Fréhel, Brittany
REMEMBERING GYOMAY KUBOSE (1905-2000)
I met Gyomay Kubose's son by accident. Walking up a street in Chicago on an early visit there many many years ago I stumbled upon a small Buddhist temple. On the veranda I stood browsing the books. A young priest came and spoke to me and we had an interesting conversation. That was that. I returned to UK. Some years later, I wrote to the temple to see if I could get some more of the booklets I had purchased there. The priest replied "I remember you...." I remembered him too. We had clicked, somehow. He invited me, the next time I was in North America to visit and that is how I met his father Gyomay san. Gyomay Kubose became, in due course, the first patron of the Amida Trust which was at that time in its infancy. I was delighted to have his support, but even more to have the friendship of this wonderful old man and his son Koyo. Today is the anniversary of Gyomay's death which occurred at a ripe old age in 2000. Thank you Kyomay. Koyo Kubose died suddenly a year ago. Thankyou Koyo. As we get older, our friends pass away and we are left with the memory, the gratitude and the love.
Here are some quotations:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/17147678.Gyomay_M_Kubose Here is a short bio from
https://terebess.hu/english/koan.html"Although born in America, Rev. Gyomay M. Kubose spent the early part of his life in Japan he undoubtedly absorbed a heritage rich in Buddhist influence. Returning to America, he attended the University of California at Berkeley, graduating with a degree in Philosophy in 1935. Then he went to Japan and studied under his teacher, Rev. Haya Akegarasu, at his Dai-Nippon Bunkyo-kenkyu-in at Myotatsuji Temple in Ishikawa Prefecture. Accompanying his teacher on lecture tours, he traveled extensively in Japan, Korea, China, and the US.He returned to the US in 1941 just prior to World War II and spent two years in the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp in Wyoming. Then he came to Chicago in 1944 and founded the Buddhist Temple of Chicago. In 1949, he accompanied and interpreted for the Abbot and Lady Kocho Otani of the Higashi Honganji, the Eastern Headquarters of Buddhism in Japan, on their US tour. Over the years he helped establish various organizations affiliated with the Temple; such as Boy Scout Troop 515, later followed by Cub Scouts, Explorer Scouts, and Girl Scouts; a Japanese language school; and in 1955, the American Buddhist Association.In 1966 he went to Japan for three years to do special studies in Buddhism at Otani Buddhist University in Kyoto. On his way home from Japan in 1969 he made a world tour. He visited Buddhist historical places in India, toured southeastern countries, and attended the World Buddhist Conference in Malaysia. He visited the Holy Land in Israel, and also went to Rome, Athens, and other European countries.He started the Buddhist Educational Center in Chicago in 1970, which offers courses in Buddhism and Japanese cultural arts. He also established a meditation group. He has lectured widely throughout North America, Peru and Brazil, and in Japan. Throughout his life, he emphasized and taught non-sectarian Buddhism for all. He passed away in Chicago on March 29, 2000."
FRIENDS IN THE DHARMA
The other day I went to see an old friend. We had lunch together and shared stories about our lives. Friendship is a wonderful thing. Some friends stay with one through thick and thin, as we say. Nowadays, however, one tends to have a large number of acquaintances - often termed "friends" in the social media - who are what we call "fair weather friends". If things get difficult, or they are displeased by something, or disagree about something, positive feelings are quickly turned to enmity, or they simply drift away. Then you know that the love that they pretended to was only a search for advantage at your expense; not friendship.
This must have been true in all ages, but is surely and unfortunately fostered by modern life. Life has becomes more and more utilitarian. Values such as loyalty have gone out of fashion and people think more in terms of personal advantage. This utilitarian trend, that has undermined friendship, has been going on for a century or more. Recently, however, a further twist has appeared. In the past decade or so there has been an upsurge of "culture wars". Social issues have become more divisive and more bitterly fought. Idealists on both sides put principles ahead of people and become overly willing to condemn those who disagree with them. This also breaks apart what were previously intact friendly relations.
Perhaps I am particularly sensitive to these trends for having been a free thinker all my life. I rarely find myself in complete agreement with those around me. I seem to remember a time when this would not have mattered much. Disagreements were things of interest and having a good debate over an issue was what friends did. Now, however, there are many situations where one hesitates to venture an opinion as it may not be well taken.
Friendship is a characteristic of the Dharma. The Buddha evidently had quite a few life long companions. Ananda and Kashyapa clearly disagreed on some things, but they stuck together. The Dharma valorises friendship and concord. Concord does not have to mean agreement on everything. It rather means not stirring up trouble but, rather, valuing the difference as well as the common ground. Currently, however, the world is full of troubles. Strikes and social conflicts multiply. Inflation is making life more difficult and people feel angry losing what they had taken for granted. Somehow, as Dharma practitioners, we have to rise above all this. A sangha should be more than simply a good club to belong to.
The bonds of friendship take time to mature. This is in part because there is a lot at stake. If somebody who has been a trusted friend turns against one, it is a painful experience. The heart aches. Perhaps one suddenly realises that the person was never a real friend, but had just stayed around as long as was advantageous to him or her. Of course, no friendship is totally reliable - people die - but lasting friendship with people one can trust are a great boon conducive to health, peace of mind and deep satisfaction. As Dharma practitioners, let us cultivate our friends and support friendship, as the Buddha tried to support goodwill between his diverse followers..
Furthermore, perhaps paradoxically, one can only be a good friend if one is happy to be alone. People who simply cling because they cannoit bear to be alone make unreliable friends. Each friend needs to bring something particular to the table and this requires aloneness in some form. In friendship, two authentic beings come together and a spark of unconditional love is struck in the world. I believe that this is how Buddha and his friends were. Namo Amida Bu.