Middle Way & Higan Service

Gautama Siddhartha renounced his prince-hood and left his palace seeking after the truth. He practiced ascetics for six years but could not reach to his salvation. He gave up the ascetic but did not return to his palace life of pleasure and luxury. He meditated under a Bodhi tree and finally attained Enlightenment and became the Buddha.

In Buddhism not to exceed one way or the other is Middle Way which is one of the most important teachings of the Buddha Sakyamuni. After hot summer days, there is autumn before cold winter. After the cold winter, there is spring, full of flowers and joy. Middle Way symbolizes with spring and autumn equinox. Equinox is the time when the sun crosses the equator, making the night and day of equal length in all parts of the earth. The vernal equinox occurs about March 21 while the autumn equinox about September 22^nd or 23^rd.

In Japan these two equinox days are national holidays. They became legal holidays in the era of Emperor Shomu who ruled Japan between 701 and 756. He was a very devout Buddhist and ruled his country with Buddha's teachings. In all of Japan's prefectures, the emperor built national temples for praying for the security of the nation. The grand temple among them was the famous Tadai-ji Temple, where the Great Image of Buddha is enshrined. The statue weighs 500 tons, its sitting height is 71 feet 6 inches, and the length of face is 16 feet.

Besides building temples and praying for national security, the emperor was very sympathetic to peasants, who were the majority of Japanese at that time. He gave an order for farmers not to work for seven days in the spring and autumn. That is, each equinox day as well as three days before and three days after. The holidays were to set, but not for having fun. He enforced a system for people to go to cemeteries for respecting and appreciating their ancestors, and also to go to temples for listening to Buddha's teachings.

By showing appreciation to our ancestors and practicing Buddha's teachings, the Emperor wished all people of Japan to get closer to the other shore of the Enlightenment. To leave this shore (Hs-an ) for the yonder shore (hi-an) means to leave this world of illusion for the world of enlightenment. Therefore, even today, Higan is a day for us to reflect on our daily lives, vow to follow the Buddha's path, and observe memorial services for our ancestors.

The Los Angeles Nichiren Buddhist Temple will hold the Autumn Higan Service at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 21^st, 1997. Please write your ancestor's names on the prayer form, which will be ready at the front desk before the service. During the service, Rev. Kanai will offer prayers for your departed ancestors.