Wailuku Hongwanji Buddhist Temple (WHBT) will hold a Special Eitaikyo Service on Saturday, February 15, beginning at 6 p.m. Reverend Shinkai Murakami invites all members and friends to attend this special service. He stated that this Eitaikyo Service is “Special” because it is being held for all departed members of our temple, especially individuals who have been placed in our temple’s Eitaikyo Register.
This service provides family members the opportunity to quietly meditate and reflect upon the cherished memories of the deceased and reminds us of the impermanence of life. This helps us realize our own changing existence. As we recall the countless benefits bestowed upon us by the deceased, a feeling of gratitude arises within us toward the deceased and others for making life possible for us.
The word Eitaikyo means “perpetual sutra.” Eitai means “perpetual” and kyo means “sutra,” or “teaching of Buddha.” The term “Eitaikyo” is defined as a “perpetual memorial service.”
The Eitaikyo Service was started because members wished that the Buddha’s teachings would continue to their descendants from generation to generation. They established the Eitaikyo fund, a separate fund from the temple’s other funds, set aside for use by the temple in extraordinary circumstances or emergencies. It is a fund that is not to be used for the general upkeep and day-to-day expenses of the temple.