Bodhi Day
Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining our Bodhi Day and Shotsuki service. Today we celebrate an event so important that, without it, none of us would be here listening to the Dharma. This is the day we remember the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha.
When we hear the word Bodhi, many people think of the Bodhi Tree or the term Bodhisattva. But Bodhi simply means “awakening.” Bodhi Day marks the moment when a human being named Siddhartha Gautama realized the deepest truth of life and became the Buddha.
The Buddha’s Search for Peace
As a young prince, Siddhartha lived in comfort, protected from the harsh realities of the world. But when he encountered aging, illness, and death, something within him shifted. No matter how wealthy or sheltered a person might be, no one can escape the truth of impermanence. He also encountered a calm monk, whose presence suggested that a path to peace might exist.
Moved by these experiences, he left behind his royal life to seek liberation. He practiced strictly, learning from respected teachers and pushing his body to extremes, believing that freedom required complete self-denial. But starving himself nearly to death did not bring him closer to truth.
Then came a turning point. A village girl offered him rice-milk, and for the first time he accepted nourishment. In that moment his rigid mind softened, and he realized that awakening would not come from extremes but from a balanced, Middle Way.
The Night of Awakening
Sitting beneath a tree, he entered deep meditation. As he drew close to awakening, Māra—the personification of fear, ego, and inner resistance—arose to challenge him. Outwardly the Buddha-to-be remained calm, but inwardly he was wrestling with his final attachments.
When he finally dismissed Māra, the struggle dissolved. Under the full moon, he awakened to the reality of all things. Birth and death no longer troubled him; suffering no longer confused him. He saw clearly the web of causes and conditions that shape our lives.
That moment is what we honor on Bodhi Day.
Why the Buddha Taught
After his awakening, the Buddha could have remained silent. The truth he realized was deep, and he wondered whether others could really understand it. But moved by great compassion, he chose to share the Dharma. For the next forty-five years he walked among people — kings, farmers, beggars, children — offering peace to anyone willing to listen.
His enlightenment was not only a personal event. It became a light for the whole world.
The Meaning of Bodhisattva
Let us look briefly at the word Bodhisattva.
The characters 菩 (Bo) and 薩 (Satsu) mean “awakening” and “sentient beings.” A Bodhisattva is someone who seeks wisdom and, along the path, naturally helps others through compassion. As they draw near to Buddhahood, they feel increasingly connected to all beings, realizing there is no separation between self and other. That realization itself is part of liberation.
Why Bodhi Day Matters to Us
The Buddha’s enlightenment did not end with his personal awakening. Its meaning comes alive in the way it continues to guide and support us today.
When we hear the Dharma, when something in the teachings touches us, when Namu Amida Butsu arises from our hearts — this too is the working of awakening. Bodhi Day is not only about something that happened 2,500 years ago. It is about how the Buddha’s compassion reaches us right now.
In Jōdo Shinshū, we understand that Shakyamuni’s lifetime of teaching was itself a skillful means. Through him, the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha was revealed. Through his compassion, the Name — Namu Amida Butsu — became known in this world. In the Nembutsu, the awakening of Shakyamuni and the boundless compassion of Amida meet.
We, ordinary beings full of limitations, are embraced by a wisdom far greater than our own efforts. This too is Bodhi.
A Moment to Pause
So on this Bodhi Day, may we take a moment to pause:
To remember the courage of the prince who sought the truth,
the compassion of the Buddha who chose to teach,
and the light of wisdom that continues to shine upon us.
May this teaching soften our stubborn minds, open our hearts, and remind us that awakening is not a distant legend — it is a living reality that supports us even now.
Namu Amida Butsu.
