You’ve Got a Friend
Rinban Kenjun KawawataW‘wa’
harmony

Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin

3

March 2019

Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii
At Higashi Hongwanji, we remaintrue to our origins
as an open Sangha, welcoming
anyone who wishes to learn more
about the Jodo Shinshu
tradition of Buddhism.
A registered 501(c)3 organization
Rinban: Kenjun Kawawata
Minister: Koen Kikuchi
Minister: Hidesato Kita
Vice President: Jonathan Tani
Secretary: Debra Saiki
Treasurer: Edmund Nakano
Asst. Sec’y & Auditor: Ken Saiki
1685 Alaneo Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
Tel: (808) 531-9088
Fax: (808) 531-3265
Email: betsuin@hhbt-hi.org
Wa is published monthly byHigashi Hongwanji Missionof Hawaii for its members
and friends. Comments,
articles and other items for
publication consideration
are welcomed.
Editor: Ken Saikihen I was in college, I used to listen to the radio until the wee hoursof the night, waiting for my favorite songs. Peter, Paul and Mary, The
Brothers Four and The Kingston Trio would be playing. There were also singers
like Simon & Garfunkel, Carole King and John Denver, who would become
famous song writers. Influenced by a friend, I started playing the guitar.
This past New Year, I had couple of days off. I was relaxing and browsing
the internet and came across the Carole King song,“You’ve Got a Friend.”
Listening to the song made me reminisce of those good old days while
attending college in Kyoto and being with my close friends:
When you’re down and troubled
And you need some love and care
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night
You just call out my nameAnd you know wherever I am
I’ll come running, to see you again.
Rinban Ken Kawawata
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I’ll be there
You’ve got a friend.
If the sky above you
Grows dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind begins to blow
Keep your head together
And call my name out loudSoon you’ll hear me knocking at your door.
You just call out my name
Carole KingAnd you know wherever I am
I’ll come running, running, yeah, yeah, to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I’ll be there, yes, I will.
Now, ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend
When people can be so cold?
They’ll hurt you, yes, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them, oh, but don’t you let them.
You just call out my nameAnd you know wherever I am
I’ll come running, running, yeah, yeah, to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I’ll be there, yes, I will
You’ve got a friend.
You’ve got a friend
Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend?
Ain’t it good to know, ain’t it good to know, ain’t it good to know
You’ve got a friend?
Oh yeah now, you’ve got a friend
Yeah baby, you’ve got a friend
Oh yeah, you’ve got a friend.
(cont’d on p. 2)

Friend (cont’d from p. 1)
After listening to the song, I readthe lyrics again describing true caring
for a friend and ideal friendship. It
dawned on me that it was the samemessage as in Buddha’s teaching. The
Nembutsu and Buddha dharma workin exactly the same way.
When you’re down and troubled
And you need some love and care
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night.
When your life does not go theway you wish, have difficulties in yourlife, need care and guidance for yourlife, calm down and think of Buddha.
Then the Dharma is recalled in you
and brightens up your life.
You just call out my nameAnd you know wherever I am
I’ll come running, to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I’ll be there
You’ve got a friend.
Just call Buddha’s name, Namu
Amida Butsu. It doesn’t matter where
you are. You just need to call thename of Buddha. Then the Buddha
dharma will be there to brighten yourlife. You are not alone. You’ve got
your true friend, Buddha!
If the sky above you
Grows dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind begins to blow
Keep your head together
And call my name out loudSoon you’ll hear me knocking at
your door.
Sometimes clouds hover over yourlife and you cannot see the sky
above. Many difficulties may comebefore you. Like the frigid north windin the midst of winter, the winds ofimpermanence come in your life.
Even then, calm down and call the
Buddha’s name out loud. You willsoon hear Buddha’ call and thedharma within you.
Now, isn’t it good to know thatyou’ve got a friend
When people can be so cold?
They’ll hurt you, yes, and desert you

2

And take your soul if you let them,oh, but don’t you let them.
Sometimes people are nice, yetsometimes they’re so cold. Sometimes
they hurt you and sometimes you
hurt them. And they may try tocontrol your life. However, you haveto be independent, as Buddha said.
In Buddha’s last message, he said,“Rely on yourself, rely on the Dharma,
do not rely on anything else.”
Make yourself the light. Make thedharma your light.
Buddha said in The Longer Sutra,“If you hear the Dharma and are able
to keep it in mind, examine it withreverence and wisdom and great joy;then you will be my good friend.
You should resolve, therefore, tofollow the way.”
Buddha said that if you become aperson who listens to the teachings
and keep it in your mind, and respect
it and have the great joy to listening
the Dharma, you’ll be a good friendof the Buddha. In other words, you’rea Dharma friend of the Buddha. Your
being becomes the same quality as
the Buddha’s life.
You’ve got a friend
Ain’t it good to know you’ve got afriend?
Ain’t it good to know, ain’t it good toknow, ain’t it good to know
You’ve got a friend?
Oh yeah now, you’ve got a friend
Yeah baby, you’ve got a friend
Oh yeah, you’ve got a friend
When we call the Buddha’s name,Buddha is already front of us
extending wisdom and compassion.
And Buddha becomes the best friend
for all of us.
I ‘ve got a friend. You’ve got afriend.
		
Namu Amida Butsu,
Rinban Kenjun Kawawata

SPRING OHIGAN SERVICE
Date:
Sunday, March 17
Time:
10 am
Speaker: Rev. Koen Kikuchi
Botamochi treats and otoki lunch
immediately following the service.

お

彼

岸

今年ももうお彼岸の時期を迎えようとしております。お彼岸とは仏様のお覚りの世
界、お心の世界をあらわした言葉です。私どもが日頃もち得る境地でもあります。お覚りの境地とは、涅槃、インドの古語でニルバーナと申し、火の吹き消された状態、
すなわち煩悩（三毒、貪、瞋、痴）の火が完全に消えた、心静かな定まった境界を言うのです。私ども浄土真宗ではこの覚りの世界、法の世界をお浄土と申します。
お浄土とは大無量寿経の中で法蔵菩薩が建立された世界として説かれております、
法蔵菩薩は苦しみ悩む人々をむかいいれ、目覚めた人、仏とする為にお浄土を建立したいと願い、その願いを成就され阿弥陀仏となられた。この物語をそのまま受け入れ、浄土は遠い西方の彼方にあり死後そこに生まれるのだと言われる方、また浄土とは精神的な世界であるという見解があります。
金子大栄師は、浄土には３つの分類出来ると言われています。
１、お経典に書かれている浄土（西方浄土）
２、無量光明土とよばれる浄土（智慧と慈悲の象徴）
３、大涅槃界（親鸞聖人は浄土をこの様に表現されている。）
そしてまた金子師は、親鸞聖人のご理解を頂いて、お浄土はいのちのふるさとである。人生の依りどころなるところであり、いのちが帰るところであると言われました。
その通りだと思います。この人生を歩む
時、仏法（仏様の智慧と慈悲）は私どもの依りどころであります。また死をを迎える
とき、私どもは静寂なる大涅槃界 、お浄土に還っていくのであります。
一般には、浄土往生とか、涅槃にはいるとか申しますと、亡くなることで, また浄土というと死んでからゆく場所と考えておられる方が多いようです。しかし浄土とは私共が目指す、心の安定、安心して生活できる心持ちなのです。その心持ちを時代や仏教を受容した国々で色々な言葉で言い表わした事です。ニルバーナ（ネハン）悟り、正覚、彼岸、浄土このような言葉の数々は、ひとえに心の安定した、静寂なる境地を言わんとする言葉でありますし、仏法が働いて私どもが真実（本当の事）に目覚ませられる世界、苦悩から解放される世界を安楽、極楽、浄土（大涅槃界）と表現したのです。
親鸞聖人は、ご和讃の中で「有漏の穢身はかわらねど、心は浄土に遊ぶなり」と歌われております「煩い悩みを持った身はかわらないけれど、法をいただき、法に信をおくその心は安心のし落ち着いておる」日
々の生活は怒り、悲しみ、苦しみもあります。しかし仏法を聴聞し、お念仏をもうすことにより、さとりの静かなる世界、お浄土を味合わせていただけるのです。
合掌河和田記HIGASHI HONGANJI HAWAII DISTRICT2019 DOBO RETREAT PROGRAM

District Dharma Gathering“let us discover the joy of living”
We wish to invite you to attend the 2019 District Dharma Gathering of Higashi Honganji
Hawaii District. We will invite Rev. Patti Nakai as our guest speaker. The theme of the Gatheringis “Coming Into Community: What Shinran Learned from Honen” Please send the application
form below to the Hawaii District office or to the minister of your local temple.
Date:
Time:
Speaker:
Location:
Theme:
Fee:

Saturday, March 9, 201910:00 am — 3:00 pm
Rev. Patti Nakai
Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin
1685 Alaneo Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
Phone: (808) 531-1231, Fax: (808) 531-1231“Coming Into Community:
What Shinran Learned from Honen”$10.00 (payable to Higashi Honganji Hawaii District)

Rev. Patti Nakai
Rev. Nakai is a third-generation Japanese American born in Chicago.
She has a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the University of Minnesota. While working in banking in Chicago, she joined theBuddhist Temple of Chicago and studied under Rev. Gyomay Kubose
and Dr. Nobuo Haneda, who encouraged her to go to Japan to further
her study of Buddhism. In 1987 she received a master’s degree in Shin
Buddhist Studies from Otani University and was fully ordained (kyoshi)
as a minister at Higashi Honganji in Kyoto.
After serving eight years as part-time minister at the Higashi Honganji
temple in Los Angeles mentored by Rev. Gyoko Saito, she returned to
Chicago in 1995. She served as part-time Associate Minister and thenbecame full-time Resident Minister in 2013. She participates in interfaith events such as the Parliament of World’s Religions and is chairperson of the Chicago Japanese Buddhist Federation. She is married toGary Nakai, no children

If you have any questions, please contact your local temple or the district office at:
Higashi Honganji Hawaii District Office1685 Alaneo Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
Phone: (808) 531-1231, Fax: (808) 531-1231, Email: adminaloha@higashihonganji.org
Detach HereI would like to participate in the 2019 District Dharma Gathering.
Name

Temple3

News on the

Betsuin Wireless

Our annual general membership meeting was fimmediately ollowed by our shinnenkai (New Yearbanquet), featuring lunchtime entertainment by the versatile Over the Hilltop Serenaders.

Membership meeting and
New Year banquet held Feb. 24

All was quiet early Sunday morningat the Betsuin’s Otani Center. Once the
Sunday service was over, members,
guests and friends began to file in andsettle at the gaily decorated ti-leafand-bougainvillea-adorned tables.
Quiet no more, it was time for ourannual General Membership Meeting& Shinnenkai (New Year Banquet)!
The main agenda item for thebusiness meeting was the election of
our board of directors with staggered
terms, as approved by membershipat last year’s meeting.
Elected to the Betsuin board byunanimous vote were: Jim Hirakawa,
Debra Saiki, Karen Wong (1-year term);
Jonathan Tani, Marian Tsuji (2-yearterm); Margaret Hamachi, Ed Nakano,Ken Saiki, Ray Uyema (3-year term).
Once the meeting was done, it was
party time! The Over the Hilltop
Seranaders started their music with
their repertoire of jazz, Japanese pop,
rock, ragtime and everything in
between. It was also time to start the
Chinese buffet, including pans of honeywalnut shrimp, sweet & sour pork, gon
lo mein with crispy gau gee and other
New Mui Kwai specialties. Yum!
Meanwhile, folks made their Lucky
Me! choices for a chance at winning avariety of donated prizes like bottles

4of sake and wine, toys and even a new
Instant Pot. And lucky number winners
took home $25 gift cards, quilts, fruits
and many other useful prizes. No one
went home empty-handed. Yay!
Then there were games, balloon
art for kids up to age 90 and eveninoshishi-making kits at each table inrecognition of the new Year of the

Boar. In the packet were araimo forthe body, toothpicks for legs and evena gluestick to attach eyes. Creative!
After the Sunday School children’s
performance, the temple’s Dharma
Hawaiians ukulele band played a set.
Capping the all-day fun, food andfrolic was karaoke, both solo andless-threatening group singing.
Mahalo to all! See you next time!

Himori). Encouraged by her son’s
ambitious elementary school teacher(Chishu Ryu), the mother slaves at asilk manufacturing factory, sacrificing
personal and financial comfort andsecurity, in order to support
Ryosuke’s education so that he may
grow up to be a “great man.” Thirteen
years later, she travels to Tokyo tovisit Ryosuke and finds that that his
once seemingly bright future has
become quashed by limited
opportunity and personal obligations.
Alternately poignant, comicaland bittersweet, the 1936 film,
Ozu’s first “talkie” (sound film), is athoughtful exposition of his
familiar themes of family
estrangement and acceptance of
life’s inevitable disappointments.
Showtime: 6:30 pm, Tues., March
26, 87 min. Monochrome, Japaneseaudio, English subtitles. Free
admission. Light refreshments, orbring to share!
一人息子（ひとりむすこ）

早くに夫を亡くしたつねは、田畑を売り身を削って一人息子の良助を育てた。優秀な成績を誇る息子のため、つねは苦しい生活の中から進学のための資金を捻出。しかし13年後、東京で出世しているはずの良助
は、夜学の教師となっており、妻子とともに貧しい生活を送っていた。しかも良助は教師をしていることも所帯を持っていることも、母親に知らせていなかった。上京した
つねは厳しい現実を目の当たりにし、絶望感に包まれてしまう。

監督： 小津安二郎、 出演者： 飯田
蝶子 、 日守新一 、 笠智衆 、公開 :1936年、白黒、言語 : 日本語、字幕 : 英
語 、映時間 : 87分、３月26日(火)午後6:30時、入場無料。

Critic Roger Ebert gives ★★★★
to The Only Son, our March film

The Only Son is a quintessential
Ozu home drama on the relationshipbetween a widowed mother (Choko
Iida) and her son, Ryosuke (Shinichi

Roger Ebert considered Yasujiro Ozu one of the
top three or four film directors in the world andincluded The Only Son in his “Great Movies” list.

Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
1685 Alaneo Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96817

NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Honolulu, HI
Permit No. 693

Address Service Requested

In this issue of WA...
• You’ve Got a Friend p. 1
• お彼岸 p. 2
• Spring Ohigan reminder p. 2
• District Dharma Gathering p. 3
• News on the Betsuin Wireless p. 4
• General meeting/New Year party p. 4
• March movie: The Only Son ひとり息子 p. 4
• Acknowledgments p. 5
• March shōtsuki service p. 5
• Temple activities calendar p. 6

2/28 Thu 10 am Shinran Shōnin memorial service

Temple Activities Calendar
MARCH

APRIL

Shōtsuki memorial service
Basic Buddhism discussion in Japanese
仏教入門（お話と座談会）		
Meditation Sutra class
Joint Dharma Gathering - Otani Center
Honolulu Rainbow Ekiden
			 (no service at Betsuin)
3/11 Mon 12 pm 99 Lunch Bunch chat session
		 Moanalua 99 Food Court
3/12 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
3/14 Thu 7 pm The Larger Sutra study class			 led by Rinban Kawawata in English
3/17 Sun 10 am Ohigan service/Sunday school
3/17 Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting
3/17 Sun 12 pm Art of Paper Folding - Otani Center
3/18 Mon 10 am Meditation Sutra class
3/19 Tue 3 pm O-kō: Dharma discussion at Kaneohe
3/21 Thu 7 pm Tea Time Fukuhara Conference Room
3/24 Sun 10 am Sunday service/Sunday school
3/26 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
3/26 Tue 6:30 pm Movie night: The Only Son ひとり息子 (1936)
3/28 Thu 10 am Shinran Shōnin memorial service
3/30 Sat 12 pm Oahu MAP class
3/31 Sun 10 am Sunday service/Sunday school

4/1 Mon 10 am Meditation Sutra class
4/7 Sun 10 am HBC Buddha Day service			
Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
			1727 Pali Hwy, Honolulu
			(no service at Betsuin)
4/8 Mon 12 pm 99 Lunch Bunch chat session
		 Moanalua 99 Food Court
4/9 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
4/11 Thu 7 pm The Larger Sutra study class			 led by Rinban Kawawata in English
4/14 Sun 10 am Hanamatsuri service
4/14 Sun 12pm Basic Buddhism discussion in Japanese			 仏教入門（お話と座談会）		
4/15 Mon 10 am Meditation Sutra class
4/16 Tue 3 pm O-kō: Dharma discussion at Betsuin
4/18 Thu 7 pm Tea Time Fukuhara Conference Room
4/21 Sun 10 am Shotsuki memorial service			Sunday school
4/21 Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting
4/21 Sun 12 pm Art of Paper Folding - Otani Center
4/23 Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practice
4/23 Tue 6:30 pm Movie night: The Departure (2017)4/28 Sun 10 am Shinran Shōnin memorial service &			
Sunday service/Sunday school

3/3 Sun 10 am
3/3 Sun 12pm
			
3/4 Mon 10 am
3/9 Sat 10 am
3/10 Sun 8 amEveryone is welcome to join the morning chanting held at 7 am daily (except on Sundays & the 28th day of the month) in the Betsuin main hall.