Watsonville Buddhist Temple members celebrated the compassion and enlightenment of the Buddha on Sunday, enjoying dance, music and food at the annual Obon Festival.
The popular festival also offered games, crafts for sale, a farmer’s market and silent auction.
It is a way to show appreciation to those who have died, and to express anticipation to be joined with them in the “pure land,” the Rev. Shousei Hanayama said.
“We share happiness; that is the main purpose,” he said.
Dance is a key part of expressing that joy, Hanayama said.
The Obon dance comes from a story about Moggalana, one of the ten disciples of the Buddha, he said.
In the story, Moggalana sees his mother suffering in Hell and seeks counsel from Buddha. Following studies, meditation, an offering and a service for all who have died, Moggalana’s mother and all others were rescued from Hell.
Seeing this, Moggalana and the other disciples danced with joy.
The “Gathering of Joy” is one of the largest and most joyous Buddhist festivals, Hanayama said.
The temple held a service on the topic last week, he said.
Reiko Itamura, 65, moved from Watsonville to Sunnyvale more than 30 years ago, but has been joining friends at the temple for the festival annually for the past few years. It is one of the main holidays in her faith, she said.
“My parents passed away here,” she said. “Coming home each time is a way of honoring my mom and dad.”
Itamura said her parents were strawberry farmers who had endured being interned at Poston, Ariz., and that she was born there. Itamura has taken a “pilgrimage” there as part of getting in touch with her roots, she said.
Returning to celebrate the festival at her childhood temple, and having a “mini-reunion” with friends, is part of that, she said.
Hanayama said the festival is a fundraiser too, but not a huge money-maker.
Temple members and others pitch in to make food to sell, including sushi, manju, udon, teriyaki chicken and more.
Each year, the festival is dedicated to those who have died that year, and it serves as way to encourage their family members, Hanayama said.
This year’s festival was dedicated to Zenichi Ota, Goro Yoshida, Hiroshi Nishita, Kunito Shinta, Sueko Okamura, George Hoshiyama and Dorothy Ura.
Watsonville Buddhist Temple follows the Jodo Shinshu Nishi Hongwanji tradition of Buddhism, headquartered in Kyoto, Japan.
Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel
