At our recent Eitaikyo Service, Rinban Nori Ito spoke eloquently on the subject of "interdependence." He started by defining the two kinds of interdependence. The first kind is illustrated by the way we owe our life to our parents and their parents. We wouldn't be here if it were not for them, because "The one thing we had no control over is our being born human beings." The second kind of interdependence, Rev Nori pointed out, is shown by how "We are living because of everything that supports us, including plants and animals."
Rev. Ito also emphasized the importance of the eko passage, which expresses how fortunate we are to receive the teachings of the Dharma, and that we should share the teachings with others. "We can, all together, go to the Pure Land and receive the Bodhi mind," he said. Furthermore, he continued, "We should seek awakening not only for ourselves, but for all the life we live with." The word Okagesama-de is really a reminder of the Three Treasures, of how wonderful it is to be alive and to receive the Buddha's teachings. It is an acknowledgment of our gratitude.
Rev. Ito however didn't stop there. He made the important point that Buddha and Shinran both said it is not enough to simply be appreciative. "Our appreciation must become universal and we must show appreciation for all of life, not just for those we like," he said. Thus our goal is to realize we are a part of all of life, and therefore must also appreciate all of life. Rev Ito pointed out that the ojuzu - in the way that each bead is linked to the next - is a symbol of this interdependence of life.
"But what happens after we feel appreciation?," asked Rev. Ito? The answer is that "We should be encouraged to go out into our communities and share our lives with others. Only then can we fully repay the debt of gratitude."
Thus, as Rev. Ito pointed out in his closing, the true gift of awakening is not simply our attainment of personal happiness. It is compassion.