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November 2014 The Newsletter of Mililani Hongwanji Volume 37 Issue No.11

1 Sat 9:00 AM BWA Ehimemaru Service & Clean-Up (9 am: Carpool at Temple)

2 Sun 9:00 AM Joint Memorial & Family Service (BWA Meeting After Service)

4 Tue 8 AM-12N Flower Arrangement Class (Temple)

7 Fri 7:30 PM Meditation (Temple)

9 Sun 9:00 AM Family Service & Dharma School

12 Wed 7:30 PM Kyodan Board Meeting

15 Sat 8:30/10 AM BWA Hosha Group 5/Hospital Visitation

16 Sun 9:00 AM Family Service & Dharma School

18 Tue 8 AM--12N Flower Arrangement Class (Temple)

20 Thu 9:00 AM Lotus Connection (Card Making in Temple)

22 Sat 7:00 AM No-Host Kyodan Breakfast at Zippy's: All Welcome

22 Sat 8:00 AM Adopt-A-Highway Clean-Up

23 Sun 9:00 AM Eitaikyo Service/Keirokai

23 Sun 1:00 PM Oahu District Lay Association Meeting at Waipahu Hongwanji

27 Thu 9:00 AM Thanksgiving Day Service

30 Sun 9:00 AM Family Service & Dharma School

30 Sun 1--3 PM BWA Sponsored HANAFUDA Program--Open To The Public

3 Wed 6:00 PM BWA Dinner Meeting (Temple)

5 Fri 7:30 PM Meditation (Temple)

7 Sun 9:00 AM

HI Buddhist Council Bodhi Day Service, Nichiren Temple 33 Pulelehua Way , Honolulu (No Service at Mililani)

9 Tue 8 AM-12N Flower Arrangement Class (Temple)

10 Wed 7:00 PM Kyodan Board "Dinner" Meeting

13 Sat 8:30 AM BWA Hosha Group 6

14 Sun 9:00 AM Joint Memorial & Family Service (Annual General Membership Mtg)

21 Sun 9:00 AM Annual Temple Clean-Up w/Short Service

23 Tue 8 AM-12N Flower Arrangement Class (Temple)

27 Sat 7:00 AM No-Host Kyodan Breakfast at Zippy's: All Welcome

28 Sun 9:00 AM Family Service

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President’s Corner In November we will kick-off our social concerns drive and observe our Eitaikyo/Keirokai service. We will also have a wonderful opportunity to see “Peace On Your Wings”, an original youth musical by Ohana Arts, with perfor-mances on November 20-22, 2014 at Leeward Community College Theater. In December we will participate with the Hawaii Buddhist Council and attend the Bodhi Day (Jodo-E) Service at the Nichiren Mission of Hawaii (33 Pulelehua Way, Honolulu). We will also have our General Membership meeting and our annual temple clean-up. I know that you are busy with your personal and/or family affairs and I would like to express my appreciation to the members of our Sangha for your time and effort that you have given to Mililani Hongwanji, to the Oahu District, and the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii.

While I encourage you to attend all our events, please plan to attend the General Membership meeting and elections after the Joint Memorial and Family Service on Sunday, De-cember 14, 2014. The nomination committee members have been working hard to fill the various posi-tions, but there are vacancies. All pledging (gojikai) members are eligible to run for office. Nominations for all positions (officers, directors, and advisors) will be accepted from the floor at the meeting. The 2015 theme and slogan for Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii is “Embrace Change – Awareness (Seek Opportu-nities)”. The future of Mililani Hongwanji is in your hands so please consider serving for a position on the 2015 Board of Directors. Change is inevitable and we need our valued input as we seek opportunities.

Tis the season to be grateful, generous, and humble. In this season we are selfish, greedy, and arrogant. More often, we attribute these less attractive human characteristics to others, while incidentally assigning them to ourselves. These traits emerge like a bad case of acne; the more we hide it, the more it shows. And yet, we fail to take note of our behav-ior and attitude. Especially during the Thanksgiving season (and not just a day), we can stop to read from the translation of the Larger Sutra. In this passage, Shakyamuni The Buddhist teachings are expressed and made real through conversations that the Buddha shared with his disci-ples. In the Buddha’s first teaching, he shared his content of his enlightenment. He taught that in this life, we undergo a range of experiences. We experience joy and happiness. We

want our lives to be filled with joy and happiness. We experience pain and suffering. We want our lives to be free from pain and suffering. And he said further that we suffer when we do not get what we want or desire. And that we suffer when we get what we do not want. Such is the common human condition. We may be hard to please, yet at the same time, we are so easy to please. We need to merely succumb to our ego-self. We are deaf to our ego speech that comes forth as asser-tiveness that is masked in proud self identity. How often in our lives are we free of complaints and criticism? At the same time, when we are ever grateful for the conditions that bring forth our complaints and criticisms? Fortunately or unfortunately, we are rather fleeting manifestations of virtue. We turn it off and on with self satisfaction. Throughout the holiday season, we will have numerous opportunities of manifesting the vir-tues of generosity, gratitude, and humility. Take a holiday from selfishness, greed, and arrogance.

Dean Sakamoto

Reverend Jan Youth

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Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii HEADQUARTERS UPDATE

Choralfest 2014!

Under the direction of Choral Conductor Nola Nahulu, Choralfest 2014 was a truly memorable experience for the 12 dedicated members of the Mililani Hongwanji Choir. With 60 members from Japan and over 90 members from Maui, Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii, this international group of Hongwanji singers produced magical gathas!

Many thanks to the Hawaii Kyodan Music Committee and Gail Taira who prepared the Mililani choir for this event. A shining light for Mililani Hongwanji is that one of the five gathas performed was “Buddha’s Great Light”, written by Carrie Kawa-moto and arranged by Jennifer Taira! What a glorious sound from 150 voices! “Buddha’s Great Light” has such a deep mean-ing and can be our theme song that we can sing proudly wherever we go! In fact, 16 BWA members sang it at lunch at Alonzo’s Restaurant after they completed their C.A.R.E. Day project in September!

The Sangha looks forward to the next Choralfest and congratulates the participants Karen Oda, Ethel Kawahara, Sharon Kaneko, Patsy Hiyakumoto, Diane Yoza, Margaret Tanabe, Rene Mansho, Lynette Watanabe, Clifford Togo, War-ren Hahn, Dennis Kawamoto, and Mamoru Kawahara for a job well done. The Mililani Hongwanji Choir currently has about 16 members and welcomes anyone who enjoys singing. Omedeto and Hana Hou!

Election 2015 for Mililani Hongwanji Slate of Officers

The following individuals have agreed to serve as an officer or directors for 2015. They will make decisions that are in the best interest of the Sangha. Some offices will need to be filled and individuals may be nominated at the Annual General Meeting and elections on Sunday, December 14, 2014 following the worship service.

OFFICE NAME

PRESIDENT OPEN

IMMEDIATE PAST PRES. BOB ASATO

VICE-PRESIDENT OPEN

SECRETARY ROGER BABCOCK

TREASURER OPEN

AUDITOR TWILA CASTELLUCI

AUDITOR MAS NISHIMOTO

ADVISOR RICHARD TAIRA

ADVISOR GORDON WATANABE

DIRECTOR WARREN HAHN

DIRECTOR RAIMI ISHIKAWA

DIRECTOR DENNIS OSHITA

DIRECTOR CLIFFORD TOGO

DIRECTOR (2 YRS) DENNIS KAWAMOTO

DIRECTOR (2 YRS) SHARON FREITAS

DIRECTOR (2 YRS) ERIC NONAKA

DIRECTOR (2 YRS) RENE MANSHO

Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii welcomed the newest minister, Rev. Daido Baba, from Chiba pre-fecture in Japan. After grad-uating from Ryukoku Univer-sity Graduate Course with a major of Jodo Shinshu Bud-dhism in 2010, he worked at the Honzan (our mother tem-ple in Kyoto, Japan) for three years. After orientation in October , he will be as-signed to Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin as its Associate Minister as of November 1, 2014. Rev. Baba said, “I came to Hawaii seven years ago for the first time. At that time, I was a student at Ryukoku University. After that I had various experiences such as marriage and child rearing. I could finally become a minister of Hon-pa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. I'll meet a lot of happy things and surprising things from now on. I want to enjoy Nembutsu life in Hawaii with my wife and two boys.”

Reverend Daido Baba

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BWA News for October

“What a meaningful morning it was…it brought tears to my eyes to see every client responding…in their own way,” expressed Carrie Kawamoto, who, with 15 members, partici-pated in a CARE day activity at Mililani’s Day Care Program on October 1. The clients were entertained with music, partici-pated in doing a hula, and drawing /painting pictures of beau-tiful flowers. Each client went home with a little vase filled with home grown flowers! At the 56th Annual Oahu United BWA Convention,

which was attended by 19 members at Pearl City Hongwanji

on October 4, a memorial service was held to remember

members who had passed away in the past year, including

Kiyoe Tanioka and Kameko Taira from Mililani. Installation of

officers for 2015 was also held. Officers from Mililani will be

June Asato (President), Diane Yoza (Recording Secretary), and

Joyce Ogawa (Assistant Treasurer). A guest speaker talked

about “Quilting in Japanese” and Buddhist History.

UPCOMING BWA ACTIVITES/EVENTS

Sat Nov. 1 Ehimemaru Service/Cleaning (meet 9 AM at temple to carpool) Sun Nov. 2 MONTHLY MEETING following 9 AM service Tue Nov. 11 Participate in Veteran’s Day Parade in Wahiawa. Distribute flags/folded paper cranes. Sat Nov. 15 8:30 AM…Hosha Group 5 10:00 AM…Wahiawa Hospital Visitation Sat Nov. 29 World Convention Final Registration due with Payment Sun Nov. 30 1-3 PM…Hanafuda Program to promote inter- generational participation…OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Wed Dec. 3 6 PM…ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DRIVE, DINNER MEETING at temple Sat Dec. 13 8:30 AM…Hosha Group 6 (2nd Sat. instead of

3rd)

A big mahalo to the Sangha members who attended the last quarterly Adopt-A-Highway trash pick-up community service project on Saturday, Au-gust 31st. The hard working crew picked up 18 bags of trash and the portion of Kamehameha Highway that runs through Mililani looked really clean when we were done. Thank you to the crew: Roger B., Evan B., Mike G., Aki K., Dennis K., Karl K., Mas N., Lester O., Susan O., Stan S., Gordon W., and Todd W. And thank you to the kitchen crew for making the delicious breakfast: Carrie K., Chloe O. and Lynn W. A special thank you to Roger Babcock for guiding me through all the details of taking on this project for the temple. Mark your calendars for the next Adopt-A-

Highway scheduled for Saturday, November 22, 2014.

Please sign up on sign-up sheet posted on the bulletin

board.

Tyler Oshiro, Coordinator

Evan Babcock Works for Eagle Award While some of us prepared for Hurricane Ana, Evan Babcock’s crew of 40+ adults and children worked to complete his pro-ject before the impending storm on Satur-day, October 18, 2014. For his project, Evan organized the painting of the Educational Building and striping of the parking lot. Thank you, Evan for mobilizing the families and friends of Boy Scout Troop 664 of Mililani Mauka (MTA sponsored) to help Mililani Hongwanji.

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55th Annual Honpa Hongwanji Judo Federation Tournament October 4 & 5, 2014

Mililani Hongwanji Judo Club recently participated in the annual judo tournament hosted by Puna Hongwanji Judo Club. Thirty-one judokas entered the two-day tournament that included a team and individual competitions on the beautiful Kamehameha Campus. This is a unique tournament that is only open to Hongwanji clubs, is held once a year, and involves massive amounts of team work to pull off. Sensei Dave Nishioka, who started Mililani Hongwanji Judo Club, was our very gracious host this year and did an outstanding job. Six of our eight teams took first place and 2 teams placed 2nd. Our very own Aliya Takano won the prestigious Ma-sato Kawashima Outstanding Female Competitor award for the most ippons of the tourna-ment. Win or lose, MHJC represented well with great sportsmanship, integrity and fighting spirit.

Mililani Hongwanji Judo Club

Displaying Tournament Awards

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You’re Invited . . . BWA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DINNER Mililani Hongwanji Wednesday, December 3, 2014 - 6:00 PM

Please join us for an evening of good food, good friends, and good fun! The sign up sheet will be available at our November 2nd meeting. Here’s what’s happening”

Pot luck dinner

Bring a gift wrapped $10 grab bag (voluntary)

Renew your membership - $20 annual dues

40th Anniversary Silent Auction, donations wel-comed

Holiday Dessert Recipe Contest (voluntary) - bring 5 samples for the judges and a copy of the recipe. Win a prize!

Helpers needed to set up, table decorations, fa-vors

Bring a friend, a relative, your neighbors, poten-tial member!

Let’s have fun!

For questions, contact Ethel Yamashige at 671-9186 or Doreen Sakamoto at 673-0826.

Hope to see you all there!

Island-wide Bodhi Day Service

We will join with other Buddhist temples

in worship at this shared observance. We will

charter a bus for this event. You may sign up

at the temple or call Rev. Jan if you wish to

share a ride. Following the service, we will

have a picnic lunch at a nearby park. Join us.

There will be no services at Mililani on

Dec. 7.

WHAT: Island-wide Bodhi Day Service

WHERE: Nichiren Mission of Hawaii

(33 Pulelehua Way in Nuuanu)

WHEN: December 7, 2014 @ 9:00 am

WHAT ELSE: Sign up for BUS and BENTO

(B&B)

COST: TBD for B&B

Gomi Tsuris for Sale Rene Mansho

In celebration of our up-coming 40th Anniversary, we are conducting a special fundraiser, accepting dona-tions for special, sturdy, hand –made gomi tsuri, metal dustpans. The LARGE size is $20, the smaller one called our pooper scooper, is $15, and for the set of a LARGE & SMAILL is $30. Proceeds will go towards our planned columbarium and outdoor extravaganza celebration on March 11, 2017. Please call 291-6151 or email your order to renemansho@hawaii.rr.com at your earliest convenience. When our master craftsman completes construction of the Gomi Tsuri, we will contact you for delivery. Make checks paya-ble to MILILANI HONGWANJI. NAME _________________________ ADDRESS______________________ EMAIL ________________________ LARGE____ @ $20 = $__________ SMALL____ @ $15 = $__________ SET________@ $30 = $__________

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Hanafuda Hawaii Style Free Introduction to this Game for

Children and Adults For Lessons and Practice come to

Mililani Hongwanji Sunday, November 30, 2014, 1-3PM

Hanafuda Hawaii Style Cards available for the Holidays From Mililani Hongwanji

Buddhist Women’s Association (BWA) New XL sized cards : Includes instruc-

tional aids $12 Original Boxed Set: Deck of 48 Cards, 44 page instructional booklet $20

To purchase sets or for more information: Contact : dharma.connection@gmail.com

Please join us in a First Friday Mindfulness Meditation

at 7:30-8:30 PM Mililani Hongwanji Temple

What is mindfulness practice? “keep your attention focused on the work, be alert and ready to handle ably and intelligently any situation which may arise” Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mind-fulness, p. 14. “Mindfulness is our capacity to be fully present in our own lives, to be aware of what we are doing as we are doing it. As we develop our aware-ness, an inner stillness naturally grows. We are better able to embrace the world, better able to respond wisely and lovingly. If we are not mindful, we are split, and dis-connected from the life energy that is in us and in the world.” Mitchell Ratner, Dharma Teacher, Still Water Mindfulness Practice Center If you continue this simple practice every day you will obtain some wonderful power. Before you attain it, it is something wonderful, but after you attain it, it is nothing special” Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, p. 43.

*** Our Friday evening will have a guided sitting meditation, a walking meditation and some time for dharma sharing. Ernestine Enomoto, a dharma teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, will be leading these meditations. Any-one with an interest in the practice of mindfulness is welcomed to join the sitting; no experience is necessary.

For more information, please contact Mel Hayase at 258-6192.

Jr. YBA Food Drive

Chloe Oshiro, (in pho-to), and Marisa Hayase collected lots of food and monetary dona-tions on October 19th. Donations will go to the Hawaii Foodbank. Mahalo for your gener-ous contributions.

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Mililani Hongwanji A Shin Buddhist Temple

Minister: Rev. Jan Youth, 690-7891 c Kyodan President: Dean Sakamoto Mail to: P.O. Box 893308 Mililani, HI 96789 Location: 95-257 Kaloapau Street Mililani, HI 96789 Phone: 808.625.0925 Email: dharma.connection@gmail.com mililanihongwanji.org

The Dharma Connection A Publication of the Mililani Hongwanji

Submit articles, photos, dharma reflections by the 3rd Sunday of each month for publication in the following month to

Editor: Reverend Jan Youth

Highlights of October 8, 2014 Board of Director’s Meeting

HHMH Leadership Workshop to be held at Betsuin social hall on

November 1, 8am-4pm. Storage containers in parking lot for Judo and for temple use. Board approved to establish ad hoc committee for discussion on

policy for users. Board approved the 40th Anniversary Committee to proceed with

columbarium survey to members and to participate in Mililani High School carnival Feb. 20-21, 2015.

WCCHC Adult Day Care at

Mililani Hongwanji Aloha! We would like to let everyone know that we are ac-cepting applications for Adult Day Care enrollment. Do you know anyone caring for a loved one that needs respite or help caring for their loved one throughout the day? We are welcom-ing new clients. For any interested new applicants, we are offer-ing tuition assistance. Please contact our ADC Director Trece White for more information at (808)561-2147. We are OPEN at Mililani Hale 5 Days a week Monday thru Fridays from 8am –

5pm; with early drop off available as early as 7am.

2 ways to get the Dharma Connection—the newsletter of the Mililani Hongwanji:

By snail mail—US Post Office will deliver to your mailbox.—available by request only!

(This edition is online at mililanihongwanji.org)

In your “inbox”—available by subscription only! Please forward to friends and others interested.

If you wish to receive the Dharma Connection by email, contact dharma.connection@gmail.com Spread the news to your family

members. For additional information check out our Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mililani-Hongwanji-Buddhist-Temple/114271522485

Visit us at mililanihongwanji.org