JODO MISSION OF HAWAII BULLETIN - JANUARY 2012

(#1182-0112)

Jodo Mission of Hawaii 1429 Makiki St. Honolulu HI 96814

Address Service Requested

A Happy New Year!

*** New Years Greetings ***
Gensho Hara, Bishop
A Happy and Peaceful Year to you all! May the Compassionate Light of Amida Buddha shine upon you and your family throughout 2012. Last year marked the 800th Grand Memorial of our founder, Honen Shonin. Despite the devastating earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear reactor crisis in Japan and natural disasters throughout the world, Jodo Shu temples observed Saint Honens memorial with the utmost reverence. In Hawaii, the Grand Memorial service was held on September 18, 2011, on the occasion of the Kyokukai Convention, at the Betsuin. Honen Shonin stressed the belief in Amida Buddhas original vow (hongan) and to call upon Amida Buddhas sacred name wholeheartedly to secure salvation in this world and the world to come. In an age of social and political turmoil and chaos, Master Honen encouraged all people to live their lives following the path of Nembutsu, calling Amida Buddhas holy nameNamu Amida Butsu. Namu means I take refuge in or to throw oneself to, Amida stems from the Sanskrit Amitayus (Eternal Life) and Amitabha (Infinite Light). So that Amida Buddha is also called Muryoju Butsu, the Buddha of Eternal Light, or Muryoko Butsu, the Buddha of Infinite Light. Life symbolizes compassion and Light symbolizes the wisdom that shines upon our ignorant minds. Butsu

ContdGreetings from Bishop Hara:

New Years Greetings

means Buddha, the Enlightened One, the Awakened One. Just as Master Honen did, we too are living in a time of turmoil, our temples, our society, and our world at large face many challenges, let us put our belief in the Nembutsu and work together for the future of Jodo Shu and our community. Our Kyoku functions this year are as follows: * Aloha State Meisho Sr. YBA Convention on June 810, 2012 in Honolulu; * Laypersons/Rengo Fujinkai Biennial Convention on September 2123, 2012 on Kauai; * Kyoku Executive Board Meeting on September 2123, 2012 on Kauai. Our ministers are working to publish a ministers handbook and sermon book. The new edition of our Otsutome prayer book will be published. Three of our Hawaii temples will commemorate their centennial celebrations this yearLahaina Jodo Mission will celebrate their centennial on October 20 to 21, Haleiwa Jodo Mission on November 10, and Kapaa Jodo Mission in spring 2013. As we look at our calendar this year, our temples and Kyoku have another busy year ahead. There is a Buddhist saying, If one blossoms, flowers of the whole world blossom. For our temple, each of you is a flower that makes your temple blossom beautifully and harmoniously. In welcoming the Year of the Dragon, let us ask for Amida Buddhas guidance for a bright and prosperous year. Let us devote ourselves to our temples and communities and live our lives happily and fruitfully. With Gassho, Gensho Hara, Bishop

Message from Kyodan Board President

Aloha, I hope everyone had a wonderful 2011. Lets make 2012 even better! As Buddhists, it is our desire to spread positivity to every person we come into contact with, through love and compassion. We can achieve this with a smile, a kind gesture, and thoughtful words. When things dont go well, try to resolve them constructively and with a positive state of mind. While this may be difficult at times, it is important to keep things in perspective: We are so lucky to be alive, in a place that provides us with many privileges, to have family and friends who love us, and to be surrounded by the beauty of nature. When we remind ourselves of what really matters, we no longer have problems, but merely challenges for us to overcome constructively. Every night, lets ask ourselves if we left a positive or negative impact on the people we interacted with that day. By thinking this way, and striving for 100% positive impact on everyone we meet, we can all help to better the world. I wish you all happiness, good health, and prosperity! With Warmest Aloha, Jon Riki Karamatsu President, Jodo Mission of Hawaii
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January 1, 2012

Dear Members of Jodo Mission of Hawaii, Shinnen Omedeto Gozaimasu! Hon Nen Mo Yoroshiku Onegai Moshi Agemasu!
Please accept our best wishes for the New Year and we gratefully appreciate your support and cooperation during the past years. As we begin the New Year of 2012, we humbly ask for your kokua and continuous support and cooperation to sustain the temple in the face of inflating operational costs. Your membership dues allow Jodo Mission to exist and remain a positive influence in the community. Our Board of Directors works totally on a volunteer basis. Our ministers are working hard to provide spiritual leadership through services, personal counseling, and other activities including delivering sermons, conducting weddings and memorial services, various blessings (baby, home, car, boat, office, get well, birthday), visiting care homes and hospitals, and giving religious instructions. They are on call 24 hours a day. Your dues pay for our mailings, the costs of our functions, building maintenance and operations. By maintaining a strong membership, Jodo Mission is able to continue to provide peace of mind to our members and respond to the needs of the community. We are continually active in propagating the Pure Land Buddhism and public services in the community. The Board of Directors wishes to hear your questions and concerns and urges you to join or renew your membership so that we may remain a viable and positive force in the community. Our annual membership dues (Gojikai-hi) is $60 per year, or $5 per month. Upon receipt of this letter, would you kindly send your membership dues made payable to Jodo Mission of Hawaii, and mail it to 1429 Makiki Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814. If your 2012 dues have already been paid, please accept our apology and appreciation for your support and please ignore this letter. We thank you for your timely payments and donations. We also invite you to participate in our various activities, Sunday Services, O-Bon, Bon Dance, O-Higan, Hanamatsuri or Buddha Day, Jodo-e or Bodhi Day, Fujinkai, Senior, Intermediate, or Junior Y.B.A., Sunday School, Childrens Malama Choir, and many other wonderful activities.. Should you have any questions, please feel free to call Jodo Mission at 949-3995. In Gassho,

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Bits of Knowledge of Buddhism

Vol. 14 The Three Jewels (Jan. 2012)
By Rev. Yasushiro Watanabe

14 201201
Vol. 14 The Three Jewels (Jan. 2012) Taking refuge in the Three Jewels, or Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha is a fundamental practice in Buddhism. It is the fruit of our practice. As we continue to practice, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha reveal themselves to us more fully. When we encounter these three Jewels directly and experience their capacity to bring about happiness and peace, our faith is strengthened even further. Buddha: Everybody has the potential to come true Buddhahood. When we take refuge in Buddha, we must also understand we ourselves have the nature of Buddha. Dharma: Dharma books and talks are valuable, but the true Dharma is appeared through our life and our practice. When the noble Eightfold Path and the Nembutsu are practiced, the living Dharma is there. Sangha: Sangha is the fourfold community of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, as well as the other elements that support our practice. Even if we have a deep appreciation for the practice, it can be difficult to continue without the support or friends. When members of a Sangha live in harmony, their Sangha is holy. When you build a Sangha that has joy and peace, youll see the element of holiness there. Sangha is the door through which we enter the heart of the Buddha and the Dharma.
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The Three Jewels are related each other. When you make peace with another member of your Sangha, you are looking after the Buddha. The Dharma cannot exist without followers. Each Jewel contains the other two. This can be realized in every moment of our life.
Photo: Buddha @Lahaina JM

MAHALO
Thank you to those who came for general clean-up of the Temple, including the Columbarium or Nokotsudo on December 11, 2011. Your hard work and dedication to the Temple are deeply appreciated.
Above are the Childrens Malama Choir singing songs in Japanese and English. Below are the Sunday School and the hard working General Cleanup workers about to have a pizza lunch!

Thank you to Childrens Malama Choir for their performance before Santas appearance at the Sunday School Christmas Party. Thank you to Sunday School for inviting everyone to their Christmas Party and sharing their visit with Santa.

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Bits of Knowledge of Buddhism

Vol.10 Who is O-Jizo-sama? (Reprint from Sept 2011)
By Rev. Yasushiro Watanabe 1020119 Vol.10 Who is O-Jizo-sama? You can see a statue of Ksitigarbha (Jizo) by the gate of Jodo Mission. He is one of the most popular Bodhisattvas, and the number of his statues is the largest in Japan. Most people feel a closeness to Jizo, fondly calling him O-Jizo-san or O-Jizo-sama. Who is Jizo? Why is O-Jizo-sama so popular? Originally, Jizo is believed to be the guardian of the earth. He protects all beings in the world from the time Sakyamuni Buddha passed away until Maitreya (Miroku) will appear to become the next Buddha. Jizo has been worshiped as a great leader for Buddhists during Buddhas absence. Most Jizo figures have a bald head and wear plain garments just like a Buddhist monk. They always smile gently. They often hold a jewel in their left hand and a long staff in their right hand. These characteristics show that Jizo walks anywhere and fulfills peoples wishes with great compassion. In the Sutra, Jizo made an original vow to save all living
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things. Jizo also vowed not to become a Buddha until his work of salvation is done. That is to say, he has voluntarily stayed in the cycle of rebirth and worked hard to save all beings in the six destinies. O-Jizo-sama protects the weak and gives prior salvation to them. In everything, he counts himself last and puts others before him. The compassionate Jizo is a good example for Buddhist ministers and members.

O-Jizo-Sama Blessing
Through the generous donation by someone who wants to be anonymous, we now have an O-Jizo-Sama in our altar. It was placed towards the back on left side as you look to the altar. On Sunday, November 27, 2011, Rev. Narashiba blessed our new O-Jizo-Sama. THANK YOU THANK YOU for our new O-Jizo-Sama!

O-Jizo-Sama (statute outside as you enter the

Temple grounds is pictured to the right). Please notice that the statutes left hand is missing. Someone cut it off and now we need to have it repaired.

Please see Rev. Narashiba if you want to donate to this project.

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Shinnenkai New Years Party

Please join us for our New Years Party following the Annual General Membership meeting. All members and friends are invited. Come and meet your Board of Directors.
Date: Sunday, January 22 Time: 11:00 am
(after Gyoki-e service)

Ukulele by Stuart Nago

Place: Jodo Mission Social Hall

On Sunday, December 18, Stuart Nago performed a couple of songs on his ukulele after Sunday Service. Stuart will again be performing a couple of songs on his ukulele on

STAND UP EIGHT
1113 South King Street On September 1, 2011, Rev. Narashiba gave blessing to new furniture repair store Stand Up Eight. They refinish furniture, recycle furniture and accessories. Congratulations and Best Wishes on your business!

Sunday, January 15 at 10:00 a.m. after Sunday Service Please come and enjoy the ukulele music.

Fujinkai
(womens association)

January 15 at 8:30 a.m.

Ikoi Hall

Jodo Mission of Hawaii Childrens Choir Malama No Childrens Choir in January

Sunday School
We welcome children to join our Sunday School. Lets enjoy studying Onembutsu by doing various activities.
1/8/12 Family Service Refreshments Sunday School mothers will assist with ozoni refreshments 1/15/11: Sunday School plans to go on an excursionHonolulu Academy of Arts 1/22/12 at 11 a.m.: Sunday School will join New Years Party

YBA No Meeting in January

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Sewing Circle
No Sewing Circle in January

GYOKI-E CHUTOBA FORM 2012

Deadline: January 10, 2012
YOUR NAMEPHONE NAME OF DECEASED
1._________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________ 3.____________________________________________________________ 4.____________________________________________________________

One Chutoba is $ 7.00 Total of Chutoba 1 7

Total

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Order accepted by: _______________ Date accepted: _______/______/ 2012 (In person / Mail / By phone) Received by: _______________ Date paid: _______/______/ 2012 (Cash / Check # __________ ) Write_______ -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gyoki-e
(Honen Shonins Memorial Service)
Gyoki-e means the memorial service for Honen Shonin. Honen Shonin, who is a founder of Jodo Shu, passed away on January 25th, 1212. He was 80 years old. After Honen Shonin passed away, his disciples and believers started to have a memorial service for him on the 25th of every month. The biggest ceremony was held on 25th of January every year. This service was held not only locally in Kyoto but it spread all over Japan. In those days, the word Gyoki meant the anniversary of the deaths of the Emperors or their wives. The word Gyoki was such a respectable word for the Emperor's family. Three hundred years later, after Honen Shonin passed away, the Emperor Gokashiwabara mandated Jodo Shu to call the anniversary of Honen Shonins death Gyoki. Since then, people called his annual memorial service Gyoki. This occasion implied that Honen Shonin was clearly accepted and revered by the Emperor and the people. Our Gyoki-e service will be held on January 22nd at 10 a.m. Please join us. Chutoba is available for this Gyoki-e service. At this service you may also honor your deceased ancestors with a Chutoba prayer. See above Chutoba order form.

Founder of Jodo Shu :

Honen Shonin
(1133-1212) Page 9

What is Perpetual Memorial Service? (Eitaikyo)

This record of a perpetual memorial service and is called Eitaikyo in Japanese. When the date of death occurs for a person listed on this record, the ministers pray for that individual during the morning service. The prayers will continue each year for as long as Jodo Mission exists. Anyone can be included in it. You may put your own name on the list, too. This also helps when it is difficult to have memorial services. We also welcome you to attend the morning service at 8:30am.

Obituaries
The Jodo Mission of Hawaii extends its sincere condolences to the family members and loved ones of the following members who have recently left this world for the Pure Land.
Bernie Fusae Komori 88

How to apply
Stop by the office, and fill out the application form. Each name costs $200. After the application is accepted, the name will be listed on the record.

Hawaii Council of Jodo Missions Yoshimizuko of Hawaii 2012 Japan Tour April 8 to 15, 2012

Jodo Mission Office Hours: Monday to Saturday 8am5pm Sunday & Holidays 8am3pm
Phone: 949-3995

Tokyo, visit to Zojoji Temple, new song and dance to be announced and a memorial service for the victims of Eastern Japan. Kamakura, visit to Komyoji Temple, Kotokuin Temple

Anyone interested, please contact Rev. Narashiba.

Rev. Yubun Narashiba

Head Minister
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Rev. Kanjun Nakano

Resident Minister

Rev. Yasuhiro Watanabe

Resident Minister

Rev. Dwight Nakamura

Retired Minister

Perpetual Memorial Service (Eitaikyo)

For January 2012
1 Sekitaro Hirohama The Hirohama & Kawasugi Family Kenji Fujikami The Hashimoto Family The Ohara Family Haruko Ikuta Tsugio Takamatsu Family Tomomitsu Kawamura The Kawamura Family Fukuda Tokusaburos Father Hon-yo Jo-dai Shin-ji The Fukuda Family The Nakamura Family Chukichi Asamura Toyo Asamura The Masuda & Asamura Family The Yamasaki & Hara Family The Yoshizaki Family The Matsushita Family The Aoki Family The Sakuda Family The Okamura Family Stanley Satoru Morimoto 2 Richard Hichiro Kawamoto 3 Hideo Toyoshiba Yoshitaka Wada 5 Kiyo Fujikami The Fujikami Family Shizuyo Morisako Kasuke Yamane Jiro Nakamura Randall Loreg The Loreg Family 6 Kikuyo Yamasaki Eiichi Fujita Shigeharu Ohata 7 Jiro Oyabu The Oyabu & Kondo Family Kazuko Nomiyama Tetsuko Miyamoto Kama Takata 8 Matsujiro Otani (1) The Otani Family The Yanagihara Family Toshio Isoibe The Isobe Family Matsujiro Otani (2) Taketo Sumimoto (1) Juichi Uesugi Fusataro Higuchi Taketo Sumimoto (2) Kenji Miyakawa Taka Tomonari The Tomonari Family Asa Hayashi 15 Tane Nagata (1) The Nagata Family Sukeichi Kameoka The Kameoka Family Tane Nagata (2) Mildred Misako Tanimura Shizue Kimura 16 Take Shinagawa Tomojiro Fujita The Fujita Family Kenji Iwamoto Chiyoka Mizuno Seiichi Shimamoto 17 Hanayo Taniguchi Kame Okamoto Moto Kawasugi Nobuo Hayashi 18 Kiyomatsu Daitoku (1) The Daitoku Family The Kawauchi Family Katsutoshi Takada The Takada Family Kiyomatsu Daitoku (2) Itaro Kurihara The Kurihara Family Masao Ishii Shoichi Ishida 19 Tai Kawano The Kawano Family Chiyo Tomai The Tomai Family Miyo Ueno The Ueno Family 20 Shinazo Nishiguchi The Nishiguchi Family Noboru Ajimura The Ajimura Family Kiku Kimura Yuriko Nishimoto 21 Sueko Higashimura Kiku Kimura Hatsuko Hayashi The Hayashi Family Masakichi Teruya Reginald Hisao Hisamura Uichiro Ishii Kohei Umeda Matsuyo Yamamoto 12 Heiji Fukuda (1) Heiji Fukuda (2) The Fukuda Family Nagao Yamada Shokichi Harada Tadashi Yanagihara 13 Bishop Jiko Kuya Shima Morita Shizue Fujita 14 Akitaka Chikamoto The Ohta Family Genzo Yanagihara The Yanagihara Family Tsuchiyo Kimoto Miyoko Kaya The Kimura & Muroshige Family Masao Teruya Takeo Yamane Shimo Hatanaka Hiroshi Furuya Tsuneko Shintaku Koichi Ronald Namihira 22 Masae Tanimura Konoshin Kimura Fukukichi Tatei 23 Shokichi Fukumoto The Fukumoto Family Takeo Yoshihara The Yoshihara Family The Tanaka Family Jiro Kiyama Ralph Toshiaki Hashimoto Terry Kazuo Yorimoto 24 Heikichi Isobe The Isobe Family Machi Yokoyama The Yokoyama & Morita Family Toranosuke Kinoshita Tane Kinoshita The Kinoshita Family Tsune Aoki George Masao Tanaka Helen Katsuko Ito 25 Taka Fukuda The Fukuda Family Saiichi Hyodo Joseph Yoshihiko Fujihana Sadako Oki Teruko Mamiya The Sato Omura Family 26 Take Arita The Arita Family Haruo Nakamura The Nakamura Family Kimio Yagi The Yagi Family Sueyoshi Yanagihara Yoshi Yamamoto Chester Takeo Kaita 27 Seiichi Fujimoto The Fujimoto Family Takeshi Sato Charles Shoichi Kimura Hiroko Nakano 28 Yoshie Sato The Sato & Suzuki Family Sae Higashimura The Higashimura Family Tome Yamanaka The Yamanaka Family Chizuko Saeki Sadamu Iwamoto Yooko Fujimoto 29 Tomo Isobe Hana Kinoshita The Kinoshita Family Jisaburo Kanemoto The Kanemoto & Miyamoto Family Kansuke Shintani Fusao Taniguchi Ralph Hitoshi Tanaka Toshito Fukuda 30 Kumaichi Tomonari The Tomonari Family Tsunejiro Kawasaki The Kawasaki & Nakagawa Family Ine Yoshizaki The Yoshizaki Family Tomota Kakehashi Masao Kume Akio Matsuda Kiyoshi Kamimura Barbara Okimoto 31 You Kawamura The Kawamura Family Shizuko Aoyama Kaname Yamanaka Takeo Tanaka Shigeno Ohara

10 Hiroko Yoza The Yoza Family Kami Higa The Higa Family Bishop Ninryo Nago The Nago & Kunimoto Family 11 Tokoe Imaguchi The Imaguchi Family

8:30am Morning Service Everyday

Phone: 949-3995

January 2012
Jodo Mission of Hawaii

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1
**3:15 pm Jodo Shu hour

10:00 NEW YEAR SERVICE

8 11 12
Deadline to Order Chutoba

10:00am Family Service

10

13

14

11:45 am Board Meeting

15

16

17

18

19
**3:15 pm Jodo Shu hour

20

21

8:30am Fujinkai Mtg.

10:00 Sunday Service

22

10am Gyoki-e Service (Honen Shonins Memorial Service) And General Membership Meeting

23

24

25

26

27

28

11am New Years Party in Social Hall

29

30

31
**Jodo Shu Hour Radio K-ZOO (AM1210Khz, Japanese station)

10:00 Sunday Service

COMING EVENTS: February 12, 2012 Nehan-e Family Service Feb. 26, 2012 Fujinkai General Membership Meeting and New Years Party

March 18, 2012 O-Higan Service April 1, 2012 Otoba Order Forms