Category: Basics

Answers to questions frequently asked at the temple.

Most Famous Mother in the Lotus Sutra – May 11, 2014 Dharma Talk

The most famous mother in the Lotus Sutra is actually a demon. Kishimojin is not the only mother in the Lotus Sutra, she is however the most famous one and a statue of her is usually present in Nichiren Shu temple, ours is on a side altar left of the main altar. Kishimojin is a manifestation of Hariti from India who is the deity representing fertility, childbirth, and childhood diseases. She has both a positive attribute and a negative one as well.

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May the Fourth be With You – May 4, 2014 Dharma Talk

Today is Star Wars day May the fourth and that is how I titled today’s Dharma Talk as a take off on “May the Force be With You.” Now I must be honest here, I am not a big Star Wars fan so there is much in the plot and story I don’t remember. I have seen all the episodes but cared little enough to commit them to memory. I saw the first episode, though it wasn’t really the first part, in a theatre in Hawaii. That is about all I can recall of the movies other then of course some of the main characters.

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Treasures We Do Not Seek – April 20, 2014 Dharma Talk

Good morning thank you for attending the temple this Easter morning. Even though Easter is not a Buddhist holiday there is much in the spirit of the holiday we can appreciate. Today I would like to share with you a connection I make with one part of the Easter story and the Lotus Sutra. As you know I work as a chaplain and in my work here in Charlotte I am frequently, almost entirely, called…

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Becoming a Chaplain – Personal Journey #2

Before anyone thinks too highly of me I need to tell you not just what I did in caring for those young men; boys if you will. It is important to tell you who I was at that time. This was a very low point in my spiritual practice, having drifted away from a regular consistent daily devotion. I was also was filled to overflowing with anger. At the time I was not mature enough…

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