HAKUHO Taishoji Soto Mission 275 Kinoole St. Hilo, HI 96720-2944

Zen Temple Phone (808) 935-8407 Fax (808) 961-6124

taishoji@hawaiiantel.biz

MINISTER’S MESSAGE

April 3rd, we celebrated Hanamatsuri for Shakyamuni Buddha’s birthday. Thanks to participation of many members, I had a really good time. Every Buddha’s birthday, I remember my birthday and grateful that my parents and many people showered me with love and affection. My birthday is January 2nd. I’m truly blessed, because my Japanese friends send me a birthday message every birthday. One of the friends, Osaka’s senior minister, also sends it to me. But as opposed to other people, he always sent me the same birthday message for four years. He sends me a copy of the previous year’s sentence. The sentence is “ your birthday is the day which your mother suffered the most. Happy Birthday Shinsho.” This sentence was made based on teachings of Buddha. When I received it, it made me think profoundly. I have always understood that my birthday is a special day just for me. But not only that, I knew that my birthday was the day on which my mother suffered the most. In Buddhism, when we count the years of how old we are, we have to count one more older than our age. So I’m 28 years old, but I’m 29 years old in Buddhism. Because I had been born in my mother’s womb many months before. Since long before I was born, my parents and my relatives were looking forward to my birth and thanks to their love, I was able to be born. That’s deeply meaningful and I have to be grateful to them. Every Buddha’s birthday and every birthday of yours, please remember that many people showered you with love and affection. Lets cherish your own life.

In Gassho,

Rev. Shinsho Hata

MAY 2016

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The 100th Anniversary committee is well on its way on the preparations for our Celebration in October. Please send in your response so we can finalize our luncheon reservation. We hope you will all join us in celebrating this memorable event.

April 9th we hung our 100th Anniversary Celebration Banner in front of the temple to announce our Celebration on October 16, 2016.

Rev. Hata made a brochure for Taishoji. It has a short history of Taishoji, services that are held and a list of our organizations. We are planning to have the brochures available at the entrance to the temple soon so visitors will be able to take, read through it and hopefully will be interested in Taishoji and will approach Rev. Hata and ask questions. The purpose of this brochure is to attract prospective members. Kona Daifukuji will also help us by displaying it with their brochure for people visiting at their temple and maybe will pick ours up if they are coming to Hilo. Rev. Jiko Nakade mentioned people do look at the brochures. Bon Dance Practice: Bon Dances will be starting in a couple of months so on Monday’s, July 11, 18 and 25, we will be having Bon Dance practices at Taishoji in the hall from 7:00 pm to about 8:30 pm. Jane Heit will help us with our practice sessions so you can enjoy dancing with your ancestors at our Bon Dance.

In Gassho,

Rodney Nishino

BACCALAUREATE SERVICE

On May 8, 2016 at 10:00 am, following our Sunday School / Family Service at 9:00 am, Taishoji will be honoring two graduating High School Seniors. They are Alissa Leung, daughter of Alfred & Annette Leung and Hua Uehara, son of Mrs. Yuko Tsukamoto. Our guest speaker is Reverend Shinsho Hata. We hope you will join us.

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CHILDREN’S DAY, MAY 5 May 5, originally was a day to celebrate the boys (and men) of the family, but now it is called Chil-dren’s Day in Japan (due to the orders of the Allied Powers at the end of World War II to stop Japan from being militaristic.) So, today, May 5 is a holiday for both boys and girls.

However, the traditional observances on this day are still almost entirely for boys. Families with sons display Boy’s Day dolls, which usually represent historical or fictional characters for their strength, such as Kusunoki Masashige and Takeda Shingen or Kintaro and Momotaro. – renowned for their strength, valor, and loyalty. Sometimes, instead of a doll, families display a warrior’s helmet, sword, bow and arrow set, or suit of armor. They also fly paper carp (koi) from the eaves of their house or in their yard. The carp is a symbol of strength, courage, and success, for swimming upstream against the current. (or hardships of life). The displays represent the hope that the boys will grow up healthy and strong. The carp by tradition represented only the boys of the family, but today there are carp representing the girls and parents as well. The traditional (food) treat for the day is called kashiwa mochi (sweetened mochi wrapped in kashiwa leaves. Kashiwa, the daimyo oak, is considered an auspicious symbol because the older leaves do not fall from the tree until the new ones mature, assuring the continuation of the family. In Hawai’I, May 5 is still called “Boy’s Day.”

BUDDHISM: RELIGION OR PHILOSOPHY?

Buddhism started with the Buddha, a man born to a prominent and wealthy family in India 2,500 years ago. Buddhism differs from other religions such as Christianity in that Buddha is recognized to have been an ordinary man; Buddha is not a deity, divinity or god. He was a man who spent his life in search of the nature of reality and the truth at the heart of life itself. Buddha never claimed any inspiration or inside connection to a god or higher power. He believed that every person was a potential Buddha and humankind was supreme, above all other animals, in that humans had the ability — if they tried hard enough — to achieve enlightenment. No other power exists higher than humankind or influences human life. Man is in charge of his own destiny. In other words, man’s liberation from suffering was solely his n responsibility.

Unlike Other Religions: Though Buddhists can be said to follow the teachings of Buddha, Buddha does not lead his followers to God. The teachings of Buddha lead us to the practice of a truthful life. Buddhist principles (precepts) teach the path to awakening, or truth. Practicing a truthful life and awakening to the reality of the world is open to everyone. Buddha just shows us the way. Buddhists believe that we are distracted from seeing the truth or reality of the world — from seeing things as they really are — by our delusions, our thoughts, and our desires. By following the principles and practices the Buddha has set up for us, we can slowly part the curtain of illusion and experience life and the world as they really are — the essence of truth. — Jacky Sach, The Everything Buddhism Book

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ZEN PRACTICE The fusion of Zen Buddhism with everyday life is a central theme of the Soto school of Zen. The practice of Zen should not be confined only to periods of sitting in meditation, but should be applied to all the activities of daily life. If we are diligent in cultivating the way, we will find that every day is a good day. There are no bad days at all, not even Friday-the thirteenth. Whether a day is good or bad depends upon the mind. By Itself, the day is neither good or bad. If we think that any particular day is bad, then we will make it bad, and bad things will happen to us. But if we believe that all days are good, then each day will be good, and many good things will come to us. Life is always changing, moving from this state to that, but there is nothing bad about change itself. Change is our teacher. By opening ourselves to the flow of life, we can learn something new each day. Every day becomes a lesson to us. Therefore, whether life is good or bad depends upon ourselves. Enjoy life, understand it and experience it to the full. But let it come and go as it is, do not cling to anything. If we stop and cling to anything, we Cannot experience the whole of life, and then we cease to grow. So let the mind flow like water. Face life with a calm and quiet mind and everything in life will be calm and quiet. Zen Philosophy Zen Practice

TAISHOJI 100TH ANNIVERSARY POLO SHIRTS ARE HERE! Please get a beautiful purple Taishoji 100th Anniversary Polo (Golf) Shirt, no pocket. Taishoji Soto Zen 1916-2016 with our 2 jimons (temple crests) embroidered in white. Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL. $20.00 each. See Rev. Hata or Walter Tachibana to purchase at the Temple. Taishoji 935-8407 or Walter 959-9374. Limited quantities.

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50th ANNIVERSARY

October 17 - 19, 1969

RESPONSIBILITY By Patricia Shishido 12

th Grade

The heritage of our ancestors who founded and supported the Taishoji Soto Mission has passed into our keeping. We, the Buddhist of today are responsible to appreciate our inheritance. We are responsible to maintain and improve OUR inheritance in order that we may pass it on to posterity better and more beautiful than it was when we received it.

YesM.the founders of this temple left us a precious heritage; a sanctuary where people may come to worship, renew faith in what’s good and beautiful, and learn the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. The teachings of the Buddha has tremendous value. It was passed on through many generations for some 2,800 years. Our forefather’s 50 years ago believed in the value of our religion, Zen Buddhism.

Because they believed so much in the heritage, they built this temple feeling a need for religious guidance. This temple is their gift to us. The need for religious for guidance has not diminished during 50 years. If anything this need has increased as the problems of the world have multiplied. More than ever we need this sanctuary and center for faith.

We who have received this wonderful gift can not let it fade away. It is ours to add what we can to make this church better able to serve those in need to strengthen this church to help ourselves. But we not be selfish and only think of ourselves and the present. The future is our responsibility, too.

FUJIN KAI UHSSWA CONFERENCE at Betsuin / Pagoda Hotel

Packing kakuma for Country Store Mamiko & Rev. Shinsho Hata Sachiko Murazane, Yaeko Fujiwara, Ellen Yamauchi

Kazue Tanimoto, Linda Matsushita, Fusako Lee

UHSSWA President Linda Matsushita Guess who ?

MAY 2016 TAISHOJI CALENDAR

1 Sun 8 - 8:35 am Zazen 9:00 am S/S Family Service / Children’s Day 1:00pm Fujin Kai Meeting 4 Wed 12:30 pm Centennial Meeting 6 Fri 8:30 am Fujin Kai Hospital Visitation 7 Sat 7:00 am Temple Cleaning Group #2 8 Sun 8 - 8:35 am Zazen 9:00 am S/S Family Service 10:00 am Kyodan Baccalaureate Service 14 Sat 7:30 am Temple Cleaning Group #3 1:00 pm Kyodan Meeting 15 Sun 8 - 8:35 am Zazen 17 Tue 1:00 pm Booklet committee 9:00 am S/S Family Service 21 Sat 7:00 am Temple Cleaning Group #4 22 Sun 8 - 8:35 am Zazen 9:00 am S/S Family Service 28 Sat 7:00 am Temple Cleaning Group #5 29 Sun 8 - 8:35 am Zazen 9:00 am S/S Family Service 30 Mon 9:45 am Memorial Day Service Veteran’s Cemetery #1

WEEKLY SCHEDULE FOR TAISHOJI ORGANIZATIONS

Zazen: Mondays 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm (New) - Sundays 8:00 am - 8:35 am

Taiko: Tue., Thu., Fri. 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Sundays 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Boy Scout Troop 95 Wednesday 7:15 pm

TENTATIVE JUNE 2016 TAISHOJI CALENDAR

1 Wed 12:30 pm Centennial Meeting 4 Sat 7:00 am Temple Cleaning Group #1 5 Sun 8 - 8:35 am Zazen 10:00 am Kaisanki / Rekiju-ki / Kannon-ko Service (Baikako Memorial Service) 11 Sat 7:00 am Temple Cleaning Group #2 1:00 pm Kyodan Meeting 12 Sun 8 - 8:35 am Zazen 18 Sat 7:30 am Temple Cleaning Group #3 19 Sun 8 - 8:35 am Zazen 25 Sat 7:00 am Temple Cleaning Group #4 26 Sun 8 - 8:35 am Zazen Cancelled (Daifukuji O-Bon)

9:30 am Daifukuji O-Bon Service

IN MEMORIUM

Taishoji Soto Mission extends its deepest sympathy and condolences to the family and relatives of the late:

Mrs. Nobuko Tokeshi April 10, 1927 - March 18, 2016

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50th ANNIVERSARY

October 17 - 19, 1969