Nichiren Shu News Published by the Head Office of Nichiren Shu Buddhism & NOPPA No. 197 August 1, 2013 1 Wesak Day Celebrations 2013 Clockwise from upper left : 1.Ichinenji Wesak float 2.Members of Singapore Daimoku-ji Temple 3.Members of Jakarta Renge-ji Temple 4.Marching in the parade 5.Offering Incense 6.Revs. Noda and Ervinna prepare for the ceremony By Rev. Kanjo Bassett many days preparing for the event. The procession took more than three hours Missionary Dept., Shumuin to complete in the narrow old streets. conducted by Rev. Myofu Ervinna after mountain region to gather fresh cut With some 40 Buddhist groups par- her April 1 Kaikyoshi appointment. She On May 24 over 200 members of the carried out the celebration successfully Penang Nichiren Shu Buddhist Asso- the Wesak ceremony, everybody lined 10,000 spectators, the parade route was in front of more than 60 members with ciation, Hokkezan Ichinenji, celebrated up for a bountiful lunch buffet prepared packed. Local Buddhist faithful bowed Rev. Noda assisting. After the service, Wesak. This day commemorates the by temple members. In the afternoon everyone gathered around the dining birth, the enlightenment and the death by. Temple members marched behind of Shakyamuni Buddha. The sangha, enjoyed a delicious lunch buffet pre- lead by Reverends Kangyo Noda and others practiced chanting and drum- Odaimoku in Mandarin and Japanese, pared by temple members. Myofu Ervinna, recited the Lotus Sutra, ming for the procession. At every temple in Southeast Asia, chanted Odaimoku and poured sweet Despite the threat of rain the weather children watching the parade. The members went out of their way to make tea onto the baby Buddha’s statue for held clear into the late afternoon. procession was over by 10 pm, and sure that every participant felt welcome. the ceremony. This was only the start Various Malaysian Buddhist groups the elated, exhausted temple members Thanks to the many efforts of temple of a busy day preparing for the annual lined up near the Malaysian Buddhist stayed far into the night cleaning eve- members, family and friends, this Wesak parade to take place that evening. Association building for the parade, rything up. celebration of the life of Shakyamuni For this year’s event, Reverend Kobun each group with its own colorfully The next day Reverends Noda, Sasaki Buddha was a success and provided Sasaki, Manager of the International and Bassett traveled to Singapore for a an excellent example of the Bodhisat- Section, and Rev. Kanjo Bassett of the At 6 p.m., the lead group started down short visit to Daimoku-ji Temple and tva way in the spirit of the Lotus Sutra Missionary Dept., Nichiren Shu Head the route through George Town, the the members there before traveling on and Odaimoku. historic central district of Penang where to Jakarta to get ready for the May 26 The Ichinenji members worked for the major Buddhist temples are located. Wesak Ceremony at Lotus Sutra Temple. Temples and Sanghas in Southeast Asia By Rev. Kangyo Noda the Malaysian Buddhist Association. 16, 2012. The temple is in Kapong, the Jakarta Rengeji Temple north district of the capital of Malaysia. Jakarta is the capital city of Indo- Penang Ichinenji Temple Nichiren Shu Klang Sangha The temple has a regular service every nesia. It is one of the biggest cities in Penang is one of the states in North Klang is one of the towns in Selangor Sunday. The temple helps spread the Southeast Asia. The Jakarta temple Malaysia near the Malacca Straits. Hok- State of Malaysia, close to the capital Lotus Sutra in the Kuala Lumpur area. opened on April 28, 2003. The temple city, Kuala Lumpur. Klang Sangha Singapore Daimokuji Temple is in West Jakarta, and holds regular Temple in Southeast Asia. It opened on opened its dojo in February 2008. They services every Wednesday and Sunday. February 5, 2002. The temple holds have been teaching the Lotus Sutra for Singapore is an island off the south The temple also helps to propagate the regular services on Thursdays and - end of the Malay Peninsula. It is one teaching of the Lotus Sutra in other Sundays. Besides their regular services, vices on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. of the central cities in Southeast Asia. towns of Indonesia. they also do charity visitation and recy- Daimokuji Temple opened in Novem- cling work. They also take part every Kuala Lumpur Kanonji Temple ber 2004. Daimokuji has its regular ser- year in the Wesak Parade organized by This Temple opened on September vices every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. 2 No.197, August 1, 2013 Nichiren Shu News Kyoganoko Musume Dojoji and the Lotus Sutra (2) By Rev. Kanji Tamura “There is much bitterness about the woman together, who said that, “they Visiting Scholar bell. When you strike the bell on the song) of the “Dojoji”, and as such, were content that they have been able Reishauer Institute of Japanese it was considered the culmination to attain Buddhahood,” and then pro- Studies Harvard University On the next night, it rings zesho meppo. of presenting women’s dance move- ceeded to ascend to heaven. When you strike it at daybreak, it ments. Dojoji as a stage performance Almost identical stories can also be This work represents a kabuki dance means shometsu mecchi, at dusk, it (“Dojoji-mono”) was adopted into found in both the “Konjyaku Monoga- is jyakumetsu iraku . No one is sur- kabuki during the Genroku Period tari-shu”, Book 14, (Junichi Ikegami, prised at hearing this. I myself have (1688-1704), changing its form through Shin-nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei, Nakamura Tomijuro at the Edo many stages, while inspiring many an Konjyaku Monogatari-shu, Book 3, so that I can observe the moon as it is.” audience. The epitome of this would pp. 286-290, 1993: Iwanami Shoten), A summary of the plot is as follows: (Meisaku Kabuiki Zenshu, Vol. 19, be the “Kyoganoko Musume Dojoji”. completed circa 1100; and the “Genko A service in hope of replacing the p. 26, 1970: Tokyo Sogensha). The origin of the Dojoji-mono can Shaku-sho”, Book 19, (Shintei Zoho bell at the Tendai temple, Dojoji, was It is without saying that “Shogyo be traced back to the Dai-nihon-goku Koku-shi Taikei, Nihon Koso-den planned during the full blossoming mujo, zesho meppo, shometsu mecchi, Hokke-genki, hereafter “Hokke-gen- Yomon-sho, Genko Shaku-sho, pp. of cherry trees in Kishu (present-day jyakumetsu iraku.” is extracted from ki”. This Hokke-genki was written by 284-285, 1965: Yoshikawa Kobun- Wakayama Prefecture). Once upon a the Nirvana Sutra, of the verse that Chingen of Mt. Hiei’s Shuryogon-in kan), written in 1322. Although there time, there lived a princess by the name Sessen-doji was able to learn from Temple during the Chokyu Era (1040- are theories that this tale originates in Kiyohime who fell in love with the Raksasa (frightening demon). The 1044) of the Heian Period. Chingen either China or India (see, for example, priest Anchin who was on his way to was inspired by the “Fahuao-yanji” (no Maijiro Kiyoe, Nihon Geino no Genryu, Kumano in Kishu. Anchin turned her there is nothing that is permanent / We longer in existence) of Yiji (919-987) 1971: Iwasaki Bijyutsu-sha), I do not down, leaving her in such anger that understand this as the law of life and of Song China, to pen the Japanese she transformed herself into a large death / But, it is when we eradicate version of a collection of Buddhist This Dojoji-mono is also incorpo- snake, attaching herself to the temple this principle of life and death and rise tales in three volumes. The article to rated in Ningyo Joruri, the Yamabushi bell in which Anchin was hiding. She above and reach a higher level called the “Ki-i-no-kuni Muro-gun Ashiki Kagura of the Tohoku area, and even burned Anchin along with this bell. It jyakumetsu or nirvana, we are able to Onna”, found in the last of the three in Okinawa’s kumi-odori. is said that she too, took her own life. truly appreciate eternal peace”. In ad- volumes (Mitsusada Inoue and Shosuke Today, the bell of Dojoji is kept Ever since, Dojoji was pronounced dition, it is also possible to infer that it Ozone, Nihon Shiso Taikei, No. 7, O- at Kyoto’s Myomanji Temple of the off limits to women. There was no alludes to the introductory phrase from jo-den, Hokke Genki, p. 217-219, 1974: Kenpon Hokke Shu. As far as Dojoji bell as well. Years later, though, a new The Heike Monogatari: “The voice of Iwanami Shoten), contains the source of is concerned, strange incidents con- bell was donated and a blessing was the bell of Gion Shoja, how it vibrates the Dojoji-mono; however, there is no tinued to occur at Dojoji, therefore performed in its installation. It was of shogyo mujo” (Shosho Kajiwara and mention yet of the characters, Anchin the bell was buried in the rear of the then that a beautiful shira-byoshi (a Komyo Yamashita, Shin-nihon Koten or Kiyohime. The characters that make temple in a bamboo thicket. But during prostitute who dressed as a man and Bungaku Taikei, Vol. 44, “Heike Mo- an appearance are a widow, and a man the Tensho Era (1573-1592), an under- sang and danced to popular tunes and nogatari”, No. 1). who is a young and respectable priest, ling of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Sengoku Chinese poetic verses) named Hanako, Also, Hanako’s line, “I myself have who is traveling with an old priest.