBuddhistTemple
If you would like to connect with OBT you can visit their website and facebook pages below. OBT is a very active temple and an example of compassionate ministry. Not only offering remote weekly services in this difficult time (covid19), but also going that step further and offering daily services for the wider Jodo Shinshu fellowship. Arigatiya honmani!
Visit OBT’s website: https://www.oregonbuddhisttemple.com/
Visit OBT’s facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/oregonbuddhisttemple/
At the bottom of this page, after all the Youtube video’s, you will find links to the Hongwanji International Center bookshop where you can order a copy of the book ‘Letter’s of Rennyo’ published by Hongwanji.
If you would like a digital copy, you can download a PDF here of the Letters translated by the BDK. Link: https://bdkamerica.org/product/tannisho-passages-deploring-deviations-of-faith-and-rennyo-shonin-ofumi-the-letters-of-rennyo/
On this page you will see a number of youtube videos from the playlist of OBT. To skip this page and go straight to the Youtube playlist please follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkeYL6A2MrBRjJVqVLbeZO6j3fZsrECev
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Let’s begin.
The 8th Head Priest of Honganji, Rennyo Shonin (1414-1499), wrote over 250 letters to the followers and 80 letters were compiled as Gobunsho/Ofumi. Nishi Hongwanji (Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha) picked 31 letters to be read at every morning service which starts from 6am at Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto, Japan.
This is the series of reading Rennyo’s Letter which is read on the day of the month at Nishi Hongwanji. Our minister, Yuki Sugahara, read them in Japanese & English and add the explanation on the letter.
* Please wait just a moment while the videos load – it’s worth the wait *
Letters of Rennyo Introduction
1st Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Faith as Fundamental”
2nd Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Becoming Monk in the Aspiration for Buddhahood”
3rd Day of month: Letters of Rennyo: “On Hunting and Fishing” in Japanese and English
4th Day of month Letters of Rennyo: “On Pilgrimage in the Snow” in Japanese & English
5th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo, “On Drowsiness” in Japanese and English 『御文章』「睡眠章」拝読 日英両語
6th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Building at Yoshizaki” Japanese & English
7th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: On False Ten Kalpas Teachings in This Region
8th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Severing the Five Evil Courses”
9th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Devotional Beads”
10th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “Going is Easy, Yet No One is Born There”
11th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Fivefold Teaching”
12th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Saying the Tathagata’s Name Only, at All Times”
(with Guest – Sugahara Junior)
13th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On the Present Age”
14th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On the Oneness of the Person and the Dharma”
15th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Semimonthly Gatherings”
16th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Realizing Faith”
17th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Our School’s Settled Mind”
18th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Building [the Priest’s Quarter] at Osaka”
19th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Laymen and Laywomen in Last Dharma Age”
20th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Eighty Thousand Teachings”
21th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Women Who Have Renounced the World…”
22nd Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Men and Women”
23rd Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: On the Great Benefit Bestowed with One Thought moment of Faith
24th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On All the Holy Texts”
25th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On the Sleeve of Amida”
26th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Unsurpassed, Most Profound Virtues and Benefits”
27th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On All Women”
28th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Master Shinran of Our Tradition”
29th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On Passages in the Larger Sutra and in Tanluan’s Commentary”
30th Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On the Import of Our Tradition’s Teaching”
31st Day of Month Letters of Rennyo: “On the Great Sage, the World Honored One”
Letters of Rennyo: On the Anniversary of Master Shinran’s Death 蓮如上人『御文章』「御正忌章」日英拝読
Letters of Rennyo: On White Bones in Japanese and English 蓮如上人『御文章』「白骨の章」日英拝読
Here is the publication information:
- Title ：Letters of Rennyo
- ¥1,100
- Author ：Shin Buddhism Translation Series
- Language ：English
- ISBN ：4-938490-20-X
- pages ：164
Buy from Hongwanji International Center: https://international.hongwanji.or.jp/html/c3b1p1.html
If you enjoyed the content by OBT, please consider visiting their website where you can
make a donation: https://www.oregonbuddhisttemple.com/support-the-temple
Visit OBT’s website: https://www.oregonbuddhisttemple.com/
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We would like to thank Rev. Sugahara for his work and dedication to supporting us fools in this life with the Nembutsu teaching.
Gassho.
Namo Amida Butsu!