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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 41

around the US and the world, to give them voice, and help, in many cases, they didn’t know what to do. Also,
help share all the ways in which they are using their knowing that Buddhist chaplains themselves could use a
Buddhist background to help care for others in need. resource book that collected the fundamentals on how to
handle various situations, I coordinated with a few others
During your years in Japan, you have cared for to reach out to as many experts as possible to collect
tsunami survivors. Can you share how you supported about 50 short chapters on the basics of how to approach
the survivors to overcome their loss of loved ones? these different situations. As a full dana project, all

authors and editors even agreed to have the proceeds go
I volunteered at a pop-up café called "Café de Monk." to benefit further people in need through organizations
The founder was a Zen priest from the tsunami region like Buddhist Global Relief.
named Kaneta Taio. He has both a deeply compassionate
heart and a playful sense of humour — and that humour To be an effective caregiver, especially during a
shows up even in the name itself. While "monk" refers disaster, a strong will and the right attitude is
to a monastic in English, in Japanese, the word "monku" crucial. How does one develop such qualities to be a
means "to complain." So it is a play on words that means good care-giver?
this is a place you can come “complain” about the events
in your life to the volunteer “monk” listeners who are One of the main Buddhist terms translated as
serving your tea and coffee. It is very difficult for most “meditation” in English is the word “bhavana” but
people, especially those in northern Japan, to open up this more literally means “cultivation of the heart and
to an unknown person about their suffering. But by mind.” Our hearts and minds need to be exercised just
first sitting in small groups around a table, eating and like the muscles in our body and I think Buddhism
laughing together, engaging in other activities and crafts offers many tools to do that. Likewise, many of these
together, people will gradually open up. At those points can be applicable to developing the will and attitudes
us volunteers were available to listen and be with those that help make us better at caring for others. More
who want to share their stories. When a person finally than will, I might say equanimity and wisdom. Of
has the chance to open up and explore their pain, it can course, compassion is also incredibly important.
be deeply freeing. Nobody is forced, but if they want to We need to have very strong compassion, but that
or feel the need to, then were there to accompany them needs to be balanced through both equanimity and
through the process. wisdom. Post-disaster situations are incredibly fragile
environments with plenty of trauma around. As much as
You are the editor of A Thousand Hands: A Guidebook we might want to help, knowing our own strengths and
to Caring for Buddhists in your Community. What weaknesses, knowing where we might be appropriate
motivated you to work on this book project? or inappropriate to provide aid is vital. Even with the
deepest compassion in the world, if its applied in the
During my chaplaincy studies at University of the wrong ways or at the wrong places or times, we could
West, I had many Bhikkhuni and Bhikkhu friends from unintentionally make the situation worse. So we have to
temples around the city, and they regularly asked me, be very careful and act with wisdom as well.
“You’re studying chaplaincy? What is that?” I explained
how it provides tools for deeper listening and care for Equanimity is also critical. A disaster zone can be
people who are usually going through deep suffering incredibly hectic. If we are too easily moved off our
and struggling in their life. So many times, they would mental balance, we might be caught in the frenzy of the
respond by saying something like, “Oh, I wish we had that situation or we might be moved by internal biases that
training too!” I would then hear a wide variety of stories lead to more harm than good. Being able to look at a
about people who came to temples with big problems in situation as objectively and as calmly as possible, we
their lives; as much as those monks and nuns wanted to can better work with other aid workers and survivors to
make meaningful impacts.