Buddhist Temple of Chicago

12/19/2011

Buddhist Temple of Chicago

“The purpose of the teachings of Buddhism is to enable all people, regardless of our present life condition, to fuse our lives with the life of the Buddha and experience the Buddha nature that exists within our own lives to achieve true happiness,” said Yukei Ashikaga of the Buddhist Temple of Chicago.

Saba McAfee a chapter leader of the Buddhist temple explained exactly where Bhuddhism derived “Siddhartha Gautama the chiefs son of a tribal group reached enlightenment one day the moment he saw a sick man, a poor man, a beggar, and a corpse, he was filled with infinite sorrow for the suffering that humanity had to undergo, from then on he began his teachings which has lasted centuries.”

Yukei Ashikaga is the head minister of the Buddhist Temple of Chicago 1151 W. Leland Ave, who conducts services the first sunday of every month emphasizing the importance of Buddhism and its teachings. The basis of the teachings uses the eightfold path which are views, thoughts, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and meditation.  

Buddhism combines a Western-based, church-like experience with traditional Buddhist teachings in a Japanese tradition. This small temple contains honey-wood pews, a small piano and a simple altar at the end of a carpeted aisle, along with administrative offices. Services are structured much like Western services, with an introduction, hymns and a minister or layperson's message. However, the service explores the central tenants of Buddhism and includes chanting, readings, incense and gongs. 

The Buddist temple of Chicago has an organization called Sokagakkai(SGI) meaning value creating society. This organization works on the buddhist principles focusing on Daimoko(chanting) and Gohonzon(prayer). 

Daimoko chanting consists of the phrase “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” which is said aloud and repeated for no specific given time. The “purpose of chanting is to align yourself with the earth,” said Daifaku Ikeda the president of the SGI. 

“People tend to think that Buddhism is just a religion like christianity or Islam but it is not just a religion; it is a description of life that details our very existence, the Buddha shows us the true nature of conditioned existence, and thus it can be said the teachings of the Buddha are a set of mind training instructions that lead anyone who diligently practices these trainings to a flourishing life not in the sense of the happiness found through good external conditions or physical stimuli but rather, from the inner conditions of functional states of mind,” said Ikeda.

The worship part of the chanting is what can take up hours out of the day and is takes place at the temple or at home. Buddhist members sometimes wake up early in the morning to worship and chant together. 

“The purpose of the worship part of chanting is to make our own impact in our own lives, the impact of objects in our lives is very apparent in every day life you can’t become a great trumpet player or drummer without the trumpet or drum without nourishing food and water our minds and bodies would suffer malnutrition and not function properly even to experience love, we need to meet another person that brings this feeling out of our lives, to our object of worship in life is very important for the direction of our life as it becomes integrated in our life,” said Ikeda.

The Buddhist Temple of Chicago has advocates who represent the teachings. Patti Nakai(nu-khi) is a chapter leader who works with kids,teens and adults to better help them understand the practice and incorporate it in their everyday life. Talking with Nakai, sheds some light on the cause and of effect of karma 

“Buddhism teaches that all life is eternal and that the present moment is a result of causes made in the past and that the future is determined by the causes made and being made in the present moment, therefore, it is futile to blame someone else for what has happened to you, in Buddhism each individual must take complete responsibility for his or her life, the causes that we have made and lie deep in our lives make our life what it is today, we can go for a complete makeover, but the person we are is still basically unchanged, true happiness can only occur when we make causes that will address and change previous causes we have made, in other words, we must change our own Karma and as we do so, we rid ourselves of our false ideas about the reality of life,” said Nakai tearing up with passion about her craft. 

The Buddhist Temple of Chicago really tries to focus on recruiting people who have open minds to empowering their mind, bodies and souls. To live life in a way that encourages you to be independent, faithful and accountable. This is a place for people to come chant and pray and learn how to take steps towards a happy life.  

The Buddhist Temple of Chicago is also trying to expand to other parts of Illinois so that fellow Buddhist members will not have to travel so far to attend services and meetings. 

Anyone can contact the Buddhist Temple of Chicago by mail by writing to 1151 W. Leland Ave. Chicago, IL 60640, by phone at 773-334-4661 or via email at info@budtempchi.org. To learn more about the SGI organization that is ran through the Buddist Temple of Chicago visit the website at Sga_usa.org. Also the president of this organization Daifaku Ikeda goes in to detail about her teachings on her website at Ikedaquote.org. New visitors are encouraged to come to the services held by Yukei Ashikaga every first sunday at 11a.m.