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Hawaii Buddhist Council's 2021 Virtual Bodhi Day Service

Happy Bodhi Day! The Hawaii Buddhist Council presented its 2021 Virtual Bodhi Day Service on Sunday, December 5, 2021. The theme was: "What is Bodhi?” and includes a One Minute Dharma Talk Challenge by 16 ministers for 16 minutes. WBT’s Rev. Bert Sumikawa is one of the 16 ministers in the challenge.

Service Program (Service was pre-recorded at the Jodo Mission of Hawaii)

  • 00:36 Opening Remarks

  • 01:09 Welcome Messages by Bishops of HBC temples

  • 03:02 Ministers' Entering

  • 04:02 Offering of Incense by Representatives of Each sect

  • 09:24 Vandana Ti-Sarana led by Bishop Kosen Ishikawa

  • 12:14 Sutra Chanting led by Rev. Takaaki Tanabe

  • 19:23 Egan

  • 19:46 Dedication of Merit for All

  • 20:15 Message by Rev. Eshin Matsumoto of Palolo Kwannon Temple

  • 21:15 Introduction of One Minute Dharma Talk

  • 22:09 HBC President's Message by Bishop Kosen Ishikawa

  • 24:53 Rev. Shingo Furusawa of Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin

  • 25:58 Rev. Hirosato Yoshida of Soto Mission of Hawaii

  • 26:55 Bishop Shokai Kanai of Nichiren Mission of Hawaii

  • 27:16 Rev. Kohtoku Hirao of Koyasan Shingon Mission of Hawaii (Waimea Shingon Mission)

  • 28:19 Rev. Ryodo Ishida of Tendai Mission of Hawaii

  • 29:16 Rev. Sol Kalu of Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii Betsuin

  • 30:48 Rev. Daido Baba of Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii HQ

  • 31:51 Rev. Takayuki Meguro of Koysan Shingon Mission of Hawaii (Lahaina Shingon Mission)

  • 32:56 Bishop Eric Matsumoto of Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii

  • 34:13 Bishop Kenjun Kawawata of Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii

  • 36:10 Rev. Akiko Okada of Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii

  • 37:14 Rev. Steve Toyoshima of Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii

  • 38:36 Rev. Mariko Nishiyama of Pearl City Hongwanji Mission

  • 39:35 Rev. Bert Sumikawa of Windward Hongwanji Mission

  • 40:42 Bishop Kosen Ishikawa of Jodo Mission of Hawaii

  • 41:41 Junen / Ten Times Recitation of Nenbutsu

  • 42:19 Entreating Buddhas to return to their lands

  • 44:25 Closing Remarks

Online Obon Service

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Virtual Obon Service for Sunday, August 16, 2020 with Rev. Dr. Bert Sumikawa at Windward Buddhist Temple. We are pleased to announce that WBT will be posting recorded services to YouTube and our website beginning in August. Today's service includes:

0:00 Ringing of the Kansho

2:04 Welcome

2:56 San Bu Jo

7:07 Sutra: Sanbutsuge (page 46 in the red service book)

15:09 Recitation: The Creed - I (page 4 in the red service book)

16:17 Dharma Talk: Rev. Dr. Bert Sumikawa

32:55 Gatha: "Obon, Obon, It's Festival Day" performed by Rev. Harry Gyokyo Bridge

34:38 Nembutsu (page 107 in the Praises of the Buddha book)

This year we had to cancel the Bon Dance which also served as one of the major fundraising events for WBT. We hope that you will consider a donation to WBT in August to commemorate Obon. Please mail your donation to:

Windward Buddhist Temple

268-A Kuulei Road

Kailua, HI 96734

Online Dharma Service with Lay Speaker by Jennifer Kane

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Online Dharma Service for Sunday, August 9, 2020 lead by Rev. Bert Sumikawa and with Dharma Talk by Jennifer Kane at Windward Buddhist Temple. Today's service includes:

  • Vandana & Ti-Sarana (page 7 in the red service book)

  • Sutra: Gassho to Amida (page 123 in the red service book)

  • Recitation: Shinshu Pledge - II (page 6 in the red service book)

  • Dharma Talk: Jennifer Kane

  • Gatha: "Splendor of an Evening Sky" by the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin Choir

  • Nembutsu (page 107 in the Praises of the Buddha book)

Online Dharma Service

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Online Dharma Service for Sunday, August 2, 2020 by Rev. Bert Sumikawa. We are pleased to announce that WBT will be posting recorded services to YouTube and our website beginning in August. Service will include:

  • Vandana & Ti-Sarana (page 7 in the red service book)

  • Sutra: Verses Reaffirming the Vows (page 117 in the red service book)

  • Recitation: Golden Chain of Love (page 126 in the red service book)

  • Gatha: "Flying Free" by the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin Choir

  • Nembutsu (page 107 in the Praises of the Buddha book)

Nirvana Day & Pet Memorial Service

Rev. Sol Kalu

Rev. Sol Kalu, Associate Minister at Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, was our guest speaker for today’s Nirvana Day Service. Nirvana Day commemorates the death of the Buddha and his achievement of Parinirvana, or complete Nirvana.

Watch Rev. Kalu’s educational and informative Dharma Talk about the Buddha’s final days prior to achieving Nirvana below or on our YouTube channel.

Pet Memorial Service

We also held our first pet memorial service at Windward Buddhist Temple. At the beginning of the service, Rev. Sumikawa and Rev. Kalu chanted the Sanbujo. Families were called up individually to offer incense as the names of their departed pets were called.

Hoonko Service

Today we observed Hoonko, the memorial service for Jodo Shinshu founder Shinran Shonin. Our guest speaker for our Hoonko Service was Rev. Ryoso Toshima.

Rev. Toshima served as a resident minister at various temples around the state including Hanapepe Hongwanji (Kauai), Honokaa Hongwanji (Big Island), and Waipahu Hongwanji. Following that, he came to the Honpa Hongwanji Betsuin and served as the Rimban (head minister) for many years.

Watch Rev. Toshima’s Hoonko Dharma Talk below.

Jyo-ya no Kane Kansho Ringing

After our last Sunday service for 2019, we rang the kansho (temple bell) to welcome the New Year 2020. Jyo-ya no Kane (除夜の鐘) is the Japanese tradition of ringing the temple bell 108 times on New Year's Eve.

Sunday Family Service

Our guest speaker for the last Sunday service of the year was Katsumi Takemoto. Katsumi shared her Dharma Talk, “Taking the Time to Tune in One Sound Through Breath in Buddhahood” and she and Rev. Sumikawa performed a meditation accompanied by the shakuhachi.

Bodhi Day Service

We held our Bodhi Day service today, celebrating the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha under the Bodhi tree.. Rev. Bert Sumikawa gave us a special Bodhi Day Dharma Talk. After the service, we enjoyed a sweet rice porridge, just as the Buddha was offered.

Watch Rev. Sumikawa’s Dharma Talk by clicking on the video below.

Eitaikyo Service & Remembrance Day

Our guest speaker for our Eitaikyo Service was Rev. David Fujimoto. Rev. Fujimoto is the resident minister of Mililani Hongwanji. The Eitaikyo Service is a time to remember all the members who came before us and their many contributions that have allowed us to continue spreading the dharma today.

Watch Rev. Fujimoto’s Eitaikyo Dharma Talk on our YouTube channel below.