Our Dana (Sanskrit meaning "selfless giving") Day Service featured a guest speaker, Cyndi Osajima, Executive Director of Project Dana. Project Dana is a program that provides a multitude of services to the elderly and disabled through a corps of volunteers. Our M.C. for today, Jean Fukumoto, is Windward Buddhist Temple's Project Dana site coordinator.
Watch Cyndi’s Dharma Talk below.
For today’s Dharma Talk, Dennis discussed symbolism in both everyday situations, such as emojis, and in national icons, such as the Statue of Liberty. Did you notice that the Statue of Liberty is taking a step forward?
One of today’s First Sunday’s activities had to do with Indra’s net, and Dennis shared the symbolism around the interconnected jewels that we attached to the image of the world as we entered the temple. Our second activity was a Valentine’s Day craft, which both the kids and the adults enjoyed.
Wrapping up the month in which we remember Martin Luther King, Jr. and we observe Hoonko, Shinran Shonin’s memorial, Rev. Sumikawa shared the 7 masters of Jodo Shinshu. Today was also our Remembrance Day, in which we remembered family and friends who passed before us in the month of January.
Our visitors from Moilili Hongwanji Mission
Today’s Dharma Talk was given by Bob Nishita. Bob shared a cartoon that he saw that showed two people facing each other with a sign in between them. One person insisted that the sign showed a “nine,” while the other was positive that it was a “six.” Both were right; they just couldn’t see it from the other person’s perspective.
He also shared a show he watched on NHK, The Fisherman and the Forest. The documentary tells the story of an oyster farmer Shigeatsu Hatakeyama, who is forced to rebuild after the 2011 tsunami devastated the ocean that he farmed. The story demonstrates the interdependence of all life, as the path to recovery is found in the surrounding forest.
The Hoonko Service is the annual commemoration of the passing of Jodo Shinshu founder, Shinran Shonin. Our guest speaker for our Hoonko Service was Rev. Thomas Okano, retired Bishop of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii.
Rev. Sumikawa welcomed the new year in our first family service in 2019. It is the year of the pig, the twelfth of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac cycle. It is a year to reflect on the previous 11 years and period of joy and relaxation. He also shared Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii’s theme for 2019, “Embrace Change: Transformation (Walk in Peace).”
We celebrated January birthdays today. One member, Patsy, is celebrating her 95th birthday. Happy birthday!
After refreshments, which included ozoni, we held our monthly First Sunday activity. This month, we made botamochi (ohagi), a Japanese sweet made with glutinous rice, rice and sweet azuki paste.
For today’s Dharma Talk, Prudence Kusano shared a book from the temple library, The Banyan Deer, by Rafe Martin. It is a story of courage and compassion by a brave deer king who stood up for all living beings such that they could all live in peace. The book is available to borrow from our temple library.
We marked the final Sunday service of 2018 by ringing the kansho (temple bell) 108 times (Jyo-ya no Kane) and enjoying soba noodles.
Today marked the second-to-the-last Sunday service in 2018. For today’s Dharma Talk, Rev. Sumikawa spoke about the Christmas holiday and how it’s a time to reflect on the interdependence of all living beings. It is a time to enjoy every family gathering and cherish the time together. We need to embrace each day with appreciation, as every gathering is a once in a lifetime moment, never to be repeated in exactly the same way again.
As today was the fourth Sunday of the month, we started the service with our monthly Remembrance Day. The names of those being remembered for the month of December were called and family members offered incense.
Group Ginger prepared today’s refreshments
Rev. Sumikawa gave today’s Dharma Talk. He shared that the appeal of Buddhism is that we are able to apply many Christian or other belief systems principles to our own. There are many similarities and differences in each other’s approach in words.
We celebrated December birthdays today. Happy birthday Betty and Margaret!
After service, there was a very special guest. Santa (and his 100% recyclable beard) visited with the kids and adults and gave everyone a bag of holiday treats.
Our “First Sunday” craft activity was decorating ornaments with glitter. Each ornament was unique based on the colors that were mixed.
Bodhi Day celebrates the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha under the Bodhi tree. Our guest speaker for today’s service was Sherman Thompson. A member of Lahaina Hongwanji Mission and their Kyodan board, Mr. Thompson also serves on the Hawaii Kyodan board, Pacific Buddhist Academy Board of Trustees, and the Honpa Hongwanji board.
Watch his Dharma Talk below or on our YouTube channel.
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