Alaya Taiko

About the Storehouse Consciousness
Rinban Kenjun KawawataI‘wa’
harmony

Higashi Hongwanji
Hawaii Betsuin
Bulletin

8

August 2018

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
President: Faye Shigemura
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 Saikin my home town in Ibaraki prefecture in Japan, Obon is observed inAugust. I used to visit temple members’ homes for their Obon service. At
every member’s home, the children and grandchildren come back from thebig cities and spend time with their families at their home during Obon.
I still remember when Obon time came around when I
was little. I always listened to bon dance music and thesound of the taiko. Our village always had its bon odori
in the middle of August and the young people in thevillage would always start practicing their bon dancemusic and taiko during the evenings from early on. I
would hear the sounds in the distance every night andwonder where the music was coming while lying in
bed. Then I would fall asleep.
At my previous temple in West Covina, I was asked
Rinban Ken Kawawata
one day to play the taiko for bon dance practice. I
hesitated at first because I had never played taiko for bon odori before. The
dance instructor insisted, however, so I went along. I started by practicing
with bon dance CDs, and somehow found myself able to follow the rhythmof the music.
I was beginning to enjoy playing the taiko even though I wasn’t very
good at it. What surprised me, though, was how I was able to play the taiko
at all without taking any lessons. Eventually, however, it dawned on me thatthe reason I could play lay in Buddha’s teachings.
When I started to play the taiko, my old memories of bon dance music
and the drumming and tapping rhythms came back from the impressions I
gained when I was a small child.
(cont’d on p. 2)

アラヤ太鼓
別院のお盆フェスティバルも皆様方のご協力をいただき盛大のうちに無事終えることができました。心より御礼申し上げます。
みなさまご存知のように日本の田舎のお盆は8月にお勤めされます。8月の10日前後になりますとお盆のお参りに各信徒さんの家にお盆のお勤めに回った事でした。一日に何軒もの家を回り、各家庭のお内仏で阿弥陀経をお勤めいたします。各家庭では都会でいている子供や孫たちがお盆の帰省で帰ってきており、家族そろって亡き方々を偲び一緒にお参りします。
お盆の頃になるといつも子供の頃の事を思い出します。私の田舎のお盆はいつも8月で、毎年その頃になると、夜、何処からともなく聞こえてくる太鼓の音を聞きながら眠りについたものでした。
ウエストコビナのお寺にいるとき、一度お盆踊りの練習の太鼓を叩い(次のページに続く)

Alaya Taiko (cont’d from p. 1)
In Buddhism, we have eight consciousnesses.
1. Eye, sense and consciousness of sight
2. Ear, sense and consciousness of hearing
3. Nose, sense and consciousness of smell
4. Tongue, sense and consciousness of taste
5. Body, sense and consciousness of touch
6. Mind, consciousness
7. Manas consciousness, the root of illusion
8. Alaya consciousness
Alaya consciousness is just like a container in our mind.
Everything we see, hear, smell, touch and experience isplaced and stored in this container. When something
happens in our daily lives, previous experiences comeout from this container and we act.
Every morning you eat breakfast because when you
see a cup of milk and bread, you recognize your previous
experiences and you instictively drink the milk and eat thebread. When you are driving and another car suddenly
gets too close, you immediately turn your steering wheel
and try to avoid hitting the car. Your reflexes react to turnyour steering wheel. We subconsciously do these kinds ofprocesses every moment.
So with my taiko, too, no one taught me how toplay the taiko but I have in my memory experiences oflistening to the taiko rhythm in the distance, and that is
how I could play it.
Regarding Buddhism, too, why did you start to come tothe temple and listen to the teaching of Buddha? Because
you have something in your being that pushes you.
Rev. Ryojin Soga once said that Amida Buddha is
Alaya consciousness, which means we already have
Amida Buddha in our being. We share the same wish
that Amida Buddha has and once we realize that wish,
we started to listen to the dharma and start to walk thesame path of the Buddha.
Once we listen to the dharma and we receive the eyes
to see the truth and our true selves, we have the same
awakening of Buddha.
In Buddhism, everybody has a seed to be anawakened person. That seed is hidden in our Alaya
consciousness and hearing the taiko this bon season has
reminded me of that fact.

アラヤ太鼓 (前ページより続く)てくれないかといわれ、一度もやってみた事はないのですが、試しに打ってみました。最初はなかなかリズ
ムが音楽、また踊る人達のステップとうまく会いません。しかし踊り子の足と一定のリズムがわかると自己流ですが、なんとか打てるようになりました。あの子
供の頃聞いた音が戻ってきたのです。私は子供の頃一度も盆踊りに行った事もなかったし、その練習も見た
事がありませんでした。しかし50年余りの年を経て、今あの音を思い出し、自分が太鼓を打っていたのです。何とも不思議なことでした。
仏教では人間の意識のなかでアラヤ識という意識があり、よい事も悪い事も私どもが経験したあらゆる事がこのアラヤ識という蔵の何か納められ、なにか起こ
ると以前の経験がアラヤ識蔵から引き出され、行動を起こすのだと言われています。ですから私の太鼓も幼い頃にその音を聞いた経験により、叩く事が出来たと言えましょう。ですから人間はなにか行なう時、必ずこのアラヤ識が働いて、私どもの動かしめる。なにも外から刺激がなければ何も起こらないのです。
お念仏を称することも同じことなのだと思います。
私どもはいつかしら、他の人がお念仏を申す事を見聞し、それを無意識の内に憶えている。そしてお念仏を聞く事によって自分も称える身となる。既にお念仏が自分の意識以前に私ども中にあることがわかります。
それは私どもの中にズーと昔より願いがあり、それがお念仏となってでてくるともいえましょう。曽我量深
師は「法蔵菩薩はアラヤ識」といわれました。法蔵菩薩は自分が仏になり、また衆生を仏としたいという願いを立てられ、それを完成されて阿弥陀仏になられた。私どものなかにすでにその同じ願いがあり、その願いがお念仏、南無阿弥陀仏という言葉となって私どもの中からあらわれるのです。いつから聞いて来たかわからないこの深い願いとお念仏をもう一度このお盆に聴聞しあきらかにして行く事です。

合掌、
河和田賢淳

In gassho,
Kenjun Kawawata

2018 Bon Festival CHAIR MESSAGE

T

he 2018 Bon Festival is now just a memory. There areso many people to acknowledge, we’ll save individualnames for a future issue of Wa, when we can thankeveryone properly, from our dedicated committee to theboard of directors, the many volunteers and community
partners who share our vision. Of course, we appreciate all
who attended and were able to enjoy the fruits of our labor.
I received many positive comments about ourillumination displays, hanging lanterns, entertainment,

2parking and shuttle service. I was also very happy tosee people enjoying the food—new items as well as
our standard offerings— Gannenmono descendants
participating and smiling children walking around withtoys they won and crafts they created.
Rest assured we will keep working to make futurebon festivals even better and more enjoyable for thecommunity we serve. Mahalo!
— Dennis Saiki2018 Higashi Hongwanji Betsuin

Bon Festival
July 20 & 21, 2018

Clockwise from top left: Gannenmono
descendants participate in the Mantoe
service*; dancing at dusk under a colorful sky*;
the Betsuin booth featured Spam musubi,
yakitori, inari somen and other bon dance
foods*; food booths lined the temple grounds*;
the Peace illumination tunnel proved to bea popular place for selflies and group shots;
free crafts and games packed the back halfof Otani Center with throngs of kids; Hawaii
Eisa Shinyuu-kai taiko drummer sets the beatfor Okinawan dancers*; hundreds of lanterns
and bon dancers everywhere made for an
extremely festive evening*; Gannenmono
lantern tribute wall provided a unique backdrop
for souvenir photos; what could be more funthan bon dancing with friends on a clear
summer evening, cooled by gentle Nuuanu
Valley breezes?*; illumination garden designed
and built by Hawaii Tokai International College
students featured a plumeria-turned-sakura
tree and a brilliantly lit Mt. Fuji.
*Images ©2018 Milton Hee, used with permission.

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News on the

Betsuin WirelessWorld premiere 2014 Tokyo
International Film Festival, Japanese
Splash Best Picture Award nominee.
Showtime: 6:30 pm, Tuesday,
August 28, 80 min. Color. Japaneseaudio, English subtitles. Free
admission. Light refreshments, orbring to share!

愛の小さな歴史 (あいのちいさなれきし)

Betsuin ministers and board members were among those who gathered to congratulate
new United Japanese Society of Hawaii President Faye Shigemura (standing with white lei).

United Japanese Society picks
Faye Shigemura to lead group

Higashi Hongwanji Mission of
Hawaii President Faye Shigemura
was installed as president of theUnited Japanese Society of Hawaii(UJSH) at a June 23 banquet at the
JCCH Manoa Grand Ballroom.
Betsuin Minister Rev. Koen
Kikuchi will serve as a director of theorganization. Board member Ken
Saiki is a past president and advisor.
Rinban Kenjun Kawawata
delivered the invocation before
lunch while Faye, Rev. Kikuchi, Rev.
Hidesato Kita and board member
Margaret Hamachi were part of the
day’s entertainment program with
their Hanagasa Ondo folk dance.
UJSH promotes various culturalactivities and other events for the
benefit of Japanese in Hawaii. Its
membership is comprised of many
kenjinkai, temples, shrines, Japanese
dance and other Nikkei-relatedorganizations and individuals.

No BBQ chicken sale this summer
Citing a variety of reasons, theboard has decided not to conduct
our usual barbecue chicken
fundraiser this summer.
We appreciate your past supportof the temple’s fundraising efforts
and hope you will continue tosupport them in the future.

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Do you become age 80 this year?

If you are a Betsuin member bornin 1938, you are eligible to receive an
invitation to Nenchosha Ian Engei
Taikai, a special celebration for thosereaching the age of 80 this year.
The event, sponsored by UJSH (theBetsuin is a member) will be held at
the Manoa Grand Ballroom on Sat.,
Sept. 22 and features a free lunch,entertainment and gifts for thehonorees. Guests are $50 per person.
For more information, please callthe office at 531-9088 with yourbirthdate information.

真夏、東京の片隅。食品の配達で生計を立てる夏希(中村映里子) と借金の取り立てを生業とする夏生(沖渡崇史)。ふたりの胸の内に捨てたはずの父と妹の面影が不意によみがえる。長らく離別していた家族を訪ねたふたりは、十数年来の「家族」
をやり直そうとする。父娘、兄妹、それぞれの距離は次第に縮まりつつあったが…。この映画では、誰かと共に生きようとする人間の動態を、
美しい自然の情景と音、そして静かに流れるラフマニノフの旋律が包み込み、一種の「予感」が演出されている。小さいかもしれないが、ひとつの生命が別の生命と確かに触れ合
い、そして巡っていく、その愛の小August movie, August in Tokyo,
a human drama of two families

In a corner of Tokyo, summer
student Natsuo (Takashi Okita) earns aliving as a yakuza collecting debts and
Natsuki (Eriko Nakamura) works
part-time delivering food. Although
they rarely think about their families,
they attempt to reunite with them.
Brother and sister, father and daughter;the distance between them begins toshrink, but...
This 2014 film directed by Ryutaro
Nakagawa portrays the dynamics ofpeople trying to co-exist in nature andin the city. Even though two individuals
may be insignificant in the context ofa society, one life meets another andthey move forward. This is a film about
their footsteps.

さな足跡がここにはある。中村映里子、光石研、池松壮亮の大胆かつ繊細な演技合戦も見どころ。
第27回東京国際映画祭 日本映画
スプラッシュ ワールド・プレミア上映
監督：中川龍太郎、公開 : 2014
年、カラー、言語 : 日本語、字幕 : 英
語 、映時間 : 80分、8月28日(火)午後6:30時、入場無料。

Trade Wind

Higashi Honganji Hawaii District Newsletter
Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin / Kaneohe Higashi hongwanji / Hilo higashi hongwanji
Palolo Hongwanji / Waimea Higashi Hongwanji

Let Us Discover
the Joy of Living

I flew to Senegal, Africa at the end of March. Although
visiting my friend there was the main purpose of this trip,
I found some interesting facts about the country. As you
might imagine, people seemed to be poor. I guess theirliving standard is not high, compared to a more advanced
society. But it seemed to me that most of the people in
Senegal looked healthy and happy. They seemed not tocare about their standard of living, which might be low for
us. That’s normal for them. They can live well enough aslong as they have houses, clothes, and food.
In this respect, I already have enough. As for material
belongings, I have everything I want. Residence,
infrastructure, clothes, food, two Macintoshes and plentyof musical instruments. However, I do complain every day.
I always complain about the weather—this is supposed
to be Hawaii, isn’t it?—and the taste of the food. I always
find fault with others. If others don’t do what I expect, I
become irritated.
So, I am reminded by these things that possessing
material things isn’t related to our true happiness. No
matter where we go, when we suffer, we do suffer. When
I went back to Japan last year for the first time, I realized
how I had been blessed with everything while I was
living there. The food, the prices, the cleanliness, theconvenience, and the nice people. I used to view only thenegative aspects of Japan. I took everything for granted.
My mom cooked food every day. She did a tons of housechores for me. My dad let me go to a university in Tokyo.
I ate cheap and delicious food everywhere in Japan. But I
took all these things for granted. That was the cause of mysufferings. I found that my own mind caused sufferings.
Even though I had everything in life, I still complained.
A famous Japanese comedian, Sanma Akashiya, said,“It’s a big bargain just to be alive.” He went throughmany sufferings in his life. He lost his mother when he
was three. His younger brother died in a fire. An airplane
he was supposed to take crashed. He said he is happy
just being alive. If we are able to think in that way, thendon’t you think it’s an unsurpassed bliss? I can’t think ofany supreme appreciation or “joy of living” other than
this. It’s unconditional. You don’t need money or material
possessions to be happy. Without any conditions, we cansummer 2018be happy. We can be thankful to everything, including
what seems to be a bad situation, because you will findout later that sufferings are actually leading us in theright direction.
Do you still remember the relief you felt after findingout that the alert on our phones was just a mistake? I guessthat was the same state that this comedian experienced.
We are already happy but we forget this truth. We don’t
have to do anything to realize this happiness. It’s alreadyhere. By just hearing the Dharma, the realization will cometo us. Although I still take everything for granted, Amida
Buddha always reminds me that I forget the truth.
Namu-Amida-Butsu.
— Rev. Hideaki Nishihori

HoonkoHoonko Gathering
September 15, 2018

The Hoonko Gathering will be held at 1 p.m. at theHigashi Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin. This year we invited
Rev. Peter Hata from the Higashi Honganji Los Angeles
Betsuin. He will talk on our theme, “Let Us Discover the
Joy of Living.” Previously, he was a guitarist who playedin the famous jazz group, Hiroshima. After the lecture,
we will serve dinner. Let’s share the time and enjoy the
Hoonko Gathering.

Hoonko Service
September 16, 2018
The Hoonko Service starts at 10 a.m. at the Higashi
Hongwanji Betsuin. The officiant, Associate Abbot Yul
Otani from Honzan (son of Overseas District Abbot
Choyu Otani). This service is the memorial service for our
founder, Shinran Shonin, and the most important serviceof the year for us. It is done in the traditional style. We
hope you will attend the Hoonko Service.

Trade Wind
Higashi Honganji Hawaii District Office
Bishop Kenjun Kawawata
Rev. Hidesato Kita
1685 Alaneo Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
Telephone/Fax: (808) 531-1231
Email: adminaloha@higashihonganji.org

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Activities
REPORTS
Public Seminar
March 23, 2018
We invited Dr. Michael Conway for the Public Seminarsponsored by the Shinshu Center of America. He talked
about the Komyo Honzon Scroll. After the seminar, we had
refreshments and talked with him. It was a very meaningful
time. We welcome everyone to our Public Seminars, so
please come next time.
Fukushima Recovery Project
March 26 – April 2, 2018

Local Dharma Gatherings
The e Hawaii ist ict te les ha ocal ha a
Gatherings. Resident ministers from other temples
visited and spoke at these gatherings.
alolo Hongwanji
May 9, 2018 Rev. Koen Kikuchi
Hilo Higashi Hongwanji
May 19, 2018 Rev. Hideaki Nishihori
aneohe Higashi Hongwanji
May 26, 2018 Rev. Marcos Sawada
ai ea Higashi Hongwanji
June 3, 2018 Rev. Hideaki Nishihori
Higashi Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin
June 24, 2018 Rev. Noriaki Fujimori
Young Buddhist Association (YBA) Hoshidan Tour
June 3 – 11, 2018

We invited four university students and two children
from Fukushima to visit Hawaii for their recovery. During
their eight-day visit, they attended a welcome party at theHigashi Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, stayed in Makaha,swam in the ocean, visited Waianae Coast Comprehensive
Health Center and enjoyed the healing beauty of Hawaii.
On Sunday, they attended the Hawaii Buddhist Council
Buddha Day Service and shared their experiences at thattime. Thank you for supporting this important Fukushima
Recovery Project.
Joint Buddhist Seminar with Honpa Hongwanji
April 13 – 14, 2018

Th ee YBA e be s joine e . a cos awa a anvisited our Honzan for a retreat. They also went toHiroshima Peace Museum, to the temples of Nara and tosa a. This g ou joine anothe g ou o YBA e be sfrom the North America District and used the opportunity
to sha e thei i e ent e e iences.

FUTURE PLANS

Dr. Nobuo Haneda of Maida Center in Berkeley talked
about Shakyamuni Buddha and Shinran: Buddhism as the
Teaching of Self-Examination. This was very interestingand informative. It was a good opportunity for Higashi and
Honpa Hongwanji to share time together.

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District Committee
August 25, 2018
Our yearly Higashi Honganji Hawaii District Committee
Meeting will be held on Saturday, August 25. Each temple
will have representatives attending with their resident
minister. This will be the beginning of the new three–ea teo selecte office s an e esentati es. o e
information will follow.

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...
t"MBZB5BJLPアラヤ太鼓 p. 1
t#POGFTUJWBMDIBJSNFTTBHFp. 2
t#POGFTUJWBMQIPUPTp. 3t/FXTPOUIF#FUTVJO8JSFMFTTp. 4
t Faye Shigemura UJSH president p. 4t/P##2DIJDLFOTBMFp. 4
t.PWJFOJHIUAugust in Tokyo p. 4
t Trade Wind district newsletter p. 5-6
t Acknowledgments p. 7
t August shōtsuki service p. 7
tTemple activities calendar p. 8

Temple Activities Calendar
8/5
8/5

8/6
8/9
8/12
8/14
8/19
8/19
8/20
8/21
8/25
8/26
8/28
8/28
8/28

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4

AUGUST

Sun 10 am Shōtsuki service/Sunday school
Dharma message: Rev. Koen Kikuchi
Sun 12 pm The Larger Sutra study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
日本語仏教
語で仏教を聞こう

Mon 10 am Betsuin study classThu 7 pm The Larger Sutra study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
Sun 10 am Sunday service/Sunday school
Dharma message: Rinban Kenjun Kawawata
Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceSun 10 am Sunday service/Sunday school
Dharma message: Rinban Kenjun Kawawata
Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meetingMon 10 am Betsuin study classTue 3 pm O-kō: Dharma discussion at Betsuin
Sat 10 am Hawaii District meeting
Fukuhara Conference RoomSun 10 am Sunday service/Sunday school
Dharma message: Rev. Koen Kikuchi
Tue 10 am Shinran Shōnin memorial service
Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceTue 6:30 pm

9/2
9/2
9/3
9/8
9/9
9/9
9/11
9/13
9/15
9/16
9/17
9/18
9/23
9/23
9/25
9/25

SEPTEMBER

Sun 10 am Shōtsuki service/Sunday school
Sun 12 pm The Larger Sutra study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in Japanese
Mon 10 am Betsuin study class
Sat 10 am Oahu MAP class
Sun 10 am Sunday service/Sunday school
Sun 12 pm Omigaki polishing of altar accessories
Tue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceThu 7 pm The Larger Sutra study class
led by Rinban Kawawata in English
Fukuhara Conference RoomSat 1 pm Hoonko Gathering
Rev. Peter Hata, Los Angeles Betsuin
Sun 10 am Hoonko service
Associate Abbot Yul Otani, Honzan
Mon 10 am Betsuin study classTue 3 pm O-kō: Dharma discussion at Kaneohe
Sun 10 am Ohigan service
Sun 12 pm Betsuin board meetingTue 3 pm Ukulele class/band practiceTue 6:30 pm Movie night: Midnight Diner 2 (2016)深夜食

9/28 Fri 10 am Shinran Shōnin memorial service
9/30 Sun 10 am Sunday service/Sunday school

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.

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