Year of the Snake

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Remembrance Day Service

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Rev. Charlene Kihara

Remembrance Dharma Service for Sunday, December 28, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Charlene Kihara of Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service was officiated by Rev. Kihara. Rev. Kihara shares a year-ending look back at moments of change (and lessons in impermanence) through the year 2025, both at Honpa Hongwanji and personally.

And as we leave the Year of the Snake and enter the Year of the Horse, Rev. Kihara shares the "Legend of the Great Race," which explains how the Zodiac animals were chosen.

After the service, we went outside and rang the temple bell, or kansho, 108 times to “ring out” the year 2025 in the Japanese tradition of Joya no Kane.

The monthly Remembrance Service is a time to honor family, friends, and even pets who passed away during the month of December, regardless of the year. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist church service was recorded at Windward Buddhist Temple, a Shin Buddhist Temple in Kailua, Hawaii.

  • 00:00 - Opening Remarks & Program

    00:25 - Ringing of the Kansho (temple bell)

    02:43 - Meditation

    03:36 - Vandana & Ti-Sarana (page 7 in the red service book)

    05:55 - San Bu Jo (page 9 in the red service book)

    08:45 - Remembrance

    16:13 - Sutra: Gassho to Amida (page 123 in the red service book)

    22:13 - Recitation: Shinshu Pledge II (page 6 in the red service book)

    23:16 - Gatha: Shinshu Anthem (page 178 in Praises of the Buddha)

    26:20 - Dharma Talk: Rev. Charlene Kihara

    41:28 - Gatha: Becoming Free (page 30 in Praises of the Buddha)

    44:17 - The Nembutsu (page 145 in Praises of the Buddha)

    46:21 - Announcements

    50:51 - Joya no Kane

    51:27 - Altar Flowers Announcement

    52:24 - Words of Thanksgiving (page 126 in the red service book)

    53:11 - January Schedule

    53:26 - How to Donate to WBT with Venmo

  • We are now able to accept secure online donations using PayPal or a credit card. Please visit our Donation page for instructions or scan the QR code in the video.Item description

  • Download the Jodo Shinshu Service Book (the "red service book"): https://tinyurl.com/GetServiceBook

Watch the Service

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Family Dharma Service

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Rev. Sol Kalu

Dharma Service for Sunday, February 2, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Sol Kalu. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service was officiated by Rev. Kalu. Rev. Kalu gave a Dharma Talk about the power of words. Right speech is important in Buddhism, so much so that it is one of the steps in the Eightfold Path.

The ability to use language enabled humans to meet and interact and has contributed to the development and continued survival of the human race. At the same time, because not everyone uses the same set of words to communicate, human language has also played a big role in wars and conflicts due to misunderstandings or deliberate distortion of words.

  • 00:00 - Opening Remarks & Program

    00:16 - Ringing of the Kansho (temple bell)

    02:52 - Meditation

    03:39 - Vandana & Ti-Sarana (page 7 in the red service book)

    05:45 - Sutra: Gassho to Amida (page 123 in the red service book)

    12:09 - Recitation: Homages (page 2 in the red service book)

    13:50 - Gatha: At Our Altar (page 22 in Praises of the Buddha)

    16:13 - Dharma Talk: Rev. Sol Kalu

    33:34 - Gatha: Splendor of an Evening Sky (page 194 in Praises of the Buddha)

    35:42 - The Nembutsu (page 145 in Praises of the Buddha)

    37:46 - Announcements

    46:07 - February Birthdays

    47:54 - Words of Thanksgiving (page 126 in the red service book)

    48:41 - February Dharma Service Schedule

    48:56 - How to Donate to WBT

  • We are now able to accept secure online donations using PayPal or a credit card. Please visit our Donation page for instructions or scan the QR code in the video.Item description

  • Download the Jodo Shinshu Service Book (the "red service book"): https://tinyurl.com/GetServiceBook

Intergenerational Activity: Year of the Snake