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Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin9

September 2015

Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii

Temple Activities Calendar
SEPTEMBER 2015
9/6
9/6
9/8
9/10
9/12
9/13
9/15
9/19
9/20
9/20
9/27
9/27
9/28
9/29
9/29

Sun 10 am Shōtsuki memorial service(Rinban Kawawata) & Sunday school
Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
Fukuhara Conference RoomTue 3 pm Ukulele practiceThu 7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
Fukuhara Conference RoomSat 10 am Hawaii District meeting
Sun 10 am Sunday service
Tue 7 pm O-kō: Dharma discussion at Kaneohe
Sat 10 am What on Earth Is Namuamidabutsu?
led by Rev. Frank Childs
Sun 10 am Ohigan service
Guest speaker: Rev. Toshiyuki Umitani
Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting
Sun 10 am Sunday service
Sun 12 am The Art of Paper Folding class
Mon 10 am Onicchu Shinran Shonin service
Tue 3 pm Ukulele practiceTue 6:30 pm Movie night: Tora-san’s Cherished Mother

Where in the WEST
Is the Pure Land?

OCTOBER 2015
10/4 Sun 10 am Eitaikyo/Perpetual memorial service
Shōtsuki memorial service (Rinban
Kawawata) & Sunday school
10/4 Sun 12 pm Jimmy’s Car Care class (Otani Center)led by Jimmy Hirakawa
10/4 Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
Fukuhara Conference Room
10/8 Thu 7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
Fukuhara Conference Room
10/10 Sat 10 am What on Earth Is Namuamidabutsu?
led by Rev. Frank Childs
10/11 Sun 10 am Sunday service
10/13 Tue 3 pm Ukulele practice
10/18 Sun 10 am Sunday service
10/18 Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting
10/20 Tue 7 pm O-kō: Dharma discussion at Betsuin
10/25 Sun 10 am Hō-on-kō service at Kaneohe temple(no service at Betsuin)
10/27 Tue 3 pm Ukulele practice
10/27 Tue 6:30 pm Movie night: TBA
10/28 Wed 10 am Onicchu Shinran Shonin service

Everyone is welcome to join in on our sutra chanting at 7 am daily (except Sundays & 28th day of the month) in the Betsuin main hall.

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
President: Faye Shigemura
Vice President: Jonathan Tani
Secretary: Debra Saiki
Treasurer: Edmund Nakano
Auditor: Ken Saiki
Rinban: Kenjun Kawawata
Associate Minister:Frank Childs
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 Saiki

Rinban Kenjun Kawawata

S

ince we observe Ohigan in September, I’d like to take this opportunity to
discuss Higan and the Pure Land in Shin Buddhism.
As you probably already know, Higan means “reaching the other shore,”
which, in Sanskrit, is Paramita. “The other shore” symbolizes the state of themind of the Buddha, or becoming a Buddha. “The other shore” also means agood and meaningful life. When we say “the other shore,” you might think ofbeing on one side of river, and looking at the other side, or standing on thisshore and other side is “the other shore.” (Higan). In Shin Buddhism, there no
distance, time or space between the Buddha’s mind and us. When we reallylisten and try to understand the Buddha’s teachings, there is no distance
between the Buddha and us. We are already in the world of the Buddha andthe Dharma.
Then why do we often hear that the Pure Land lies in the west?
In the Lager Sutra and Amidakyo Sutra, it is said that the Pure Land is “inthe far west, 10 billion Buddha Lands past.” On the other
hand, the Meditation Sutra describes the Pure Land as“not so far from here.”In the Meditation Sutra, Buddha told Queen
Vaideihe how to observe the Pure Land. The Buddha
presented 13 ways to meditate on the Pure Land forthe people who will live in this world after Sakyamuni
passed away. The first meditation was observing thesunset and imagining the Pure Land. The original nameof the Meditation Sutra was Kan Muryoju Kyo, or “Sutra of Rinban Ken Kawawata
Viewing of Infinite Life.” This sutra’s theme is observation of the Pure Landand meditation on the Pure Land.
The Pure Land is the symbol of the Buddha’s state of mind, the world of
the Nirvana, The Other Shore (Higan), where we go back to.
The sun rises from the east and sets in the west. The west, in other words,
is where the sun retires every day. So the west direction became the symbolof the place we go back to, where we take refuge.
And that’s why Amida’s Pure Land is said to lie in the west. And
symbolically we face west and show our respect to the west.
Through Shinran Shonin’s understanding of the Pure Land, I would like toclarify the Pure Land of Amida Buddha is not like a “Heaven” in other religions.
Shinran Shonin had the three kinds of understandings of the Pure Land andclarified what is the true Pure Land.
(cont’d on p. 2)

WHERE IS THE PURE LAND? (cont’d from p. 1)

5IF1SPWJTJPOBM-BOEThe Pure Land thatappears in the sutras such as the Larger Sutra,
Meditation Sutra and Shorter Sutra. (The Larger
Sutra, Meditation Sutra and Amida Sutra as
Upaya, or skillful means to help others reachenlightenment.) Shinran Shonin called thisPure Land “The Provisional Land.”5IF-BOEPG*OöOJUF-JHIU The Pure
Land that is called “The Land of Infinite Light.”
This is one of the expressions of the workingof the dharma. Dharma truth works justlike lights. Wherever we are, the light of thedharma illuminates and embraces us. This
light symbolizes wisdom and compassion.
The working of the dharma, wisdom is called“compassion” in Buddhism. Shinran Shonin called
the Land of Infinite Light “True Buddha Land.”5IF8PSMEPG(SFBU/JSWBOB. The Pure Land
that is called “The World of Great Nirvana” by
Shinran Shonin. It describes Buddha’s state ofmind called Nirvana, which is awakening. The

original meaning of Nirvana was the conditionof extinguishing the fire of delusion, that is, thestate of peace and true tranquility.
Shinran Shonin’s understanding of the Pure Landwas not a physical place somewhere in the far west.
He understood the Pure Land is the world of Nirvana,dharma and ultimate truth where we take refuge in forthe present life. The Pure Land is the state of mind that
our life goes back to.
Therefore when we listen to the dharma and try to livewith the dharma, the Pure Land already appears here and now
in our daily lives, not in the far west. And we are embraced by
the working of the dharma that is called compassion.
I hope you’ll be able to join us for our Betsuin’s Fall
Ohigan service on Sunday, September 20, starting at
10:00 am. The dharma message will be presented by Rev.
Toshiyuki Umitani of Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii.
Immediately after the service, we will be serving otoki
lunch. As a special treat, you’ll be able to enjoy ohagi, a
traditional dessert specialty during Ohigan.
In gassho,
Kenjun Kawawata

The Six Paramitas

During ohigan we often hear about the Six
Paramitas. After all, higan is the Japanese word for
the Sanskrit pāramitā, the other shore of enlightenment.
This is a time to recall the practices of the Six Paramitas.
The Six Paramitas refer tothe set of Buddhist virtues
which, upon being perfected,
allows one to cross over from
This Shore to The Other Shoreof liberation in Nirvana.
In Jodo Shinshu teaching,
however, our egocentric
nature prevents us fromputting the Six Paramitas fully
into practice to work towards
our own enlightenment. But
just because we can’t beperfect doesn’t mean weshouldn’t give it our best
effort. In Jodo Shinshu, thepractice of the Six Pāramitāsacts more as a reminder of ourself-centered lives.
%ǋOB - generosity, offering,
grateful giving. This is the practice of sharing and giving
freely what is needed by others.
ƴǟMB - discipline, moral conduct, observing the precepts.
This is to develop good behavior, to obey the rules ofparents and teachers, and the laws of society. Buddhism

2

encourages the development of the three-folddisciplined behavior of body, speech and mind.
,TǋOUJ- patience, forbearance, inclusiveness. One who
is patient is able to overcome many difficulties. Withpatience, we can develop an
open heart, and frustration
and anger will diminish.
7ǟSZB - endeavor,
diligence, perseverance. This
is to strive with one’s wholeheart continuously overlong periods. Spiritualstrength enables theinvidual to continue on
without giving up in theface of difficulties.
%IZǋOB- meditation,
contemplation. Attaining
shinjin. Concentration. The
practice of meditation helps
one to develop the otherpāramitās.
1SK×ǋ - wisdom, insight,
understanding, compassion.
This is to see things as they are without the
prejudices and perspectives that come from them. It
is the letting go of opinions and concepts, therelinquishment of the self that brings wisdom that
leads to enlightenment.

MahaloGozaimasu

We gratefully acknowledge the following for their generous
contributions. If we’ve missed any donor’s name, please accept our
apologies and let us know by calling the Betsuin at 531-9088 so we canmake corrections to our records. For donations of $250 or more, receipts/
acknowledgment will be issued in compliance with IRS regulations. For
other amounts receipts will not be issued unless requested. Thank you.

Dennis/Debra Saiki
Kenneth Kihara

Peggy Arita
Ryde Haruno.&.03*"- '6/&3"- */63/.&/5#63*"-4&37*$&
Michael/June DeBusk
Takeshi Hiraki Family

Joanne Kubota-Phung
Minatoya Family,:0%"/%0/"5*0/(including Otani Center, nokotsudo, altar supplies, parking)
Gladys Sakata
Joyce Mikami
Allen Walterman

Moriso Teraoka
Briana Sugai$)*$,&/464)*'6/%3"*4&3

Akitoshi Nakahara
Amy AbeEleanor Yamashita
Faye Shigemura
James/Jean Tanouye Jane Kaneshiro
Keith /Ann Yasuda
Ken/Gail Shoda
Marion Kanemori
Mildred Imai
Richard/Dorothy Sonomura Satsuye Tanaka
Beatrice Nakano
Collin Segawa
Gladys Abe
Gladys Minami
Jan Lee
Jasmine Okuda
Marilyn Yonekura
May Uyeda
Robert/EdwinaTakayama Roland Yamamoto
Shigeko Tsuchida
Shigeru Gushikuma

0#0/."/50&Nora Shiraishi

Mildred Tashiro

Susan Kanemoto
Atsuko Nonaka(0+*,"*%6&4
Gladys Murakami

Okuzono Family
Jonathan Tani

Anonymous
Susan Kanemoto

Dennis/Debra Saiki
Doris Hanai
James Hirakawa
James/Edith Endo
Jon/Cynthia Nishimura Joyce Masaki
Leatrice Omiya
Margaret Higa
Patrick Ohara
Raymond/Carolyn Ikeda
Thomas/Patricia Nitta Thomas/Peggy Ishida
Frances Maekawa
Gerald Gono
Hideo Fukunaga
Ikuto Taketa
June Takasaki
Katherine Kurakake
Paul Motoyama
Rev. Hosen Fukuhara
Roy Yamamoto
Sandra Chun
Takuo/Sadie Sakai
Wayne /Violet Harada

Anonymous

Toshiyuki Eto

Kona Ice Ohana

Asia Goshi-Oshiro
Charlene Watanabe
Dayna Kaneshiro
Glen Tanigawa
Lawrence Doi
Nobuko Napiewocki
Rory Enomoto

Bill Doi
Clarise Ikeno
Earl Nagasawa
Jackie Oshiro
Linda Honda
Omea Lau

Bill Finnegan
Danny Asami
Eiko Sakamoto
John Morris
Marjorie Au
Ric Noyle

Gale Shoda

Mikiko Kishida

Richard Sonomura"-5"3'-03"-"33"/(&.&/54
Minako Ito-Song

Kathryn Okazaki
Grace Kogami

Atsuko Nonaka
Barbara OkumuraFranklin/Marian Hayashida Gladys Murakami
Jean Hayashi
Jon Kumashiro
Kikue Kaneshiro
Kimie Sugimoto
Mitsuko Yukutake
Miyuki/Tina Koga
Tadao Iwasaki
Teiko/Albert Yamane
Edmund Nakano
Elmer Shiraishi
Harold Kudo
Helen Suzuki
Jean Nitta
Jonathan Tani
Moriso Teraoka
Nancy Nakatsu
Ronald Hirata
Roy Nakamoto
Shirley Nishizawa
Stanley Kono

0#0/70-6/5&&34(continued from last month)
Ashia Otaguro
Cal Nakata
Daryn Miura
Eri Lau
Jonelle Oshiro
Midori Saito
Ron Tagami

Walter Yamada
Mikiko Sato

Tadao Iwasaki
Moriso Teraoka

Joyce Masaki

In Memoriam
We wish to extend our deepest sympathy tothe families of the late
Takeshi Hiraki (88)
July 5, 2015
James Toshiro Muratsuchi (66)
July 31, 2015
Edwina Takayama (77)July 31, 2015
Herbert Shunji Okamoto (74)
August 1, 2015

Shotsuki Observance for SeptemberOur monthly shōtsuki service in remembranceof temple family members who passed away inthe month of September of a past year will be held
on 4VOEBZ 4FQUFNCFSThe following list includes
members from the past 25 years .
While shōtsuki services for a loved one are observed
every year, special nenki hōyō memorial services are

Frank Motoshi Arita
Mitsuko Egaki
Nancy Shizue Goya
Toshimi Harauchi
Tsuyako Haruki
Dorothy Haruko Haruno
Florence Yaeko Hirakawa
Yaichiro Hosaka
Shizuo Ichiyama
Lois Yoshie Inabata
Dorothy Mitsuko Ishikawa
Chiyoko Kakazu
Nancy M. Kawamoto

Yoshiko Kishimoto
Kiyoko Kono
Hatsuko Kotsubo
Eleanore Tsuruyo Kumamoto
Toshio Matsuura
Curtis Seiji Matsuzaki
Alice Mitsuko Matsuzaki
Masanobu Miyashiro
Leatrice Asae Morita
Frank Takeo Muraoka
Umeko Nishida
Jenny Lynne Nishioka
Tadaichi Oda

held during certain auspicious years. These years
include the 1st anniversary, followed by memorialservices for the 3rd, 7th, 13th, 17th, 25th, 33rd and50th years, normally held during the year prior to theactual anniversary date.
Call the Betsuin office at 531-9088 for assistance orfor more information.
Dennis Hiroshi Oishi
Harry Yoshio Okamura
Shigeyoshi Okazaki
Kiyoto Okumura
Violet Midori Ono
Itsume Pang
Fumiyo Sagawa
Kazuhisa Sakamoto
Kohei Sakuma
Frank David Santiago
Koji Sekiya
Kameko Sunabe
Tsugio Takaki

Tomoyo Takamatsu
Yukiyo Tanaka
Fumino Teraoka
Masao Harry Terukina
Ralph H. Teruya
Fujiye Teshima
David Koichi Tomita
Miyoko Tsubaki
Chiyoko Tsumoto
Walter Hisayuki Ujimori
Mildred M. Urasaki
Elaine Mitsuko Yamashita
Namio Yukutake

5

SENIOR ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY TOUR
Many of us are lucky enough to have a great family support system, and are blessed with good
health, even after retirement. Just as important, we have a gaggle of friends with whom we can go to
Senior Fairs, and Okinawan Festivals.
Eventually, though, we lose our close friends, our spouses precede us in death, and we become
isolated. We hate to burden our younger family members because they have their own children andwork, which consume their lives, and it seems like they live in a different world. Now where do you
turn for support?
Society has found an answer for us with Senior Assisted Living Facilities. Recently, they havepopped up like pimples and you can find quite a few on Oahu, although most are located town-side,which includes Pearl City to Hawaii Kai. They come in various price ranges, from the extravagant to
the more modest and affordable.
Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii (Betsuin) is planning to have excursions to some facilities
to find out what we need to know about senior living options.
Our first excursion will take us to the Plaza in Pearl City on Thursday October 1, 2015, 10:00
am. If you are interested in joining us, please complete the form below and submit to the temple officeby September 24th. There will be no charge except if we decide to stop to purchase lunch.

Tour of Plaza at Pearl City Thursday 10/1/2015
Name
Address
Phone
Emergency contact:
Emergency contact phone #:Physician name:
Physician phone #:Any severe medical problems? Explain:

Date

All participants must complete this form individually. The tour will leave at 10:00 am from and end at Higashi
Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii at 1685 Alaneo Street. For more information, call the temple at 531-9088.
4

/FXTPOUIF#FUTVJO8JSFMFTT

#FMPWFE5PSBTBO)FTCBBBDL (JWF"MPIBNBUDIJOHHJGUQSPHSBN
Tora-san’s Cherished Mother,
CPPTUTZPVSUFNQMFEPOBUJPORinban and Jeanne greet Rev. Mochizuki (farright) and Rev. Tamai at the Betsuin hondo.

)PO[BODBCJOFUNFNCFSWJTJUT)BXBJJ%JTUSJDUUFNQMFT Rev. Keiko Mochizuki, a cabinet-

level administrator at our Higashi
Honganji headquarters in Kyoto,
observed operations at four local
Higashi temples during a brief visit
recently to the Hawaii District.
Arriving on Aug. 28, Rev. Mochizuki
and Rev. Chika Tamai, assisting withinterpreting and as an aide, spent
Friday at the Palolo temple and
Betsuin , then visited the Kaneohe
temple the following day.
They then flew to the Big Island
to meet with Rev. Marcos Sawada
and members of the Hilo temple attheir Sunday service.
They were able to visit and pay
their respects at the Arizona
Memorial at Pearl Harbor before
returning to Japan on Sept. 1.

"SUPG1BQFS$SBGUJOHSFTVNFT
 If you’ve been meaning to finish

I am healthy enough to participate in this walking tour of the Plaza at Pearl City, and will not hold Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii (Betsuin) responsible for any illness or injury sustained by or to myself while on this tour.

Participant signature

folding your tiny pieces of paper
hoping to someday finish yourorigami tsuru, you still have a few
more weeks to work at it.
Jeanne Kawawata’s popular Art ofPaper Crafting classes are scheduled
to start up again on the last Sundayof September.
To learn more about how you, too,can be a modular origami artist,
please call the temple at 531-9088 oremail us at CFUTVJO!IICUIJPSH for
more information.

released in 1969, is our third MovieNight appearance of our haplesshero, Kuruma Torajiro (Atsumi
Kiyoshi), in this highly popularseries of 48 episodes spanningnearly 30 years.
 In this installment, Tora-san
tracks down his mother anddiscovers that she is a geisha who
had had only a brief affair with hisfather. While visiting the family, hefalls in love with Natsuko (Sato Orie),
the only daughter of his old juniorhigh school teacher.
Showtime: 6:30 pm, Tues., Sep. 29 ,90 min. Color. Japanese audio, English
subtitles. Free admission.
続・男はつらいよ (ぞくおとこはつらいよ）

フーテンの寅こと車寅次郎は、中学時代の恩師である坪内先生の家に立ち寄る。ほんの挨拶のつもりが、懐かしさと、一人娘の夏子の美しさに、家に上がり込み飲めや歌えやの大騒ぎ。実家の柴又にも居場所がなくなり、関西へ向かった寅は、坪内先生と夏子と再会。生き別れた母親が関西にいることを知り、寅は夏子と一緒に会いに行くのだが…。
出演者 ： 渥美清 、 佐藤オリエ
公開 : 1969年 言語 : 日本語、字幕 :英語 映時間 : 90分 入場無料 9月
29日(火)午後6:30時。

The Foodland and Western
Union Foundation will partiallymatch each
donationmade toour temple
in themonth ofSeptember up to $249 per personat any Foodland, Sack N Save or
Foodland Farms checkout.
The total amount of matching
Give Aloha dollars available is$300,000.
Here’s all you need to do tomultiply your temple donation
dollars through Give Aloha during
the entire month of September:t"UDIFDLPVU TIPXZPVS'PPEMBOE
Mai‘kai Club card.
t5FMMUIFDBTIJFSZPVXPVMEMJLFUPmake a Give Aloha donation to)JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJ or give our
5-digit code number 
t*OGPSNUIFDBTIJFSPGUIFBNPVOU
of your donation—any amount up
to $249— which will be added toyour grocery total. You can pay incash, by check or by credit/debitcard. You don’t have to make apurchase to make a donation.
t5IFDIFDLPVUDBTIJFSXJMMHJWF
you a receipt, which will indicate“Higashi Hongwanji” and the
donation amount. Keep it forincome tax purposes, since it isyour official record of your taxdeductible contribution to our501(c)(3) charitable organization.
t"TLGPSBEVQMJDBUFSFDFJQU XIJDI
you may want to send to us ordrop off at our office so we canacknowledge your gift.
If you don’t have a Mai‘kai cardyet, don’t feel left out…you caneasily get one free at the register.
Please consider taking
advantage of this opportunity tomake your temple donation enjoy
an extra boost through the Give
Aloha program. But hurry! The
program ends September 30!

3

SENIOR ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY TOUR
Many of us are lucky enough to have a great family support system, and are blessed with good
health, even after retirement. Just as important, we have a gaggle of friends with whom we can go to
Senior Fairs, and Okinawan Festivals.
Eventually, though, we lose our close friends, our spouses precede us in death, and we become
isolated. We hate to burden our younger family members because they have their own children andwork, which consume their lives, and it seems like they live in a different world. Now where do you
turn for support?
Society has found an answer for us with Senior Assisted Living Facilities. Recently, they havepopped up like pimples and you can find quite a few on Oahu, although most are located town-side,which includes Pearl City to Hawaii Kai. They come in various price ranges, from the extravagant to
the more modest and affordable.
Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii (Betsuin) is planning to have excursions to some facilities
to find out what we need to know about senior living options.
Our first excursion will take us to the Plaza in Pearl City on Thursday October 1, 2015, 10:00
am. If you are interested in joining us, please complete the form below and submit to the temple officeby September 24th. There will be no charge except if we decide to stop to purchase lunch.

Tour of Plaza at Pearl City Thursday 10/1/2015
Name
Address
Phone
Emergency contact:
Emergency contact phone #:Physician name:
Physician phone #:Any severe medical problems? Explain:

Date

All participants must complete this form individually. The tour will leave at 10:00 am from and end at Higashi
Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii at 1685 Alaneo Street. For more information, call the temple at 531-9088.
4

/FXTPOUIF#FUTVJO8JSFMFTT

#FMPWFE5PSBTBO)FTCBBBDL (JWF"MPIBNBUDIJOHHJGUQSPHSBN
Tora-san’s Cherished Mother,
CPPTUTZPVSUFNQMFEPOBUJPORinban and Jeanne greet Rev. Mochizuki (farright) and Rev. Tamai at the Betsuin hondo.

)PO[BODBCJOFUNFNCFSWJTJUT)BXBJJ%JTUSJDUUFNQMFT Rev. Keiko Mochizuki, a cabinet-

level administrator at our Higashi
Honganji headquarters in Kyoto,
observed operations at four local
Higashi temples during a brief visit
recently to the Hawaii District.
Arriving on Aug. 28, Rev. Mochizuki
and Rev. Chika Tamai, assisting withinterpreting and as an aide, spent
Friday at the Palolo temple and
Betsuin , then visited the Kaneohe
temple the following day.
They then flew to the Big Island
to meet with Rev. Marcos Sawada
and members of the Hilo temple attheir Sunday service.
They were able to visit and pay
their respects at the Arizona
Memorial at Pearl Harbor before
returning to Japan on Sept. 1.

"SUPG1BQFS$SBGUJOHSFTVNFT
 If you’ve been meaning to finish

I am healthy enough to participate in this walking tour of the Plaza at Pearl City, and will not hold Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii (Betsuin) responsible for any illness or injury sustained by or to myself while on this tour.

Participant signature

folding your tiny pieces of paper
hoping to someday finish yourorigami tsuru, you still have a few
more weeks to work at it.
Jeanne Kawawata’s popular Art ofPaper Crafting classes are scheduled
to start up again on the last Sundayof September.
To learn more about how you, too,can be a modular origami artist,
please call the temple at 531-9088 oremail us at CFUTVJO!IICUIJPSH for
more information.

released in 1969, is our third MovieNight appearance of our haplesshero, Kuruma Torajiro (Atsumi
Kiyoshi), in this highly popularseries of 48 episodes spanningnearly 30 years.
 In this installment, Tora-san
tracks down his mother anddiscovers that she is a geisha who
had had only a brief affair with hisfather. While visiting the family, hefalls in love with Natsuko (Sato Orie),
the only daughter of his old juniorhigh school teacher.
Showtime: 6:30 pm, Tues., Sep. 29 ,90 min. Color. Japanese audio, English
subtitles. Free admission.
続・男はつらいよ (ぞくおとこはつらいよ）

フーテンの寅こと車寅次郎は、中学時代の恩師である坪内先生の家に立ち寄る。ほんの挨拶のつもりが、懐かしさと、一人娘の夏子の美しさに、家に上がり込み飲めや歌えやの大騒ぎ。実家の柴又にも居場所がなくなり、関西へ向かった寅は、坪内先生と夏子と再会。生き別れた母親が関西にいることを知り、寅は夏子と一緒に会いに行くのだが…。
出演者 ： 渥美清 、 佐藤オリエ
公開 : 1969年 言語 : 日本語、字幕 :英語 映時間 : 90分 入場無料 9月
29日(火)午後6:30時。

The Foodland and Western
Union Foundation will partiallymatch each
donationmade toour temple
in themonth ofSeptember up to $249 per personat any Foodland, Sack N Save or
Foodland Farms checkout.
The total amount of matching
Give Aloha dollars available is$300,000.
Here’s all you need to do tomultiply your temple donation
dollars through Give Aloha during
the entire month of September:t"UDIFDLPVU TIPXZPVS'PPEMBOE
Mai‘kai Club card.
t5FMMUIFDBTIJFSZPVXPVMEMJLFUPmake a Give Aloha donation to)JHBTIJ)POHXBOKJ or give our
5-digit code number 
t*OGPSNUIFDBTIJFSPGUIFBNPVOU
of your donation—any amount up
to $249— which will be added toyour grocery total. You can pay incash, by check or by credit/debitcard. You don’t have to make apurchase to make a donation.
t5IFDIFDLPVUDBTIJFSXJMMHJWF
you a receipt, which will indicate“Higashi Hongwanji” and the
donation amount. Keep it forincome tax purposes, since it isyour official record of your taxdeductible contribution to our501(c)(3) charitable organization.
t"TLGPSBEVQMJDBUFSFDFJQU XIJDI
you may want to send to us ordrop off at our office so we canacknowledge your gift.
If you don’t have a Mai‘kai cardyet, don’t feel left out…you caneasily get one free at the register.
Please consider taking
advantage of this opportunity tomake your temple donation enjoy
an extra boost through the Give
Aloha program. But hurry! The
program ends September 30!

3

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Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin9

September 2015

Higashi Hongwanji
Mission of Hawaii

Temple Activities Calendar
SEPTEMBER 2015
9/6
9/6
9/8
9/10
9/12
9/13
9/15
9/19
9/20
9/20
9/27
9/27
9/28
9/29
9/29

Sun 10 am Shōtsuki memorial service(Rinban Kawawata) & Sunday school
Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
Fukuhara Conference RoomTue 3 pm Ukulele practiceThu 7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
Fukuhara Conference RoomSat 10 am Hawaii District meeting
Sun 10 am Sunday service
Tue 7 pm O-kō: Dharma discussion at Kaneohe
Sat 10 am What on Earth Is Namuamidabutsu?
led by Rev. Frank Childs
Sun 10 am Ohigan service
Guest speaker: Rev. Toshiyuki Umitani
Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting
Sun 10 am Sunday service
Sun 12 am The Art of Paper Folding class
Mon 10 am Onicchu Shinran Shonin service
Tue 3 pm Ukulele practiceTue 6:30 pm Movie night: Tora-san’s Cherished Mother

Where in the WEST
Is the Pure Land?

OCTOBER 2015
10/4 Sun 10 am Eitaikyo/Perpetual memorial service
Shōtsuki memorial service (Rinban
Kawawata) & Sunday school
10/4 Sun 12 pm Jimmy’s Car Care class (Otani Center)led by Jimmy Hirakawa
10/4 Sun 12 pm Basic Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
Fukuhara Conference Room
10/8 Thu 7 pm ABCs of Buddhism study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
Fukuhara Conference Room
10/10 Sat 10 am What on Earth Is Namuamidabutsu?
led by Rev. Frank Childs
10/11 Sun 10 am Sunday service
10/13 Tue 3 pm Ukulele practice
10/18 Sun 10 am Sunday service
10/18 Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meeting
10/20 Tue 7 pm O-kō: Dharma discussion at Betsuin
10/25 Sun 10 am Hō-on-kō service at Kaneohe temple(no service at Betsuin)
10/27 Tue 3 pm Ukulele practice
10/27 Tue 6:30 pm Movie night: TBA
10/28 Wed 10 am Onicchu Shinran Shonin service

Everyone is welcome to join in on our sutra chanting at 7 am daily (except Sundays & 28th day of the month) in the Betsuin main hall.

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
President: Faye Shigemura
Vice President: Jonathan Tani
Secretary: Debra Saiki
Treasurer: Edmund Nakano
Auditor: Ken Saiki
Rinban: Kenjun Kawawata
Associate Minister:Frank Childs
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 Saiki

Rinban Kenjun Kawawata

S

ince we observe Ohigan in September, I’d like to take this opportunity to
discuss Higan and the Pure Land in Shin Buddhism.
As you probably already know, Higan means “reaching the other shore,”
which, in Sanskrit, is Paramita. “The other shore” symbolizes the state of themind of the Buddha, or becoming a Buddha. “The other shore” also means agood and meaningful life. When we say “the other shore,” you might think ofbeing on one side of river, and looking at the other side, or standing on thisshore and other side is “the other shore.” (Higan). In Shin Buddhism, there no
distance, time or space between the Buddha’s mind and us. When we reallylisten and try to understand the Buddha’s teachings, there is no distance
between the Buddha and us. We are already in the world of the Buddha andthe Dharma.
Then why do we often hear that the Pure Land lies in the west?
In the Lager Sutra and Amidakyo Sutra, it is said that the Pure Land is “inthe far west, 10 billion Buddha Lands past.” On the other
hand, the Meditation Sutra describes the Pure Land as“not so far from here.”In the Meditation Sutra, Buddha told Queen
Vaideihe how to observe the Pure Land. The Buddha
presented 13 ways to meditate on the Pure Land forthe people who will live in this world after Sakyamuni
passed away. The first meditation was observing thesunset and imagining the Pure Land. The original nameof the Meditation Sutra was Kan Muryoju Kyo, or “Sutra of Rinban Ken Kawawata
Viewing of Infinite Life.” This sutra’s theme is observation of the Pure Landand meditation on the Pure Land.
The Pure Land is the symbol of the Buddha’s state of mind, the world of
the Nirvana, The Other Shore (Higan), where we go back to.
The sun rises from the east and sets in the west. The west, in other words,
is where the sun retires every day. So the west direction became the symbolof the place we go back to, where we take refuge.
And that’s why Amida’s Pure Land is said to lie in the west. And
symbolically we face west and show our respect to the west.
Through Shinran Shonin’s understanding of the Pure Land, I would like toclarify the Pure Land of Amida Buddha is not like a “Heaven” in other religions.
Shinran Shonin had the three kinds of understandings of the Pure Land andclarified what is the true Pure Land.
(cont’d on p. 2)