Gotan-e Services Scheduled For May 16 Dharma School Service at 9:00 AM via Zoom and 10 AM English Service via YouTube May 21st is the birthday of Shonin, the founder 1727 Pali Highway of Shin Buddhism, and his birthday celebration service, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 GOTAN-E is held every May.

In 1173, Shinran Shonin was born. He had a lot of hardships GOJI and difficulties in his life. However, he revealed that Amida Buddha’s Compassion is working for us all untiringly, and the Vol. 76 No. 05 Buddha gives us the energy to survive in our lives.

On Sunday, May 16, there will be a Zoom Dharma School Gotan-e Service at 9:00 am, and online there will be a YouTube Gotan-e Service at 10:00 am. Speaker for the 10 AM service will be Rev. Toshiyuki Umitani. Call the Betsuin office to get a link to the Zoom service. Let us celebrate Shinran Shonin’s birthday and listen to his teachings at the services. MAY 2021 NEWSLETTER Living Treasures Of Hawai’i 2021 of the Honpa Hongwanji Special Program Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii’s Living Treasures of Hawai’i program, Hawaii Betsuin established in 1976, has recognized over 200 individuals who have hawaiibetsuin.org demonstrated excellence and high achievement in their field of endeavor and who have made significant contributions toward enriching our society. This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, in lieu of our traditional luncheon program 2021 Slogan: recognizing new honorees, we produced a special one-hour program, “Life and Light: Wisdom of Hawai’i’s Treasures” featuring interviews with five past Building honorees. The program will air on May 27, 2021, at 7:00 pm (K5 and live stream Healthy Sanghas: on Facebook), and May 30, 2021, at 8:00 pm (KHNL). The Living Treasures of Nurturing Empathy Hawai’i ™: “Life and Light - Wisdom of Hawai’i’s Treasures” brings together the wise sayings and teachings from five and Respect Living Treasures of Hawai’i™ honorees: Robert Cazimero, Puanani Burgess, Lillian Yajima, Rev. Yoshiaki BETSUIN Fujitani, and Nainoa MINISTERS Thompson. This inspirational television Chief Minister special highlights Rev. Toyokazu Hagio what makes the Living Treasures of Hawai’i™ Ministerial Staff program unique and shares the history of Rev. Yuika Hasebe this prestigious honor Rev. Sol Kalu that is part of the Honpa Rev. Shingo Furusawa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. PAGE 2 GOJI MAY 2021 Dharma Message: “The Evil Person as the Chief Object of Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow” When the historical Buddha Shakyamuni the teacher, and this was the early form Rev. Sol Kalu attained enlightenment under the bodhi of Buddhism known as the Theravada Honen Shonin. Shinran tree some 2500 years ago in India, the tradition. descended from Mt. very first teachings he shared with other Hiei, became a disciple people was the Four Noble Truths. And With the advent of the Mahayana of Honen, and during the first of the four noble truths is that “life tradition of Buddhism, some hundreds of the first year of his is suffering” or some say, “life does not years after the passing of the historical meeting Honen Shonin, always go the way we want it to.” It is the Buddha, the concept of the at age 29, he attained goal of Buddhism to liberate all sentient and the Age of Dharma Decline came enlightenment or salvation through the beings from suffering through awakening about. The focus of salvation shifted Vow of Amida Buddha, the Buddha of to the true nature of things, and this from the self-practicing monk becoming Infinite Light and Life. This attainment awakening was usually achieved during an arhat to that of the bodhisattva, who of salvation through relying solely on the the Buddha’s time by meditation and delays his attainment of in power of Amida’s vow and discarding following a prescribed set of precepts. order to help others attain enlightenment. all sundry practices became the core of The monks who devoted their time The Age of Dharma Decline known as Shinran’s teachings throughout his life. solely to the attainment of enlightenment ‘mappou’ in Japanese is the last of the Essentially Shinran said that because formed groups known as sanghas with Three Ages of Buddhism following the we are all defiled by greed, hatred, and the historical Buddha Shakyamuni as death of Sakyamuni Buddha. During this delusion, we have no chance of gaining degenerate third age, it was believed enlightenment by ourselves and that that people would not be able to attain by entrusting ourselves totally to Amida enlightenment through the words of Buddha without any calculation or doubt, GOJI Sakyamuni Buddha, and society would we are assured of birth in the Pure Land. TheGOJI is a monthly publication of the become morally corrupted. In Buddhist Shinran stressed absolute reliance on Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, Tel. thought, during the Age of Dharma the other power of Amida’s vow. One’s (808) 536-7044. There is no newsletter Decline, the teachings of the Buddha own efforts are useless in achieving published for the month of August. would still be correct, but people would salvation. Even faith in the nembutsu DEADLINE: no longer be capable of following them. arises not through the individual’s own Articles must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month prior to publica- Only the teaching was there but practice efforts or virtue but is bestowed by tion by e-mail (execdir@hawaiibetsuin. and enlightenment were no longer Amida’s grace. org), mail (1727 Pali Hwy, Honolulu, HI, possible. 96813) or fax (536-0919). Address sub- missions to the GOJI. Please include One of the major characteristics of your name and contact information. Our founder Shinran Shonin, who lived Shinran’s teachings is that the evil Original images should be labeled on during the Age of Mappou and whose person, even more than the good person the reverse side with caption and return birthday the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji is the chief object of Amida’s original information. sect of is observing vow. This idea is called “akunin shoki,” this month, diligently practiced the which means “evil people have the right GOJI STAFF: asceticism of the tradition for 20 qualifications” for rebirth. The reason for Editorial: Jo desMarets; Dianne Ida, Randy Kawamoto, Rev. Yuika Hasebe, years on Mt. Hiei but finally came to the this is that good persons will tend to rely Japanese section editor Production: Stacy realization that such rigorous practices on their own merits to achieve salvation, Bradshaw, Colleen Kunishige; Circulation: did not lead to his awakening and while evil persons, knowing themselves Stacy Bradshaw; Contributing reporters from Hongwanji Mission School, Buddhist liberation. Shinran Shonin was troubled to be without virtue, will be more ready to Women’s Association, Dharma School & by his own blind passions or bonno and entrust themselves wholly to the power Parents, Project Dana, Wednesday Gang and despite 20 years of ascetic practices he of Amida’s vow. Gals, Green Team, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, could not attain the enlightenment he Pacific Buddhist Academy, Betsuin Board and Social concerns, and the Kyodan was seeking. After undergoing a 100 day In the Tannisho, it is written that out retreat at Rokkaku-do temple in Kyoto, of great compassion Amida Buddha The opinions expressed by individual con- tributors are their own and do not neces- the Bodhisattva Kannon appeared to him made His Vow for us beings full of evil sarily reflect those of the Honpa Hongwanji in a dream in the form of Prince Shotoku. passion who are unable to set ourselves Hawaii Betsuin. Prince Shotoku directed Shinran to see Continued on page 7 GOJI MAY 2021 PAGE 3

GOJI “President’s Message” Article for May 2021 President’s Message from Dexter Mar Realizing Hope, part 4 of 4 By Dexter Mar

Our Vision of What We Want to Be:

“A welcoming place where all share the joy of living with gratitude and compassion inspired by Buddhist values.”

Hope isn’t something that we ask of others, it’s something that we have to demand from ourselves.”

Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate

Finally, this month, let’s focus on the concluding part of the Hawaii Betsuin hope for our future: “inspired by Buddhist values”. How might we become our dream?

Two possible areas were offered in the January 2021 GOJI to be inspired by Buddhist values:

 Dharma teachings: supporting youth programs (Hongwanji Mission School, Pacific Buddhist

Academy, Boy and Girl Scouts, Dharma School, JrYBA, YESS [Young Enthusiastic Shinshu Seekers] Camp)  Golden Chain of Love: Reaching out to people in Honolulu via programs in Peace, Environment, and Community

I. Our Buddhist values are skillfully shared through our youth programs. By showing our youth how to live with others, the teachings (4 Noble Truths, 6 Paramitas, Golden Chain of Love, etc.) are demonstrated by adult and youth leaders. The Betsuin’s commitment to schools and youth development is a precious jewel. Let’s continue to fully support current and future youth programs in all possible ways.

II. Since 1927, Hawaii Betsuin minister, Rev. Dorothy Hunt’s “Golden Chain of Love” has inspired many generations of Hawaii Hongwanji, global Honganji, and all Buddhists to Buddhist values. The Golden Chain of Love beautifully captures the essence of Siddhartha Buddha’s teachings and values. By “keeping your link bright and strong, may you attain Perfect Peace.” Let’s express these values by continuing to reach out to the community with diverse Earth awareness events, Social improvement programs, and Peace services.

Namo Amida Butsu!

PAGE 4 GOJI MAY 2021 BWA News and Events Fujiko Motobu

HEALTHY FOOD: Myth 3: Dementia is an inevitable Many of the BWA women live a consequence to old age. long life, and this may be due to Dementia is not a normal part of their good eating habits. Certain aging. onions are good for the heart. Onions that contain the antioxidant Myth 4: Older people can’t learn quercetin seem to protect against new things. This is not true. Older heart diseases by keeping the bad ones may not learn as fast as they LDL cholesterol from sticking to the used to, but never say “never.” arteries. The onions that are rich Even those with Alzheimer’s disease can continue to learn new in quercetin are yellow onions, red Myth 9: A crossword puzzle a day things. onions and purple onions. White can keep the brain doctor away.

onions and scallions are not as rich in Unfortunately crossword puzzles flex Myth 5: You must master one quercetin. Japanese women love to only a portion of the brain, mostly in language before learning another. make onion pickles (tsukemono) and word finding ability. use colored onions, especially purple This is not true. Children can learn multiple languages when they are onions, that unknowingly have been Myth 10: You are dominated by young. Children seem to learn a keeping our hearts strong. So eat up, either your “right” or “left” brain. new language more easily than ladies. Contrary to what we may have been adults because they are less self taught, the two sides of the brain conscious. THE DIRTY DOZEN: 12 MYTHS are intricately codependent. Brain

ABOUT OUR BRAIN THAT YOU scanning technology has revealed Myth 6: A person who has memory MAY HAVE BEEN BELIEVING that the brain’s two hemispheres work training never forgets. “Use it or together. Myth 1: The brain is a complete lose it.” mystery. This is not true. Scientists Myth 11: You have only five senses; Myth 7: We use only 10% of our have made great strides in sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. brain. This myth is certainly not understanding the brain. We know There are others with “cept” endings, true. We do not waste 90% of our more about the connections between which is Latin for take or receive. brain. the different parts of the brain and Proprioception: A sense of where their relevance to how we think, move your body parts are and what they Myth 8: Male and female brains and feel. We can identify the areas of are doing. Equilibrioception: A sense differ in ways that dictate learning the brain responsible for depression, of balance, otherwise known as your abilities and intelligence. Studies obsessive-compulsive disorder, and internal GPS. This tells you if you are are continuing in this area. addiction. After injury or stroke, better sitting, standing, or lying down. It is Alzheimer’s seems to strike a rehabilitation can be done. located in the inner ear. Nociception: disproportionate number of women A sense of pain. Thermoreception: A compared to men. How many Myth 2: Older people are doomed to sense of temperature. Chronoception: times a woman is pregnant over forget things. There is some truth to A sense of passage of time. her lifetime is one of the theories this; some cognitive skills do decline Interception: A sense of your internal being studied. Women have as we age. However, as you age one needs, like hunger, thirst, and needing an advantage over men in their gets superior with vocabulary and to use the bathroom. good at judging of character. We tend verbal abilities. Women can hide to improve over time at controlling our symptoms of Alzheimer’s with their own emotions, weathering stress, and superior verbal skills. continued on page 5 finding meaning in our lives. GOJI MAY 2021 PAGE 5 BWA News and Events continued from page 4 Myth 12: You are born with all the brain The link between diet and brain cells you will ever have, your brain is health has been anecdotal for a long HUMOR…DON’T JUST SMILE, hardwired and brain damage is always time. Now there is evidence to show LAUGH OUT LOUD SO YOUR BRAIN permanent. Actually we can rewire our that eating certain foods (e.g. cold CAN MOVE ABOUT. brains and generate new brain cells water fish, whole grains, extra virgin under the right circumstances. olive oil, nuts and seeds, fibrous Lambs to the left of me, mutton to the (from KEEP SHARP, by Sanjay Gupta, whole fruits and vegetables) while right. Here I am. Stuck in the middle MD} limiting certain foods (those high with EWE. in sugar, saturated fat, and trans- HOW TO KEEP A SHARP MIND: fatty acids) can help avoid memory SIGN READS: FROG PARKING MOVE: and brain decline, protect the brain ONLY…ALL OTHERS WILL BE TOAD. Exercise, both aerobic and nonaerobic, against disease. Eating well is more they’re good for your brain. Do important than ever now that we If your car is running, I’m voting for IT. something physical, like a bike ride, know our diet can affect our brain push ups, swimming or running. health. CONNECT: Connecting I want to grow my own food but I can’t Your exercises will stimulate your with others, in person-to-person, find BACON seeds. mind. DISCOVER: A study from the face-to-face. Having a diverse University of Texas at Dallas says that social network can improve our This is my STEP ladder. I never knew picking up a new hobby, like painting brain‘s plasticity and help preserve my REAL ladder. or digital photography, learning a new our cognitive abilities. Interacting software or language can strengthen with others helps reduce stress Bread is like the sun. It rises in the the brain. Even brushing your teeth and boosts our immune system. It YEAST. And sets in the WAIST. with the other arm will stimulate your can decrease our risk of cognitive brain. RELAX: Relaxing is not only a decline. How come KANSAS and ARKANSAS physical thing for the body, your brain are pronounced so differently? needs to cool down too. Poor sleep can Remember to MOVE, DISCOVER, Pronouncing words that end in –OUGH: lead to impaired memory and chronic RELAX, NOURISH, AND CONNECT Cough, bough, rough, dough, through, stress can impair your ability to learn. to keep our brains functioning to and though. (Did you pronounce them Stress is especially bad. NOURISH: capacity. the same?) Dharma Message continued from page 2 encountered the teachings of Amida’s free from the suffering of samsara, Age of Mappou, only the teachings salvation through meeting Honen through any religious practice. Since remain and both practice and Shonin, Shinran received true shinjin the purpose of the Vow is to enable such attainment are no longer possible. which broke the darkness of his mind foolish persons to attain Buddhahood, So, in a sense, there is no real and enabled him to live in the joy of the the person full of blind passions who “good” person capable of attaining Nembutsu life. entrusts himself wholeheartedly to enlightenment though self-effort. Amida Buddha is the very object of the People of this latter age are all In closing, I would like to quote the Vow. The good person who can achieve “bonbu” without exception, and passage from Shinran Shonin’s Koso liberation by his/her own self power is the compassion of Amida Buddha, Wasan: therefore not the real object of Amida’s through the working of the Primal “Knowing truly that the Primal Vow-- salvatio; for that person, Amida’s vow is Vow offers a salvation that is The perfect One Vehicle that brings not necessary. Such “good” people trust truly boundless and unlimited. It about sudden attainment-- in their own self power and not in the was Shinran Shonin’s personal Grasps those who commit grave Other Power of the Buddha. experience while on Mt. Hiei that he realized his limitations as a man, offenses and transgressions, we are quickly brought to realize that blind How wonderful it is to grasp the full hopelessly mired in the depths of passions and enlightenment are not two meaning of akunin shoki, for in this blind passions. He was an akunin at that time in his life, and when he in substance.” Namo Amida Butsu! PAGE 6 GOJI MAY 2021 “Buddhism and Everyday Life.” A Seminar with BCA Bishop Marvin Harada New For You! The Honolulu and Oahu Hongwanji Hongwanji, Jodo Mission, Soto Betsuin Presents: Councils and the Office of Buddhist Mission, Enmanji, BDK. Education sponsored a virtual Spring Dial-A-Dharma Nembutsu Seminar on Saturday, March Thanks to generous donations for the 27, with featured speaker, Bishop Marvin seminar, which were earmarked to Message Harada, BCA. This seminar focused on purchase copies of Bishop Harada’s Starting in May 2021, the Betsuin seeing Buddhism in our everyday life by book “Discovering Buddhism in is offering a new way to hear the looking at examples from Shin Buddhists Everyday Life,” we will eventually Dharma! It’s the Dial-A-Dharma whose everyday life experience was have 20 copies of this book that will Message! This new program is their greatest teacher, but based on their be available to borrow through Hawaii being offered on a trial basis to deep listening and foundation of the Betsuin. assist our sangha members who Dharma. do not have Internet access or For those who missed the live are not comfortable using the About 170 people registered from seminar, here is a link to a video Internet. Hongwanji temples across the islands, recording of the seminar— from the BCA, Canada and other https://youtu.be/zZf_XQr-gVE Please call (808) 536-2456 for Buddhist denominations — Higashi English message. Japanese language dharma message Preschool Students coming soon! Celebrate Earth Day Submitted by Wendy Harmon Moiliili Hongwanji Preschool celebrated Earth Day on Thursday, April 22, 2021. The two year old class made planters with recycled water bottles and recycled cups from Coffee Bean & Tea. They painted the bottles and cups and decorated them with shapes, then filled the planters with soil. To complete the activity, organic flower and vegetable seeds were planted in the recycled containers. Everyone is ex- cited to see what grows! The two year old class also participated in activities that taught them more about be- ing thankful for the environment and the things that surround them. Hope ev- eryone had a Happy Earth Day 2021!

We Love You, Moiliili Hongwanji Preschool Wendy Harman’s preschool students at Moiliili Hongwanji Preschool Two Year Old Class learn about the importance of caring for our Earth on Earth Day! GOJI MAY 2021 PAGE 7

Betsuin Dharma School News Debbie Kubota Virtual Betsuin Dharma School Services and Activities - Sundays at 9 am

Our virtual Betsuin Dharma featured the video “Do Unto Otters.” School services continue via Then for the Dharma School activity, Zoom on Sundays at 9 am. we asked the students/participants Honolulu Dharma School families to distinguish the difference between from Betsuin and Jikoen continue respectful and disrespectful activities, to join us for our services and such as being quiet in a library, activities. We are so grateful to interrupting and not listening, using have our students support our eye contact when talking to someone services by being emcees and and chewing your food with your reading aspirations. Many thanks mouth open. to Talin Giang, Ellen Ruckmann- Bruch, Jett Katano, and Byron, During our April services and Cora and Vincent Saito for their Dorothy’s ruby slippers to putting our activities, we celebrated Buddha Day willingness to help. hands together in gassho; the yellow (4/11), Earth Day (4/18), and Eshinni- brick road to the way of Nembutsu; the Kakushinni Day together with the Our March 7th service theme was Wicked Witch to sickness/disaster; the betsuin BWA (4/25) featuring Carol Girls’ Day and we featured the read- Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion to our Valentine (Lihue Hongwanji Board aloud book My Name is not Isabella Dharma Friends (Ministers, Sangha, President) as our guest speaker. during our Dharma School activities Dharma School Teachers). We are with a discussion with our students all finding the path together. As in the No matter what your age, our virtual after hearing the story. story, where Dorothy says, “there’s services are open to all generations no place like home,” being embraced from across our islands and the Rinban Hagio shared a Dharma by the Nembutsu gives us a safe, Mainland. Please contact our Betsuin Message about the Lotus Flower and comfortable feeling like being home. office if you are interested. Hope to its five virtues on March 14. 1) Purity/ To promote the theme of Spring Higan, “see” you online with us soon! free of stain. 2) Virtue of one’s stem which is a time of balance and flower. 3) Having seeds and a and harmony with day and flower at the same time. 4) Many seeds night of approximately are produced from one flower. 5) Stalk equal length, our Dharma is hard on the outside but hollow on School activity was for the inside. We congratulated Rinban each family to build a Hagio on becoming a grandfather and house using playing to celebrate, we had a scavenger hunt cards. After their card activity in which the Dharma School house building, everyone students looked for “things that bring shared what they learned them joy” around the house, such as — “never give up,” “don’t “a picture of your family,” “your favorite get frustrated if your house book,” “something you made.” It was is knocked down, just start fun to see what everyone shared. over and build a better house,” “accept impermanence/change,” Our Spring Higan service on March “you need a good foundation to 21 featured Reverend Masanari build a strong card house.” Yamagishi as our speaker. His Dharma Message focused on the On March 28, the theme was movie “The Wizard of Oz.” He related “Respect.” The Dharma Message PAGE 8 GOJI MAY 2021

Radio Programs In Memoriam MARCH 2021 MAY 2021 The Hawai’i Betsuin extends its deepest sympathy to the families of the KZOO 1210 AM following members who recently passed away. May the family members Japanese Language find solace and comfort in the Nembutsu. Namo Amida Butsu Saturday at 7:30 AM

02…..Rev. Shinkai Murakami 2/16 ABE, Howard Chuji (93) 09…..Rev. Shigenori Makino 2/21 MATSUMOTO, Kenichi (96) 16…..Rev. Toshiyuki Umitani 23…..Rev. Yuika Hasebe 02 KIRIU, Steven Masato (62) 18 NAKANO, Stanley Hideo (83) 30…..Rev. Shingo Furusawa 03 AOKI, Jerald Kunio (77) 18 SAKAI, Yukie (95) 03 ASEKA, Patsy Sonoe (94) 25 ITAMURA, Kazuhiko David (95) NOTICE: 06 FUJIMOTO, Robert Rikio (80) 25 MATSUMURA, Elsie Sayoko (83) 09 HIRAE, Clara Kiyoko (97) 25 SUMIMOTO, Helen Toshiye (99) The Betsuin is now 09 MORIMOTO, Robert Kazama (88) 28 HARUKI, Frank Kazuo (90) scheduling in person 10 HIROHATA, Milton Mikio (80) 29 YAZAWA, Janet Fumie (101) funerals and memorial 11 INOUYE, Barbara Mitsuye (92) services with a limit of 9 attendees or hybrid services via Zoom with 9 in Nursing Home Services person attendees. Other options are available. Nursing Home Services Please call the office at 536-7044 for more are cancelled until information. further notice On site Sunday services

continue to be 2021 Memorial Service Schedule CANCELLED 2021 is the memorial year for those who passed away in:

The 10 am English 2020: 1st year 2009: 13th year 1989: 33th year 2019: 3rd year 2005: 17th year 1972: 50th year services are premiered 2015: 7th year 1997: 25th year 1922: 100th year on YouTube at 10 am Sunday mornings. The great practice is to say the Name of the Tathagata of un- hindered light. This practice, comprehensively encompass- Go to the website ing all practices, is perfect and most rapid in bringing them to fullness. For this reason, it is called “great practice.” Saying hawaiibetsuin.org the Name then breaks through all the ignorance of sentient for a link beings and readily brings all their aspirations to fulfillment. Saying the Name is in itself mindfulness; mindfulness is nembutsu; nembutsu is Namo-amida-butsu. -Shinran Shonin