My mother has told me so many stories of my grandfather, it's hard to choose which one to relate.
In a nutshell, after becoming a zen priest he traveled to Kalaupapa, Molokai and helped the Buddhist victims of leprosy, doing all he could to make their lives more comfortable.
After seven years he returned to Japan with his expanding family. The tragic loss of their two year old son to leukemia moved them to North Korea to start a new life. Grandfather built a new temple there and began his ministry.
After the war, my grandfather was taken by Soviets to a Siberian Prisoner of War camp for two years where he nearly died. Returning to Japan barely alive, he became a school teacher and principal. Soon he was able to build a temple where he could again become a priest.
When I arrived in 1970, I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought he might be stern. Mom seemed to be so in awe of him. I just expected Buddhist priests to be stoic and maybe too worldly for someone as immature as I was.
I was awed myself when I met him. There was an aura about him. He'd suffered so much in his life, and yet he wasn't depressed or angry. He wanted to help others to deal with their pain because he understood what pain was.
When he was studying his texts, you couldn't distract his concentration. However, when you asked him something he gave you his entire attention and seemed to be able to see right into your heart. I drew a Daruma (Buddhist monk) and he was so pleased that I'd tried. I was touched since he was an incredible artist as well.
I've mentioned before how I asked him if Christianity or Buddhism was better. His answer had surprised me. He said it's not the religion, but what the person does with it. There are good and bad Christians. There are good and bad Buddhists. He talked about the respect he had for Brother Dutton who he'd met on Molokai. Brother Dutton had taken over at Kalaupapa for Father Damien.
Grandfather took me to the main Zen temple in Sendai where he trained to be a priest and explained how harsh that training was. He smiled as he answered my naive questions. He and grandmother also took me to an onsen near Zao. All this surprised me.
I loved watching him playing with his grandchildren. He loved them so much. I know he was trying to help me understand and recognize that I was part of the family as well. He had only three weeks to make up for all the years that I didn't really know much about them.
The reason why I was surprised that he took me on these trips to the temple and the rather far away onsen is because he was dying of colon cancer. He'd already had a colectomy.
A few months later Mom would return to Japan for the first time since she left 21 years before because grandfather was admitted to the hospital. He would pass away almost two years later. Though my grandparents are gone, it's amazing how they are still a part of our lives. Their influence and love guide their children and grandchildren still.
Some of my cousins are now Christian and that is wonderful because it brings them peace and happiness. I am Buddhist. I really feel it is part of who I am and I will use the lessons that I've been taught to strive to be a person who will be accepting, helpful and respectful of others. I don't think my grandfather would mind very much if I chose to follow another religion so long as I was a good person first. However, I saw his example and will try to follow it.
May we all find peace and happiness in our own way and be glad for others who have found a path which might be different but just as beautiful.
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| 1928 Grandfather, Molokai |
In a nutshell, after becoming a zen priest he traveled to Kalaupapa, Molokai and helped the Buddhist victims of leprosy, doing all he could to make their lives more comfortable.
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| 1931 Molokai, Grandfather and daughters |
After seven years he returned to Japan with his expanding family. The tragic loss of their two year old son to leukemia moved them to North Korea to start a new life. Grandfather built a new temple there and began his ministry.
After the war, my grandfather was taken by Soviets to a Siberian Prisoner of War camp for two years where he nearly died. Returning to Japan barely alive, he became a school teacher and principal. Soon he was able to build a temple where he could again become a priest.
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| 1970 Grandfather and Grandmother, Sendai |
When I arrived in 1970, I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought he might be stern. Mom seemed to be so in awe of him. I just expected Buddhist priests to be stoic and maybe too worldly for someone as immature as I was.
I was awed myself when I met him. There was an aura about him. He'd suffered so much in his life, and yet he wasn't depressed or angry. He wanted to help others to deal with their pain because he understood what pain was.
When he was studying his texts, you couldn't distract his concentration. However, when you asked him something he gave you his entire attention and seemed to be able to see right into your heart. I drew a Daruma (Buddhist monk) and he was so pleased that I'd tried. I was touched since he was an incredible artist as well.
I've mentioned before how I asked him if Christianity or Buddhism was better. His answer had surprised me. He said it's not the religion, but what the person does with it. There are good and bad Christians. There are good and bad Buddhists. He talked about the respect he had for Brother Dutton who he'd met on Molokai. Brother Dutton had taken over at Kalaupapa for Father Damien.
Grandfather took me to the main Zen temple in Sendai where he trained to be a priest and explained how harsh that training was. He smiled as he answered my naive questions. He and grandmother also took me to an onsen near Zao. All this surprised me.
 |
| 1970 Grandfather with grandsons, Sendai |
The reason why I was surprised that he took me on these trips to the temple and the rather far away onsen is because he was dying of colon cancer. He'd already had a colectomy.
A few months later Mom would return to Japan for the first time since she left 21 years before because grandfather was admitted to the hospital. He would pass away almost two years later. Though my grandparents are gone, it's amazing how they are still a part of our lives. Their influence and love guide their children and grandchildren still.
 |
| Grandfather |
Some of my cousins are now Christian and that is wonderful because it brings them peace and happiness. I am Buddhist. I really feel it is part of who I am and I will use the lessons that I've been taught to strive to be a person who will be accepting, helpful and respectful of others. I don't think my grandfather would mind very much if I chose to follow another religion so long as I was a good person first. However, I saw his example and will try to follow it.
May we all find peace and happiness in our own way and be glad for others who have found a path which might be different but just as beautiful.
I'll try to write a comment later, when my eyes are clear again.
ReplyDeletethat was an amazing story, I feel so honored for you to have shared this with us all, just lovely.
ReplyDeletea loving memoir of an exceptional grandfather...
ReplyDeleteYou come from a long line of amazing people, Kay. No wonder you and your children are exceptional, too. I am honored to learn about your grandfather.
ReplyDeleteThank you, DJan. Don't you think you'll find that every family has people to be proud of and people... ummmm... that you keep in the closet? :-)
DeleteWhat a wonderful connection you made with your grandfather when you were finally able to meet him. It sounds like the time you got to spend with him was an honor for both of you. Thank you for sharing him with us.
ReplyDeleteKay - Thanks for sharing, and the pictures are amazing. He's pretty handsome in 1921, but too serious in your last photo. I'm glad he survived and was able to play with grandchildren. You've lived a life of your own to honor him well. DrumMajor
ReplyDeleteJapanese... especially of the previous generation did not smile in photos. My mother will because we've told her over and over and over that people look friendlier and younger and better looking when they do. My aunt still won't so I have to catch her by stealth. My grandparents smiled all the time when I wasn't taking a photo.
Deletebeautiful post, Kay, thanks for writing it. You know, I see a resemblance of your grandfather (when he was younger) in Jon.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great man your grandfather was!!!!!
ReplyDeleteKay, I love this post. Thanks for sharing. I think God comes into your heart by stealth and I love your grandfather's answer about religion. It must have been very special to know him.
ReplyDeleteIn the fellowship of AA members believe in a Higher Power and don't assign him or her a Standard human persona. Each person forms his or her own idea. I think this must be very close to Buddism. Dianne
I think that's wonderful. By being so accepting, more people can go for help from AA.
DeleteYour grandfather was an exceptional person and so worldly, by any standard, more so by Japanese standard (if I may say). And so handsome. The first picture of him in 1928 really leaped out and I thought for a moment that it was your son, Jon. You were truly blessed to have this visit. My husband always tells me him his father was a firm believer in "fate". How you had the opportunity to visit when you did is a perfect example.
ReplyDeleteL. from W.
I think the "s" key on my laptop is going....I'm having the darnest time typing. Lots of backspace, then the cursor jumps to another part of the text.
DeleteI also wanted to add, not only does Jon look like his great-grandfather, but I gather he inherited much of his worldly inclinations too.
L. from W.
I have the Logitech Wireless Wave Combo Mk550 With Keyboard and Laser Mouse which is going for $59.99 at Amazon. It comes with Super Save Shipping. I love mine. You do have to get used to the ergonomic keyboard thing, but once you get used to it, I prefer it above all else.
DeleteThank you for your kind words. Mom also told me her father was very good looking and how much my grandmother loved him.
I didn't think a separate keyboard would work with a laptop, but the picture on Amazon shows you just have to stand the laptop up lol
DeleteThanks!
L. from W.
What a nice tribute to a great man! He has my respect and admiration.
ReplyDeleteKay, this is such a beautiful story. I like the way your grandfather felt about religion. I'd like to hear more stories about your family. Very touching. This morning I'm reading your blog from my desktop computer and commenting from it. I don't understand why I have problems commenting on your blog from my iPad, I can read the blog just fine. I suspect I'll receive no emails today. I suspect it was all related to my iPad.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful and touching post, especially your words at the end. As always, thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLovely. What a rich family life you have.
ReplyDeleteI love his view of differing religions..would that we all could be that tolerant..think of the peace it would bring...
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I visited Japan in 1968 was to stay with, Kai Zan, a Zen Buddhist priest who had lived in my town named Yellow Springs in Ohio. I stayed in his temple in Mishima City, Mishima Prefecture. There are parallels with your grandfather, though nothing as atypical as going to Molokai to help with Hansen's Disease patients and then returning to Japan. For one thing, Kai Zan was captured by the Russians in Manchuria at the end of the war and spent a couple of years in a prison camp there. I was surprised at the deference shown to him by the village people near the temple. When he would walk down the path, people who saw him would bow deeply. It is not at all a free and easy religion as American interpreters sometimes seem to suggest by their life styles.
ReplyDeleteKai Zan took me to visit a nearby Zen monastery, one often frequented by Paul Reps, by the way, a well-known American Zen interpreter. The priest in charge talked to me about Zen and then asked me if I had any questions. All of a sudden I broke into a broad grin and an imp bit me because I thought, "now is my chance to get the answer from a real Zen Buddhist monk to one of the oldest Zen koans (riddle) which is, 'what is the sound of one hand clapping?'" So, laughing and grinning like a jack o'lantern, I asked him, "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" His answer was classic: "Why are you laughing?" A very nimble response and right on target. HENRY HANK CHAPIN
Wow! You had Art and me pondering this question and talking about this from every angle. Art is an electrical engineer so he's straight forward logical. He said it's the sound of wind, air moving which is silent until it comes into contact with something. I suppose that would mean the leaves in the forest.
ReplyDeleteAs for me... well... The sound of one hand clapping is a sound that each person hears within and it's different for each person. Everyone must find their own sound of their one hand clapping. Your laughter was your sound.
Why do I think I asked my grandfather that question too? I should read my trip journal and see if I wrote anything because I know I asked him a bunch of questions.
I have been enjoying your family history posts but this one really moved me. What a wonderful man.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little teary eyed, partly because your story is so touching, and partly because of a sense of loss it raises in me for not having really known or understood my grandparents well, even though they were nearby.
ReplyDeleteYou learned so much in such a short time. Your mother knew what she was doing when she changed your Japan trip plans.
My grandparents, Scandinavian on my father's side, German and very strict Christians on my mother's side, were not nearly so loving. If they were wise, I didn't know it, except for my paternal grandmother, who survived a hard scrabble life, bore 13 children and raised 9 to adulthood, yet lived to be almost 100. I do know I come from strong, hardworkng stock.
I strive to be a different kind of grandmother.