This article won’t come out until the March issue of the Busshin (the newsletter of the Buddhist Church of Oakland), but my blog readers get a sneak preview!

Sometime early this year – within the first couple of weeks I believe – I made a New Year’s Resolution. I talked about it at a couple of services, but here is the way I stated it on Twitter: “…if I get into a difficult situation, to try and see things from at least one more perspective.”

Have I been successful? Well, actually I have been fortunate that I haven’t been placed in any particularly difficult situations so far this year. But I have seen other people having difficulties and it affirmed for me that the ability to see things from multiple perspectives can be helpful. In fact, only being able to see things from one’s own perspective could have something to do with a situation being difficult.

We need to be careful, however. Of course, it would be great if we could see every situation from multiple perspectives – it might help us make better decisions and have less suffering. But it is almost impossible to do! Notice that I said “multiple perspectives,” not just “two perspectives.” Because the reality is that there are many different angles from which we can look at anything. And sometimes, those multiple perspectives may be irreconcilable, as in the film “Rashomon” by Akira Kurosawa (based on short stories written by Ryunosuke Akutagawa and themselves worth reading).

Also, if the ability to see situations from multiple perspectives was a requirement, then those who couldn’t do so would be excluded, and that is not how Jodo Shinshu Buddhism works. Amida Buddha made the Vow and established the Name – Namo Amida Butsu – precisely for foolish beings; i.e., people who can’t see things from multiple perspectives.

And yet, realizing that my personal viewpoint is limited can help remind me that I am a foolish being. And trying to do this in my daily life can help me incorporate Buddhism outside of the temple. Church services, whether just a regular Dharma Family Service, a Shotsuki Memorial Service, or a special service like Spring Ohigan which we are observing on March 18, allow us to listen to the Dharma so that it can permeate our lives wherever we are.