Our Sensei is travelling this week, in his place Roger Suekama, a longtime member of the sangha, delivers this week's dharma talk. Roger reminds us to be mindful of our inter-connectedness, and to foster gratitude for all those who touch our lives.

On Buddha's birthday Sensei focuses not on the circumstances of his birth but explains rather what the Buddha awakened to; something to celebrate every day - infinite compassion.
 

This week Rev. Ron Miyamura examines the surprisingly symbiotic relationship between our differences and our dependence on one another.
 

Is that spot legal?  Sensei observes the physical and moral complexities of parking in Chicago leading him to contemplate ignorance, delusion and compassion.
 

Living on a speck of dust. This week Sensei discusses the nature of faith and gratitude in the contexts of the Nembutsu and the recently released movie Dr. Seuss' "Horton Hears A Who."

There are many paths to enlightenment and various Buddhist practices toward that goal.  Sensei illustrates with a video on Japanese Zen Buddhism the differences between that extremely austere practice and Jodo Shinshu's Nembutsu path.

This week Sensei examines the connection between the Buddha's (famous) last words: Be a Lamp Unto Yourself and controlling one's ego.