BODHI DAY:
From Beginning to Ending
Rinban Kenjun Kawawata

A Journey to Enlightenment
Rinban Kenjun Kawawata‘wa’harmony

Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin

12
December 2019

Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii
At Higashi Hongwanji, we remaintrue to our origins as an open Sangha,
welcoming anyone who wishes tolearn more about the Jodo Shinshu
tradition of Buddhism.
A registered 501(c)3 organization
Head Minister: Kenjun Kawawata
Resident Minister: Steven Toyoshima
Minister: Hidesato Kita
Minister: Koen Kikuchi
President: Kenneth SaikiSecretary: Marian Tsuji
Treasurer: Karen Wong
1685 Alaneo Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
Tel: (808) 531-9088
Fax: (808) 531-3265
Email: betsuin@hhbt-hi.org
Website: betsuin.hhbt-hi.org
Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
Wa is published monthly byHigashi Hongwanji Missionof Hawaii for its membersand friends. Comments,
articles and other items for
publication consideration
are welcomed.
Editor: Ken SaikiS

hakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born as a princeof the Shakya clan to King Suddhodan and Queen Maya in India inthe 5th or 6th century BCE.
Shakyamuni Buddha’s journey to his Bodhi Day awakening was a longone. The journey started when he saw the realities of this world. Upon
stepping out from his palace where he led a sheltered life, he saw therealities of human life, such as sickness, aging and death, for the first time.
He also happened to observe a young monk who was seeking theway of life and cause of human suffering. The sight was so vivid andinspiring for Shakaymuni that he decided he wanted tospend his life like the young monk.
At that time Shakyamuni established a wish called
Bodhicitta, the aspiration to be an awakened person.
He wished to have wisdom and a way of liberationfrom human sufferings. He wanted to live fully andfreely, and did not want to live his life in vain.
Shakyamuni was always thinking about sufferingand how to find true peace of mind. He knew thatRinban Ken Kawawata materialistic things, wealth and power could not lead
him to spiritual peace.
He left his palace home when he was 29. For six years he searched
for a way to transcend all human suffering. At the time, people believed
ascetic practices led to a pure mind and pure spirit, which in turn led toNirvana. Shakyamuni visited many teachers of ascetic practices to learn
methods to attain the state of mind that he wished to achieve, but was
not successful.
One day he washed his body, received a food offering and sat underthe Bodhi tree for meditation. He knew he had to reconsider the way toattain peace of mind. It is said that in the early morning of December 8,
after days of meditation, he saw a morning star. At last, at the age of 35,
he awakened to the truth, attaining enlightenment.
He shouted, “Oh Ignorance!” He came upon the discovery that thecause of human suffering was Ignorance. He found ignorance in himself.
(cont’d on p. 2)

Bodhi Day Services
Hawaii Buddhist Council (HBC) Bodhi Day service

Sunday, December 8 starting at 9:30 am
Guest speaker: Dr. Manulani Aluli Meyer)POQB)POHXBOKJ.JTTJPOPG)BXBJJt1BMJ)XZt)POPMVMV

Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin Bodhi Day service

Sunday, December 15 starting at 10 am)JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJ.JTTJPOPG)BXBJJt"MBOFP4Ut)POPMVMVA Journey to Enlightenment (cont’d from p. 1)
What is ignorance? Ignorance is when we do not know
the truth, or even though aware of the truth, we ignore it.
Then what is truth to us? It’s the truth of impermanence.
Impermanence means our aging, sickness, and death.
Shakyamuni then realized human life has many difficulties.
But in our daily lives we don’t want to think thisway. We always try to avoid or escape the harsh realityand truth. We always wish to be young and healthy.
Buddha, too, wished to be young and healthy, and tolive without changes. In shouting “Oh, Ignorance!,” heshouted to himself that he was ignorant. This was thereal understanding of himself and truth. In realizing
he lived in a world of impermanence, he personifiedimpermanence. He accepted his life as it was. Fromthat discovery, he started a new life and was reborn
into a new world.
After his awakening, he taught the dharma for
45 years, until he died at age of 80. He became aBuddha who shares the Dharma with others and learns
together with others. He showed us the way of life.
It is said there are 84,000 teachings in Buddhism.
But the 84,000 teachings are not different; he taught
the Dharma from his realization. The contents of the84,000 teachings are really the same, but conditions
and people are different. That is why there are manyteachings in Buddhism.
The main goal of Buddhism, however, is the same,
becoming a Bodhisattva, becoming an awakened
one, a person who awakens to his or her true self, andto become a person who lives in daily life with thesettled mind. Shakyamuni’s understanding of self wasa revolutionary thought. With that revelation, he broke
the traditional thought of Brahmanism.
Before Buddhism, the wish after was that the soul
would remain and become one with Brahman, theIndian god. People wanted their soul to be eternal andbecome one with this god.
But Buddha saw that this world is impermanent, so
there is nothing eternal. Therefore, there is no eternalself, described as anātman in Sanscrit or anattā in Pali,or “non-self,” “selflessness.” This thought of selflessness
is still unique, as only in Buddhism we do not talkabout heaven or a next life after death.
We always wish for a happy life and an eternallife, even though we know that some day we haveto die. The desire of eternal life is the human ego.
Shakyamuni broke his ego-self and he found his true
self, non-self. By encountering impermanence he wasable to examine his true self.
Shakyamuni’s awakening was the liberation from egoself and attaining peace of mind, called Nirvana.

In gassho,
Rinban Kenjun Kawawata

2

成道会
河和田賢淳
この１２月８日はお釈迦さまのお悟りになられた日であります。この日をご縁に私どもは成道会としてそのお釈迦様のお悟りを祝いまた教えに感謝し、再度初心にかえり仏法に耳を傾けることです。
お釈迦様のおさとりと教えを簡単に述べるとすれば、苦、無常、無我という３つの言葉でのべられると古今より伝えられております。
苦の原因とは、無明、迷いの根本としての無知で、私どもが生まれて生きている大切さと、本当の人間の本性についての正しい智慧がない事です。
この世界は無常で自分も含め何もかも移り変わります
が、私どもは物事や思いに取り憑き、変わっていかなければいいとか、物事が思い通りいかないとき、自分の思いに執着し、苦しみ悩むのです。しかし実際はあらゆるものは変化し変わっていくのです。しかしそれらに執着する者にとって移り変わることが苦となるわけです。
お釈迦様は苦からの解放について次のように考えられました。まづ無明をなくすことが大切である、そして無明をなくすために一切の物事の本当の姿、あり方を正しく見ることが大事である。そして無明が無くなると執着がなくなり、苦もなくなるのだの考えられたのです。
しかし私どもにとって執着を無くし本当に苦から解放される事ははなはだ難しいことであります。親鸞聖人はお浄
土、法の世界より聞こえるお念仏を申し、仏法を聴聞して、その法の世界に帰ってゆくことにより、苦悩から解放される教えを示されたのです。南無と頭を下げて法の世界を念じるとき、自分の前に一如なる広大な世界が開かれるのです。
親鸞聖人はそのお心を、「有漏の穢身は変わらねど、心は浄土に遊ぶなり、」つまり、」苦悩煩悩をもつ身であるけれど仏の智慧と慈悲を頂いたとき、その心はすでに仏様と同じ境地にあるのだ」と詠われております。
私どもが仏法聴聞の生活を営むとは、常に自分の本当の姿を問い、仏様の智慧いただき無明の雲を晴らしてゆく道であり、それが私どもの仏道であります。ここにお釈迦様が歩まれた道と親鸞聖人が歩まれた道が同じ道であり、お念仏の道が私どもに示された苦悩からの解放の道と味わえることであります。
お釈迦様の覚りの感動と教えが今も親鸞聖人や私どもの先達の方々を通しここにお念仏として私の所まで伝えられていることです。
合掌河和田賢淳News on theSaffron-robed Rev. Steve gives the dharma
message at Kaneohe Hongwanji Hōonko.

Rev. Toyoshima guest speakerat Kaneohe Hōonko service

Betsuin resident minister Rev.
Steven Toyoshima presented thedharma message at the Oct. 27
Kaneohe Higashi Hongwanji’s
Hōonko service.
After perusing the temple’s
95-year history and photos, Stevesensei talked about his feeling thespirit of Shinran’s teaching in Hawaii
among those who helped establish
the Kaneohe temple to share theNembutsu with others.
In the current building—its
benches, windows and center forthe community to gather—hefound the strong foundation andopportunity for members to think
about the Nembutsu. Rev. Stevepointed out, however, that talking
story among the sangha is how thespirit of the teaching is transmitted.

Regular December activities at
Betsuin shift to holiday schedule‘Tis the season filled with holiday
cheer, which for many means getting
together with friends and family,scouring the malls in search of theperfect gift and squeezing in ways tocelebrate the special time of year.
The Betsuin is also adjusting its
normal schedule of activities toreflect the busy times and ministers’
travel schedules.
Please be aware that in December
we will not be conducting Meditation
Sutra and Larger Sutra study classes,
ukulele practices, movie night andTeatime Oko discussion groups.
But don’t worry...there are otherBetsuin Wirelessunique only-in-December activities
you won’t want to miss, such as theHBC Bodhi Day service, our Betsuin
Bodhi Day service, annual year-end
oosōji temple cleanup day, community
mochi-pounding event and New
Year’s Eve service.
Please check the temple activites
calendar on the back page for dates
and times of these special events.

special dates. Local temple events
not to be missed are already preprinted in the roomy blocks.

District calendar available now

Our Hawaii District 2020 full-color
calendar is now available at a Higashi
Hongwanji temple near you.
The calendar theme for 2020 is“Let us Discover the Joy of Living
through the Buddha, Dharma &Sangha,” with quotations and photos
submitted by temple members andfriends in the Hawaii District
The calendar can be hung on awall or laid flat to write in remindersof appointments, birthdays and otherIf you receive your calendar by mail,we hope you’ll consider a donation tohelp offset printing costs of thecalendar as a constant reminder ofShinran’s teachings.
For additonal copies of thecalendar, you may visit our officeor contact us by phone at 531-9088
or at betsuin@hhbt-hi.org.

!
Japanesefor Travelers

NEW

Sunday, January 19 & 26, February 2, 9 & 16, 2020
12 noon - 1:30 pm
Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin - Otani Center1685 Alaneo St., Honolulu

Make your next trip to Japan a
lot more fun and exciting! Brush up
your conversational Japanese skills
with some basic vocabulary and key
expressions that’ll take out some ofthe stress and put more enjoyment
in your travels around Japan.
Japanese for Travelers is a fivesession conversational Japaneseclass that will help build confidence
in using the language. It’ll help you
while navigating your way around
Japan, trying out food specialties
and shopping for omiyage to bringhome, even when you’re not in an
English-friendly big city.
And it’s not only for travelers.
You’ll learn counters, tellling time,
asking directions, seasons, geography,
yen denominations and more! You’ll
have fun learning about traditions,dress, culture, Imperial family andshrine and temple etiquette. Evenseasoned travelers are sure to learnsomething new about smart phone
apps, rail passes and travel cards. Plus,
you’ll get to practice your newfoundskills with native speakers and getsome travel hints at the same time.
Classes will be facilitated bylongtime Japanese instructor Betty
Santoki and Fay Uyema. A donationof $5 per class is suggested.
While enrollment is limited, thegood news is that we’re inviting
temple members and their families
and friends to sign up first, before
announcing it to the general public.
So act now and sign up today
to reserve your spot! Call 531-9088,
email betsuin@hhbt-hi.org or visit
the temple office.

3Mochi tsuki

Mama says:“A family that pounds
mochi together is sureto stick together!”t'VOGPSUIFXIPMFGBNJMZ
t&EVDBUJPOBMGPSBMMBHFTt.BLFJUBOBOOVBMUSBEJUJPO
Donations greatly appreciatedand more!
Community mochi-pounding eventv

Sunday, December 29, 8:30 am - 12 noon

)JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJ.JTTJPOPG)BXBJJt"MBOFP4U DPSOFS/,VBLJOJ4U

Cultural activities the whole family will enjoy!
Mochi-making merriment
Make mochi the traditional way, bypounding steamed mochi rice in a large
usu mortar with a kine wooden pestle.
Take mochi home for display and for
New Year’s ozoni soup!

Folding an origami rat
We’ve updated the traditional art
form, popular with young and oldalike since the Edo Period, and for theupcoming Year of the Rat, let’s learn how
to make your own origami rat!

Cooking demos
Watch how everyone’s favorite,
tamagoyaki rolled omelets, aremade, layer by layer. Great as aside dish, in a bento box or on topof sushi.

Try your hand at sumi-e
Sumi-e ink wash painting uses simple
black ink and white space to capture
the timeless beauty of the world. Create
your own artwork with a calligraphy
brush and shikishi art card.

4Kokedama making
Brighten up and green
your home with attractive
kokedama moss balls,made by wrapping a plant’s
roots with soil, moss and string.
Let’s do this together, step-by-step,at the mochitsuki event. Pre-order
your plant and other supplies needed
for your kokedama by contacting thetemple office by phone at 531-9088 or by email at
betsuin@hhbt-hi.org by Dec. 20. The fee is $30 each.
This kokedama project is a temple fundraiser payableby credit card, cash or check to Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii. Of the $30 fee, $20 is a contribution
to our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is taxdeductible to the extent allowed by law.
Walk-ins may be accommodated at the event if
kokedama supplies are still available. To ensure thatyour supplies are waiting for you, however, we highly
recommend that you pre-order them.

See you at our Mochitsuki event,Sunday, December 29!
Watch for more events for the community sponsored by
Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. Call our office at531-9088 to get on our bulletin email list.

Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
1685 Alaneo StreetHonolulu, Hawaii 96817

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

Address Service Requested

In this issue of WA...
t"+PVSOFZUP&OMJHIUFONFOUp. 1t 成道会 p. 2t/FXTPOUIF#FUTVJO8JSFMFTTp. 3t Kaneohe Hōonko p. 3t Temple holiday schedule p. 3t District calendars available now p. 3t Japanese for Travelers class p. 3t Community mochitsuki event p. 4t Acknowledgments p. 5t December shōtsuki service p. 5tTemple activities calendar p. 6Temple Activities Calendar
DECEMBER

1/1

Fukuhara conference room
12/4 Wed 6 pm Karaoke night at the Betsuin
12/8 Sun 9:30 am HBC Bodhi Day service
Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
Guest speaker: Dr. Manulani Aluli Meyer
1727 Pali Hwy., enter from Lusitana St.
(No service at Higashi Hongwanji Betsuin)
12/15 Sun 10 am Betsuin Bodhi Day service
Dharma message: Rinban Kawawata
12/15 Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting
Fukuhara conference room
12/15 Sun 12 pm Art of Paper Folding classOtani Center
12/22 Sun 10 am Oosōji year-end temple cleanup(No service at Betsuin)
12/28 Sat 10 am Shinran Shōnin memorial service
12/29 Sun 8:30 am Mochi pounding at Otani Center
Family fun with origami, sumi-e,
kokedama making, cooking demo
(no service at Betsuin)
12/31 Tue 5:30 pm Jōya-e New Year’s Eve service
Bell-tolling 108 times & toshikoshi soba

1/5

Wed 10 am Shūsō-e New Year Day service
Ozōni served after service
Sun 10 am Shōtsuki memorial service
Dharma message: Rinban Kawawata
Sun 12pm Basic Buddhism discussion (Japanese)

1/6
1/7
1/8
1/12
1/14
1/16
1/19
1/19

Mon 10 am
Tue 7 pm
Wed 6 pm
Sun 10 am
Tue 3 pm
Thu 6 pm
Sun 10 am
Sun 12 pm

1/19
1/19
1/20
1/26
1/26

Sun 12 pm
Sun 12 pm
Mon 10 am
Sun 10 am
Sun 12 pm

会646JANUARY

12/1 Sun 10 am Shōtsuki memorial service
Dharma message: Rinban Kawawata
12/1 Sun 12pm Basic Buddhism discussion in Japanese

1/5

1/28 Tue 10 am
1/28 Tue 3 pm
1/28 Tue 6 pm

会

Meditation Sutra study class (English)
Larger Sutra study class (English)
Karaoke night at the Betsuin
Sunday service
Ukulele band practiceTeatime Oko discussion group
Sunday service
Betsuin board meeting
Fukuhara conference room
Japanese for Travelers class
Art of Paper Folding class
Meditation Sutra study class (English)
Sunday service
Japanese for Travelers class
Otani Center
Shinran Shōnin memorial service
Ukulele band practiceMovie night: Black Dawn 事(2012)

Everyone 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.