Good afternoon, everyone. A very warm welcome to you all. Today, we gather here to pay tribute to the Japanese immigrants who journeyed from Japan to make Brazil their new home. Our ancestors made the monumental decision to leave their beloved homeland and carry their families to an unfamiliar land. This single, courageous decision has fundamentally shaped the essence of our lives today.

In our modern, highly materialistic society, religious activities can easily be perceived as practical wastes of time and unnecessary financial expenses. However, the true essence of religion does not lie in the material realm; it is an act of finding deep value in our “spiritual” nature. We must never forget that it is precisely because we believe in a realm of absolute peace where our departed loved ones dwell in comfort that we are able to live our lives in this world with reassurance and peace of mind. Some speak of heaven and hell after death. Perhaps, from a purely physical standpoint, nothingness awaits. Yet, it is deeply right and compassionate to wish that those who were precious to us do not simply vanish into nothingness, but instead continue to dwell in eternal comfort and peace.

The nobility of the human spirit and soul is not measured by the mere amount of hardships we have endured. Rather, it is determined by how deeply we can share in the sorrows of others. This ultimate empathy is the very heart of the Buddha, which we call “compassion” (Omoiyari). Choosing to align our hearts with the compassion of the Buddha may sound simple, but it requires enough spiritual energy to transform the entire direction of our lives. Yet, because of this profound transformation, it stands as a noble endeavor worthy of our absolute commitment. How much time do we have left in this transient life? I sincerely hope we all awaken as soon as possible to a life filled with mutual compassion, thereby preserving our true human dignity.