Ohigan Service
Sunday – March 15, 2020 – 10:30 AM
Ohigan honors the Buddhist notion of crossing over to the Other Shore (i.e., Enlightenment), away from This Shore of impermanence, stress and dissatisfaction, and is traditionally observed during the Spring and Fall equinoxes, because the weather is more pleasant and people have more time to rest and reflect.
Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha, was born in this world, on this shore of impermanence. Observing profoundly the sorrow of this world of illusion, he reached that distant shore of nirvana. He showed all humankind the means of crossing the ocean of darkness to the realm of light on that shore. These are called the Six Paramitas to nirvana. The Six Paramitas serve as a bridge spanning this wide ocean; they are Charity, Morality, Patience, Right Effort, Meditation, and Wisdom. These constitute the universal way for humans to attain ultimate peace, but it is not easy for us to keep them in mind and carry them out, because we are busy living and working everyday. For this reason, we set aside a special day twice a year, in Spring and Fall, so that we may reconsider these teachings, reflect upon ourselves, and pay respect to the innumerable people from the past to the present who have come into our lives and in some way or other influenced it to be better.
