buddhist church of oakland busshinn japan, there is an interesting practice of performing memo-rial...

BUSSHIN NOVEMBER 2014 B U D D H I S T C H U R C H O F O A K L A N D

B U S S H I N NOVEMBER 2014

Volume 57 Number 11

Minister’s Message 1

Message from our 1-2President

Buddhist Education News 2

Jr. YBA News 3

Ashland Howakai 3

BCO Library: 4Check It Out!

Coming Soon 4

Halloween Party 2014 4

Newsroom OBWA 4

December Busshin 4Deadline Information

Holiday Greetings Form 5

Dharma School News 6

2014 November Shotsuki 7 Memorial Service

New Year’s Omochi Form 8

Calendar 9-10

Japanese Section 11-13

IN THIS ISSUE

In Japan, there is an interesting practice of performing memo-

rial services for inanimate objects. Perhaps the two most well known are for needles (hari kuyo) and dolls (ningyo kuyo), though in recent years many objects, including CDs and computers, have memorial ser-vices performed for them once they become broken or worn out.

In a similar vein, I heard a story recently from someone who saw a program about the closing of the Tokyo National Stadium in prepa-ration for the 2020 Olympics. He said that they interviewed people attending the last concert held there, and they all expressed their gratitude to the stadium. The only quote I could fi nd was from one of the musicians who performed at the concert. He said, “We want to perform with a feeling of gratitude

for the long history of emotions of this stadium, but also carrying dreams for the future being born now.”

In our throwaway society of planned obsolescence, there is a lesson to be learned here. As we approach the holidays beginning with Thanksgiving, let us try and be mindful and appreciative of ev-erything we have, both animate and inanimate. Our families, our friends, our ancestors, our pets, our community, our smart phones, our cars, our houses – they all en-able us to live, so let’s express our gratitude and take advantage of the opportunities we have been given.

“Diffi cult is it to be born into human life – now we are living it.”

In gassho, Rev. Harry Gyokyo Bridge

Gratitude to both Animateand InanimateBY REV. HARRY GYOKYO BRIDGE

What an exciting month Sep-tember was! I had the plea-

sure of introducing 8 new mem-bers to our church at the Fall Ohigan Service. We are so lucky that these individuals chose our church to join. If you weren’t there, I’d like to introduce them to you:

Shimeko Franklin and her son, Kentaro. They have lived in the Sacramento and Monterey areas and attended the Monterey Penin-sula Buddhist Temple in Seaside. Shimeko attends BCO because of the values she wishes to instill in Continued on Page 2

Message from our PresidentBY LINDA MINAMOTO

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BUSSHIN NOVEMBER 2014

Message from The PresidentContinued from Front Page

her son as well as keeping Japanese traditions and culture alive; Mar-garet Hasegawa is from the Salinas area. She moved here to be closer to family after being widowed. She was very active at the Buddhist Temple of Salinas. She has not been able to attend service very often be-cause she is still settling in; Paul and Michiyo LeBerge fi rst came to BCO as spectators at our Obon Festival last year. This year they came to our Obon dance practices, danced at Obon, and also started attending our Wednesday Evening Dharma Service. As an added bo-nus, Michiyo is an “expert” sushi roller and helped at Obon; Tokiko Ide Noricks lives in Las Vegas and attended BCO as a child. Her sis-ters are members of BCO and To-kiko feels a connection to BCO, so she decided to become a member. She often travels to Oakland for our Nikkoland Festival; Stacy Um-ezu needs no introduction. She is Bishop Umezu’s middle daughter. She attended BCO until she moved away for college and work. We are happy to have her back in the Bay

Area; Bill Yamazaki-LaRue is our unoffi cial photographer. You may have noticed him taking candid pictures throughout the year. Bill was a professional photographer. I hope that you get the opportunity to meet and welcome these new members.

Reverend Bridge is using one of the Eightfold Noble Path as the focus of his Dharma Talk each month. In September, he fo-cused on “effort.” My goal was to put more effort into performing my responsibilities as President. I wanted to draft my monthly Board agenda and write my Busshin arti-cle on time. Unfortunately, I failed on both accounts; both were late. However, Buddhism has taught me that I am not a bad person for not succeeding; that it is diffi cult and I have to keep trying. Rest assured that I will use all of my effort to try to help my team win BCO’s golf tournament which will have taken place by the time you read this.

In Gassho,Linda Minamoto

Sunday, November 9th, 10:00 a.m.Eitaikyo Perpetual Memorial Service. Join us in expressing our appreciation to those who have passed on before us. We are fortunate to have the op-portunity to listen to the Bud-dha Dharma because of their efforts to sustain the temple and sangha. We chant the sutras with the hope that the temple will continue to exist perpetually and that the Bud-dha Dharma will be transmit-ted to future generations.

Wednesday, November 12th,7:00-8:30 p.m.Evening Dharma Service and Discussion with Reverend Harry Gyokyo Bridge. Join us for an evening of chant-ing, meditation, incense of-fering, and discussion. The evening concludes with light refreshments. Free and open to the public, adults and young adults interested in Buddhism are welcome.

Please note: No Saturday Dhar-ma Study Class this month

Buddhist Education News BY GAYLE NOGUCHI

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Ashland Howakai held its Ohi-gan service on September 21st,

followed by otoki. The Service was conducted by Reverend Bridge who also provided piano accompaniment! It was nice to see new attendees: Pam, Gordy, Lauren, Diana, Mikey, Sharon and Nancy. We thank the following for contributions;Mrs. MaryAnn HamasakiMrs. Toshiye HasegawaMrs. HigashiMrs. Pam HondaMr. Gordy IdeM/M Don KaneshigeM/M Curt KawabataM/M Gary KawabataMs. Lauren KawabataMrs. Robbin KawabataMrs. Yo KawabataMrs. Ruby KuritsuboM/M Shig NaitoMrs. Sharon NakamuraMrs. Nancy NobunneMs. Denise NomuraMrs. Jean NomuraMrs. Tami NomuraMrs. Sylvia NomuraMrs. Diana SandovalMr. Jerry SakamotoMrs. Jane TsushimaM/M James TsuruiMrs. Dorothy YanagiM/M James YokomizoM/M Shichiro YokomizoMr. Steve Yokomizo

In gassho,Curt Kawabata

Ashland HowakaiBY CURT KAWABATA

Hello everyone! Last month, the new 2014-15 Oakland Jr. YBA cabinet was sworn in. The positions are fi lled as follows: Brittany

Nakamura and Kiyomi Nomura: Co-Presidents, Erika Medina: Recording Secretary, Casey Yamamura: Treasurer, Abby Linger: Historian, Rachel Hirota: Religious Chair, Kelsey Hirota: Publicity Chair, Mia Lee: Corre-sponding Secretary, Mika Taga: Bay District Representative. We hope to have a great year together and have lots of fun!

To fi ll you in on we have done so far, over the summer we attended a CC Jr. YBA Volleyball Mixer in Fresno, where we met other YBA members of different churches all around Central California, while getting to have fun and play volleyball. This month, we had a Spaghetti Fundraiser on the 19th, chaired by Casey and Rachel. Thank you to all those who helped prepare the food and bought spaghetti to help fund the YBA! Also, we hosted our annual Halloween Haunted House, which was a great success. Special thanks to Mr. Medina, Mr. Nakamura, Mr. Yamamura, Mr. No-mura, and Mr. Neishi for chaperoning overnight and all others for helping out as well.

In November, we will be heading back over to Central California on the 7-9th to attend the CC Jr. YBA Conference, where we will be getting to know other young Buddhists and attending workshops to learn more about Buddhism. We will be previewing our Bodhi Day skit there, so stay tuned for that. We will also be fi lling in as teaching assistants for the Dhar-ma School on the 16th.

Jr. YBA NewsBY KELSEY HIROTA

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Newsroom OBWABY KAREN HASHIMOTO

OBWA gratefully acknowl-edges donations from:

Maya Murashima Obon donation in memory of James MurashimaJensen and Lianne Wong for Ryan’s and Kyle’s graduation giftsEvelyn Yoshisato Family in memory of fi rst year memorial

As part of our Hoppo-Fukuoka Exchange, four ladies from Japan attended the FBWA Conference in Irvine, Califor-nia, on October 10 to 12. They visited the Oakland Temple on October 15.

Takako Endo, Sachi Mat-sui, and Kay Suda were visited by Rev. Harry, Mika Bridge, Jean Nakazono, and Gloria Fujimoto on September 24.

Our annual Bonenkai is planned for Sunday, December 7. We will have a greeting card and craft sale on that day. For information, contact Carol Thunen or Patti Hisaoka.

New to our BCO Library is “Secrecy’s Power: Covert Shin Buddhists in Japan and Contradictions of Concealment” by Clark Chilson.

A fascinating study by Chilson of the histories, doctrines, and practices of some covert Shin Buddhist groups which continue to exist even today, meeting secretly on secluded mountains, in homes, and in the backrooms of stores. He also discusses the dilemma of secrecy: in order to protect the true, ultimate teachings of Shinran, they must be concealed, and yet, in order to survive, the teachings must be revealed and transmitted. Chilson concludes his study by clarifying some of the answers his work provides and by posing some questions yet to be answered.

BCO Library: check it out! BY GAYLE NOGUCHI

Coming Soon…

Did you know it takes a village to support a temple? Things are chang-ing. Get ready. Next year we’ll be putting a new Toban structure in

place. We hope you will be willing to participate. We all want the temple to continue to provide everyone with spiritual guidance, so we will all have to pitch in!

Watch for details in the coming months.

DEADLINE FOR DECEMBER 2014 BUSSHIN ARTICLES: NOVEMBER 1ST

Articles submitted after this date may not be printed.

Send articles to Joyce Yokomizo: email: [email protected] or fax: (415) 970-0810. You can also send articles to the church offi ce.

BUSSHIN COLLATION: Sunday, November 16th, 2014 by OBWA

Halloween Party

October 26, 2014 Right after Family Dharma Service

Games, lunch, haunted house

Come in your favorite costumes

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HOLIDAY GREETINGS 2014-2015

年始挨拶を交換しましょう 2 0 1 5年の親春も近ずいていまいりました。当仏教会では仏心新年号で恒例の年始挨拶交換をいたします。申し込み欄に年賀の挨拶の言葉を書き入れ、十一月十七日（月）までに仏教会事務所にお届けください。写真（白黒）も入れることができます。これに対するお礼はご懇志として仏教会にお納めくださるようお願い申し上げます。

合掌オークランド仏教会年始交換員会

門信徒の皆様へ Your church is now beginning preparations of the 2014-15 "Holiday Greetings" in which we are given the opportunity to extend our personal greetings to all our friends and church family members. As in the past, the purpose of the holiday greetings is to assist you in extending your holiday wishes to your church family during the holiday season. Utilizing this church service does not detract from the spirit of the individual cards you would be sending. Your message may be in any shape or form -- long or short as you please. If you desire, a clear black and white photo of your family and/or pet(s) may be included. Of course, photos will have to be cut and/or reduced or enlarged in order to utilize the available space. If you would like to advertise your business, send in your business card... BUT ABOVE ALL, BE SURE TO SIGN YOUR NAME(S). Won't you join us in this church family project? Please fill out the form below and mail it back to the church by no later than MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014. This will give the committee ample time to organize, finalize, print and collate the issue and mail it in time for the New Year. MAIL TO: BUDDHIST CHURCH OF OAKLAND 825 JACKSON STREET OAKLAND, CA 94607-4723 ATTN: HOLIDAY GREETINGS With Gassho, Holiday Greetings Committee = = = = = = = = = cut here = = = = = = = = = "HOLIDAY GREETINGS 2014-15" MESSAGE: ENCLOSURE: (please check) __ PHOTO __ BUSINESSCARD DANA: $ __________ NAMES

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Thank you all for a great start for the new school year. September

was really jam packed with activi-ties!!

We had a great Hot Dog lunch on September 7th thanks to your won-derful volunteers who cooked and who set up tables: Gloria Fujimoto, David Hirota, Patti Hisaoka, Gary Lawrence, Robert Noguchi, Ron Nomura, June Nomura, Valerie Otsuka, Jon Takagaki, Linda Tak-agaki, Gary Tominaga, and Norm Yoshida. Thank you, too, to

Ron Fujii who donated the yummy watermelon and grapes.

Our excursion to Great America happened on a perfect day! Not too hot, not too cold, not too many oth-er folks there to compete with us for rides!!

We are focusing on the Eight Fold Noble Path this school year. So every month, we will empha-size a particular component. This month’s focus was on Right Ef-fort. And Dharma School families

certainly demonstrated Right Effort in cleaning up the Issei Kaikan and our classrooms. Thank you so much – no more dust!! Our picture shows the Dharma School families resting after a whirlwind clean of the class-rooms. We also commemorated the Right Effort of the BCA Bishops in the Bishops Memorial Service on September 28. Through their efforts over the last hundred plus years, the Dharma has spread so that today, we can hear the Dharma.

The focus for October will be Right Conduct. We want to conduct our lives truthfully and compas-sionately. Come to service and Rev. Bridge will tell us more about it!

Don’t forget our Halloween Party on October 26th. We’ll have games, including the popular donut bites, and a great lunch!

Thank you to our very generous donors:

David Hirota and Katie San-bongi ; Mrs. Fusae Yoshida.

Happy Birthday to our students born in October: Kentaro Franklin-Ewing, Mia Li, Brittany Nakamura,

Cameron Owoc, Josh Takeuchi, James Toyofuku. We wish you all the best!!

Dharma School News...BY MAYA LAWRENCE

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2014 November Shotsuki Memorial ServiceService: Sunday, November 2, 2014 at 10:45 a.m.Sermon by Rev. Harry Gyokyo Bridge

Family and friends are invited to attend this monthly memorial service for those listed below. If any errors appear in the list below, please notify the church offi ce at (510) 832-5988 at your earliest convenience. For next month’s Shotsuki Service, please see the December calendar.

Mr. Isaburo AdachiMr. Shikanosuke AjariMrs. Tomoye Aoki-JohnsonMrs. Fumiye EndoMrs. Nao EndoMr. Katsumi FujiiMrs. Yuki FujiiMrs. Nancy Louie FujikawaMrs. Shitoyo FujinamiMiss Chieko FurutaMr. Larry FurutaMrs. Sumiye Hiramoto GluckMr. Rihachi GotoMrs. Katsu HaradaMrs. Miyako HatakeyamaMr. Tom HayashidaMrs. Judie Hirabayashi – 17th yearMr. Mitsuru HiraiMr. Mamoru HirotaMr. Masakichi HirotaMrs. Kikuno HondaMr. Tokuno HondaMrs. Kotshi HoriMr. Masaru IdeMr. Leo Ryotaro IkedaMr. Akira KanagakiMrs. Chiyo KanekoMr. Haruto KanekoMrs. Miharu KanekoMrs. Ida KanesakiMr. Hyosuke KawahataMrs. Harue Kihara – 13th yearMr. Gunichi KimuraMrs. Seki KomodaMr. Kiyoshi KuritsuboMr. Torasaburo MasudaMr. Vernon MatsuiMrs. Grace MisakiMrs. Tori MisumiMr. Chikamitsu MitsudaMr. Hanzo Miyazaki

Mr. Kikuo MizuharaMr. Ichihei MizusakiMr. George MoriMr. Jotaro MoriMr. Ray Yoshiro MorishitaMr. Rokuzo MorishitaMr. William MuranishiMr. Katsutaro NagaoMiss Tokie NajimaMrs. Mitsuko NakagawaMr. Roy NakagawaMr. Shotaro NakamuraMr. Saichi NakaoMr. Utaka NakaoMrs. Tomiko NakataniMrs. Hideko NakazonoMr. Akira NarasakiMr. Yoshio NegiMrs. Yuriko NiizawaMrs. Shizuko NishioMrs. Chiyono NomiyamaMr. Fukuju NomiyamaMrs. Masano NomiyamaMrs. Matsuno NomiyamaMr. Mitsuru NomiyamaMr. Chiyomatsu NomuraMr. Fred NomuraMiss Irene NomuraMrs. Masae NomuraMr. Genkichi OgiMr. Kansuke OgiMrs. Mine Ogi – 17th yearMr. Shingo OgiharaMr. Jitsuo OharaMr. Keisaburo OkaMr. Kiyoshi OkemotoMr. Yoshitaka OnikiMr. Katsujiro OnizukaMrs. Kusue SaikaMrs. Hiroko Sakamoto

Mrs. Su’e SakamotoMr. Masaji SatoMr. Yoshimatsu SetaBaby ShibataMr. Harry ShibataMr. Gene SiuMr. Torataro SumimotoMr. Kenji SuyetsuguMrs. Sumi TajiriMrs. Kazumi TakahashiMr. Fukutaro TakashimaMrs. Nakae TakashimaMr. Kazuma TakataMr. Shinobu TakeshimaMrs. Sumiko TakeshimaMr. Hideo TamoriMr. Ben Tamura – 1st yearMr. Ichijiro TanakaMr. Shizuo TanakaMrs. Ren TanakaMrs. Tameyo Tanaka – 13th yearMr. Takeso TaniguchiMrs. Tora TaniguchiMrs. Kasumi TojiMrs. Mary TonaiMr. Genjuro TsujimotoMr. Yoshikusu TsujimotoMrs. Konoye UtsurogiMr. Tom UtsurogiMr. Sho WakabayashiMr. Sam WataharaMr. Goichiro WatanabeMrs. Tokiye WatanabeMs. Susan WongMrs. Akiye YamabeMrs. Koito YamamotoMr. Kaoru YamamotoMrs. Yoshi YamaokaMrs. Tsuru YamashitaMrs. Clara YokoyamaGrandmother Yoshioka

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New Year’s Omochi The traditional New Year’s Omochi will be prepared by the Buddhist Church of Oakland on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014 from 7:00 a.m. The Omochi is being offered to members and the public on a donation basis as listed on the order form below. For procurement of the necessary ingredients, Please turn in your order form by DECEMBER 8th. We will no longer be accepting orders past the deadline. LAST MINUTE REQUESTS on the day of mochi tsuki will not be filled until all pre-orders have been filled. In order for the marketing and packaging crew to accurately fill your order, an order form has been provided for you below. Please note that there is a space for you to note the approximate desired pick-up time. Also, a space has been provided for the name of the individual who will be picking up your order. It is requested that orders be picked up between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Members are urged to invite supporters, where this form is not sent, to place orders with the church at (510) 832-5988. Office hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday.

* * * * * CUT HERE * * * * *

ORDER FORM Buddhist Church of Oakland

825 Jackson Street, Oakland, CA 94607-4723 DATE _________________________

NAME __________________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS _____________________________________________________ CITY ____________________

TELEPHONE _____________________________

I will pick-up my order at ________ p.m. My order will be picked-up by _________________________________

DESCRIPTION UNIT UNIT PRICE QTY Ordered $ AMOUNT

NOSHI MOCHI PC $8.00 (3 lbs.) ___________ _________________

KAGAMI MOCHI (large 1 lbs.) SET $4.50 ___________ _________________

KAGAMI MOCHI (small lbs.) SET $3.00 ___________ _________________

KOMOCHI LB $3.50 ___________ _________________

ANKO MOCHI LB $4.50 ___________ _________________

PLEASE SEND TOTAL AMOUNT TO OFFICE WITH THIS FORM. TOTAL AMOUNT __________________

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~ November 2014 ~

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Busshin Articles Due Gakuen Issei Kaikan,

9:00-12:00 pm

2 OBWA Meeting 9:00-10:00 am

Family Dharma Service 10:00-10:45 am

Shotsuki Memorial &

Adult Dharma Service 10:45-11:30 am

3 Line Dancing, Social Hall, 1:00-2:30 pm

Karaoke, Social Hall, 7:30-9:30 pm

4

5 Board of Directors Meeting, Small Chapel, 7:00 pm

6 Momijikai, Small Chapel 10:00 am-2:00 pm

Gakuen (Adult) Issei Kaikan, 6:30-8:30

7

8 Gakuen

Issei Kaikan, 9:00-12:00 pm

Youth Club Coach’s Meeting – Social Hall 12:30-3:30 p.m.

Ikebana Issei Kaikan, 2:00-4:00 pm

Central California Jr. YBA Conference – Fresno Bay District Ministers’

Seminar – San Mateo

9 Eitaikyo Service 10:00-11:30 am Refreshments–Toban B 11:30-1:00 pm

Youth Club Uniform Dist.-Issei Kaikan 9:30-11:30 a.m.

10 Wanto Shodo Kai Issei Kaikan, 10 am-12 Noon


11 EBYAL Issei Kaikan, 7:00-9:00 pm

12 Evening Dharma Service & Discussion, 7:00-8:30 pm

13 Gakuen (Adult) Issei Kaikan, 6:30-8:30 Concord Howakai

7:00-8:30 pm

14

15 Gakuen Issei Kaikan, 9:00-12:00 pm

16 Family Dharma Service

10:00-10:45 am Dharma Chat 10:45-11:30 am

Busshin Collation- OBWA

E-Waste Drive Begins Ashland Howakai 5:00-6:30pm

17 Karaoke, Social Hall,

7:30-9:30 pm

18 Oakland Fukuoka

Sister City Association General Meeting Issei Kaikan, 7:00-9:00

pm

19

20 Momijikai,

Small Chapel 10:00 am-2:00 pm

Gakuen (Adult)

Issei Kaikan, 6:30-8:30 Business Committee Meeting, Small Chapel

7:00-9:00 pm

21

22 Gakuen


23 Family Dharma Service 10:00-10:45 am Dharma Chat

10:45-11:30 am

24 Wanto Shodo Kai Issei Kaikan, 10 am-12 Noon


25

26

27 Thanksgiving Day (Office Closed)

28 Office Closed

29 No Gakuen

30

Family Dharma Service 10:00-10:45 am

Dharma Chat 10:45-11:30 am

E-Waste Drive Ends

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~ December 2014 ~

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Busshin Articles Due

Line Dancing, Social Hall, 1:00-2:30 pm


2

3 Board of Directors

Meeting, Small Chapel, 7:00 pm

4 Momijikai, Small

Chapel 10:00 am-2:00 pm


5

6 Gakuen


7 OBWA Meeting 9:00-10:00 am Bodhi Day Service

10:00-11:00

Shotsuki Memorial & Adult Dharma Service

11:00-11:45 am

OBWA Bonenkai Social Hall

12:00-1:00 pm

8

9 EBYAL Issei Kaikan, 7:00-9:00 pm

10 Evening Dharma Service & Discussion, 7:00-8:30 pm

11 Gakuen (Adult) Issei Kaikan, 6:30-8:30

12 Youth Club Set-up for Mochisuki


Anko Prep Social Hall/main Kitchen 9:00-12:00 pm

Ikebana Social Hall, 2:00-4:00 pm

14 Mochitsuki 6:00 am-6:00 pm

Busshin Collation-Youth Club

15

16 Oakland Fukuoka Sister City Association General Meeting Issei Kaikan, 7:00-9:00

pm

17

18 Momijikai, Small Chapel 10:00 am-2:00 pm


19


21 No Service

22

23

24

25 Christmas Day (Office Closed)

26

27 No Gakuen

28 Temple Clean-up 9:00-11:30 am

29

30

31 New Year’s Eve Service, 8:00-9:00 pm

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buddhist church of oakland busshinn japan, there is an interesting practice of performing memo-rial...

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