Tokuko Huffman's Obituary
On White Ashes (Translation by Rennyo Shonin, 1410-1949) In silently contemplating the transient nature of human existence, nothing is more fragile and fleeting in this world than the life of man. Thus, we have not heard of human life lasting for a thousand years. Life passes swiftly, and who among men can maintain his form for even one hundred years? Whether I go before others, or others go before me, whether it be today or tomorrow, who is to know? Those who depart before us are as countless as the drops of dew. Though in the morning we may have radiant health, in the evening we may return to white ashes. When the winds of impermanence blow, our eyes are closed forever; and the last breathe leaves us, our face loses its color. Though loved ones gather and lament, everything is to no avail. The body is then sent into an open field and vanishes from this world with the smoke of cremation, leaving only the whites ashes. Nothing is more real than this truth of life. The fragile nature of human existence underlines both the young and the old. Therefore, we must, one and all, turn to the teachings of the Buddha and awaken to the essence of life. By so understanding the meaning of death, we come to appreciate the meaning of this life, which is to be treasured because it is unrepeatable. By virtue of true compassion, let us realize the unexcelled value of this existence, and let us live together with gratitude in our hearts.
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