ABOUT US
Mission Statement
Established in 1900, The Lihu‘e Hongwanji Mission was incorporated on August 20, 1958. As a non-profit (eleemonsynary) corporation. Lihu‘e Hongwanji’s functions are to establish, conduct, and maintain a church, to provide facilities for public worship and religious training, to preach and disseminate the doctrines, principles, discipline and religious teachings of the Jodo Shin (Honpa) sect of Buddhism, to maintain an affiliation with Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai‘i, and to carry out our educational, charitable, and other works which are necessary in promoting the happiness and general welfare of the community.
Kyosho — The Essential of Jodo Shinshu
Name: Jodo Shinshu Honpa Hongwanji
Founder: Shinran Shonin (1173-1262 A.D.)
Teaching: Having awakened to the compassion of the Amida Buddha and rejoicing in the assurance of Buddhahood, we shall endeavor to live the life of gratitude and service.
Tradition
The Honpa Hongwanji is a community of people joined together by the gladness of a common faith in Amida Buddha. As Jodo Shinshu Buddhists, we shall seek to be humble and sincere in words and in deeds, to be responsible citizens of our society and to share with others the teachings of Jodo Shinshu.
Understanding fully the principle of causality, we shall not practice petitionary prayer and magic, and we do not depend on astrology and superstitions.
The Four Noble Truths
1. The true aspect of life is intertwined with suffering and change.
2. The true cause of suffering is rooted in our own base passions or worldly desires (bonno), of which we are often blind.
3. To transcend suffering, we follow the Buddha-Dharma teachings, “which teach us to give up the egotistic mind and heart, and to seek the world of Nirvana.”
4. To transcend the ego (the source of our suffering), we follow the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path “Hawaiian Style”
1. Right Understanding (‘Ike Pono): we should learn and try to understand the truth (The Four Noble Truths) of Amida Buddha’s teaching.
2. Right Purpose (Kumuhana Pono): we should do what is right (also set things right, Ho‘oponopono) .
3. Right Speech (Olelo Pono): we should be truthful and kind in the way that we speak, and learn how to praise (Ike).
4. Right Conduct (Lawena Pono): we should try to behave ourselves at all times, and to have love, compassion (Aloha), and responsibility (Kuleana).
5. Right Livelihood (Nohona Pono): we should earn our living in a way that will not harm anyone.
6. Right Endeavor (Hana Pono): we should constantly try to improve ourselves. We need to be cooperative (Laulima) and to have the will to be helpful (Kokua).
7. Right Though (Mana‘o Pono): we should try to have good and pure thoughts because our words and our actions arise from our thoughts.
8. Right Meditation (No‘ono‘o Pono): we should think often of Amida Buddha.