JODO MISSION OF

BULLETIN - APRIL 2011 (#1173-0411)

Jodo Mission of Hawaii 1429 Makiki St. Honolulu HI 96814

Address Service Requested

HBC BUDDHA DAY CELEBRATION April 8th is the birthday of Shakamuni Buddha. This birthday celebration is known as "Buddha Day” and is also known as “Hanamatsuri”. The Hawaii Buddhist Council cor- dially invites all to the Buddha Day Service. WHEN: Sunday, April 10, 2011 WHERE: Jodo Mission of Hawaii TIME: 9:00am—Ceremony 10:30am—Entertainment Games for children Admission Free The Hawaii Buddhist Council is comprised of the following Buddhist temples: Koyasan Shingon Mission, Tendai Mission, Jodo Mission, Higashi Hongwanji Mission, Honpa Hongwanji Mission, Mission and Soto Mission. Please join us on April 10th to celebrate Shakamuni Buddha’s birthday. There will be children’s games so please bring your children and grandchildren. Announcements Flowers Needed for Hanamido for Hanamatsuri Day Sunday School We welcome children to join our Sunday Please bring to Jodo Mission flowers (like School. Let’s enjoy studying Onembutsu by plumerias, orchids, or other small flowers) doing various activities. to decorate the Hanamido before 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, 4/3/11 following Choir practice April 9, 2011 4/27/11 @ 10:30 a.m.

The Hawaii ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♫ Buddhist Coun- cil Buddha Day Jodo Mission of Hawaii celebration will Children’s Choir “Malama” be held on Sun- day, April 10 Our Children’s Choir will meet on Sunday, beginning at 9:00 a.m. April 3, at 11 a.m. (special practice). Per- Pictured above is a Hanamido fully deco- formance at Hanamatsuri Service on Sunday, rated with flowers, with Baby Buddha in the April 10 at 9 a.m. center. This represents the Gardens Any child ages 5 to 8 years old can join. where Baby Buddha was born. Sweet tea or Children will sing mainly Japanese songs and amacha is poured over the statute of Buddha. Buddhist gathas. Practice will be in Japanese. The tea symbolizes the gentle rains that fell on the day Buddha was born. Sewing Circle SPECIAL TALENT April 9 and 23, 2011 By Teruto Soma 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. We’re not sure how many of you have Any interested person is welcome to had the privilege of reading the Kapaa Jodo participate. Mission’s monthly bulletin. The cover page of these bulletins have a special drawing of Buddhist images magnificently drawn by one Special Talent (cont’d) Bobby Murata. the Book Store to start his hobby. I’m sure Bobby Murata, in his early years was you will be impressed as I am, he has skill- a card carrying Professional Golf Association fully mastered his hobby enough for a (PGA) member. He is the pioneer of Ha- showing. He has donated a few of his draw- waii’s golfers advancing into success of to- ings which can be seen at our office. There day’s local professional golfing career. He are other drawings that can be seen if you was MR. GOLF of Hawaii in his prime. He ask the office for the Kapaa Jodo Mission also owned a golfing equipment and supplies bulletin. He also shared his work with store in Lihue, Kauai. As age caught up with members of the Kapaa Jodo Mission of him, his back and spine preventing his golf which he is a member. Thank you Bobby career as well as any physical work. One for the drawings and keep up the good day Bobby decided to try his hand with work! drawings/paintings and bought books from Page 2 Vision For The Future (1)

Over a hundred years ago, Jodo Shu sent ministers to provide an oasis to the Japanese immigrant workers on the sugar cane plantations of Hawaii. For this purpose, our predecessors did a good job. However, 100 years later, the above-mentioned purpose does not exist any more. Now, the purpose of the existence of Jodo temples is to provide an oasis to the American people. “American” means not only Japanese-Americans but includes peo- ple of other ethnic groups. Are we ready to open our doors to those people? Their background, cultures or customs are very different from Japanese people. Can you welcome them as a part of us? We all know that our Jodo temples were built by the Japanese immigrants who were mostly sugar cane workers. Also, they and their children (Nisei) donated lots of money, time and en- ergy to support our temples. Their efforts will never be forgotten, but now, it's time to take a new step. It's time to open our temple to people of other ethnicities. It's time for us to understand that people in America have different cultures and customs, various concepts of values, philosophy and backgrounds. It's time for us to show our special hospitality to people. Is there somebody always available to explain to newcomers about Buddhist teachings and customs in "ENGLISH"? We all know we want young people to come to our temples. However, do you have a play area for small children just like a lobby of preschool or office? If not, how can young couples come to the temple with other relatives for a prayer? There are many things we can do to attract new people. We must open our eyes! Look around you. Our society is changing very quickly. Why don't we try new things and improve ourselves!!!

Your comments are always welcome to [email protected].

Ganbare Nippon! Don’t Give Up, Japan!

I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the victims of the Japan earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. The scale of the disaster is huge, and the stress and the sadness of the victims are immeasurable. Many of our members have relatives and friends in Japan. I hope they are all safe.

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the kind and generous monetary do- nations to our earthquake relief fund.

Whenever I watch the videos and pictures of the destroyed towns and the people who are suffering of the shortage of water, food, or medicine in the severe coldness, I just can’t stay on

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Page 3 Bits of Knowledge about Vol.05 “The Bond between This World and the Pure Land” By Rev. Yasuhiro Watanabe

O-Ihai is a wooden tablet in memory of the deceased. It is engraved with the deceased’s name, date of death, age, and Buddhist name (Kai-myo). Especially, O-Ihai of the Jodo Mission is carved with one character in which stands for Amida Buddha at the top of the Buddhist name. And the base of O-Ihai is modeled after the image of a lotus pedestal just like Buddha’s seat. These designs mean Amida Buddha blesses the deceased and he/she is living peacefully in the Pure Land. Since old times, the Japanese have believed the trees to be the home of the gods and to the spirits. That is why O-Ihai, or a wooden tablet, is believed to be a temporary body in which the soul of the deceased dwells during the funeral and memorial services. In other words, it is the bond between this world and the Pure Land. We say a prayer for the deceased via O-Ihai. It is a kind of communication tool to deliver our voice to the de- ceased. Buddha promised us that our condolences and gratefulness reach the deceased in the Pure Land. Also, our family and friends never forget to watch over us from the Pure Land.

Koloa Jodo Mission held their Centennial event on February 19, 2011. Rev. Narashiba and his family joined the celebration and renewed old friendships. During the years of 1987 to 1997, Rev. Narashiba was the resident minister at Koloa Jodo Mission and he talks often of the many times he and the ladies of the Fujinkai would make maki sushi for fundraising.

Fujinkai Meeting Oahu Rengo Fujinkai Conven- (Women’s association) tion at Haleiwa Jodo Mission on YBA Meeting NO MEETING April 17. Please call Jodo Mission April 24, 2011 in April at 949-3995 to sign up. 8:30 a.m.

Page 4 A LIFE FILM

On Thursday, April 21, 2011 you are invited to see a free showing of the documen- tary about D.T. Suzuki. The event is at 6:000pm with show time at 6:30pm. Please join us for refreshments and discussion imme- diately after the viewing. Here is some back- ground on the film:

"A ZEN LIFE - D.T. Suzuki" is a 77- minute documentary about Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki (1870-1966), credited with introducing exclusive interviews of many people respected Zen Buddhism to the West. in their own right who knew D.T. Suzuki in per- son, including his secretary Mihoko Okamura, D.T. Suzuki had an excellent grasp of and rare footage of Thomas Merton, John written and spoken English, combined with an Cage, Erich Fromm, and Suzuki himself. exhaustive knowledge of Eastern and Western religions and philosophies. He was highly suc- There have been few people capable of cessful at getting Westerners to appreciate the bridging the logic of Americans and Europe- Japanese mentality, and Japanese to under- ans and the Eastern approach to life as well stand Western logic. The effect he had on as Suzuki. Indeed, one of the goals of Zen is Western psychoanalysis, philosophy, religious to transcend dichotomies. The main purpose thinking, and the arts was profound. His nu- of this documentary is to "bring D.T. Suzuki merous writings in English and Japanese alive," and serve to motivate people in the serve as an inspiration even today. West and Japan to know themselves better while respecting one another. Daisetz Suzuki's Dr. Suzuki first lived in the United message is all the more important now, in light States from 1897 to 1908. In 1911 he married of contemporary conflicts stemming from di- an American, Beatrice Lane, who helped him vergent ways of thinking. with his work until her death in 1939. After the War he traveled and taught extensively in the [This Article was put together by Burt Lum, new Kyodan United States and Europe. Of note is a series Board Member.] of very popular open lectures he gave at Columbia University. Many renowned Western philosophers, artists, and psychologists were Event: A Zen Life film affected by his writings and friendship, includ- Date: Thursday, April 21, 2011 ing Carl Jung and Erich Fromm, Christmas Time: 6:00 (film begins 6:30 pm) Humphries, Father Thomas Merton, Martin Heidegger, Karl Jaspers, Dr. Albert Stunkard, Discussion and light Alan Watts, Richard De Martino, Robert refreshments after film Aitken, John Cage, Alan Ginsberg, and Gary Place: Jodo Mission of Hawaii Snyder.

Gary Snyder calls D.T. Suzuki RSVP: Please call Jodo Mission "probably the most culturally significant Japa- at 949-3995 to sign up. nese person in international terms, in all of history." Along with Gary Snyder, there are Event is free.

Page 5 (Continued from Page 3) the sidelines.

May I ask you to do something more for the victims? Please write an encouraging message to those in Japan who are feeling the terrible loss of family members or who are going through tremen- dous hardship. Mail this message to Jodo Mission by April 7th. I will translate it into Japanese and mail your card to the Newspaper Company in Japan so that the victims can read your messages of hope and prayers. Please encourage your children and grand children, or friends to write their cards, too.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to write your letters of support to the people of Japan. I hope many of our members, their children, grand children, and friends will join us in this important cause.

Rev. Yubun Narashiba

Mail your message to: Jodo Mission of Hawaii Attn: Rev. Narashiba 1429 Makiki Street Honolulu, HI 96814

News from Japan re former ministers of Jodo Mis- Obituaries sion of Hawaii; Rev. Hiroyoshi Oeda of Sendai in Miyagi Perfecture. The Jodo Mission of Hawaii extends its sin- He and his family and temple are fine. cere condolences to the family members and Rev. Yoshinori Nakazawa of Sendai in Miyagi Perfec- loved ones of the following members who ture: His temple was severely damaged but his family is have recently left this world for the Pure Land. okay. Rev. Akinori Yoshimizu of Iwate Perfecture. His tem- ple and family are fine. Tomoye Shintaku 93 MORE NEWS TO COME LATER. Tokusei “George” Arakaki 78 Helen Fumiko Fukuda 83 Jodo Mission Office Hours: Toshikazu Furuya 90 Monday to Saturday Stella Fusaye Nakamura 84 8am—5pm Sunday & Holidays Isami “Lefty” Ippongi 94 8am—3pm Barney Rio 62 Phone: 949-3995 Arlene Yoshiko Takara 81

Rev. Yubun Narashiba Rev. Kanjun Nakano Rev. Yasuhiro Rev. Dwight Head Minister Resident Minister Watanabe Nakamura Resident Minister Retired Minister Page 6 EITAIKYO (Perpetual Memorial Service) for April

1 Anzaemon Kajioka 12 Naka Nakamura Eiko Gushikuma The Kajioka & Morita Family Toshiko Umemoto Shigeichi Aoki Yae Ogata Moushi Uyehara Mistuko Arakawa 13 Yasuko Daitoku Shigeo Tom Muranaka Shimoyo Karamatsu The Daitoku & Fujimoto Family 24 Setsuyo Misawa Seiichi Kimura Kayo Doi The Misawa Family Tsuyo Uchiumi 2 Ryosaku Maeda The Watanabe Family Zentoku Uyehara The Maeda Family Yoshio Kunimoto Yasu Iguchi Shuzaburo Kunihiro Setsuyo Misawa Masashi Yamane The Kunihiro Family 25 Michizo Imaguchi Masao Kamihara 14 Heiji Yasumoto The Imaguchi Family James Isamu Tomita The Yasumoto Family Yasuko Ueda Yoshi Okamura 3 Kinjuro Ajimura Tsunegoro Iwamoto Yoshi Okamura The Ajimura Family Michizo Imaguchi Katsuichi Takeda 15 Toso Kamisato Soichi Sakai The Takeda Family The Kamisato Family 26 Kikujiro Yokoyama Takeo Kuniyuki The Aoki Family The Yokoyama & Katsusaburo Yamamoto Mikayo Higashimura Morita Family Kikue Kubota Toshiro Kawabe Makoto Takahashi The Kawabe Family 4 Masayo Kusunoki Masato Ishida Masakane Himuro The Kusunoki Family Haruko Teruya Kenji Hayashi Shinichi Amakawa Toshiko Sumida Nishimoto 27 Misae Umemoto The Amakawa Family The Umemoto Family 16 Bunsuke Isobe 5 Tsune Isobe The Ida Family The Isobe Family The Isobe Family The Matsushima Family Ryu Tsurusaki Mamoru Najita Shizue Nose The Tsurusaki & Inada Family Isematsu Takenaka Robert Murakami Masatoshi Umemoto Kazumitsu Kaya Patsy Hisako Himuro 28 Rokusuke Yanagihara 7 Yasu Hirohama Mitsuyoshi Gushikuma The Yanagihara Family The Hirohama & Kawasugi Family Iwakichi Matsuda 17 Kenichi Namba Kikujiro Uchiumi The Toichi Funamoto Family The Namba Family Naomi Fuse Johnson Misao Yamane Tsuneharu Imaguchi Fay Johnson Masa Miyao Okamoto Yumi Yokoyama 18 Toyokichi Iguchi Ume Kawamura Isaburo Terada The Iguchi & Sasaki Family 29 Mitsuyo Kamioka Toru Yamane Eki Mineishi The Kamioka & The Mineishi Family 8 Tadaichi Aoki Hanaoka Family Yojiro Watanabe The Aoki Family Tatsuyo Ohara Kojiro Okamoto 19 Jun Kunihiro The Ohara Family The Okamoto & Nakamoto Family The Kunihiro Family Tsuchi Kajioka Shigekichi Yoshizaki Motoo Ueda Heijiro Asai The Yoshizaki Family The Ueda Family Tsune Uesugi Naotaka Hayashi Maka Tamanaha Koji Kamioka Misue Imamoto The Tamanaha Family Manzuchi Higashi Yoshio Takara Matsutaro Shimizu Kazuto Hamada Masamitsu Nakano Isamu Yoshioka Hatsumi Nakamura Thomas Lai Yoshiyo Yanagihara 9 Shizuko Hironaka Tatsuyo Ohara The Hironaka & Ishimoto Family 20 Hiroshi Ohta Mitsuyo Kanai Yoshida Fumie Iwasaki Mantsu Takara Tokio Nishikawa Shozaemon Matsumoto 30 Tsuru Matsuno Esa Yamane 10 Tomi Arakawa 21 Naomi Takara Kume Nakamoto Matsuji Yamamoto Genichi Tamura The Nakamoto & 11 Tsunekichi Matsuno 22 Kyoichi Koyama Sakagawa Family The Matsuno Family The Koyama Family The Matsuno Family Sadako Yokoyama Chieko Miyakawa The Yamane Family & The Yokoyama & Morita Family Hiroshi Nakai Harada Family Teru Sakuda The Nakai Family Shigetaka Imada The Sakuda Family Kazu Saiki Sada Harada Kyoichi Koyama The Kohatsu Family Francis Sadamu Furutani, Jr. Yoshiko Hara 23 Bishop Sensho Fukuda 8:30am Morning Service Jodo Mission of Hawaii April 2011 Everyday Phone: 949-3995

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

2 1

Deadline: O-Toba Orders

3 10:00 Obetsuji Service 4 56 7 8 9 11:00 Children’s Choir 8:30 am Sewing Class Sunday School to follow **3:15 pm Jodo Shu hour 2:pm Hanamido Making 10 11 1213 14 15 16 9 am HBC Buddha Day Service at Jodo Mission 10:30am Maunalani Visitation 11:45 am Board Meeting

17 18 1920 21 22 23 NO SUNDAY SERVICE **3:15 pm Jodo Shu hour 8:30 am Sewing Class 10:30am Oahu Rengo Fujinkai 10am CCH visitation Convention in Haleiwa 6:30 Zen Film Discussion to follow

24 8:30 YBA Meeting 25 2627 28 29 30 10:00am Juzukuri Service

10:30 Sunday School

** Jodo Shu Hour Radio K-ZOO (AM1210Khz, Japanese station) Jodo Mission Office Hours: COMING EVENTS: Hanamido flowers (small flowers) needed on Saturday, Monday to Saturday: 8 am—5 pm April 9, 2011, before 2:00 p.m. Sunday & Holidays: 8 am—3 pm YBA Lei Making Project on Friday, May 27 for Punchbowl graves.