Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai'i
Encyclopedia
The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii is a district of the Nishi (West) Hongwanji branch of Jodo Shinshu
Buddhism, a school of Mahayana
Pure Land
Buddhism
.
to work the sugar plantations in Hawaii
. The first Hongwanji temple in the Hawaiian islands
was dedicated on March 3, 1889. In 1897, the Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto, Japan began sending official ministers to establish temples for Japanese immigrants in Hawaii and the mainland United States. Since these early days, 36 temples have been established across the Hawaiian Islands, including the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin and the Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin. The mission operates the Hongwanji Mission School
and Pacific Buddhist Academy
.
It is administered separately from the Buddhist Churches of America
, the umbrella organization of Jodo Shinshu temples in the continental United States
. The mission headquarters is located at 1727 Pali Highway Honolulu, 21°18′57"N 157°51′7"W.
In 1976, insurance executive Paul Yamanaka went to Yoshiaki Fujitani, Bishop of the Mission, with the idea to create a program called "Living Treasures of Hawai'i
" modeled after the Living National Treasures program of Japan. The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor persons who have demonstrated excellence and high standards of achievement in their particular fields of endeavor and have made significant contributions to humanity toward a more fraternal society. Any person can nominate an individual for the award. This program has honored more than 100 community members to date.
Jodo Shinshu
, also known as Shin Buddhism, is a school of Pure Land Buddhism. It was founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Today, Shin Buddhism is considered the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan.-Shinran :...
Buddhism, a school of Mahayana
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
Pure Land
Pure land
A pure land, in Mahayana Buddhism, is the celestial realm or pure abode of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. The various traditions that focus on Pure Lands have been given the nomenclature Pure Land Buddhism. Pure lands are also evident in the literature and traditions of Taoism and Bön.The notion of 'pure...
Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
.
History
Jodo Shinshu Buddhism was established in Hawaii as a result of the immigration of Japanese peopleJapanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
to work the sugar plantations in Hawaii
Sugar plantations in Hawaii
Sugarcane was introduced to Hawaii by its first inhabitants in approximately 600 AD and was observed by Captain Cook upon arrival in the islands in 1778. Sugar quickly turned into a big business and generated rapid population growth in the islands with 337,000 people immigrating over the span of a...
. The first Hongwanji temple in the Hawaiian islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
was dedicated on March 3, 1889. In 1897, the Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto, Japan began sending official ministers to establish temples for Japanese immigrants in Hawaii and the mainland United States. Since these early days, 36 temples have been established across the Hawaiian Islands, including the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin and the Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin. The mission operates the Hongwanji Mission School
Hongwanji Mission School
Hongwanji Mission School is a private co-educational preparatory school located in Nuuanu Valley and adjacent to Downtown Honolulu...
and Pacific Buddhist Academy
Pacific Buddhist Academy
The Pacific Buddhist Academy is a private, co-educational college preparatory high school in Honolulu, Hawai'i.The school’s stated mission is "To prepare students for college through academic excellence, enrich their lives with Buddhist values, and develop their courage to nurture peace." Students...
.
It is administered separately from the Buddhist Churches of America
Buddhist Churches of America
The is the United States branch of the Honpa Hongan-ji sub-sect of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism. Jodo Shinshu is also popularly known as Shin Buddhism. The B.C.A. is one of several overseas kyodan belonging to the Nishi Hongwan-ji...
, the umbrella organization of Jodo Shinshu temples in the continental United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The mission headquarters is located at 1727 Pali Highway Honolulu, 21°18′57"N 157°51′7"W.
In 1976, insurance executive Paul Yamanaka went to Yoshiaki Fujitani, Bishop of the Mission, with the idea to create a program called "Living Treasures of Hawai'i
Living Treasures of Hawai'i
The Living Treasures of Hawaii program was created by the Buddhist temple Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai'i to honor residents of Hawaii. The criteria for selection are, "First, the designee must demonstrate continuous growth in his or her field; second, the potential Living Treasure must have...
" modeled after the Living National Treasures program of Japan. The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor persons who have demonstrated excellence and high standards of achievement in their particular fields of endeavor and have made significant contributions to humanity toward a more fraternal society. Any person can nominate an individual for the award. This program has honored more than 100 community members to date.
See also
- Byodo-In TempleByodo-In TempleThe Temple is a non-denominational Buddhist temple located on the island of O'ahu in Hawai'i at the Valley of the Temples. At 47-200 Kahekili Highway, the Byodo-In Temple is a replica of a 900-year-old Buddhist place of worship at Uji in Kyoto prefecture of Japan. Inside the Byodo-In Temple is a...
- Broken Ridge Buddhist TempleBroken Ridge Buddhist TempleBroken Ridge Buddhist Temple is a Korean Buddhist temple on the island of Oahu in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Originally known as the "Dae Won Sa Temple," it was constructed on King St in Honolulu in 1975. After being destroyed by fire, construction of the new temple located in the Palolo Valley...
- Daifukuji Soto Zen MissionDaifukuji Soto Zen MissionThe Daifukuji Sōtō Mission is a Zen Buddhist temple on the island of Hawaii established in 1914 .-History:In 1914 Reverend Kaiseki Kodama arrived in Kona and held services at the former Hanato Store which was located across the street from the present temple. He walked around the entire island...
, Honalo, Hawaii - Hawaii Shingon MissionHawaii Shingon MissionHawaii Shingon Mission or Shingon Shu Hawaii located at 915 Sheridan Street in Honolulu, Hawaii, is one of the most elaborate displays of Japanese Buddhist temple architecture in Hawaii...