obon

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Bon Dance | Kailua 2023

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A big mahalo out to everyone who joined us in Kailua for Windward Buddhist Temple's first Bon Dance at our temple in 4 years. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves, whether it was finding treasure at the Rummage Sale, getting a tub of takuan at the Country Market, enjoying ono andagi and BBQ stick dinner plates at the food booth, cooling down with shave ice by the Junior YBAs, learning about our temple from Rev. Brennan and Rev. Sumikawa, or simply dancing the night away around the yagura.

We were amazed at not only how many came from the Windward side, but from just about all over the island to attend our Bon Dance. The Obon season truly is a time to come together as a community and celebrate those who came before us. Thank you to all!

Around the Yagura

Food Booth

Country Market & Rummage Sale

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Obon & Hatsubon Service

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Rev. Bert Sumikawa

Our annual Obon & Hastubon Service held on Sunday, July 2, 2023 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Bert Sumikawa, at Windward Buddhist Temple. Obon is a time when Buddhists remember those who have left this world before us, with gratitude for enabling us to exist and to encounter the dharma. It was also our Hatsubon Service, for families of those who passed away since the last Obon. 

The service was officiated by Rev. Sumikawa at Windward Buddhist Temple in Kailua, Hawaii. 

  • 00:00 - Opening Remarks & Program

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

    02:53 - Meditation

    03:56 - Vandana & Ti-Sarana (page 7 in the red service book)

    06:05 - San Bu Jo (page 9 in the red service book)

    10:14 - Offertory by Families for Hatsubon & Obon

    16:47 - Gatha: Obon Obon It's Festival Day (page 115 in Praises of the Buddha)

    19:27 - Dharma Talk: Rev. Bert Sumikawa

    41:43 - Gatha: Ondokusan/Gratefulness

    44:13 - The Nembutsu (page 135 in the red service book)

    46:29 - Announcements

    55:19 - July Birthdays

    57:16 - Words of Thanksgiving (page 126 in the red service book)

    58:07 - July Schedule

    58:20 - 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

July Birthdays

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Obon & Hatsubon Service

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Rev. Jan Youth & Rev. Dr. Bert Sumikawa

Obon and Hatsubon Service for Sunday, July 3, 2022 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Jan Youth at Windward Buddhist Temple. Rev. Youth's Dharma Talk focuses on the nature of Buddhism and the concept of impermanence.

This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist church service was recorded at Windward Buddhist Temple, a Shin Buddhist Temple in Kailua, Hawaii.

  • 00:00 - Opening Remarks & Program

    00:19 - Ringing of the kansho (temple bell)

    02:34 - Offering of Flowers & Light

    03:33 - Meditation

    04:35 - Vandana & Ti-Sarana (page 7 in the red service book)

    06:56 - Obon Aspiration

    10:52 - Amida-kyo, Hatsubon, & Obon

    17:58 - Gatha: Obon, Obon, It's Festival Day (II) (page 115 in Praises of the Buddha)

    20:47 - Dharma Talk: Rev. Jan Youth

    41:43 - Gatha: Ondokusan (II) / Gratefulness

    44:12 - The Nembutsu (page 107 in Praises of the Buddha)

    45:18 - Closing Aspiration

    46:16 - Announcements

    52:26 - Words of Thanksgiving

    53:18 - July Schedule

    53:37 - Support WBT with AmazonSmile

    53:46 - 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

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Online Obon Service

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Rev. Alan Urasaki & Rev. Dr. Bert Sumikawa

Rev. Alan Urasaki & Rev. Dr. Bert Sumikawa

Online Obon Service for Sunday, July 4, 2021 with Rev. Dr. Bert Sumikawa and guest speaker, Rev. Alan Urasaki, at Windward Buddhist Temple. The annual Obon Service remembers all who have come before us.

  • 00:00 - Ringing of the kansho (temple bell)

  • 02:00 - Opening Remarks & Program

  • 02:27 - Vandana & Ti-Sarana (page 7 in the red service book)

  • 04:23 - San Bu Jo

  • 08:15 - Sutra: Shoshinge (page 11 in the red service book)

  • 14:14 - Gatha: Obon, Obon, It's Festival Day

  • 16:06 - Dharma Talk: Rev. Alan Urasaki

  • 37:24 - Gatha: Homeward I Go (from "Gift of Peace")

  • 39:29 - Nembutsu (page 107 in Praises of the Buddha)

  • 40:30 - Closing Aspiration

  • 41:02 - July Schedule

  • 41:10 - Announcements

  • 42:03 - How to Donate to WBT Online

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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

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Bon Dance 2019

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The 2019 Windward Buddhist Temple Bon Dance was held on Saturday, July 13, 2019. We were fortunate to have great weather!

The food concession was a success with andagi selling out by 8:30. Mahalo to the United Jr. YBA of Honolulu for running their shave ice booth and to Mats and Betty Okamoto for donating and manning the plant sale desk.

This year we had a Country Store inside the hall that sold the in demand WBT’s takuan and several varieties of manju, chutney, bittermelon namasu, etc. Minature plants called Kokedama sold well. Gently used books and creative photo cards were also available.

Once again, beautiful, creative ikebana (flower arrangement) were on display by the Ohara School of Ikebana. Members John & Joy Nishida (JT Nish) provided the sound system and set up huge outside speakers. Live music from the Okinawan group, Aiea Taiheiji and Iwakuni groups highlighted the evening’s festivities.

Bon Dance is a large undertaking – Mahalo everyone who helped with this year's Bon Dance and also mahalo to our guests that came to patronize our concession and enjoy the music and danced the night away. See you again next year!

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Obon & Hatsubon Service

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We held our annual Obon and Hatsubon service to remember those who came before us. The Hatsubon service marks the first Obon Service for those who passed away in the last year. Obon and Hatsubon families were called up to offer incense while Rev. Sumikawa chanted a sutra. After the offering, Rev. Sumikawa gave a special Obon Dharma Talk, which can be viewed below.

Our July birthdays

Our July birthdays

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Bon Dance 2019: Building the Yagura

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Mahalo to the friends, family, and members who came out to build the yagura in preparation for our Bon Dance on Saturday, July 13, 2019.

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Obon 2018: Kailua Hongwanji Bon Dance

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Obon/Hatsubon & Remembrance Day Service

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We held our Obon, Hatsubon, and Remembrance Day service, remembering and honoring those who passed before us. For Hatsubon, the names of the members who passed in the last year were called and family members offered incense. That was followed by our Remembrance Day calling of names of those who passed in July or August of any year.

In his Obon Dharma Message, Rev. Sumikawa spoke of the history of Obon in the Jodo Shinshu tradition. Obon is a festival of memories and joy. We gather in joy, remembering all of our ancestors, without whom each of us would not exist.

If you go back 10 generations, you have 1,024 direct ancestors. Going back 20 generations, that's over 10.2 million direct ancestors. If any one of those individuals were missing, you would not exist. 

Kailua Hongwanji's Obon is on Saturday, July 28. There will be no service on July 29 (Bon Dance clean up), no services in August (summer break), and no service on September 2. Our next Family Service will be on Sunday, September 9, 2018.