Remembrance Day Service

Rev. Sol Kalu

Remembrance Dharma Service for Sunday, February 23, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Sol Kalu. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service was officiated by Rev. Kalu.

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

Nirvana Day Service

Rev. Sol Kalu

Nirvana Day Dharma Service for Sunday, February 16, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Sol Kalu. Nirvana Day marks the anniversary of the passing away of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhism service was officiated by Rev. Sol Kalu, resident minister of Windward Buddhist Temple. 

Rev. Kalu discusses the difference between Bodhi Day, when the Buddha attained enlightenment, and Nirvana Day, when we commemorate his death and his entrance into complete Nirvana.

Temple Clean Up

Dana Day & Pet Memorial Service

Cindy Alm

Dana Day and Pet Memorial Dharma Service for Sunday, February 9, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Cindy Alm from Hawaii Betsuin. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhism service was officiated by Rev. Sol Kalu, resident minister of Windward Buddhist Temple.

Dana, or selfless giving, is one of the six paramitas. Cindy shares a history of Dana Day and the Buddhist Women's Association (BWA), and a story of dana, as told by the late Pono Shim about a cup and a half of flour. As Cindy mentions, the podcast where he told the story can be found on the Greater Good Radio website.

Today was also our annual Pet Memorial Remembrance Service. Pets provide us with selfless giving with their unconditional love and companionship. A loss of a family pet is often our first encounter with mortality as children.

Bingo

Family Dharma Service

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.

Intergenerational Activity: Year of the Snake

Remembrance Day Service

Rev. Sol Kalu

Remembrance Dharma Service for Sunday, January 26, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Sol Kalu. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service was officiated by Rev. Kalu. Rev. Kalu's Dharma Talk is about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who we honor and remember in January.

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

Hoonko (Shinran's Memorial) Service

Rev. Shinkai Murakami & Rev. Sol Kalu

Hoonko (Shinran's Memorial) Service for Sunday, January 19, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Shinkai Murakami of Wailuku Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Dharma service was officiated by WBT Resident Minister, Rev. Sol Kalu.

The Hoonko Service is a special service that commemorates the death of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism founder, Shinran Shonin.

Family Dharma Service

Shirley Yanagisawa

Dharma Service for Sunday, January 12, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Shirley Yanagisawa. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service was officiated by Certified Minister Lay Assistant (CMLA) Prudence Kusano. Shirley shares the book "How to Be a Hero: From A to Z" by Lynn Daue and illustrated by John O'Neill.

The book is dedicated to Micah Nishizuka, nephew of the late U.S. Air Force Captain Reid Nishizuka. Captain Nishizuka graduated from Kailua High School, whose campus is a few miles away from WBT, and gave his life serving his country in 2013.

Bingo

New Year Dharma Service

Rev. Sol Kalu

New Year Dharma Service for Sunday, January 5, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Sol Kalu. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service was officiated by Rev. Kalu. During this time of New Year's celebrations and revelry, Rev. Kalu shares a message of "the middle way" and the power of the mind.

This was followed by an intergenerational activity, tissue art.

Tissue Art

New Year Message from President Dennis Tashiro

Aloha Everyone,

Happy New Year!

Although my current term as Windward Buddhist Temple (WBT) president is about to end, in January 2025, I will begin another two-year term as WBT president. With the Buddha and Dharma as guides and along with fellow officers, I'll continue to serve the temple Sangha.

In 2024, Rev. Sol Kalu was assigned as WBT's minister. Rev. Bert Sumikawa, although now a retired minister, continues to support WBT in different ways and assists Rev. Kalu when needed.

Sunday services are recorded and available on YouTube for viewing, often the same day. WBT's website (www.windwardbuddhistemple.org) is updated real time and has been a source of many dharma seekers who have found their way to the temple. (Google has been good to us!)

WBT is a place for members and dharma seekers, collectively the sangha, to gather, listen to the dharma, socialize and participate in activities. After Sunday Services, refreshments are available and there are activities such as intergenerational crafts and bingo games. Other activities currently offered at the temple include tai chi classes, ikebana classes, gardening classes, exercise sessions and bon fitness classes.

WBT has two adult Dharma classes, a Spring Class and a Fall-Winter Class. The classes have been led by Rev. Sumikawa, who also holds meditation sessions every Thursday.

Whereas most temples have one bon dance a year, WBT has two. In July, we held a bon dance on our temple grounds. Each October, WBT co-sponsors a bon dance at Windward Mall. Last October's Windward Mall bon dance signified our fourth annual bon dance collaboration. Both bon dances were well attended and resulted in successful fund-raising events for WBT.

In an effort to become a more integral part of the windward community, members have participated in social concerns and earth-friendly events. WBT participates in a program to provide hot meals and snacks to houseless people in the Kaila area. We also do an annual cleanup along Kuulei Road.

WBT partners with the Kiwanis providing them with a meeting place and in turn the group has helped the temple with manpower and support for many events, including bon dances. There is also an aikido club practicing at the temple twice a week.

I encourage members and friends to attend Sunday Services and/or participate in one of the temple's many activities. WBT temple greeters and leaders are ready to welcome you and share our aloha.

Mahalo to the officers & directors, ministers, CMLAs, lay speakers, greeters, emcees, refreshment teams, yard/cleaning crew, flower arrangement group, pianists, our webmaster & video recorder, service coordinator, facilities coordinator, activities coordinators, volunteers that clean inside the building, Kiwanis and those working behind the scenes to ensure the WBT experience is a pleasant one. You make it happen!

My best wishes to everyone for a 2025 of good health, peace and happiness.

Thank you once again and In Gassho,

Dennis Tashiro, WBT President