Hoshina Seki interviews Priya Kumari, author and publisher of children's books. In this interview, Priya talks about how she started writing children's books and then setting up her own publishing company Eternal Tree Books. Even though her books are for kids 3 to 8, she adds a workbook at the end for parents and teachers. Take a listen; I think you will enjoy it. 

Hoshina Seki interviews Priya Kumari, author and publisher of children's books. Priya's books are all beautifully illustrated, heartwarming stories about Buddha and Indian culture. These books are meant to teach children the values of gratitude and compassion. Please take a listen, I think you will enjoy it.

Hi Dharma-friends! Welcome back for the conclusion of our traversal of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan or Hymns of the Dharma-Ages.  , These verses are among Shinran's last public thoughts and are particularly trenchant, even for such a fearless guy as Shinran.  In these verses, Shinran looks directly into the mirror and identifies himself as a fellow foolish being of this last dharma-age, our dharma-age, the time when the teaching alone remains, but the self-power practices and realization have become...

Hi Dharma-friends, This episode is a little different than others in the series because it is a prose passage inserted into the collection instead of verses.  It is like a little Dharma talk or message from Shinran himself.  It is known as "On Jinen Hōni"  Jinen Hōni is often rendered into English as "naturalness."   By way of introduction to this very basic Shin Buddhist concept of "naturalness," a definition by Rev. Mark Unno found online is very helpful:  "The foolish being is always...

Hi Dharma-friends, In this episode we continue with 5 more verses of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan known as "Additional Hymns of Lament on the Term Hotoke."  Hotoke commonly means "Buddha."  According to the commentary found in The Collected Works of Shinran (CWS), "Probing into the origins of the term, Shinran traces it back to an early critic of Buddhism, Mononobe no Moriya (d. 587), who opposed its introduction into Japan.  According to Shinran, Moriya applied the term, with the meaning "sick with...

Hi Dharma-friends! Today let's conclude the section entitled "Gutoku's Hymns of Lament and Reflection" by listening to the last five verses.  These are poems of a very personal nature by Shinran, reflecting his awareness of himself as someone sharing the deepest weaknesses of his age.  This is the Last Dharma-Age, and we are in the same boat.  Shinran calls out high-ranking monks and dharma teachers of his time who are said to be so in-name-only.  Showing no self reflection, they often give...

Hi Dharma-friends! Today you can hear 6 more verses of "Gutoku's Hymns of Lament and Self-Reflection," part of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan.  Shinran wrote these verses toward the end of his life, when he was around 85 years old.  They are profound expressions of his own self-reflection.  He also calls out the various deficiencies, as he sees them, of this own age.  Particularly, he laments a superficial adoption of the Buddhist Teaching by both monks and laity.  Significantly, he recognizes these...

Hi Dharma-friends! Welcome back after a brief hiatus!  This episode is the start of the next section of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan.  It is called "Gutoku's Hymns of Lament and Reflection" in sixteen verses.  This episode contains the first five of these.  These sixteen verses as a whole are a particularly deep personal self-reflection by Shinran.  Please recall that the Shōzōmatsu Wasan are the product of Shinran's final years, written when he was about 85 years old.  The commentary in The...

Hi Dharma-friends! In this episode, we conclude the section of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan called "Hymns in Praise of Prince Shōtoku" with six more verses.  As you know, Prince Shōtoku (574-622 CE) promoted Buddhism in Japan throughout his life and was greatly revered because of this.  Shinran was personally very devoted to him.  Shinran associates Prince Shōtoku with Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, and believed that he appeared in Japan providentially as the world was entering the...

Hi Dharma-friends! In this episode, we begin the next section of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan called "Hymns in Praise of Prince Shōtoku" in eleven verses.  This episode covers the first 5 Wasan in this section.  Prince Shōtoku (574-622 CE) is fondly remembered in Japan as having established the imperial government on a firm footing and also for vigorously promoting Buddhism there in his lifetime.  Shinran had a profound personal devotion to Prince Shōtoku.  The commentary in the Collected Works of...

Hi Dharma-friends! This episode contains the concluding 7 verses of the section "Hymns on the Offense of Doubting the Primal Vow"  Throughout this section, Shinran has been encouraging us to entrust wholeheartedly, without any reservations at all, in the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha to bring all beings to awakening in his Pure Land.  Clearly, Shinran is trying very hard to make an impression about having absolutely no doubts or reservations!  But, as foolish beings, we always have such...

Hi Dharma-friends! In this episode, let's continue with eight more verses in the section entitled "Hymns on the Offense of Doubting the Primal Vow."  Shinran's purpose in this entire section is to encourage us to wholeheartedly entrust in Amida's Primal Vow to bring all beings, especially those of us living in this last Dharma-Age, to liberation in the Pure Land. We will conclude this part next time.  Until then, please be well, always saying -- following Shinran's advice --...

Hi Dharma-friends! In this episode, we begin the next section of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan entitled "Hymns on the Offense of Doubting the Primal Vow."  There are 23 verses in this part, and today you can hear the first eight. In this section, Shinran is focusing on "doubt," which is a key feature of his understanding. Shinran teaches that in this last Dharma-Age, only the teachings of the Buddha remain. Ordinary beings lack the capacity and conditions to put these teachings into practice by...

Hi Dharma-friends! In this episode, we conclude the first part of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan, the collection known as "Hymns on the Right, Semblance, and Last Dharma-Ages."  Shinran encourages us ordinary beings of this Last Dharma-Age to take refuge in Amida's Great Vow and say the Name and, thereby, attain liberation through Power-Beyond-Self.  Shinran teaches that awakening or liberation through self-power practices is futile in this Last Dharma-Age in which we find ourselves.  Note the last...

Hi Dharma-friends! Today you can listen to five more verses by Shinran in the collection Pure Land Hymns of the Right, Semblance, and Last Dharma Ages.  Shinran reinforces his understanding of Power-Beyond-Self as Amida's directing of virtue for going forth and return.  How fortunate for us to hear this teaching!  Amida, though great love of sentient beings, directs virtue for our going forth.  We attain great compassion thereby which, Shinran explains, is Amida's directing of virtue for our...

Hi Dharma-friends! In this episode, we read five more verses of the Pure Land Hymns on the Right, Semblance, and Last Dharma Ages.  Shinran further explains his understanding of how only by completely relying (in Shinjin) on Amida's Vow to Liberate All can beings in this Last Dharma Age realize awakening.  It is Amida's directing of virtue for going forth from the Pure Land and returning that makes this possible.  How grateful we are! Next time we'll continue with five more verses by...

Hi Dharma-friends, Welcome back to Weekly Wasan!  Today, continue listening to the Shōzōmatsu Wasan or Hymns of the Dharma Ages with five more verses.  Shinran reflects in this group on the present age - the Last Dharma Age - and its difficulties and challenges.  Mired, as we are, in an endless and futile go-round of striving for Awakening through our own limited efforts, we find ourselves stuck.  However, Shinran says that, when we receive the true cause of birth in the Pure Land from...

Hi Dharma-friends! This episode's verses from the Pure Land Hymns on the Right, Semblance, and Last Dharma Ages are very powerful and are among my favorite expressions of the Dharma by Shinran Shonin.  Shinran is telling us not to worry that our own limitations due to distractions and self-indulgence are too heavy for Liberation.  The Light of Amida's Vow of Wisdom is like a great torch illuminating a dark place.  That Light is boundless and reaches everywhere.  Because saying the Name,...

Hi Dharma-friends! Today let's listen to five more verses in the collection "Pure Land Hymns on the Right, Semblance, and Last Dharma Ages."  in today's group, Shinran explains how the Nembutsu teaching is a function of Wisdom.  Our own aspiration for Awakening is in itself caused by the compassion of Śākyamuni and Amida for sentient beings.  Amida entrusts his selected Primal Vow (the Nembutsu) to the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, Mahāsthāmaprāpta.  It is Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Wisdom) who nurtures us...

Hi Dharma-friends! Today we hear 5 more verses from this collection by Shinran Shonin.  A striking image in these verses is Shinran's comparison of those who now follow the Nembutsu path with Maitreya Bodhisattva.  Maitreya Bodhisattva is the next fully enlightened Buddha after Śākyamuni who will appear in the world when causes and conditions are right to do so.  Nembutsu followers, saying the Name of Amida Buddha through Shinjin, realize the same Awakening or Enlightenment as Maitreya when...

Hi Dharma-friends! This is our fiftieth episode!  Today let's listen to five more wasan verses in the section entitled "Pure Land Hymns on the Right, Semblance and Last Dharma Ages." Shinran really gets into the nitty-gritty of his understanding of the Buddha's teaching for our times.  Amida Tathagata has directed his Primal Vow universally towards sentient beings.  When ordinary people of this Last Dharma Age entrust themselves to this Vow and abandon their limited self-powered efforts to...

Hi Dharma-friends! In this episode of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan, we hear 5 more verses.  Shinran, in the earlier verses, having described in somewhat bleak terms the difficulties of the situation in which we find ourselves in this latter Dharma Age, now turns to the way open to us: entrust ourselves to the Vow of Amida Buddha (Unmeasured Light and Life) to liberate all beings through the Nembutsu, become reborn into Amida's Pure Land, and thereby enter into Awakening ourselves with others through...

Hi Dharma-friends! In this episode, we continue the section "Pure Land Hymns on the Right, Semblance and Last Dharma Ages."  Shinran is really making the case that he finds himself (and, therefore, we also find ourselves) in the Last Dharma Age - a very difficult time to find Awakening for ordinary beings such as us.  Shinran is impressing upon us the need to entrust ourselves to the Primal Vow and say the Name, Namo-Amida-Butsu. That is the one guaranteed way to enlightenment.  As Shinran...

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