2020 MUA New Year party

Date and time: From noon on Thursday, January 23, 2020
Venue: NEC Mita House Shiba Club

In the New Year of the second year of Reiwa, a member friendship party is held. I had a good time with 27 people.

New Year’s greetings from Chairman Hiroshi Nagano

With Honorary Chairman Kimitada Miwa and Former Chairman Mitsuko Takai, the meeting was opened with a greeting that we would like to make today’s gathering a new leap while feeling the weight of the history of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Port UNESCO Association next year.

New Year’s Lecture “The World of Zen: Encounters with Yourself Renewed Every Day” Seishoji Temple / Master – Kamada Mukan

Mr. Mukan Kamada, who is instructed in MUA’s zazen experience course, also experienced a key position of four and a half years of activities in Paris as a job of international missionary work of the Soto sect in Europe. While language is the first issue in communicating with people around the world, I feel the importance of “speaking without worrying about the details” through French, which has a variety of ways to create sentences, and enjoys communication and interaction. It all started with the story of knowing.

Even after returning to Japan, many people from other countries come to visit Atago, so even if you explain in English, you will not understand that you will be silent, so even if the grammar is a little wrong, make an effort to keep talking. You said that you are doing it. (We also received “English commentary” at MUA’s zazen meditation.)

Why are people all over the world interested in “Zen”?

Recognizing that it is important to “hold yourself firmly” with your colleagues and rivals in order to live in a competitive society like today, “improve yourself” in the same way as for jogging and yoga. It seems to be taken as a part of. I think it’s difficult to get together at the dojo before and after work, meditation, and continue reading sutras, but it’s probably because of myself, and many people continue to do so for a long time. Zen’s goal is to “throw away the shackles of’I'”, but at first it is the exact opposite of “wearing armor.” However, as you continue for ten years, you will gradually learn to “weak” from solidifying your ego, and it seems that you will shift to the direction of “selflessness.”

Each person has a different way of entering, but I think that by continuing, the idea of ​​Zen is finally conveyed. It has been 50 years since Soto Zen was introduced to Europe. Now that we are in the third generation, the number of people who want to go to Japan for traditional training is steadily increasing.

The basics of Shaka-sama’s teachings are “everyone’s suffering,” “various acts,” and “various laws and selflessness,” and he said that he was “one and the same.” If you look at the human body on a micro scale, “molecules” and “cells” are gathered together to form “I”, and if you look at what constitutes my body on a macro scale, then ” It is infinitely connected to the environment, the community, and the universe. “Nothing” in “selflessness” actually means “all”. I’ve heard the word “One for all, All for one” in rugby these days, but the sporting spirit of “one for all, all for one” has a similar meaning. The existence of “we” is as precious as the “universe” because it is created by a mysterious mechanism. And all the precious beings in the universe are connected by a huge network to create one universe. The basic principle of “zazen” lies in the fact that you can feel the invisible connection and the boundary between yourself and the outside world is gradually disappearing. It means weakening and reconfirming the original appearance of the “body”.

(As mentioned above, Mr. Kamata talked in an easy-to-understand manner, but for more details, I would like to recommend the experience of meditation and meditation at Seishoji Temple in Atago.)

A toast from Vice Chairman Kensuke Kikuchi

In order to overcome last year’s many natural disasters in Nagano, Chiba and other parts of the country, let’s always respect nature, be aware of environmental issues, and work on UNESCO activities with young people! In prayer for further development in the future, he gave a cup saying “Happy New Year”.

“Japanese song nostalgic melody special feature” Gunji Shimizu and Minato His rhythm His ladies

Mr. Gunji Shimizu (who will be welcoming the US life in February) and Minato Rhythm Ladies who participate in the “Thinking about UNESCO Activities and War and Peace” gathering with students of the UNESCO committee of Mita High School every time. With the addition of Harumi Tamaru (Claves), Emiko Inoue (tambourine), and Mitsuyo Iida (maracas), the fun of chorusing together has doubled.

Doremi’s song, Biwako voyage song, white swing, hope, my good friend, hope, 1 million roses, flower fairy tale, good day departure, that wonderful love again, Aobajo Koiuta, love vacation, If you’re happy, you’ll be singing Nagisa Memories, and if you’re happy, you’ll clap your hands. It was an instant time to enjoy the Showa era!

Closing words from Mamoru Tomokin

Tomokin is always energetic. Mr. Tomokin, who has been working hard to build a solid system for the Minato UNESCO Association as the secretary general since 2006, gave us the closing remarks, “Pray for further development in the future.”

Profile of Master Kamada Mukan

In 2007, he changed his career from a Buddhist magazine editor and became a priest in Soto. After one year of training at Daihonzan Eiheiji Monastery, he enrolled in Seishoji Shishi Wu Lin Sanga and studied Zen studies at Komazawa University Graduate School. After graduating, he was seconded to the office in Paris for four and a half years as a staff member of the Soto Sect European International Missionary Director. He returned to Japan in April 2015. Currently, he is the chief of Seishoji Lion Sanga and a lecturer at the Okayama / Toshoji temple.