Newsletter of September 2007
September Calendar
September 2 (Sun)
9:00 a.m. Fujinakai Meeting
10:00 a.m. Monthly Kito Service
Sunday School Activity
September 4 (Tue)
10:00 a.m. Avalon Care Center Visitation
September 9 (Sun)
10:00 a.m. Combined Service
11:00 a.m. Directors’ Meeting
September 11 (Tue)
10:00 a.m. Island Nursing Home Visitation
September 12 (Wed)
7:00 p.m. The First Dharma Circle
September 16 (Sun)
10:00 a.m. Autumn Higan Service
September 18 (Tue)
10:00 a.m. Liliha Health Care Visitation
September 23 (Sun)
9:00 a.m. Sunday School Meeting
10:00 a.m. Shodaigyo Service
September 25 (Tue)
9:00 a.m. Newsletter mailing
September 30 (Sun)
9:30 a.m. General Planning Meeting
*Morning Services will be held every Sunday from 6:30 a.m.
New Dharma Circle
Starts on Sept. 12
A new gathering called
"Dharma Circle" will start from Wednesday, September 12, 2007 from 7:00 p.m. at
the Nichiren Mission. Anyone who is interested in is welcome to attend the Dharma Circle.
We are planning to hold this meeting on the first Wednesday of every month.
During the first 4 sessions, we are planning to hold a candle light
shodaigyo practice in the darkness for 20 minutes. Then, we will have discussions on how
we can apply the Buddha Dharma to our daily lives. In the future, we would like to try
something new such as chanting the Lotus Sutra in English.
Please attend this new gathering as well as regular Sunday services.
Rev. Imai will be in charge of the Dharma Circle. If you have any questions or you would
like to know in more of detail, please call Rev. Imai at 595-3517 or send your e-mail to
nichiren@hawaiiantel.net.
The first gathering will start on the anniversary day as our founder,
Nichiren Shonin’s Tatsunokuchi Incident. According to our founder’s writing,
Nichiren Shonin thought in his mind that he died at the incident and after that, his new
soul was born which meant that his belief in the Buddha Shakyamuni and the Lotus Sutra
became much stronger than before, and became firmly confident with the best teaching of
the Buddha, the Lotus Sutra.
Let us be reborn as better Buddhists by attending the new gathering and
learn the Buddha Dharma together.
Tatsunokuchi Incident on
September 12, 1271 in Japan - Our founder Nichiren Shonin was about to be
assasinated by some governent people who were holding grudge against him at Tatsunokuchi
beach in Kamakura 736 years ago. According to the legend, when he was about to be
beheaded, a lightening flashed on the sword and assasinators were so scared that they
couldn’t kill him.
What you can do for the
Mission as a bodhisattva ’s practice
The General Planning Meeting was held on
July 29, 2007. 16 people attended and discussed on the future of the Nichiren Mission: how
we can have the mission more active and improve the membership. As a result of the
discussion, they decided to make recommendations to the Board Meeting of the Nichiren
Mission.
1. Use of Social Hall Policy
2. Maintenance and cleaning with backup help
3. Membership drive and outreach
4. One fundraiser/activity for our members to increase membership, such
as Bingo & Udon event
5. Shodaigyo/Dharma Group - one night of the week
6. Public activity where the public is invited to increase membership
(Oeshiki, Blow Hole chanting)
Therefore, the new gathering of the Dharma Circle has been planned by
ministers to make the No. 5 recommendation happen in advance.
By now, what we need the most is No.2. of maintenance and cleaning with
back up help. If you are willing to participate in the maintenance and cleaning of the
Mission, below is the list.
1. Clean up temple and office buildingson Saturday morning.
2. Yardwork on Wednesday and Saturday morning
3. Helping flower arrangement on Saturday morning
Volunteers are also needed for
1. MC for Sunday services
2. Singing gathas at Sunday services
3. Offering the ride for elderly on Sunday morning
If you think you can help, please let us know by calling at 595-3517 or
send your email to nichiren@hawaiiantel.net. You don’t have to commit to helping
every week, even once a month will be a great help. Whenever you have time, if you could
help, it would be appreciated and it would be a good practice as a Buddhist for yourself.
Please kokua!
NOTICE BOARD
Second General Planning Meeting
The Second General Planning Meeting will be held on Sunday, September
30, 2007 to hold discusssion about the future of the Nichiren Mission. Members are welcome
to attend the meeting. If you have any suggestions, opinions, or something that you want
to discuss with other members, please attend the meeting. It will begin at 9:30 a.m. on
Sunday, July 29 through 2:00 p.m. Lunch will be served.
Notice From Fujinkai
The ladies of Nichiren-shu Fujinkai will participate in the City &
County Mayor’s Cultural Fair on Saturday, November 10, 2007. Fujinkai is requesting
your help and donations of handmade craft items, baked goods, patch work, small plants,
and pickeled items. Due to the Board of Health restrictions, bentos and sushi will not be
sold. Please see Mrs. Aoki with any questions. Thank you.
Bishop Goes to Japan
Bishop Ogawa will be in Japan from Sept. 8 through 14 to attend a kick
off ceremony of the new campaign for Nichiren Shu at Minobusan Kuonji Temple sponsored by
the Nichiren Shu Headquarters.
One Point Buddhism
Kaigen (opening eye service)
Whenever you have a new Buddhist altar fitting,
Kaigen (opening eye service) should be held to put the soul in it by prayer. If the soul
is put in them, their eyes are opened. That is why it is called opening eye service. The
objects of Buddhist altar fittings are Mandala Gohonzon, image or statue of Buddhas and
Nichiren Shonin, tablets, graves and so on. It is said that the first Kaigen service in
Japan was held to huge statue of the Buddha in 752 A.D. at the Todaiji Temple in Nara,
Japan. The service has been continuing since then. (Rev. Nagayoshi)
The Editor ’s Notes
The Nichiren Mission has a beautiful pond and garden. There used to be many members who
did yard work to take care of them. Many have passed away. Now, Mr. Asao Yagi and Mr.
Ronald Kan are the only people who are taking over the will of the deceased and taking
care of them. I also started to do yard work. Then, I have come to like it. I am always
talking to the lotuses, carps, birds and trees. Why don’t you join us if you have
time? You’ll feel good for sure. (Rev. Imai) |