The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-20
A BUDDHIST
CEREMONY
Anniversary Of the
Birth of a
Saint.
THE SEEKERS OF
NlRVANA MEET
Interesting Program of Exercises
by the Shin Shu Sect of
Gautama's Cult.

The seven hundred and twenty-ninth
anniversary of the birth of Saint Shin
ran, founder of the Buddhist sect shin
Shu, was yesterday celebrated by the
japanese followers of the sect at the
little Buddhist chapel on Fort lane
The entrance to the lane was decor
ated with Buddhist banners. and the
archWay made into a bower of green's
and flowers; the gateway of the school
building and chapel presented a festive
appearance, the, many colored flags of
over it. and the blue and white ban
ners with the coat of arms of Saint
Shinran were festooned about the
building.
In the afternoon services were held
and in the evening the strings of Jap
anese lanterns which had been hung
from the chapel across the lawn, were
lighted, and the OCCASION became one of
rejoicing.
From a booth of bunting and greens.
| lemonade, tea and cakes We're dispens-
| ed, and the little ones of the Oriental
race were made happy with surfeit
/ of sweets. The gayest and richest
kimonos from the wardrobes of the lit
tie brown women were sworn, and the
japanese juveniles We're quantity and
prettily clad for the occasion of rejoic-
| ing.
The afternoon services began at 2:30
l. ~
flowing with the followers of Buddha
and their friends and invited guests.
Queen Liliuokalani and party of
other friends, having received the invi-
tation of Mr.. Imamura, the high priest
| of bonze of the islands, was in attend
ance, and sat at the left of the altar.
DR.. Marques. president of the Theo-
sophical Society. and Mrs. Marques
were also invited guests.
The altar was decorated with the en-
blems of the sect and offerings of flow
ers and fruit had been placed in the
brass vases and carved sandaiwood re-
ceivers. Incense was kept burning,
and lighted candles and elaborate brass
lanterns softly Illuminated the temple.
The program of worship consisted of
chants and prayers in the japanese
language and an address in English by
Mr.. Imamura. Miss Barber, teacher of
the japanese night school, also made
short address in praise of the principles
of the Buddhist religion. likening Budd-
hism to a great structure. whose foun-
dation was of stone and rested on the
earth, but whose summit was lost in
the clouds of Nirvana.
The little girls of the Japanese Sun
day school sang a sacred harmony to
the accompaniment of the organ, and
at the close of the services made Of
ferings of silver to Buddha, placing the
pieces of money upon the altar plat
form with quaint oriental obesances.
Their offerings were followed bv those
of the congregation. many of the con-
tributors kneeling in prayer as they
placed their silver pieces upon the al
tar.
After worship tea and cake were
served on the lanais and lawns: the
Queen ard her party, Dr. and Mrs.
MARQUES ard a number of American
visitors We're invited to partake of these
refreshments with the priests in the
reception room of the chapel
The little ones made merry all the
afternoon about the grounds. and in
the evening the festivities for their
elders began.
While tea drinking and refreshments
under the japanese lanterns on the
lawns kept those outside merriIy busy,
within the chapel there were Japanese
theatricals to amuse the Orientals and
to excite the wonder and appreciation
of the picturesque on the part of the
American visitors.
The day of rejoicing was not brought
to close until near the midnight hour.
The address of the high priest deliv-
cred in English at the afternoon SER
vice was as follows:
Today, wherever branches of the
Buddhist mission of our sect, Shin-shu,
exist, special meetings will be held to
commemorate the seven hundrded and
wenty-ninth anniversary of the foun-
der, Saint Shinran, known to all Budd-
hists of our sect. So the body of our
followers here, meet today 10 praise his
memory, following the precedent which
has became a pleasant annual duty
pious duty-of sending out thoughts Of
remembrance and gratitude for favors
received from him.
Then, who was the founder OF our
sect? And what has he done IN the
history of Buddhism? His work was
an extraordinary event in the records
of Buddhism, that was never before
seen, and that, perhaps. has never
on May 81, 1173. in the highest circles
of Kyoto, the old capital of Japan,
having princely blood in his veins;
having vast wealth and power. Al
most everything the world had to offer
was yielded to him. All he gladly gave
up that he might go out into the
world. He entered the priesthood at
nine years of age, under Zichin, the
high priest of the Tendai sect.
Later on he studied during twenty
years, and perfectly understood the
meaning of the Mahayana School of
Buddhism, but he perceived that to
attain Nirvana by self-power, or help
through self, was almost impracticable
to the imperfect human beings of this
world, and then he quickly grasped
the essential point in the doctrine of
the Mahayana School. and perceived
that Nirvana was attainable to all by
help through another, or by the bound
less mercy of Anita Buddha. No one
but himself ever discovered such a
doctrine in Buddhism.