Bishop's Message

Aloha! Welcome to the Honpa Hongwanji of Hawaii Home Page!

Kikyomon (Buddhist Homage) says, "Hard is it to be born into human life. Now we are living in it. Difficult is it to hear the teachings of the Blessed One. Now we hear them. If we do not gain emancipation in this present life, we may not be free from ill-faring in the ocean of births and deaths for kalpas. Let us reverently take refuge in the Three Treasures—Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha"

Yes, this is true. It is the rarest of all rare things to be born, and yet, I have been born and am now alive. It is the most wondrous of all wondrous things to have the opportunity to hear the Nembutsu teachings and yet, I am privileged to hear it. I believe that to realize and appreciate these two facts allows each of us to lead our lives meaningfully. I wish to deepen my experience and understanding of Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow to bring about my birth in the Pure Land and to live within the Nembutsu every day by sharing Buddha’s teaching with as many people as possible.

Presently, the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii consists of 36 temples located throughout the state of Hawaii, along with the Buddhist Study Center, located near the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus. All of the temples are open to anyone who wants to hear and learn the Buddha’s Teachings.

From the bottom of our hearts, we welcome you always!

in gassho,

Bishop Chikai Yosemori