by BISHOP KOSHIN OGUI
Buddhist Churches of America

On April 1, 1965, I was assigned as a young priest to serve at California’s Oxnard Buddhist Church. It was a fresh start for me after two some-odd years, after having been released from employment at the Betsuin in Los Angeles and living under the tutelage of Socho at the BCA headquarters in San Francisco.

I had first come to the States in October of 1962. I was now 25 years old.

My experiences in San Francisco added deeply meaningful and important facets to my life. Also, from the fear that had gripped me during my illness, a new realization had been born in me. I came to understand that I was blessed with a life and that it was my duty to live it.

I was also blessed with the opportunity to meet Minister Hanayama and the Zen master Shunryu Suzuki. These encounters were also valuable for me, who had been so young and fearful.

From Minister Hanayama, I learned to have a heart of patience and mercy. From Shunryu Suzuki, I learned to have the right kind of boldness. He also taught me that my life was given to me to live for Buddha.

All of these experiences had been precious to me. Even my encounter with the hippies, which makes me chuckle even to this day. It was a pleasant and enjoyable page in the book of my life.

I also remembered the words of wisdom from Shunryu Suzuki. He had said to me: “It’s a certainty that one day, you will die. So there’s no need to rush. When your time comes, you can die then.” Those words became a strong foundation for me to build and live my life upon.

If there’s something I can say now at 68 years old, it’s that the seven months in Los Angeles and the two years in San Francisco brought me very meaningful experiences. Not one thing that happened to me was a wasted moment.

If we look back on our lives and stop making judgments about rights and wrongs and losses and profits, we will come to see that we were meant to experience these things while walking on our respective paths.

We will realize that in fact, going through these experiences is an integral part of walking our path and moving toward realization.

I can say with confidence now that I am thankful for all of my experiences.

Gassho

Translated by Lefteris Kafatos