march 2021 / / volume 58 / / issue 03 friend of the dharma · 2021. 2. 28. · karate tbd kendo tbd...

Namo Amida Butsu - With Gratitude and Kindness Beyond Words

IN THIS ISSUEPreschool Start Aug. 09

Help Wanted

Shoyu Chicken Fundraiser Sept. 18

WAILUKU HONGWANJI MISSION 1828 Vineyard Street Wailuku, HI 96793

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

Permit No. 39 Non-Profit Organization

Wailuku, HI 96793

FRIEND OF THE DHARMAWAILUKU HONGWANJI BUDDHIST TEMPLE

A JODO SHINSHU COMMUNITY TEMPLE

AUGUST 2021 / / VOLUME 58 / / ISSUE 08

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EDUCATION

JODY L. VINORAY

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What a fabulous Summer! School ends on the 23rd with a Ho’olaulea. Our parents will be so surprised to hear the wonderful singing. The children have been rehearsing and perfecting their voices.

2021-2022 School year begins on August 9th. I’m very excited to start my first full year as Director. Lots of positive changes have taken place. My staff and I are excited and ready for a fun filled year with the children.

All this could not be possible without a very dedicated Preschool Board as well as our Wailuku Hongwanji Church staff and its members. Thank you all so very much!

EDUCATION

Temple AssignmentsSANDY HIRATA & JOAN TAMORI

August 01, 2021 Service:• Emcee: Bobby Parr• Aspiration: Eric Ikeuchi

August 08, 2021 Service:• Emcee: Tamara Manley• Aspiration: Donna Ikeuchi

Dharma School students will be joining the temple assignments starting August 15, 2021. Names to be announced at service.

WAILUKU HONGWANJI PRESCHOOL Wailuku Hongwanji Mission * 1828 Vineyard Street * Wailuku, Hawaii 96793Preschool Telephone * (808) 244-9545

ADULT ORGANIZATIONS

WHM Buddhist Women’s Association Activities BRIAN HASHIRO

Here is a group photo of members doing Hosha on Thurs-day, July 1, 2021. L-R Toshiko Sugiki, Janet Kubota, Michael Munekiyo and Sylvia Ishikawa (missing from photo is Brian Hashiro who was the photographer)

HISTORY MADE! Temple President Michael Munekiyo helping with Hosha (temple cleaning) with members of the BWA. Thank you Mike for volunteering some of your busy work time to help out!

Mark Your Calendar!

Shoyu Chicken Fundraiser

September 18, 2021

Drive Thruat

Wailuku Hongwanji

EDUCATION

Congrats Kami!SHELLEY WONG

Unfortunately we missed con-gratulating one graduate in our July Newlsetter. Please also extend your sincere congratulations to Kami Echiverri who will be attending Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon this fall!Congratulations Kami!

Good luck in your new adventure!

FRIEND OF THE DHARMAAUGUST 2021 / / VOLUME 58 / / ISSUE 08


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Troop 40 got to attend summer camp at Camp Maluhia, this year. We had 25 boys participate in this year’s camp. They all got to earn merit badges from Archery to Wilderness Survival. They made new friends, played lots of games, and learned many new life skills!

YOUTH ORGANIZATION

Troop 40 At Camp Maluhia Summer Camp 2021CELESTE RABANG

Troop 40 checking in to camp

Learning Archery with Staff and Troop 40 member, Austin

Tyce surviving the cold at the Waihee Ridge

LJ hard at work on his project Nainoa with his completed Leath-er-work project

Assistant Scoutmaster Chad challenging staff member Kameron in arm wrestling

Brady cooking breakfast for the troop Chase cooking the sausages Tate, Assistant Scoutmaster Chad, Dominic, and Assistant Scoutmaster Paul teaching cooking skills



This year, Wailuku Hongwanji Mission’s annual Obon services will be held on August 6th and 7th. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we are unable to hold our Bon Dance after the services, again. Although we may feel that Hatsu-bon and Obon services are sad experiences, please remember that this is the greatest time for us to express our sincere mind of gratitude and appreciation toward our loved ones who have passed away before us. Through these special times our loved ones are guiding us to meet the Buddha’s great guidance; this is the time for all of us to reflect on ourselves through their memories. Additionally, through the teachings of the Buddha, we may also be able to realize that we are all living with the Buddha’s boundless wisdom and compassion in our lives.

During Hatsu-bon and Obon services, the minister is chanting the sutras and many of you are offering incense and paying respect to our homage, Amida Buddha. This is one way to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Buddha. At our Wailuku Hongwanji Mission’s Obon services, we chant one of three main sutras in Jodo Shinshu, the Amida Sutra. The Amida Sutra is describing the Pure Land of Amida where we are all able to be reborn and become a Buddha.

Buddha Shakyamuni explained to one of his great disciples, Shariputra, about the Pure Land as follows:

“Shariputra, if you travel westward from here from here, through hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddha-lands, there is a land called Ultimate Bliss. In this land, at this moment, a Buddha named Amitabha teaches the Dharma… All living beings in that land endure no sufferings but enjoy every bliss. Therefore, it is called Ultimate Bliss. Moreover, Shariputra, this Land of Ultimate Bliss is on all sides surrounded by seven tiers of railings, seven layers of netting, and seven rows of trees, all formed from the four treasures and for this reason named Ultimate Bliss. Moreover, Shariputra, in the Land of Ultimate Bliss there are pools made of the seven jewels, filled with the eight waters of merit and virtue. The bottom of each pool is pure, spread over with golden sand. On the four sides are stairs of gold, silver, lapis lazuli and crystal; above are raised pavilions adorned with gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearls, and carnelian. In the pools are lotuses as large as carriage wheels: green-colored by green light; yellow-colored by yellow light; red-colored by red light; white-colored by white light; subtly, wonderfully fragrant and pure”.

Jodo Shinshu Seiten

Much more is explained about the Pure Land and it is all true. I sincerely feel that I would like visit there and take lots of pictures to share with all of you.

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TEACHINGS FROM THE REVEREND

Obon

Namo Amida Butsu REV. SHINKAI MURAKAMI



Although I am not able to visit there at the present time, I think we are all seeing’ Amida’s Pure Land as described in the Amida Sutra whenever we come to our temple and see our Altar. The Temple Altar is showing us the Pure Land of Amida, giving us a spiritual feeling of peace and serenity and guiding us on the path of the truth. So, whenever we attend the temple services and feel a peaceful feeling, it is because we are embraced by Amida and, therefore, feel like we are already in the Pure Land of Amida. While we are at the temple, we relax and feel a sense of peace, which means that we are in the Pure Land of Amida and receiving Amida’s infinite guidance in our heart.

I firmly believe that by attending our Hatsu-bon and Obon services we discover the great spiritual assessment. Hatsu-bon and Obon are ideal times for us to listen to the Buddha Dharma, which help us to realize Amida Buddha’s great wisdom and compassion. At this time, we learn more about Amida Buddha’s infinite salvation and his land of bliss, called the Pure Land. Then, we know we are able to be reborn, to become a Buddha, and to receive eternal life, joy, and happiness.

For us to go to the Amida Buddha’s Pure Land, we don’t need to plan or have a passport. Why? We are all embraced by Amida Buddha’s infinite light and life, and he will accept us as we are. All we need to do is recite Amida’s holy Name, Namo Amida Butsu, and live our precious life with the true mind of gratitude. By attending our Hatsu-bon and Obon services all of us may be sincerely realizing Shinran Shonin’s great teaching and his spiritual assessments. Amida Buddha is not far from anyone. His land of Purity is

described as being far away to the west, but it is also, within the minds of those who earnestly wish to be within it. Some people imagine that the figure of Amida Buddha shining in golden splendor, divides into eight-four thousand figures or feature, with each figure emitting eight-four thousands rays of light, and each ray of light enlightening the world, never leaving a single person who recites the name of Namo Amida Butsu in darkness. Thus, Amida Buddha helps people take advantage of the salvation He offers.

To guide us in the light of the Buddha, the following are Shinran Shonin’s great passages from Hymns of the Pure Land Masters:

“The ocean of birth-and-death, of painful existence, has no bound, only by the ship of Amida’s universal Vow can we, who have long been drowning, unfailingly be brought across it.”

“Of those who encounter the power of the Primal Vow, not one passes by in vain, they are filled with the treasure ocean of virtues; the defiled waters of their blind passions not separated from it.”

Namo Amida Butsu

Image from: http://www.purelandbuddhism.org/public/source/book/pdf/ENO9.pdf



1st YEAR MEMORIAL - 2020 3rd YEAR MEMORIAL - 2019DAY NAME DAY NAME1124

Cynthia Ann McCarthy (KEN KYO)Melvin Honda (SHO GAN)

020409192130

Irvin Hiroshi Yamada (KO RAKU)Warren Masaichi Matsui (SEI GAN)Kazue Mabe (SEI WA)Emiko Omori Sakagawa (KO KI)Mieko Kushiyama (BYAKU KE)Michael Mitsuo Nashiwa (E KO)

7th YEAR MEMORIAL - 2015 13th YEAR MEMORIAL - 2009DAY NAME DAY NAME1027

Noboru Nako (SHO DO)Fumiko Kagoshima Beppu (CHI DO)

1830

Yasushi Wakamatsu (SEI AN)Komao Mochizuki (GU KYO)

25th YEAR MEMORIAL - 1997 50th YEAR MEMORIAL - 1972DAY NAME DAY NAME161831

Kimie Sakagawa (WA KO)Yoshihiro Ogawa (JYO GU)Shizue Morihiro (MYO MON)

18222731

Himo Koyanagi (CHI KO)Kazuo Suzuki (JO WA)Shigeo Koki (MYO KI)Niwa Yonamine (JO NIN)

Clifford Nobuaki Shibano (SHIN MYO - Truth Light), age 67, of Makawao, passed away on April 27, 2021

Ralph M. Murakami (DO KEN - Guiding the Path of the Truth), age 88, of Wailuku, passed away on May 17, 2021

Richard Susumu Ouye (ZEN TOKU – Great Virtues), age 83, of Wailuku, passed on June 7, 2021

SYMPATHIES

Our Deepest Sympathies

Namo Amida Butsu

IMAGE from gardenerdy.com

IMAGE from japanesequizzes.com

MEMORIAL SERVICES

August Hoji Memorial Services

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Ofuse: Thank You for Your Compassion PAMELA MIYAGAWA

Karen AguinaldoGrace & Teri Hamasaki

Miyamoto FamilyOuye & Yamazaki Families

Sakari & Natsuye Owara FamiliesRoger & Rene Yamaoka

Kiyoshi Yoda

In memory of Sadae UyenoIn memory of Kazuichi HamasakiIn memory of Richard Susumu MiyamotoIn memory of Richard S. OuyeIn memory of Aunty Sadae UyenoIn memory of Tsuyako YamaokaIn memory of Annette Yoda



KYODANKahului Hongwanji - For use of the kitchenThomas & Winona Lau Hee - In memory of Eddie Teruji AnsaiAlvin & Charlotte Nakamura - In memory of Stanley Okamoto & Mae OmuroVan Shimizu - In memory of Ralph T. & Betty S. ShimizuFaith & Garth Sodetani - In memory of Douglas & Clara Sodetani, and

Senkichi & Ariyo Sodetani Henry & Betty Yamashiro - In memory of Richard Ouye

OBONBetsy CardozaRoy & Gwen HiragaYukimi Shoda - In memory of Seimu Shoda & George M. ShodaEdward & Joan Tamori

NOKOTSUDOScott & Shirley Ageno - In memory of Shinayo & Midori Hamasaki,

and Shizue & Kikue AgenoHeidi Hiraoka - In memory of Mr. & Mrs. Tomosuke Kawahara,

and Mr. & Mrs. Douglas SodetaniTom & Krystene Lam - In memory of Yukie KawaharaIleene & Steven Tanabe - In memory of Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Sodetani,

and Mr. & Mrs. Tomosuke Kawahara

MISCELLANEOUS

Anonymous Donations - Assorted snacks, Cookies, Jelly, Fruits, Altar flowersSteve & Sandra Cross - Fabrics & Craft items Jeral & Karlynn Fukuda - Altar flowers Margaret Honda - Spam musubi Sylvia Ishikawa - Spam musubiJanet Kubota - Spam musubi Machiko Moriyasu - Spam musubiMike Nishimoto - Assorted snacks Sarajean Tokunaga - Craft items

STAFFEditors Robyn Garner

Rev. Shinkai MurakamiFrank HamasakiJoan TamoriItsuyo KusudaRichard OuchiSharon HigaStella KuwaeBrian Hashiro

Publishers HELP WANTED

Website & Facebook

HELP WANTED

CONTRIBUTING REPORTERSAck Pamela MiyagawaBWA Brian HashiroBoy Scouts Celeste RabangBuddha Reads Danny ToppCalendar Sharon HigaChoir Joan TamoriCub Scouts Pamela MiyagawaDharma School

Sandra Hirata Joan Tamori

Dharma Strummers

Danny Topp

Gakuen Rev. Shinkai MurakamiGirl Scouts Courtney MorihiroJr. YBA HELP WANTEDJudo Club Ronald HiyakumotoKarate TBDKendo TBDPreschool Jody VinoraySympathy Sharon Higa

The Friend of the Dharma is published monthly. The opinions written by individual contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Wailuku Hongwanji Buddhist Temple.

Submission Deadline is the 15th of the month, prior to the publication date.

FRIEND OF THE DHARMA

Publishing Staff Information

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The office needs an “on-call” volunteer handyman or a couple of handymen to assist the office in do-ing light maintenance and repairs.

Handyman may need to pro-vide his own personal power tools; however, some equipment (screw-drivers, pliers, hammers, etc.) will be available at the temple.

Handyman may need to order necessary supplies to complete re-pair. Supplies (light bulbs, switches, etc.) will be provided by the temple.

Volunteer HandymanWailuku Hongwanji is seeking a

webmaster for the Temple webpage, as well as someone to manage and update its Facebook page. If you are interested in helping the temple, please contact the Temple office Monday-Friday be-tween 8:00 am and 12:00 noon.

Volunteer Webmaster

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER, PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE AT 244-0406.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HELP WANTED at Wailuku Hongwanji

Wailuku Hongwanji Jr. YBA is seeking a leader to guide our young Buddhists and coordinate with the Hawaii Federation of Jr. YBAs.

Seeking Jr YBA Leader

FRANK HAMASAKI

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank You for Your KindnessPAMELA MIYAGAWA & SHARON HIGA



Services & Activities for August/September 2021Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

18:00am Sunday Service

2 3 4Gakuen Begins

58:00am - Hosha Day

6 7


9 10 11 12 13 14


16 17BWA A Cup of Cold Water - Tm 2

18Kyodan Board Mtg - via Zoom

19 20Statehood Day (Office Closed)

21

228:00am Sunday Service/Rev. Kunisaki Grave site Service

23 24 25 26 27 28

298:00am Sunday Family Service - Lay Speaker Mark Miller

30 31 1 28:00am - Hosha Day

3 4


6Labor Day (Office Closed)

7 8 9 10 11Sanmu Mtg & Sanmu-Kanji Mtg

128:00am Autumn Ohigan Service

13 14BWA A Cup of Cold Water - Tm 3

15Kyodan Board Mtg - via Zoom

16 17Sanmu Mtg & Sanmu-Kanji Mtg

18

198:00am Autumn Ohigan Service - Guest Speaker TBA | Peace Day Observed

20 21Peace Day Hawaii - UN International Day of Peace

22 23 24 25

268:00am Family Service - Lay Speaker TBA

27 28 29 30

BSC Summer Dharmathon

(Maui) 58th Honpa Hongwanji Lay Assoc. Convention

(Maui) 58th Honpa Hongwanji Lay Assoc. Convention

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS


march 2021 / / volume 58 / / issue 03 friend of the dharma · 2021. 2. 28. · karate tbd kendo tbd...

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