Dharma Message from Rev. John Iwohara

Graciously reprinted from Venice Hongwanji B.T. “Gassho” article – Summer 2007

 

Foolish Beings

Foolish beings: as expressed in the parable of the two rivers of water and fire, we are fool of ignorance and blind passions. Our desires are countless, and anger, wrath, jealousy, and envy are overwhelming, arising without pause; to the very last moment of life they do not cease, or disappear, or exhaust themselves. When we, who are so shameful, go a step or two, little by little, along the White Path of the power of the Vow, we are taken in and held by the compassionate heart of the Buddha of unhindered light.

(Notes on Once-Calling and Many-Calling. Collected Works of Shinran, p.438)

 

The Parable of the Two Rivers of Water and Fire

In the last article I talked a little about the parable of the two rivers of water and fire that is mentioned in the passage quoted above. It is a story that talks about a traveler who is being chased by wild animals and bandits who are racing each other to kill him. He is stopped in his escape by a tremendous river; one half is made of torrents of water and the other flames of fire. These two attributes of the river constantly crash into each other and are separated only be a white, narrow path about 4 inches wide. I ended my previous article by asking what you would do in a situation like this. In the parable, the protagonist bravely takes a step forward onto the narrow white path.

What does this mean? Although there is an explanation for this parable, please allow me to share my experience of the story, or how I am like the person who comes across the river that is made of water and fire. Like the protagonist of the story, I too find that I’m always running away. I typically don’t want to take responsibility for things although I enjoy taking the credit. If something goes wrong, it’s typically somebody else’s fault. But, I also discover, running away can only save you for so long. Pretty soon, all the excuses—valid or not—catch up to you. Organized sports are helpful here. Sport reminds you that it doesn’t matter whose “fault” the loss was, a loss is a loss. Blaming a team mate—regardless of how impassioned or eloquent your arguments—will not help you make it to the finals. We also discover how “habit forming” complaining can become. Instead of doing things to help the team become better, we find it much easier to complain; complaining has also never helped anyone improve their game. Unfortunately, this situation is not limited to sports. Living in this way, not only are we running away, eventually we will become “trapped” in our excuses as well. We can’t get out. We don’t improve or move forward. We die.

What are we to do? The only thing we can do is take responsibility for our lives. Unfortunately, bad habits die hard. We discover that we continue to be “consumed” by our desires, or the river of water, and “engulfed” in our rage when we don’t get our way, or the river of fire. The impetus to look at our lives truthfully, in comparison to a river that extends beyond our view, is at best 4 to 5 inches wide.

The story, however, continues by telling us that when the traveler took a step on the white path he hears a voice calling to him. Both voices tell him not to worry about falling to his death. The path will hold. These voices, and we cannot see who speaks these words, are Sakyamuni Buddha, who lived in this world we live in, and Amida Buddha, a Buddha who dwells in a world that is our destination.

Rev. Iwohara is the Head Minister of Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple

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