| June Newsletter - Nichiren Mission of
Hawaii -
June Calendar
June 3 (Sun.)
9:00 a.m. Fujinkai Meeting at the
Mission
10:00 a.m. Monthly Kito Serivce
June 5 (Tue.)
10:00 a.m. Visitation at the
Avalon Care Center in Kalihi
June 10 (Sun.)
10:00 a.m. Seishoko Matsu &
Senshi-e Service
11:00 a.m. Directors’ Meeting
June 17 (Sun.)
9:00 a.m. Sunday School Meeting
10:00 a.m. Shodaigyo Service
June 19 (Tue.)
10:00 a.m. Visitation at Liliha Health
Care
10:30 a.m Visitation at Island Nursing
Home
June 23 (Sat.)
9:00 a.m. Pond Clean Up & B-B-Q
Party
June 24 (Sun.)
8:30 a.m. Mid-Year Clean Up
June 26 (Tue.)
9:00 a.m. Newsletter mailing
*Morning Services will be held on every
Sunday from 6:30 a.m.
"One should erect towers and offer
alms."
in the Lotus Sutra Ch. XXI
The meaning of "Toba Kuyo"
You must have seen a tower shaped thin
bamboo plate with the Odaimoku written on it, like the one illustrated here, at the Obon
service. That is called a "TOBA" in Japanese. In India, they call it
"STUPA" which means the tower. The Chinese copied the sound as
"SOTTOBA," and when it was brought to Japan , they called it a "TOBA."
When historical Buddha Shakyamuni went into
Nirvana (passed away), it is said that his ashes were dispersed to 84,000 places all over
India and Buddhist people erected towers as a reminder of Buddha’s virtues. Since
then, Buddhists have been making offerings of towers, namely TOBA for the Buddha and the
deceased.
It is also said in the Lotus Sutra Chapter
twenty-one that we, Buddhists, should erect towers and offer alms for the Buddha.
These are the reasons for toba offerings at
the Obon service. We encourage you to offer tobas to the Buddha, your ancestors and anyone
else you would like to honor. Application forms for toba offerings for the deceased and
lantern for dedication to those who have passed away since the last Obon are attached to
this newsletter. Please fill out and bring, fax or e-mail your application to the mission by
July 8, 2007. The lantern ceremony (Shinbon Service) will be held on Saturday, July
14, 2007 from 7:00 p.m. and the Obon Service including the TOBA KUYO will be held on
Sunday, July 15, 2007 from 10:00 a.m.
Notice board
Pond Clean Up & Mid-Year Clean Up
Beautiful lotus flowers have just started
to bloom recently in the pond of the mission. We need your help to clean up the pond on
Saturday, June 23 for the upcoming O-bon service. We’re planning to have a BBQ party
after the clean up. We welcome anyone who can come out and help. Let’s work hard and
have a great BBQ party afterwards. On June 24th, Sunday, we will have our mid-year clean
up at the mission as usual. Please come out to help make our temple shine!
THANK YOU
Thanks to all of the parents and
grandparents who took the time to attend the Kishimojin Service and remain for the
Children’s Day activities on Sunday, May 6, 2007, we had a great turn out. Sixteen
children attended the luncheon with their families and enjoyed the lunch, games and
fellowship.
Sunday School wishes to acknowledge the
help of all the parents and Fujinkai members who helped to make the event a success. We
could not have succeeded without your participation and support. We also thank Mrs. Jeanne
Hieda for her donation of garlic chicken and noodles, Mr. Keith Nagai for the boxes of
Nestle candy bars, and Mrs. Sachiko Aoki and Mrs. Chiyoko Yamada for their monetary gifts.
Thank you everyone for your help and generosity. Sunday School
Information From Nichiren-shu Japan
Nichiren-shu Japan is planning to hold the
annual International Youth Leader Retreat from July 24 to 27 of this year in Minobu and
Kyoto. If you are interested in the retreat, please ask ministers of the mission. The
details are below.
Date: July 24 to 27, 2007
Requirement: Nichiren Buddhist youth leader from 16 to 30 years old.
Application: Contacting the
ministers of the mission
Deadline: June 15, 2007
Program: Buddhist practices, visiting historical temples, discussion about faith,
international friendship exchange, etc. |