By George Beck
The Daifukuji Soto Zen Mission is located on the Big Island of Hawaii. It was founded in 1914 by the Reverend Kaiseki Kodama. In 1909, Reverend Kadama was sent to Honolulu Hawaii by Soto Shu headquarters to aid in the construction of a temple there. In 1914 he was transferred to the Big Island to establish a Soto presence on that island. According to the temple’s website, to fund the construction of the temple, the Reverend Kodama walked around the island two times until he had collected enough money to start construction. The temple was initially a very small structure and as membership grew it was seen as necessary to construct a new temple. This larger temple was finished in 1921 and remains to this day. Additional structures such as the Kannon-do and minister’s dwelling were added over the next thirty years. The temple was established to cater to many of the Japanese Americans who had settled in the area. During that period the temple was a hub for immigrants and a place where they could feel a connection to their homeland. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, many Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps on the mainland. The reverend at that time, Rev. Nakayama, was arrested and sent to the Santa Fe Internment Camp in New Mexico. This was obviously a very difficult time for the temple and the Japanese Americans, who at that time accounted for 40% of Hawaii’s population. Daifukuji was taken by the U.S. army during the war and used as a communications center. At the end of World War II, Rev.Nakayama was able to regain control of the temple and continue his Buddhist teachings. As time as progressed the patrons of the temple have become increasingly multicultural and multiethnic.
The Mission practices Soto Zen Buddhism. This is the largest of the three traditional Zen Buddhist sects. It was established by Dogen Zenji after he returned from a trip to China. It shares many traditions and rituals with other Buddhist communities. One of their core practices or traditions is Zazen. This is seated meditation and often emphasizes “just sitting”, which is meditation without a specific goal in mind. Through this method of meditation, you are hoping to find the embodiment of peace and presence. Soto Zen Buddhism also stresses mindfulness in daily tasks. Meditation services are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the temple.
At Daifukuji they have five precepts when participating in Zazen:
- Refraining from killing and harming living beings
- Refraining from taking that which is not given
- Refraining from causing harm through sexual misconduct or inappropriate behavior
- Refraining from false speech, harmful speech, gossip, and slander
- Abstaining from drugs, tobacco and intoxicants that cause carelessness or loss of awareness
Another practice that is conducted at Daifukuji is Shakyo, this is the hand-copying of Buddhist sutras. It is meant to be a meditative practice which helps to create increase mindfulness and removing evil thoughts. This can be done in one of two ways, either by tracing using a small brush or rewriting the sutras word-for word. There is a also a focus on Tai Chi at Daifukuji. While this isn’t expressly Buddhist, it focuses on mindfulness and relaxation which are important to effective meditation. Some of the more non-traditional events that the temple hosts each year are Girl’s Day and Boy’s Day. These are meant to celebrate the youth members of the temple and acknowledge their accomplishments. Also, the orchid club holds an event annually to show the skills of the orchid growers at the temple.
There was no public information on members that could be found. But the temple has many events scheduled that target people of various age levels. The temple serves a diverse community comprising individuals of various ethnic backgrounds, including descendants of the original Japanese immigrants and newer members interested in Zen Buddhism. Twice a week they have you Taiko which is a term for Japanese drums. These drums are used throughout Buddhist ceremonies and rituals. During sutra chants, these drums are used to keep the chant in rhythm as the sutras are being chanted. The fact that the temple can hold classes target at youth is evident of the multigenerational nature of the temple. Additionally, the temple notes that the members have become increasingly multicultural as time has passed. The temple leadership consists of a resident minister and a board of directors. Rev. Jiko Nakade, the current resident minister, is the 12th resident minister and the first woman minister. She received her formal training at Komazawa University in Tokyo.
The temple seemingly makes its revenue through the following ways: giftshop, donations, membership fee, and endowment. The giftshop is open Fridays and Saturdays offering various handmade and commercially made Buddhist products and knickknacks. Donations can be given during the Zazen meditation and during most services. To become a member of Daifukuji it is an annual membership fee of $60 per family. The website notes that they offer free membership to those that are unable to pay that fee. The endowment allows Daifukuji to be self-sustaining and permits it to use donations to further help the community. The temple seems to have plenty of funding to cover its daily operations while being able to offer additional programing to youths and the broader community.
The temples mission statement gives a pretty good idea of what they are trying to teach. It consists of the following four parts.
- To offer the teachings of the Buddha along with Soto Zen Buddhist practice to the members of our temple and to the people of our community.
- To provide a safe and serene temple environment for Buddhist study and other wholesome activities.
- To open our Sangha to all people and care for the spiritual and social needs of our members.
- To work in harmony as a Sangha, with compassion, respect, and kindness, for the benefit of our temple and community
These four statements speak to how the temple wants to create an inclusive community that doesn’t marginalize or alienate any group. It is clear that the community is center to their mission and trying to make Buddhist teaching go further than just the members of the temple. Additionally, they recognize that while teaching the words of the Buddha are the most important, other “wholesome activities” are also welcome within the church.
Overall, the temple seems like a very inclusive environment that is defiantly a more progressive interpretation of Buddhist teachings. This matches the laid-back culture found on the Hawaii island. But, like any temple its main goal is to spread the teachings of the Buddha. The temple is deeply tied with the history of early Japanese Americans and the struggles that they faced in a new country. This history and how vibrant the temple still is, makes it a very interesting place to check out.
List of some of the special events:
Kannon (Kwan Yin) Services: Held on the third Wednesday of each month at 10:00 am, these services involve candlelight, chanting, and traditional Buddhist music.
Dharma Programs: The temple offers Dharma programs for preschoolers through third graders, providing teachings and activities to introduce young children to Buddhist principles.
Fujinkai (Women’s Association): This group engages in fun activities, workshops, fundraising, annual conferences, and both temple and community service.
Orchid Show and Sale: The temple hosts the Kona Daifukuji Orchid Club’s annual show and sale, showcasing a variety of orchids and offering educational opportunities for enthusiasts.
References-
https://konahistorical.org/mailes-meanderings/daifukuji-soto
https://www.daifukuji.org/endowment/index.html