Hongwanji Spring Bazaar 2025

Remembrance Day Service

Rev. Sol Kalu

Remembrance Dharma Service for Sunday, March 23, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Sol Kalu. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service was officiated by Rev. Kalu. Rev. Kalu shares 8 common misunderstandings about Buddhism.

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

Spring Ohigan Dharma Service

Rev. Dr. Bert Sumikawa and Rev. Sol Kalu

Spring Ohigan Dharma Service for Sunday, March 16, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Dr. Bert Sumikawa. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service was officiated by WBT resident minister, Rev. Sol Kalu.

Rev. Sumikawa shares the significance of Spring Ohigan, which is a time for reflection and balance, and emphasizes the importance of the Six Paramitas (generosity, discipline, patience, effort, meditation, and wisdom) in achieving harmony in life.

Family Dharma Service

Dr. Michael Jaffe

Dharma Service for Sunday, March 9, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by WBT member, Dr. Michael Jaffe. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service was officiated by WBT resident minister, Rev. Sol Kalu.

Mike's Dharma Talk discusses the parallels between golf and Buddhism, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness, positive thinking, and practice. The service includes the recitation of the Junirai Sutra, a hymn written by Nagarjuna, and the Shinshu Pledge II.

Monthly Bingo

Family Dharma Service

Rev. Sol Kalu

Dharma Service for Sunday, March 2, 2025 with a Dharma Talk by Rev. Sol Kalu. This Jodo Shinshu Buddhist service was officiated by Rev. Kalu. Rev. Buddha discusses a frequently asked question about Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, "Is Buddha a God?"

Programming note: We had an issue with the primary audio recording for the service. We had to use a backup audio recording, which is not as clear. We found the problem and it should be corrected for next week's service.

Intergenerational Activity: Bubble Painting

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