The Hawaii Federation of BWAs will be hosting the 18th World Buddhist Women’s Convention on September 11-12, 2027 at the Hawaii Convention Center. The selected theme is “Live Peace, Live Aloha, Live as One in the Nembutsu .” About 2,500 delegates, ministers, spouses, volunteers, etc. from Japan, South America, Canada, mainland US and Hawaii plan to attend.
The Steering Committee led by Linda Nagai (Convention Chair), Rev. Blayne Higa (Minister Adviser), Bishop Toshiyuki Umitani (Honorary Adviser) and Yoshiko Umitani (BWA Honorary President) has been meeting via zoom. While this is not a perfect system, we gather in this manner since members of the group live on different islands and represent different United BWA districts. We thank the BWA members who have already joined the various planning committees and welcome others to join. See your United President for more details. (September 2024)
At the 17th World Buddhist Women’s Convention in Kyoto Japan (May 2023), Hawaii Federation BWA President Linda Nagai invited the attendees gathered, to come to Hawaii in 2027 for the 18th World BWC. The site will be at the Hawaii Convention Center on September 11-12, 2027. Urakata Lady Ruzumi Ohtani was most gracious in accepting the invitation while Outgoing HHMH Bishop Eric Matsumoto and Incoming HHMH Bishop Toshiyuki Umitani received the WBWC flag from the previous Japan hosts. See flyer attachment. SAVE THE DATE
Note: In the near future a dedicated site will be posted for news and updates about the 18th WBWC.
It was only three days after the solemn Investiture and festive Welcome Luncheon for Bishop Toshiyuki Umitani as our 17th Bishop of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, that the Maui Wildfire blew up in unimaginable force (August 8). Today the historic Lahaina town, along with Lahaina Hongwanji and many of their members’ homes and businesses are in ruins and we mourn the loss of lives including those who are still missing. We are grateful for the outpouring of support for the survivors who face the enormous task to rebuild their lives. Along with many other social agencies, the HHMH has established several ways that you can help, so go to their website at https://hongwanjihawaii.com Namu Amida Butsu.
Linda Nagai, President states “The Hawaii Federation of BWAs guided by the all Encompassing Wisdom and Compassion of Amida stands with Lahaina Hongwani and the Lahaina community with hands extended to support their relief and recovery efforts.”
Sharon Higa, President of Maui United BWA shares: “Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today”. Thich Nhat Hanh
“As I speak to our Lahaina Hongwanji’s members, I see hope. They share heartbreaking stories of their Lahaina fire experiences. For the most part, they seem to be coping well. Their resilience stems from Amida Buddha’s guidance and compassion. Our Maui temples have been helping our Lahaina temple members by giving them a place to gather, whether for spiritual or social healing. Individually we are supporting our families as their needs arise. We are all a link in Amida Buddha’s golden chain of love.”
“I am safe”, “I am fine.” Those three little words made a huge difference to the friends of Sharon Nohara (HFBWA Secretary). We worried about Sharon since she lives in Lahaina, Maui and had met full force the wildfires fueled by strong winds of Hurricane Dora so many miles away. Linda Nagai, Hawaii Federation of BWAs president first learned from Sharon on August 9th, a short reply to her text that she lost her home’s roof and evacuated to her Father-in-Laws place, some 9 miles north of Lahaina.
Her Japan trip (May 7-21) roommate, Susan Morishige of Moiliili heard next. “My husband is at a rehab facility (in Wailuku). The subdivision that I live at is in the highest area of Lahainaluna Road. The fire bypassed us and went down the hill and engulfed all the houses below me. I think only 4 members’ houses survived the fire. Everyone’s houses were burned as well as our temple…”
Picture of Sharon (on right) with Jean Heselden of Makawao, and Susan during breakfast on Japan trip.
I have known Sharon for many years since we are both involved with the HFBWAs. I contacted Sharon’s daughter, Jessica who lives on Oahu. She encouraged me to text her mother directly. So on August 21 (13 days later), I wrote a simple message to Sharon, “How are you faring? Can I get something for you?” Sharon’s text reply of 700 words was overwhelming. Again it began with “I am fine” and ended with “Please thank everyone for their concern and sympathy. I am grateful that my house was saved, and I have my health. I have so much more than the hundreds who have suffered tremendous loss. In Gratitude, Sharon”
In her message, Sharon basically shares her perspective as a survivor who remained in the west Maui area while the majority evacuated to central Maui (Kahului & Wailuku). Since then, I have shared her message with close to 40 friends. Email me if you wish to see her entire text. Dhigashi46@hawaii.rr.com
Led by HFBWA President Linda Nagai and 1st VP Claire Tamamoto, Hawaii BWA members and guests will meet their counterparts from the Buddhist Churches of America, and Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada, South America and Japan at the Kyoto International Conference Center on May 11-12, 2023.
As an attendee, here are some items needing your attention. CONTACT YOUR UNIT OR UNITED BWA PRESIDENT FOR DETAILS.
Convention Registration fee – $200 – contact your Unit/United BWA President (deadline Feb. 3, 2023)
Convention Program – TBD
Uniform – BWA Purple Polo shirt (similar to previous one) – $25.00 – Oct. 31, 2022 deadline to order
Lei Making (added to convention Uniform) – TBD
Entertainment – New Buddhist Women’s Pledge (singing/ukulele playing/American sign language) sign up if interested in participating
Montoshikisho – optional; designed by Japan BWA; available at HHMH HQ Bookstore; $45 (a reduced cost is being offered through your temple or BWA Unit – $40.50) click here for design on new montoshikisho
Five Nights Stay in Kyoto (RT air (Honolulu to Osaka); transportation to/from airport to hotel, to/from hotel to Honzan and convention site; Designated hotel; some meals, etc.) – Kintetsu Hawaii (should be confirmed already)
The one-and-a-half-day convention follows our participation at the Hongwanji Founder’s Hall (Honzan) on May 10, 2023 as part of the Joint Celebration.
Please join us when Maui United BWA hosts the State Conference on April 23-24, 2022. The format will be virtual only, using Zoom, due to concerns about COVID and variants. The theme is “Building Healthy Sanghas—Connecting with Others.” Two keynote speakers will be featured: Deidre Tegarden, Maui, “Connecting with Others” and Janet Umezu, California, “Diversity and Acceptance.” The business meeting will be conducted by the Hawaii Federation of BWAs’ President in preparation for the 17th World Buddhist Women’s Convention to be held in Kyoto, Japan on May 11-12, 2023.
NOTE: As of January 9, 2022, the Maui committee formally adopted a change in the format of the 2022 Membership Conference. The conference will be in virtual format only, via Zoom. The registration cost is $100 per person. If you have not previously registered, please use the form above with a deadline of January 31, 2022. If you have already registered, you do not need to do more.
Deadline for requesting a refund of prepaid Maui Beach Hotel reservation is January 23, 2022. If you need additional information, please contact Sharon Nohara at sharon.nohara@gmail.com.
Talk for BWA World Convention
Panel, “Live the Nembutsu”
Carol Valentine, Hawaii
September 1, 2019
Carol Valentine was the Hawaii overseas district panelist for a “Live the Nembutsu” panel at the 16th World Buddhist Women’s Convention in San Francisco.
Good morning everyone. A special greeting to our honored guests, His Eminence Gomonshu Kojun Ohtani and Lady Ohtani, Bishop Umezu, Bishop Matsumoto, Bishop Aoki and Bishop Kajiwara. A special thank you to the BWA presidents and members who have traveled far to attend this wonderful convention.
My instructions were to reflect and share how I live the Nembutsu. I asked myself “Why did they choose me?” My first response was that it makes sense since I talk a lot. My second response was “But I really am imperfect, surely not the one to be a model for others.” Then I realized that is just right. I am a foolish being so I can speak from the experience of foolishness. I am a work in progress.
Then the difficult part started –working on my talk. As I have read, “We can enjoy Nembutsu, anytime and anywhere in our daily living. Let us listen to the Dharma so that we can live a full life in Nembutsu.” The Nembutsu should reflect real life, our everyday lives, which to me is “Living the Dharma.” After all, Buddhism is not in a book; we are living it as fellow travelers along life’s path. Yes, we are embraced by the Nembutsu, but we also have an obligation to our fellow travelers.
As I started to put my thoughts together I thought of something one of the former presidents of the United States, the late George H.W. Bush, shared in an interview when asked about a plaque he always had on his desk. I am going to paraphrase what was written, which is that we should share the Dharma every day and use words when necessary. Those few words are powerful and seemed to me to be so very appropriate for my talk.
As the theme of our convention says, we need to Live the Nembutsu, Live the Dharma. How many times have we heard those words “Live the Dharma?” But what do those words really mean; what do those words actually say to us? Are they only words we say? What does it mean we do? How do we show our beautiful faith to others in a way they will understand, especially those who may know nothing of who we are as Jodo Shinshu followers?
Rev. Dr. Mark Unno has visited Kauai and I remember his words, “Don’t just recite the details, live the concepts.” He also said, “The real teaching is the living Dharma; small gestures with sincerity, humility and generosity.” To say it simply, it is not only about “talking the talk” but also about “walking the walk.” I believe that our practice is not just something we do; it should also be who we are.
There are so many teachings that it can almost be overwhelming. To simplify the task, I asked myself “How do we show the Dharma in our lives?” With apologies to the ministers, I believe that “Living the Dharma” is not about being the best we can be at chanting or doing gassho perfectly. It is not about how well we sing or offer incense. It must go beyond rituals, beyond Sunday service and be a part of our lives every single day, to include how we treat others and how we handle adversity whether we are with our sangha on a Sunday, with strangers on a Wednesday or with our families every day. We should be a living breathing advertisement for Buddhism every moment of our lives. Others may not know we are Buddhists, but they will know we cared.
In striving to “Live the Dharma” and to simplify the task, I like to think of four qualities I think are important to practice as a Buddhist. I know that I fall short, usually on a daily basis since I am a foolish being. But then, I am not a monk and I cannot practice in isolation. I must live within this life I am given with all of its stresses, decisions, disappointments, obstacles and of course, joy.
Those four qualities are Gratitude, Kindness, Compassion and Interdependence. Let me elaborate on each one and the simple notions I try to incorporate into my life.
Gratitude
We know what gratitude is but often in our busy and hectic lives, we forget to practice gratitude, forget to say a simple “thank you.” So, say “thank you” every day. It’s really that simple. Say thank you even to those who are doing their job. Remember to thank the wait staff in the restaurant, the store clerk, the gate agent at the airport, the pharmacist, the barista at Starbucks. You know what I am saying. Gratitude is showing kindness.
Remember to also say “please” because it shows our gratitude to those we are asking for help.
We can, and should be, grateful every day. Need some ideas? Feel grateful for:
Your first cup of coffee in the morning.
Finding your car keys.
Laughter.
Having a place to live.
Electricity.
Your family, even though they may no longer be with you.
By the way, science has found that grateful people are happier, less depressed, less stressed, and more satisfied with their lives and social relationships. Doesn’t that sound nice?
Kindness
To me, kindness means to do the right thing, just to do the right thing, without promise of a reward.
Ideas for kindness:
Don’t gossip. Remember that gossip is like slicing open a feather pillow in the wind. There is no way to take back all of the feathers you have set loose.
Hold a door for the person behind you; hold a hand if someone needs help.
Choose your words carefully. Use kind and gentle words as the “Golden Chain” reminds us.
Smile. You may be the first smile someone has seen all day.
Apologize when appropriate.
Give a sincere compliment to someone you know or even to someone you don’t know. Like the shoes of the person behind you? Tell them that.
Let me share a personal story to highlight the importance of gratitude and kindness. In my life as an educator I worked with many challenging students, especially in middle school. One such student came back to me two years after being in my class. He apologized to me for how he had behaved in my class and thanked me for helping him learn. He touched my heart and I have never forgotten the gift his words gave to me more than twenty years ago.
Compassion
One definition of compassion is this one: “The feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.” If we can help others, then we should. After all, didn’t Buddha want to help alleviate suffering?
Compassion helps us to focus on others to create a greater feeling of interdependence with all around us.
Need ideas for practicing compassion?
Listen more than you talk; listen with your ears and with your heart. Sometimes listening is all that is needed.
Lose the need to be right; let go of control. Choose to be kind over being right.
Make people feel comfortable if they ask for help.
It is ok to disagree with others or tell them “No.” Just do it with compassion.
Good news, compassion acts like preventative medicine for many of our afflictions. The greater our compassion, the more peace we will experience.
Interdependence
This concept may be the most difficult because it seems like such a large, global notion. If we break it down into smaller units, it becomes more manageable.
Let me use a quote from Rev. Koshin Ogui, former Bishop of BCA. “I realize my life is possible only because of others’ sacrifices, thoughtfulness and patience. What I can do for others in return is my good question.” That is interdependence; others help us so we help others. Like the phrase says, “Pay it forward.”
We no longer live in a world where we depend only on ourselves. Everything we touch was touched by many other hands before we had a chance to receive it. Silently thank the hundreds of people who make your life possible.
Ideas? Here are a few:
Recycle, every chance you get.
Clean up your own mess; throw away your own trash.
Share an umbrella with someone else when it is raining.
Admit when you are wrong.
Share that last cookie.
As we know, nothing exists in isolation. This talk is a perfect example. I have used the words of many others who say so eloquently what I think and feel. Without the words of others, I would not have been able to create my talk. To those whose words I have used and not named, including Gomonshu Sama, Bishop Eric Matsumoto, Rev. Mieko Majima and Pieper Toyama, thank you. And from my home temple, thank you to Lynne, Edith and my husband Wayne for suggestions and support.
In closing, a reminder for me, the foolish person. I know that Amida Buddha is always there with me and for me. He is with me and he will wait for me at my finish line, no matter how many detours I may take or bumpy roads I choose to travel. As we have heard, the Nembutsu is not my call to the Buddha; but the Nembutsu is the Buddha calling me.
Thank you for this time.
Please join me with your hands together in reverence. Namo Amida Butsu
A primary purpose of the BWA is to support the propagation of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism throughout the world. To implement this purpose, our World Federation of BWAs is proposing to establish a Jodo Shinshu teaching position at the BCA’s Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkely, California. IBS has been vital in spreading Jodo Shinshu not only in the Americas (North and South), but also in Hawaii, Canada, Europe, and Japan, etc.
The GOAL is to raise three (3) million dollars with the interest earned yearly to be used to fund the teaching position of an instructor. This position will be named for two individuals close to our hearts – The Eshin-ni and Kakushin-ni Endowed Chair for Jodo Shinshu Studies.
Each Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple worldwide is being asked to support this project and the Hawaii Federation of BWAs is in favor of it. Each temple’s goal is approximately $300. The BWAs in Hawaii will spearhead this fundraising effort with all donations earmarked as coming from the entire temple membership. Deadline is December 31, 2018.
Thanks to the hard work of many individuals, we have met Hawaii’s goal of $11,000. As of January 15, 2019, we have raised $14,631 from 21 Temple and BWA groups. Additional thanks goes to the Dharma School Teachers of Oahu and the Hawaii District Ministers Association. If your temple/BWA missed the deadline and would still like to participate in this worthwhile project, contact your United BWA President for more information.
Images of Kakushinni, left, and Eshinni, right, at Hawaii Betsuin.
We want to make sure you aware of these two significant opportunities to connect with extended Jodo Shinshu sangha.
HHMH Joint Conference
One is the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii’s first Joint Conference at the Ala Moana hotel in Honolulu from September 1 – 3, 2018. The conference will include the Lay Convention, the BWA Convention, the Minister’s Spouses’ organization, Jr. YBA, and Dharma School. Groups will hold their major conferences, and workshops will be open to everyone.
The theme of the conference is “Embrace Change – Harmony (Accept Differences)” and our keynote speaker will be Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin, a national leader in the fight for civil rights. For more information, including registration details, please see our Joint Conference event page.
BWA World Convention
The 2019 World Federation Jodo Shinshu Hongwaji-ha Buddhist Women’s Associations Convention will take place Labor Day weekend, 2019 (August 30 – September 1, 2019) at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis Hotel. The theme is “Live the Nembutsu.” For more information, including an overview letter and a video, please see wbwconvention.org. We’ll also post more to our event page for the convention as the date gets closer.
