Today, April the 8th, in the Japanese tradition - that’s Zen, Pureland, and so on - this is the birthday of Buddha. Buddha’s birthday, April the 8th, is the Festival of Flowers. Many happy returns, Buddha!
Well, Buddha certainly does return many times in my mind. In fact, one way or another, he’s there pretty much constantly, all the time - sometimes more conscious than others, but always there somewhere, in the background, in the foreground. There you are Buddha! Brilliant. Like a sunshine of happiness.
Ironic that, in a certain way. We say Namo Amida Bu to acknowledge the presence of Buddha. We say that on happy occasions. You meet a friend: Namo Amida Bu! Oh, Namo Amida Bu! When something good happens, something nice happens, Namo Amida Bu. Even when we sign off on an email, Namo Amida Bu. It’s like saying, “Sending you some love”, “Sending you some sunshine”. But, of course, we also say Namo Amida Bu when something bad happens. Could be something small, like you drop a plate, the plate smashes on the floor, Oh! Namo Amida Bu.
This brings equanimity, we say. That’s a big word isn’t it? Equanimity. Peace. Even in the midst of a little disaster, Namo Amida Bu! So in the midst of that unpleasantness, that suffering, dukkha - instead of dukkha running away into craving, anger, negativity of one sort or another, Namo Amida Bu! A bit of Buddha light comes in. Even in a little disaster like that there’s a teaching, there’s dharma. Here’s impermanence. Here’s the reality of changeableness. This is a doorway. Changeableness is a doorway to all practice. If there were no changeableness there couldn't be any practice, there’d be no development, nothing good could eventuate here in the midst of this world.
So Namo Amida Bu - sunshine in the midst of the clouds. Of course, sometimes there are bigger disasters. We’re in the middle of a big disaster at the moment - disaster for humans, anyway. This pandemic spreading across the world, thousands of people dying. Dreadful, awful. Such pain, such agony, such grief. I am not in the highest risk group, but I am in a risk group because of my age, lung damage and that sort of thing. So I imagine myself: maybe I’ll be taken into hospital, maybe I'll be in intensive care, maybe there I’ll be strapped up to a load of oxygen and all that sort of thing. Well, what can one say? Namo Amida Bu. That’s all you can say. Even in that situation, let in the light of Buddha. Buddha’s great compassion, love, mercy, comes in, comes in. Namo Amida Bu.
I remember when I was in hospital, not that long ago, that’s how it was. Sometimes it was really painful, they gave me these horrible injections into my legs, very painful. Namo Amida Bu. It makes everything bearable in a certain way. Opens something up, opens up something. What is it about? It opens up your heart. It opens up your heart to love and compassion and peace. It’s what Namo Amida Bu is all about. That’s the presence of Buddha. That’s Buddha making many happy returns. Many happy returns into my life.
So on this day, which is Buddha’s birthday, I am celebrating. Many happy returns of Buddha. Many happy returns for all the Buddhas, all the Buddhas everywhere. Many happy returns. Happy Birthday!
Thank you very much
Namo Amida Bu
Dharmavidya
David
Replies
I read it out loud, it makes my throat sinking and tears rising...I feel Amida Buddha. Namo Amida Bu.