BON ODORI – JULY 13th at 8:00pm
Saturday, July 13th at 8:00 pm in the temple parking lot we will celebrate Bon Odori. Come join us as we dance to express our gratitude to our ancestors.
Please join us for our annual Bon Odori at 8 pm Saturday, July 13, as we dance to express our gratitude to our ancestors. The MBT Minyo group will lead us in traditional dances during this celebration. It doesn’t matter whether you are Buddhist, new to Bon Odori, or whether you have “two left feet.” The important thing is to leave your ego behind and simply express your joy and gratitude for life through dance.
Although you do not need to know the dances to enjoy Bon Odori, anyone wishing to learn them before the festival can attend open practices led by the MBT Minyo Group. All are welcome to join us in the MBT Social Hall at 7:30 pm for any or all sessions—July 1, 3, 5, 9 and 11—to practice the Bon Odori dances.
On Sunday, July 14, we will have our Obon/Hatsubon Sunday service at 10:30am with guest speaker, Rev. Tanis Moore, from the Manitoba Buddhist Temple, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
In Jodo Shinshu, Obon is called Kangi-e, or a “Gathering of Joy.” It is a major festival on our Buddhist calendar. It is a memorial service and celebration in memory of our ancestors and all who have come before us. It is an annual observance and an opportunity for us to reflect upon the innumerable causes and conditions that continue to influence our lives and the benefits we have received from the countless lives of others.
Kangi-e is awakening. This awakening causes us to dance for joy as a spiritual and festive activity in gratitude.
As Shin Buddhists, we should remember that this observance is held for the sake of the living. It gives us an opportunity to hear and experience the Dharma and deepen our faith in the infinite wisdom and boundless compassion of Amida Buddha.
For Hatsubon, it is the first Obon for families who have lost loved ones this past year. This can be a particularly difficult time for families as the death of their loved one is still so fresh. As we struggle with understanding the transiency of life through our experiences, it is an opportunity to continue our changed life with fullness and meaning.
In the MBT tradition, we will have memorial candles available for a small donation. For $10 per name you can have your loved one’s name placed on a candle. These candles will be placed on the temple’s balcony ledge for the Bon Odori dance and in the hondo for the Obon/Hatsubon service. They remind us of the light that shines from the boundless lives of those we love and how their life continues to take effect upon us.If you plan to attend in person, please observe our Attendance Policy, thank you
ORIGINS OF OBON
Its origin is linked to the Ullambana-sutra that tells the story of Mogallana, one of the great disciples of the Buddha. In this story, Mogallana sees his departed mother suffering in the fiery domain of the Hungry Devils, a domain where hunger and thirst know no bounds.
Everything that is touched immediately bursts into flames.
Grieving at what he sees, he attempts to relieve her suffering but his attempts to relieve her suffering are futile. In desperation, he goes to the Buddha and the All Compassionate One shows him the way.
Following the path shown him, he finally succeeds. He and his friends rejoice, expressing their joy and gratitude with music and dancing.
The Bon Odori is symbolic of that occasion. It is a time of rejoicing and expressing gratitude in the same manner as did Mogallana and his friends. This is the tradition of the Obon.
Please join us for Bon Odori and Obon Service. If you have any questions contact us.
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