JODO MISSION OF HAWAII

BULLETIN - APRIL 2012

(#1185-0412)

Jodo Mission of Hawaii 1429 Makiki St. Honolulu HI 96814 Address Service Requested

HBC BUDDHA DAY CELEBRATION April 8th is the birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha. This birthday celebration is known as "Buddha Day” and is also known as “Hanamatsuri”. The Hawaii Buddhist Council cordially invites everyone to the Buddha Day Service.

WHEN: Sunday, April 8, 2012 WHERE: Nichiren Mission of Hawaii 33 Pulelehua Way, Honolulu

TIME: 9:00 a.m. —Ceremony Guest Speaker: Rev. Eisei Ikenaga Entertainment by Matsuri Taiko

Admission: Free Parking is limited: We will have a bus leaving Jodo Mission at 8:15 a.m. to Nichiren Mission and return at 11:30 a.m. Please sign up for the bus ride by calling Jodo Mission of Hawaii 949-3995. Deadline for the bus ride is April 1, 2012. Please join the Hawaii Buddhist Council on April 8th to celebrate Shakyamuni Buddha’s birthday.

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Hanamido for Buddha Day Celebration The Hawaii Buddhist Council Buddha Day celebration will be held on Sunday, April 8 beginning at 9:00 a.m. at Nichiren Mission of Hawaii. Pictured on the right is a Hanamido fully decorated with flow-ers, with Baby Buddha in the center. This represents the Lumbini Gar-den where Baby Buddha was born. Sweet tea or amacha is poured over the statute of Buddha. The tea symbolizes the gentle rains that fell on the day Buddha was born. At the Buddha Day celebration, please be sure to bow in front of Baby Buddha and pour some amacha over the Baby Buddha statute.

The Hawaii Buddhist Council is comprised of the following Buddhist temples: Higashi Hongwanji Mission, Honpa Hongwanji Mission, Jodo Mission of Hawaii, Koyasan Shingon Mission, Nichiren Mission of Hawaii, Soto Mission of Hawaii and Tendai Mission of Hawaii. It is always nice to get together with fellow Buddhists! Please come and celebrate Buddha’s Birthday!

Buddha Day Guest Speaker Rev. Eisei Ikenaga

Rev. Eisei Ikenaga is presently at the Nichiren Mission of Hawaii. He was born in 1959, in Saga City, Japan. He attended Roosevelt High, in Honolulu, Hawaii and graduated from the University of Hawaii in 1982. He also graduated from the University of California, Los Ange-les in 1986; and Rissho University in 1991. He worked as a minister at Daikyoji, Honmonji, and Enyuji in Japan. He worked at the Nichiren Buddhist International Center, in Hayward, California, and at Sao Paulo Hokekyoji in Brazil. He taught in the English Department at To-kyo Rissho Junior College, and in the Department of Buddhism at Rissho University.

Sewing Circle

April 14 and 28, 2012 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Any interested person is welcome to participate.

♫ ♪ Jodo Mission of Hawaii ♫ Children’s Choir “Malama”

Our Children’s Choir will meet on Sunday, April 15, at 10:45 a.m.. Any child ages 5 to 8 years old can join. Children will sing mainly Japanese songs and Buddhist gathas. Practice will be in Japanese.

Sunday School We welcome children to join our Sun-day School. Let’s enjoy studying Onembutsu by doing various activities.

4/8/12 @ 11:30 a.m. 4/29/12 @ 10:45 a.m.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

FUJINKAI (women’s association) April 1st at 8:30 a.m.

* * * * * * * * Oahu Rengo Fujinkai April 22 at 10:30 a.m.

YBA Convention

Planning Meeting

April 15 at 11:30 a.m.

♫ ♪ Ukulele by Stuart Nago ♫ Please come and enjoy uku-lele music by Stuart Nago on Sunday, April 15 at 10:00 a.m. after Sunday Service. He may also play his guitar.

Bits of Knowledge of Buddhism Vol. 17 What Is He Doing with His Hands? (Apr. 2012)

By Rev. Yasushiro Watanabe

第17回 仏像とその心：釈迦如来像（2012年4月）

仏伝によると，ブッダは，三十二相八十種好という人々と異なる特徴を具えてい

たそうです。仏像はこの仏伝に基づいて作られています。たとえば，白毫相といって，

ブッダは眉と眉の間に白い毛がうずを巻いていると説かれます。仏像では水晶を円形に

彫り両眉の間に挿し込んでそれを示しています。

多くの寺院では，釈迦如来と阿弥陀如来を大切にして，二尊を本堂にお祀りして

います。ただ，上記の特徴はすべてのブッダに共通しているため，仏像の容貌を見ただ

けでは見分けがつきません。そこで見分けるにはその両手に注目してみましょう。手の

位置や指の曲げ方で，その仏像がどの仏さまか分かります。仏さまの印相は，それぞれ

の仏さまの教えや性質を象徴しています。

まず，釈迦如来像について説明しましょう。右手は，肘を曲げて前につき出し，

指を曲げずに開いて，掌を外に向けています。左手は，膝の上に安んじて，同じく指を

開いて掌を上に向けています。この印相はお釈迦さま特有のものです。右手の印を施無

畏印，左手の印を与願印と呼びます。施無畏は不安の除去，与願は願いの成就を示しま

す。つまり，釈迦如来像は，人々の不安を取り除き，願いをかなえる存在として表され

ています。大乗仏教では，広く悩める人間を救済すること，すなわち自利よりも利他を

中心にしています。お釈迦様の両手は，まさに利他の精神を示す印であり，慈悲として

の仏のあり方を示しているのです。

Vol. 17 What Is He Doing with His Hands? (Apr. 2012) As legend goes, Buddha, or an Awakened One, has 32 major charac-

teristics and 80 minor characteristics which distinguish Him from other peo-ple. Buddha’s images reflect these characteristics. For example, it is said that the Buddha has a white curl between the eyebrows and the white curl gives off light. That’s why Buddha’s statue has a round crystal between the eye-brows.

We honor Sakyamuni Buddha and Amida Buddha. Many temples place the two Buddhas’ images in the sanctuary. The above characteristics are common to all Buddhas. So, it’s difficult to distinguish between the two Buddhas by their looks. How can we tell them apart? Let us focus on their hands. The position of their hands and fingers teaches us which is which. Signs made with the hands symbolize Buddhist teaching and the personality of each Buddha.

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Bits of Knowledge cont’d

Sakyamuni Buddha makes symbolic signs with his hands (see pic-tures below). The right hand is shown with the palm up and out. The right elbow is bent and the forearm is raised. The left hand is shown with the palm down and out in His lap. The right hand means Buddha removes our fears. The left hand means Buddha fulfills our wishes. In Mahayana, a Buddhist should put others before oneself. We should be unselfish. Sakya-muni Buddha’s hands symbolize the main concept of Mahayana, or the great compassion. He teaches us the way of life and leads us to the Enlightenment. (To be continued)

Photo 2: Great Buddha at Todaiji Temple in Nara

DEN DEN MUSHI

This year five students from Shukutoku University Panel Theatre Group came to Hawaii to perform their picture story show and visiting care homes, schools and Jodo Missions. Due to scheduling, the only day available at the Betsuin was February 16 at 3:00 p.m. Everyone who at-tended enjoyed the Den Den Mushi performance. As you can see from photos above, the students really enjoyed themselves in Hawaii. After arriving on February 9, they visited Maui and stayed at the Lahaina Jodo Mission. While on Maui, they performed at the Lahaina and Wailuku Jodo Missions, Kahului and Wailuku Hongwanji Pre-Schools. They visited the Children of the Rainbow Pre-School, King Kamehameha III School (Grades K-1) and Kahului Hale Mahaolu. We await Den Den Mushi’s visit next year!

Photo1: Oldest Buddha at Asukadera Temple in Nara

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FUJINKAI On February 26, 2012 the Honolulu Jodo Shu Fujinkai held its 89th General Membership Meeting. The meeting began with a ceremonial offering of candle, incense and flowers while the ladies sang “Imasasagu”, followed by chanting by the ministers and offering of incense by various Temple organizations, Fujinkai, Kyodan, YBA, Intermediate YBA and Sunday School. The business meeting was held with President Sally Hayashi thanking the Fujinkai ladies as well as their families and friends for the many Temple events that the Fujinkai ladies participate in, i.e. Spring and Fall O-Higan refreshments with the delicious bota mochi or in the fall it is called ohagi, O-Bon services, Bon Dance, Bazaar, mochi making. In looking forward to the coming year 2012, she asked the ladies to plan to attend the Laypersons and Hawaii Rengo Convention in September on Kauai as it is a wonderful way of meeting other Fujinkai members from the other temples. Below is a photo honoring our keiro members and supporters who were 80 years old and older.

Altar Flowers Offerings of candle, incense & flowers

Everyone singing Imasasagu while the offering of candle, incense & flowers were presented

Happy Keiro members and supporters each received a container of Sekihan or happy rice.

Sekihan or Happy Rice made of mo-chi rice and azuki beans were given to Keiro members

New member Tracy Shige-mura receives her door price from Sunday School student Takeru

Mrs. Kimiko Diamond receives her door prize. First general membership meeting she attended & she looks happy!

Mrs.Kitagawa and her group passed out door prizes and bingo prizes. Long time member Aki Nishiyama

receives her door prize from Sunday School student Sophie Page 5

Obituaries

The Jodo Mission of Hawaii extends its sincere condolences to the family members and loved ones of the following members who have recently left this world for the Pure Land. Masayuki Nishihara 73 Alfred Akira Tanaka 67 Chiyo Fuse Azuma 102 Noboru Yokoyama 84

Jodo Mission Office Hours:

Monday to Saturday 8am—5pm

Sunday & Holidays 8am—3pm

Phone: 949-3995

Rev. Yubun Narashiba Head Minister Rev. Kanjun Nakano

Resident Minister

Rev. Dwight Nakamura

Retired Minister Page 10

What is “Perpetual Memorial Service?” (Eitaikyo)

This record of a perpetual memorial service and is called Eitaikyo in Japanese. When the date of death occurs for a person listed on this record, the ministers pray for that individual during the morn-ing service. The prayers will continue each year for as long as Jodo Mission exists. Anyone can be included in it. You may put your own name on the list, too. This also helps when it is difficult to have memorial services. We also wel-come you to attend the morning service at 8:30am.

How to apply Stop by the office, and fill out the application form. Each name costs $200. After the application is accepted, the name will be listed on the record.

Rev. Yasuhiro Watanabe Resident Minister

Wedding Services, Baby Blessings, House Blessings are available

upon request.

Wedding Services: If you are planning to get married or know someone who is planning a wedding or if you would like to renew your wedding vows, you are welcome to recom-mend our Temple. To pledge eternal love be-tween husband and wife to Amida Buddha is very important.

Baby Blessings: May Amida Buddha’s love surround our children with love.

House Blessings: May your new house, apartment, home be blessed. Please call for an appointment.

1 Anzaemon Kajioka The Kajioka & Morita Family Yae Ogata Mistuko Arakawa Shimoyo Karamatsu Seiichi Kimura

2 Ryosaku Maeda The Maeda Family Shuzaburo Kunihiro The Kunihiro Family Masao Kamihara James Isamu Tomita

3 Kinjuro Ajimura The Ajimura Family Katsuichi Takeda The Takeda Family Takeo Kuniyuki Katsusaburo Yamamoto Kikue Kubota

4 Masayo Kusunoki The Kusunoki Family Shinichi Amakawa The Amakawa Family Hitomi Miyaura

5 Tsune Isobe The Isobe Family Mamoru Najita Isematsu Takenaka Kazumitsu Kaya

7 Yasu Hirohama The Hirohama & Kawasugi Family Kikujiro Uchiumi Naomi Fuse Johnson Fay Johnson Yumi Yokoyama Isaburo Terada Toru Yamane

8 Tadaichi Aoki The Aoki Family Kojiro Okamoto The Okamoto & Nakamoto Family Shigekichi Yoshizaki The Yoshizaki Family Naotaka Hayashi Misue Imamoto Yoshio Takara Masamitsu Nakano

9 Shizuko Hironaka The Hironaka & Ishimoto Family Fumie Iwasaki Tokio Nishikawa

10 Tomi Arakawa Matsuji Yamamoto

11 Tsunekichi Matsuno The Matsuno Family Sadako Yokoyama The Yokoyama & Morita Family Teru Sakuda The Sakuda Family Sada Harada The Kohatsu Family

Yoshiko Hara

12 Naka Nakamura Toshiko Umemoto 13 Yasuko Daitoku The Daitoku & Fujimoto Family Kayo Doi Tsuyo Uchiumi Zentoku Uyehara Yasu Iguchi Masashi Yamane

14 Heiji Yasumoto The Yasumoto Family Yoshi Okamura (2) Kiyoto Kawaoka

15 Toso Kamisato The Kamisato Family The Aoki Family Mikayo Higashimura Toshiro Kawabe The Kawabe Family Masakane Himuro Kenji Hayashi Toshiko Sumida Nishimoto

16 Bunsuke Isobe The Isobe Family Ryu Tsurusaki The Tsurusaki & Inada Family Masatoshi Umemoto Patsy Hisako Himuro Mitsuyoshi Gushikuma 17 Kenichi Namba The Namba Family Tsuneharu Imaguchi

18 Toyokichi Iguchi The Iguchi & Sasaki Family Eki Mineishi The Mineishi Family Yojiro Watanabe

19 Jun Kunihiro The Kunihiro Family Motoo Ueda The Ueda Family Maka Tamanaha The Tamanaha Family Matsutaro Shimizu Isamu Yoshioka Thomas Lai

20 Hiroshi Ohta Mantsu Takara Shozaemon Matsumoto Mildred Yukiko Ito

21 Naomi Takara Genichi Tamura

22 Kyoichi Koyama The Koyama Family Chieko Miyakawa Hiroshi Nakai The Nakai Family Kazu Saiki Kyoichi Koyama

Francis Sadamu Furutani, Jr.

23 Bishop Sensho Fukuda Eiko Gushikuma Shigeichi Aoki Moushi Uyehara Shigeo Tom Muranaka

24 Setsuyo Misawa (2) The Misawa Family The Watanabe Family Yoshio Kunimoto

25 Michizo Imaguchi (2) The Imaguchi Family Yasuko Ueda Tsunegoro Iwamoto Soichi Sakai

26 Kikujiro Yokoyama The Yokoyama & Morita Family Makoto Takahashi Masato Ishida Haruko Teruya

27 Misae Umemoto The Umemoto Family The Ida Family The Matsushima Family Shizue Nose Robert Murakami

28 Rokusuke Yanagihara The Yanagihara Family Iwakichi Matsuda The Toichi Funamoto Family Misao Yamane Masa Miyao Okamoto Ume Kawamura

29 Mitsuyo Kamioka The Kamioka & Hanaoka Family Tatsuyo Ohara (2) The Ohara Family Tsuchi Kajioka Heijiro Asai Tsune Uesugi Koji Kamioka Manzuchi Higashi Kazuto Hamada Hatsumi Nakamura Yoshiyo Yanagihara Mitsuyo Kanai Yoshida

30 Tsuru Matsuno Esa Yamane Kume Nakamoto The Nakamoto & Sakagawa Family The Matsuno Family The Yamane Family & Harada Family Shigetaka Imada Miyoko Shindo

EITAIKYO (Perpetual Memorial Service) for April

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