November 28, 2024
Expressing Gratitude Every Day
The act of giving thanks shouldn’t be relegated to one day of the year, and in Buddhist practice, it isn’t. Gratitude, or appreciation, can be a starting point for practice, wherein we recognize our unique and fortunate position in the world, and endeavor to spend our time wisely—by meditating and living ethically.
Shin Buddhism goes even further, making gratitude the very orientation of practice. The nembutsu, the central Shin practice of reciting the Buddha’s name, is not a plea but an expression of gratitude. As Shin Buddhist minister Rev. Dr. Kenji Akahoshi says, where many people associate the word prayer with the word please, the nembutsu is a thank you. Rev. Akahoshi describes gratitude as a gate or threshold to spiritual life that opens up the perception that our lives are already supported with compassion and wisdom—we just have to recognize it.
In Shin Buddhism as in other traditions, gratitude doesn’t negate or diminish suffering—grief or pain. We can express and embody gratitude while simultaneously acknowledging the real existence of suffering. They’re both motivators for practice.
This week’s Three Teachings offers three perspectives on gratitude and how to think about it every day. | 
